The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-16

attempt TO make the trip as their small
boats were built for smooth water and
could rot stand the waves which had
increased with the wind
~Aboat half past six saw Orc boat
coming under the lee OF the 5etty and IL
was with the greatest difficulty and
danger that they reached the launch.
This boat contained Mr.. Geo. Harris
and Mr. Sneeden. They said the other
boat left the shore just in dvanc OF
them and started 10 come directly OF
shore 20 the launch. and the boat had
filed or turned over. n the men seem
ed 10 be sitting on IL or standing by II.
which was entirely practicable. as the
water was not deep. not more h
waist deep. Mr.. Gore told Mr.. Harriss
Go In TO the launch and tell Captain
Hal, 10 come and get Gsr seemingly
rot realizing that they were in any
danger as the water at that time was
rot rough in shore. Mr. Harriss kept
his little boa well in shore. and came
out under the lee of the jetty finding
the waves rougher as he proceeded and
al last got on board the launch. I told
Nr. Harriss we were already as near
shore as we could get. as we should
have gone in farther at first IL we could
| but we would run down opposite the
men and get as near as we could. We
got near enough so we could hear them
shout. and then the launch grounded.
| We could not see the men but we could
hear them plainly. l houte 70 them
that we could get no further. and for
them not to try to get TO us, but TO work
for the shore. They evidently could not
understand that we were aground. as
they continued shouting. Mr.. Harriss
said he was going TO them in the small
boat, but as soon as he stepped INFO
her the waves broke over her. and she
would have filled Immediately, SO he
could not go to them. The men still
called al intervals but their voices grew
fainter, and we hoped they had realized
that w could not get TO them and were
working to get ashore. We were power
less to help them; our launch was hard
and fast aground; the waves We're so
rough the little boat could not live in
them. and so we could only wait, two
tours until the tide rose and u boat
fioated, when we returned to town.
Nj. Harriss Immediately procured a
horse and buggy and crossed the river
and drove down to the place where they
-" the shore. hoping to find the men.
~ there were no signs of them. He
then reused the negroes who left in
that vicinity and set them, to searching
the woods. We went down with the
launch Sunday morning and searched
the shore with small boats, without
finding them We found their little boat
bottom side up, caught on the next
| jetty about a half mile further down.
NJ Harris could not lake Mr.. Gore
off the boat when he passed him. as
his Owl boat vas already overloaded
and he had a narrow escape from shar
ing the fate of the others.
NJ Gore made the mistake of think
ing the launch could come to him.. an
impoSsibility in that shallow water. in
stead Of directing all his efforts to get
ting back to the shore, which at thar
stage of the proceedings might lave
been Zone in three feet of water, but ]
do not think he realized his danger, and
waited for us. We could not get to him
and when they knew the truth they
tried to get to shore an dfailed. The
bottom is very muddy and they may
have found deep holes, or sunk from
Geld and exhaustion"