The Republican journal., 1904-12-22
IN AWFUL GALE.
Experience Of Maine Sea Captain Mt n,.-
mond shoals.

Experience OF Maine Sea Captain at Df..
mond shoals.
BosToN, Dec. IA. A story of hard
ship and miraculous escape from death
was related by the crew of the New
York barkentine Emita who were
brought to this port this afternoon by
the Clyde line steamer New York
which CALAMITY rescued them last Sun.
day, Is hours after they had been car
ried adrift on fragment of their yes
sci.
The Emita, which left Fernandina.
Dec. Z, with a cargo of 10000 feet of
pine lumber for Fall River, struck On
Diamond shoal, off Cape Hatteras. at
10 o'clock last Saturday during heavy
storm and was pounded to pieces by the
furious seas; but although the barken-
tine literally crumbled to pieces beneath
the feet of those on board, not life
was lost. The captain of the vessel
was w. E. Remie of Machias, Me-, and
besides his crew of seven men he had
his wife with him. The voyage was
without incident until last Saturday
when the weather appeared threaten
ing. At noon when in north latitude
"a degree, 80 minutes, Capt. Remie de-
cided to reduce sail and when this was
done he ordered the vessel headed for
the Diamond shoal lightship.
At $50 p. NJ, the lookout reported
that he made out the glimmer of a
light. Captain Remie judged that the
light came from the lightship on Dia-
mOnd ShOal and he Immediately order
ed the fOresail taken in. Suddenly the
barkentine struck bottom with a terrific
shock and was brought up hard and
fnc f hat ~ n,Jc 20 10
Diamond shoal. In few minutes the
came tumbling aboard which threaten
ed to sweep all hands from the deck.
The deck load was torn from it's moor
ings and thousands of feet of lumber
were swept overheard.
The entire crew and the captains
wife found shelter in the forward
house. A few minutes before Mrs.
Remie was struck by huge wave and
carried from the pilot house to the cab
III, but she escaped injury.
Within quarter of an hour after
the vessel struck the mizzenmast went
overheard and at the same time a great
sea wrenched off the stern up to the
after hatch. Each huge bilow as it
Numbered over the stranded craft lifted
her entirely clear of the bottom at
times and with each receeding wave the
great gaps in the hull widened. Final
ly the bow of the vessel began to go to
pieces and in a short time was torn
from the hull at the fore hatch The
main deck gradually went to pieces.
The crew attempted to construct a
raft, but the storm continued and the
task was abandoned.
The forward deck house remained at
tached to the main deck, and when the
sea swept it away the captain, his wife
and crew were able to hold their posi-
tions. The wreckage drifted about 20
miles i'll a southeasterly direction and
into the path of the coast steamers. At
noon Sunday the steward started fire
which attracted the attention of the
steamer New York, bound from Jack
sonville, Fla, and Charleston, S. c., for
Boston. Chief Officer Googins of the
steamer was sent off in boat with sew
eral members of the crew. Although
the sea was still running high all the
castaways were taken off safely.
Captain Remie said his crew were
mostly Germans. He expected to 60 to
New York tomorrow to confer with
Swan d Son, the owners of the barken-
tine.
The Emita was built at Harrington,
Me, is 1888. Her tonnage was ATT net
and 522 gross. She 143 feet long, 1923
beam and 17.3 deep. The vessel and
cargo are insured.