The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-11-03
TALE OF THE SEA.
Details of Wreck of Schooner
Van Name and King.
LEFT CHARLESTON
On the Third Day of October and
Was Wrecked Two Days Later Off
Cape Lookout. Two Sailors,
Who We're Saved. Tell a
HoraibIe Tale.

Who We're Saved. Tell a
Horaible Tale.
Clinging to a piece Of wreckage
With the fast failing strength Of their
weakened bodies whioh had known
no nourishment for five days, their
throats aflamo with thirat OF fire,
their burning eyes blinded by the salt
OF the sea, and their minds tortured
by the memories OF the self destruc.
tion Of their hunger maddored ship.
mates, William Thomas, aged 20,
and William &c. Warner, also 20, both
coored and members Of the crew of
the three masted schooner Nlnname
and King, were picked up of Cape
Lookout, after being five days adrift
on raft, by the Stillman It. Kelly, a
schooner which arrived at Boston
sOme days after being wrecked.
The Boston Globe says such q tale
as these men told Is unparalleled In
| fiction. No sturdier craft had clear.
cd the port + Charleston that day
.nd no happier crew had set sail with
prospects Of brighter voyage than
when the Vanname and King; Capt.
William A. Maxwell, lumber loaded
and bound for New York, hoisted her
canvan to the fresh blowing breeze on
Tuesday, October 3, and headed
0CeanWard.
The schooner was speeding along
under full sail when on Thursday
morning, October 5, the first signs OF
an approaching storm were noticed.
Next day at daylight 1t looked pretty
black. blacker than sailor likes to
see it, and there was an upcomforta.
BILE feeling among the officers and
men which none tried to conceal.
Bring her down to short sail, I" the
captain beloved, and this was done.
A noise like the bursting Of huge
soda tank fell upon their ears with
the splash of tremendous wave.
TO the pumps, all hands, and
quickly tool" The voice of the cap
tain was drowned In the tumult of
wind and water, but each man under
stood and jumped to his post.
The struggle was unceasing until
the craft was caught In the trough of
the sea, and hove on her beam ends
the II 10 bData were swept away (.
GhOugh they had never U1eu. -
No word Of command was needed
for these men for each made for a
hold on the weather side" that part
which was out Of the water. The
grips Of the eight pairs Of stout hands
were nothing in the face Of the gale,
for the next wave loosencd every
mans hold and swept one poor fellow,
William Grlzzell, into the flood.
Here's my knife" said the cap
tain, :cut yourself q rope from the
halliards and make yourself fast to
rigging. 1t was with difficulty that
the shiny, bit Of steel was handed
from man to man, but no Que faltered
aud each cut himself a line and lashed
himself to the stanch soars.
Night came and went, and not a
man dared loose his hold Prayers
and curses, grim jokes and tender
words OF encouragement, but no OIL c
stirred. That Afternoon when ho, c
had vanished from every heart, thoi c
came another wave bigger and greater
than all others, and the schooner was
dashed to pieces.
The lumber that had dlisd the craft
floated, and made support for the
mon, but only one portion OF the deck
about 10 feet square, was really
enough for a raft. One Of the sailors
Alfred Arthur, hose leg had beer
broken In three places, had throwr
himself upon this, and for four hour,
the others floundered about In TIE
water until they finally reached hi.
side.
Then came the voyage Of sickeninf
terror, the maniaca demands fol
water and food from those who's,
minds had left them under it's terri
bic strain; the grouDdlcss hopes O
nen who could not believe that thei
life was to be taken from them.
1t was awful, awful" said Warnel
as he looked across the mess table t,
Ihomas, whose eyes answered wi tin
CLEAN That was half OF sadness an(
haif OF we'll rom mbored agony.
Both these men are the specimen
OF the best type Of the British Wes
Indies colored men. They are NATIVES
OF Antigua, British West Indies have
received fair education, know hov
to express themselves clearly and shoy
that when In the full possession 0
their faculties they are as husky al
the huskiest OF sailors.
The storm began" Warner COD
tlnuod, Thursday morning, but 4
vas Friday night that the schoone
began to leak 50 badly that all hand
became alarmed.
The captain called the engineer tt
| hlm about 10 that night, and said
You'll have to work the electric
pumps, when the engineer said, 'lt'
NO use cap'n; the engine room Is ful
Of water.
at midnight the captain docldet
to run her fore the sea to ease up tn
strain. We hadn't taken that cours
long before the schooner was hove OF
her beam ends. Thorc wasn't any