The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-04-04
SAVED FROM FATAL FALL.
Commander Moffett Barely Escapes
Slide Over 2OO-Foot Cliff.


superintendent of the lighthouse dis
trict at San Fransico, and brother
of Corporation Counsel George F
Moffett, will be interested in a mar
row escape from death which Com
mander Moffett had recently at Ana
capa Island, on the coast of Southern
California. For a long five minutes
he faced death on cliff 200 feet
above the ocean, and was sliding to
a horrible fate on the rocks below
him, VIXEN his, descent was stopped
by bit of cactus. A gale was blow
ing at the time, and the escape OF
the young naval officer is regarded
as miraculous. His men above him
lowered q rope and rescued Com
mander Moffett from his perilous po-
sition.
The story of his adventure is told
in the San Francisco Chronicle OF
Tuesday, February 27, as follows:
In the teeth of terrific northwest
gale, and dangling from the face of a
preeipice 200 feet from the breakers
and jagged rocks below, Commander
William A. Moffett, superintendent OF
the United States Lighthouse Service,
looked death in the face for long
five minutes last Thursday.
Commander Moffett and 10 men
connected with the service went to
Anacapa Island, on the coast OF
Southern California for the purpose
Of installing a steel tower lighthouse
on the island at point about $50
feet from the surface Of the water.
In order to reach the proposed site
it was necessary for the party to
scale the almost vertical rocky walls
of the island at point where the
rock rises $50 feet above the level OF
the surrounding water.
There was only one place where the
cliff could be scaled and that was
where mass of loose rock and
powders had slidden down from the
top wearing a crack along the sur
face. With their backs against one
of the walls of this fissure and their
knees braced against the otherss the
men slowly worked themselves to-
ward the top.
Moffett had proceeded about 200
feet from the surface of the ocean
when a small bowlder that he had
grasped to draw himself up, came
loose and went tearing down the face
of the precipice with mass of loose
dirt and stones in it's wake. There
was nothing but loose dirt to take
hold of, and Moffett began to slide,
each second adding to the speed OF
the: descent. Prone on his abdomen,
he clutched wildly at bits OF cactus
and small powders, which checked
the rapidity of his descent, and at
last he managed to catch hold of a
bowlder large enough to bear his
weight. Here he dropped anchor, so
to speak, until bowline was lowered
to him, by which means he was en-
abled to work his way to the top OF
the island.
He was badly bruised by the stones
over which he had been sliding, and
his body resembleC a pincushion, for
cactus spines bristled from all parts
of his person. In fact, the cactus,
which grew abundantly on the cliff,
prevented him from being dashed to
death upon the rocks below.
In the face Of the strong gale the
party erected a derrick on the top
and succeeded in hosting to its site
the material for the steel tower of
the lighthouse and xhe rest of the
paraphernalia. Commander Moffett
returned yesterday on the lighthouse
tender Sequoia.-Charleston Evening
Post.