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

Nape lookout. TWO Sailors,
Who We're Saved. Tell a
HOraible Tale.
Clinging to a piece of Wreckage
with the fast failing strength Of their
weakened bodies which had known
no nourishment for five days, their
throats a1lame with a thirat Of fire,
their burning eyes blinded by the salt
of the sea, and their minds tortured
by the memories of the self dest rue.
tion OF their hunger maddored ship.
mates, William Thomas, aged 20,
and William e. Warner, also 30, both
colorod and members Of the crew of
the three. masted schooner Vanname
and King, were picked up of Cape
Lookout, after being five days adrift
on a 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 mon told Is unparalleled In
fiction. mo sturdier craft had clear.
cd tho port Il Charleston that day
nd no happier Grew had set sail with
prospects Of q 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
OceanWard.
The schooner was speeding along
under full sail when on Thursday
morning, October S, the first signs OF
an approaching storm were noticed.
Next day at daylight 1T looked pretty
black. blacker than a sailor likes to
see it, and there was an uncomforta.
BILE feeling among the officers and
men which none tried to conceal.
Bring her down to short sail, - the
captain beloved, and this was done.
A noise like the bursting Of q huge
soda tank fell upon their ears with
the splash Of a tremendous wave.
TO the pumps, all hands, and
quickly tool" The voice of the cap.
tain was drowned in the tumult Of
wind ard 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 ltf9 boats were swept away
though they q never D1en.
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 a loosened every
mans hold and swept n poor fellow,
William Grlzzell, into the flood.
Here's my knife" said the cap
tain, ':cut yourself a 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
and each cut himself a line and lashed
himself to the Stanch spars.
Night came and went, and not a
man dared loose his hold. Prayers
and curses, grim jokes and tender
words of encouragement, but no OF 9
stirred. That afternoon when ho, c
had vanished from every heart, thci G
came another wave bigger and greater
than all others, and the schooner was
dashed to pieces.
The lumber that had fillad the craft
tloated, 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 been
broken In three places, had thrcw u
himself upon this, and for four hours
the others loundered about In the
water until they finally reached hia
side.
Then came the voyage of sickening
terror, h maniacal demands for
water and food from those whose
minds had left them under it's terri.
bio strain; the g%rouDdlcss hopes OF
men who could not believe that their
life was to be taken from them.
1t was awful, awful" said Warner
as he looked across the mess table to
Thomas, whose eyes answered with a
CLEAN that was half Of sadness ana
half OF we'll rem mbored agony.
Both these men are the specimens
OF the best type Of the British West
Indies colored men. They are natives
OF Antigua, British West Indies have
received a fair education, know how
TO express themselves clearly and show
that when In the full possession OF
their faculties they are as husky as
the huskiest Of sailors.
The storm began" Warner con.
tinued, Thursday morning, but IL
was Friday night that the schooner
began to leak SO badly that all hands
became alarmed.
The captain called the engineer to
him about 10 that night, and said,