The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-01-11

Gus lass above. The other three
week days, Jacks eo-star Is oinah
Shore.
north patrol, having also discover
ed the wreck, likewise returned to
the station, finding his comrades
already moving.
Relief Work Difficult
The coast runs about northeast
/ and southwest, and the steamer
lay about two miles southwest OF
the station. An accident to one OF
the shafts of the beach-apparatus
cart caused considerable delay
soon after the crew started, but as
it was yet very dark and as sub
sequent events clearly showed,
this fact in no way adversely at
fected operations. The tide making
over the beach was especially deep
at a point where the hurricane Of
August 1918 had cut an inlet, and
the keeper was obliged to secure
the aid of five citizens to help his
crew get the gear to the wreck,
but Notwithstanding all the diff
culties, the ife-savers were on the
scene between five and five-thirty
o'clock. Hardly had they arrived
when they made out in the dark
ness which still prevailed, a
shadowy figure staggering along
the beach, who proved to be Sea-
man Elsing, above named as hav-
ing swum ashore unaided. He
seemed only half conscious, but
was able to tell them of the cap
size of the boats and to suggest
that they might yet find men in
the surf. None could be seen,
however, and the savers went
quickly to work with preparations
| to set up the beach apparatus.
One account of the surf running
over the beach there was very
serious difficulty in finding a
place sufficiently high and solid to
bury the sand anchor where it
would hold to and place the Lyle
gun where it would be out of the
water. Both had to be frequently
moved during the operations.
The first shot was fired about
five forty-five o'clock but the
steamer was at least 600 yards
distant, and the line failed to
reach her. It was therefore hauled
in, and with it came half
drowned man, who was later found
to be Boatswain Anderson. He was
unconscious, but was resusicated
by the surfmen, and subsequently
told them that the line fell across
him as he was struggling in the
surf; that he had sufficient con-
seriousness to hitch it around his
arm, and was thus drawn ashore
-an almost miraculous es C p e
from death.
Sailors Were Swimming
About this time other persons
were dimly discernable in the
water making desperate efforts to
reach the beach. The life-saving
men strenuously t mpt e d to
reach them, going into water up
to their necks, but the surf was
so strong that their utmost exer-
tions resulted in saving only one,
Fireman Henroth, who was in
sensible when taken from the
water, but happily not past resus-
citation, which was finally effected.
It was Immediately after this
rescue that Keeper Howard set the
signal for those on board the ship
to remain there, and then began
firing to throw a line across the
vessel. While this was going on,
and owing to the great distance,
the projectiles were falling short,
three sailors were dragged from
the surf apparently dead, but
nevertheless some Of the surfmen
devoted themselves to every eff
fort to effect their restoration, al
though without avail. Not until
well-nigh eleven o'clock was it pos
sible to put line over the steamer.
BY that hour she had worked with
in 200 or 500 yards of the beach,
and a projectile carrying a No.
four shot was finally landed on
board. To this was attached No.
seven and to that a No. nine line
(for fear that the smaller one
might give way to the intense
STRAIN of dragging the tailblock
ard whip through the powerful
longshore currently and when the
No. nine line was safe on hoard
the whip-line was attached n T.
and sent ont. The hawser followed
and the actual rescue he~an, but
tremendous roll of the shin. which
lay broadside to, threatened to part
the hawser every time she rolled
offshore, and the most critical at
tention at the relieving tackle was
necessary to prevent that disaster.
Besides all this, the vessel was
edging closer in and
consequently the gear frequently
held to be reset. For these rea-