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

LEFT CHARLESTON
On the Third Day of October and
Was Wrecked Two Days Later Off
Cape Lookout. Two Sailors,
Who Were 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 atlame with q 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 maddered ship.
mates, William Thomas, aged 20,
and William e. Warner, also 20, both
colored and members Of the c:ew of
the three. masted schooner Vanname
III iNIhS, WCiO PlShOd w On SypC
Lookout, after being five days adrift
on a raft, by the Stillman Il. Kelly, a
schooner which arrived at Boston
sumo days after being wrecked.
The Boston Globe says such q tale
as these men told is unparalleled In
fiction. mo sturdier craft had clear.
ed the port Il Charleston that day
.ud no happier crew had set sail with
prospects Of a 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 breezs 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 we're noticed.
Next day at daylight it looked pretty
black. blacker than a sailor likes to
see it, and there was an uncomforta.
Bile feeling among the officers and
mon 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 q huge
soda tank fell upon their ears with
the splash Of q 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 hsr beam ends
The ife boats were swept away .
though they had 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
we're nothing In the face Of the gale,
for the next wave loosened every
mans hold and swept one 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 tC
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 dashed
himself to the stanch spars.
Night came and went, ami not q
man dared loose his hold. Prayers
and curses, grim jokes and tender
words Of encouragement, but no OF .
stirred. That afternoon when hon 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 Glled the craft
fioated, and made support for the
mon, but only II portion OF the decl
about 10 feet square, was really
enough for q raft. One Of the sailors
Alfred Arthur, hose leg had beer
broken In three places. had throw
himself upon this, and for four hour!
the others loundered about In tn,
water until they finally reached hi
side.
Then came the voyage Of slckeninj
terror, the maniacal demauds To-
water and food from thoao who's,
minds had left them under it's terri
bio strain; the grouDdlcss hopes O
men who could not believe that thei
life was to be taken from them.
1t was awful, awful" said Warne
as he looked across the mess table t,
Thomas, whose eyes answered with
glehn that was half Of sadness an
half OF well rom mbored agony.
Both these men are the specimen
OF the best type Of the British Yves
Indies colored men. They are native
OF Antigua, British West Indies hav
received o fair education, know how
to express themselves clearly and sllo,
that when In the full possession 0
their faculties they are as husky a
the huskiest OF sailors.
The storm began" Warner con
tlnued, Thursday morning, but |
was Friday night that the schoone
began to leak 50 badly that all hand
became alarmed.
The captain called the engineer t.
him about 10 that night, and said
You'll have to work the electrl
pumps when the engineer said, 1T
no use cap'n; the engine room Is full
OF water
AT Midnight the captain decide,
to run her fore the sea to ease up tn
strain. We hadn't taken that cours
long before the schooner was hove o.
her beam enda. Thore wasn't any
thing to do but make for the wcathe
side and we all did.
mo sooner had we got there tina
, there came o wavew which washed owe
board one Of the seamcn, william
n nt,yn1l Tuhn. 49, .oA - III.