The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-12-21


should circumstances afterward so
happen as to make their use in any
way feasible. Not long after the
yawl was released, it drifted to the
beach about a half-mile above the
wreck, and was dragged out of the
water by the bystanders.
An Amazing Situation
This was the situation at mid
day, and during all the valuable
hours that had slipped away since
morning, under conditions that
made even minutes of inestimable
Importance, not word had been
sent to either of the life-saving
stations. But Keeper Terrell, of the
Portsmouth Station, from which it
was possible to see the wreck, was
in his lookout tower at daybFeak
with his marine glass in hand, and
his watchful eye discovered the
Spofford very soon after her pres
ence became known to the people
of Ocracoke. She was seven miles
distant, however, and at first
seemed to be anchored for shelter
close under the beach. When the
growing daylight made it possible
to see more clearly, the keeper
thought he could discern signal
of distress in her rigging, and
without further hesitation, deter
mined to proceed to her at once.
1t should be stated at this point
that the Portsmouth Station was
new one, barely completed, not yet
supplied with it's equipment and
therefore not manned, the keeper
alone being in charge, to care for
the buildings and receive the boats
and appliances asSthey. should be
delivered, preliminary to the en-
listment of crew. He proved him-
self, however, to possess the true
spirit of a life-saver by setting
out to procure voluntary crew
and go to the vessel the instant
he became satisfied, or rather, had
reason to believe; that she stood in
need Of assistance.
Five good men were gathered
from the vicinity, and started with
the keeper across the inlet and up
the sound in an old surfboat, which
although unfit for serious service,
was the best to be had. 1t was
leaking freely, and the crew were
so frequently compelled to suspend
rowing and to bail out the water
that their progress was slow until
they were overtaken by Postmas-
ter Dixon, of Portsmouth, with his
sailing skiff, when they were kind
ly taken in two for the remainder
of the trip.
At about eleven o'clock they
landed at the mouth of Cookie
Greek on the West side of Ocra-
coke village, about a mile and
third across the island from the
wreck. There they were met by
Captain S. D. Bragg, an Ocracoke
pilot, before mentioned by whom
Keeper Terrell was informed of the
incidents that had already transpir-
ed, and assured that the life-sav-
ing crew could do nothing for the
men still on the wreck, because
the surf was too rough to launch
boat.
Knowing that the boat he had
was not fit for so perilous an I'M
dertaking, and almost dumbfound-
ed upon receiving information that
no message had been sent to Keep
er Howard, of the Ocracoke Sta
ton, thirteen miles away, he in
stantly realized that there was. no
time for further parley. Leaving
Jacob Swindell of his volunteer
crew in charge of the boat, he and
the four others promptly set sail
in the skiff for Keeper Towards
Station. AS soon, however, as the
skiff cleared the village so that an
unobstructed view of the schooner
could be obtained, Terrall saw that
the spray was flying over her and
concluded that she had come on to
the beach, where he might be of
aid to the ship-wrecked men. He
therefore went ashore, and started
across the island toward the wreck
which was three miles distant, tax
ing with him Dennis Mason and
sending the other three in the
skiff on their way to Towards
Station. Considerable time was
necessarily consumed in walking
over, and the two men reached the
scene just as the villagers drew
the Spofford's yawl out of the wat
er.
Terrell now perceived that the
wreck had not come to the beach
as he had supposed, and he only
to well knew that nightfall would
probably be at hand before Keeper
Howard could reach the place with
his crew and beach apparatus.
Keenly alive to the necessity of
immediate action, he therefore at
once resolved to make an attempt
dangerous and doubtful as it
might be-to reach the schooner
with the yawl then lying at his
foot if ho could onlxy s~J,,no AL