The Washington herald., 1910-12-25
BOAT In BATTLE
WITH HEAVY SEAS
Thrilling Experience of a
Motor Craft Crew.

The motor boat Berneyo. owned by S.
W. Cranberry. OF Neysfk, y. j. left
Norfolk. Va, on Thursday. December 8.
bound for Bermuda. The weather was
fair, and there was no indication Of the
terrific gale TO be encountered. on Sat
urday the wind had shifted to the south
west and heavy seas were beating upon
tile little ship with increasing fury. To-
ward noon "A tremendous sea boarded
her, and for fifteen seconds the Berneyo
was completely buried, until il seemed TO
those on board that she could not possibly
recover. The ships boat was torn IRON
its lashings and the man at the wheel
was picked up bodily and hurled across
the deck and against the life boat, which
had lodged on the Berneyo's rail.
The crew labored heroically TO heave
the boat 10 and were finally successful.
With broken cabin windows and havoc
from stem TO stern. the little ship lay 10
the storm for six hours. facing what
seemed must be destruction. Capt Gran
berry finally decided to run before the
gale. and the engine was started. The
engineers were under battened down
matches, their faith pinned 10 the little
piece of machinery that Was either TO
pull them through or fail Some idea Of
the awful ordeal is gained from the fact
that not a soul on board had a mouthful
OF food or drink from Saturday until
Tuesday
on sunday the boat was again hove 70
for nearly nine hours Late IN the day
the engine was started and kept running
until the seas compelled Capt. Cranberry
again 10 heave 10 on Monday afternoon.
on Tuesday the Berneyo ran four hours
al told, Capt. Cranberry, who had made
an estimate Of the amount OF fuel re-
naming in the tanks found that this
would allow for only about thirty hours
steady running II was decided 10 drop
the sea anchor until more favorable
weather would allow observations 10 be
taken. as the boats exact position was
not known.
Early Monday morning the seXtant had
been smashed. and one huge wave had
washed Quartermaster Mcdonald over
board at the same time throwing Capt
Nelton and Mate Campbell against the
rail- where they saved themselves by
clutchlng the rigging Mcdonald was
given up for lost, when another wave
washed him back toward the boat and n
was able 70 grasp the rigging and cling
there until hauled aboard. On "Wednesday
and signals were made TO attract her at
ttntion. \ torch Of waste. soaked In
kerosene. was fastened 20 the end OF a
broomstick but although the steamer
hove to, she apparently could not under
stand the fantasticsl light dahcing on
the breast OF the seas. She made of
with speed. but the BeTneyo. the winner
OF the Philadelphia race, was
after her with greater spccr. and the
steamer was soon overtaken.
Capt Cranberry got his bearings from
the frightened crew, who thought THAI
the little boat with the waving streak Of
light was some new evil after them The
BeTneyo was fify-six miles north. half
east Of Bermuda. and a course was ar
once laid for 81. George. which was made
lat $50 Thursday morning. December Il.
Capt John Welton. Mate George Camp
bell. Engineer William Soden. and Quar-
teTmasteTs John r. Mcdonald and II. Raj
year returned 10 New York on the Ber-
mudian arriving Monday. December 70.