The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-15
TDEEDI KNOW OF" DESCRIBED BY PROMINENT ARMY OFFICERS

was turned on. and boat and gather
Ing wave sped swiftly toward the YES
Sci. Fifty yards from the goal. how
ever. the sea fell away, then two
towering seas raced down upon the
boat from over the bow. The pro-
peliors were reversed to give the little
craft sternway and enable her to meet
tho oncominr waves with as little
shack as possible. but she failed TO
take the first one. and 1t broke over
the heads of the occupants, hiding
men and boat entirely from the view
OF the crew of the tug. who were anx-
iousiy watching the contest
Like duck emerging from n dive.
tho llfcboat freed herself OF the de-
luge OF water. >nly to take a second
plunge. under thc following sea But
again she came buoyantly up with
every man OF her half-drowned crew
in his place
while the iife-savers were thus
battling with the seas, wind and tide
carried them fully $50 yards from the
tug. Efforts TO regain the ground lost
were continued with renewed vigor.
the surfmen now shipping their or.ss,
and adding their strength to gasolenc
Eowcr. For more than half an hour
the unequal fight went on. the boat
gaining. then losing. then GAMMA
again, the oarsmen frequently having
10 stop rowing and hold on to their
seats to keep from being washed over
board.
at last. having shipped many seas
and repeatedly filled. the lifeboat got
within twenty yards Of the tugeal-
most near enough To heave u line into
the hands of her crew. The surf
around the wreck was the worst
Keeper Mckinley had ever encounter
ed In his tive tynine years on the
beach. Twice during tho efforts OF the
life-savcrs to get alongside he tug
their boat was hung SO high above
the surface OF the water that the mas
ter of the wrecked vessel gould see
daylight underneath her entire length.
The gale had now attained almost the
velocity OF hurricane. the seas had
become miniature mountains. and the
surfboat. on getting In near the wreck
now found herself In the tolls OF a cur
rent against which the power of men
and machinery combined availed moth
ing. The life-saving crew had. in
deed. reached the end of their re-
sourc,s AS they struggled futilely to
make Roadway. their boat was caught
up without warning on the crest OF
n suddenly risen comper. and in n
twinkling was fung aloft and turned
over. But five OF the crew. including
the keeper, succeeded in regaining
up. Three came TO the surface so far
from the craft that they could not
reach it. After vainly struggling.
two gave up the contest and swan
for shore. The four oarsmeu who,
with the keeper, had managed to get
back to the boat, were able 10 sup
port themselves alongside by holding
on to the bi;gc strips. while the keeper
chung to the propeller blades At
tpmDts were made to right tho hoa 1
but it refused to answer their united
Juggling.
Buried by Tones OF Water.
"As the five helpless men clung to
the craft. with tons of swirling water
did not forget to shout words OF en-
courageni"nt To their apparently less
| fortunat. comrades. lighting thrlr way
| to n place alongside.
! shortly after the keeper Tegained
| tho boat he ende TO push the
( steering oar within reach of orc OF
the three men the tide hai carried
away While his attention was thus
| engaged, a sea. taking him off his
guard, .ore him from the wheel and
swept him away Finding himself un-
able to get uack alongside ana feel
ing the chill OF tho water beginning
TO benurib his faculties. he, too. struck
ont for land. The others who were
| stu by the boat soon followed BY
a miracle all hands renched shallow
water. from which 'hey were hauled
by their comrades from Avalon. ;s-
sisted by residents Of the neighbour
hood. who carried them bodily to n
! rousinG fire awaiting them in an
! abandoned barn nearby
Keeper Frank Nichols. of the Ava