The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-29
ON HATTERAS
BRITISH STEAMSHIP GOES ASHORE
IN = SEVERE STORM.
TWENTY-ONE PERSONS DROWNED

The Ariosto Sighted Aground by Life
saving Crew-Their Efforts at Rescue
U~uavafling for Hours Twenty-One
of the Crew. Becoming Desperate.
Take to Boats and are Drowned-The
Captain and Eight Men Finally Res
cred-vesseI Probably a Total Loss.
Chicago, December ga special TO
The Tribune from Norfolk. Va, V
The British steamer Ariosto, Captain
Baines. bound from Galveston to Ham
burg. was wrecked at 4 o'clock this
morning six miles south of Hatteras,
y. c., and twenty-one Of the crew were
drowned. Captain ain eight of
the crew were saved by the heroic eff
forts of the Ocracoke life saving crew,
under Captain James Howard.
Those who lost their lives attempted
to reach the shore in a small boat,
which was swamped shortly after it
put off from the ship. Captain Baines
and the eight men remained aboard
and were landed by the life savers in
the breeches buoy, but not until after
a struggle which lasted all day.
Wrecking tugs are on the way from
here to the scene of the wreck and if
they reach the stranded ship in time
may save it, as the wind tonight is in
the wrecked vessels favor.
The Ariosto wreck is the worst on
these shores since the German ship
Elizabeth went ashore in 1876, when fif-
tty-fVo DpODlo were drowned.
Thick fOgs have prevailed along the
Virginia and North Carolina coasts for
several days and a number of vessels
have narrowly escaped destruction.
Last right, however, the air was clear,
but the wind averaged from forty to
fifty miles an hour and the sea was
furious around the point which has
been designated as the graveyard of
American shipping"
The. Ariosto, a vessel of $3.50 tons,
sailed from Galveston for Hamburg
via Norfolk, OF December 18th. The
skipper, Captain Baines, and his crew,
consisting of twenty-nine men, We're all
British. The Ariosto, which had a gen.
eral cargo, a all the way from port
encountered heavy weather.
The coast patrol from Ocracoke was
returning to the station about 4 o'clock
this morning when he discovered a Dig
ship ashore. He Immediately lighted
a signal to notify those aboard that
they were discovered, and ran to the
station to arous those of the life saw
erS who were not or duty.
Against the fierce wind the life saw
ers then dragged the heavy apparatus,
consisting of the Lisle gun, breeches
and light car, n it was almost day
light when they reached the scene of
the wreck. They could see the out
lines Of a big steamer, but could not
accomplish anything until daybreak.
The wind caught up particles of
sand, which were blown into the faces
of the life savers until their cheeks
were cut as if by q rawhide.
When daylight broke the sailors
were seen huddled together on the
wrecked ship, waving their arms in an
appeal to be saved. To launch a boat
in sue a sea would have meant in
slant DEATH, so the life savers placed
their gun in position and fired.
The Ariosto was some 600 feet out and
the line fell short. Line after line was
fired to the stranded ship, but all failed
to reach. In the meantime the waves
were dashing over the ship, and Cap
tain Baines called his men together
for a consultation, explaining to them
that the chances were about even if
they should take to the small boats or
wait for the life saving crew to fire a
life line on board. So far as he was
concerned, the captain said, he would
wait for the life savers, but he left it
to the crew to decide among them
selves.
Eight sailors said they would stick
by the captain. These were saved.
lT~wenty-one declared they were DOOM
ed if they remained aboard and they
left the ship in a small boat. All Of
them lost their lives.
The boat in which the twenty-one
men put off was n OF the regular life
boats. 1t was strong in ordinary
weather, but a cookie shell in such a
sea. The ship was tossing heavily, and
with difficulty it was swung from the
davits.
Captain Baines and the remaining
: eight men from their perilous position
watched the little o put out, shout
ing luck to the departing sailors.
Tossing about on the great waves the
sailors pulling a steady stroke the boat
seemed in a fair way Of reaching shore,
when a wave swept with mighty force
on the little craft, engulfing it. The
twenty-one men were. thrown into the
sea, and although the watchers on
shore were witnesses of the disaster
they were powerless to render aid.
> Captain Baines, of the wrecked YES
: sci, as he saw his men perish-this
mariner who had sailed the world for
1 twenty-five yodTS-"epI IKE d Cullu.
Meanwhile the Ocracoke life savers
stood their gun and continued firing
lines to the stranded ship. About four
hours after the Ariosto first struck a
line was cast over the ships side. Cap
tain Baines and his remaining men
I made il fast and an hour later they
1 had dragged the big hawser aboard.
The life savers slowly ran out the
creeches buoy and it reached the shiI
lin ofofv ThrO1Oh tho h1indinO Cnr2
the men were then, one by one, hauled
to shore, more dead than alive, and By
Inightfall all were safe.
The Ariosto was sever years old and
was owned by r. McAndrews & Co.
of London.
Norfolk, December 25-Captain Baines
lof the British steamer Ariosto, which
ran shore our miles south of the
& Cape Hatteras life saving station yes
!. terday morning, believes that his shir
will prove a total loss. A message &c
: that effect was received from him thi: