The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-02-22
WRECK OF SCHOONER NATHAN ESTERBRooK JR-
FEBRUARY 20, 1893

wreck around and thus bringing
the beach apparatus hawser across
the headstays. A signal to haul
away was, however, shown and the
buoy was accordingly promptly
pulled ashore.
When it reached the beach its
occupant was found to be uncon-
scious and was supposed to be
drowned, the hawser having been
made fast so low on the schooner
that the buoy was necessarily
dragged through the water large
portion of the way. Efforts were
made instantly to resusciate the
apparently drowned man, and he
soon recovered consciousness, when
he was transported in one of the
carts to the Little Kinnakeet Sta
ton, attended by surfmen selected
for that purpose, while the rest of
the three crews assembled at the
scene remained to complete the
rescue of the eight men still on
board the Esterbrook.
The gear being fouled the keep
err now determined to give over
any further effort with that meth
cd and make an attempt to reach
the vessel with the surfboat. A
launch was finally accomplished in
face of the high wind and furious
surf, but these obstacles, supple
mented by a rapid longshore cur
rent, were too much for the crew,
and ultimately compelled them to
abandon the effort and return to
the beach.
1t was now daylight, and Keep
er Hooper signaled to the men on
the wreck to change the hawser
and whip line to the lee bow, and
while this was being done and the
short end of the gear set up over
again as was necessary, he sent a
team to his station for the life
car, which he proposed to use in
the further operations, as perhaps
under the circumstances speedier
and preferable means of getting
the remaining men ashore. When
it arrived the car was slung upon
the hawser in place of the breaches
buoy, and four trips were made
with it, two men being landed at
each trip. So many perplexities
We're encountered that it was well
into the day when the last man
was safe on shore, and it may we'll
be accounted fortunate circum-
stance that the vessel was suffi-
GENTLY strong to hold together un-
til all the rescue was completed.
No lives were lost by drowning,
but the second mate, Charles Claf-
ford, who, as before stated, was
unconscious when he reached the
shore, and it afterwards appeared
from his own statements and those
of his shipmates, was injured be-
fore leaving the vessel and later
by being dragged across the head
stays, suddenly failed early in the
forenoon, and at about $3.50 o'clock
gave up his life. From the instant
he was landed to the moment of
his death every possible means
was adopted for his recovery, but
without avail.
Just before he expired he threw
up profuse quantities of blood and
it was the opinion of his comrades
as would seem to be the fact, that
his death was due to necessarily
fatal internal injuries. His body
was carefully dressed in clothing
taken from the supply provided by
the generous benevolence of the
Woman's National Relief Associa.
|, ton, and then reverently inferred
by the life-saving men in the pres
ence of the surviving members o.
the shipwrecked crew.
While the circumstances of thi'
rescue were not extraordinary 81
far as the weather was concerned
: they afford a fair illustration o:
. the methods of life-saving-th'
, breaches buoy, boat and life ca
: having been successfully brough
, into use-and they also emphasize
! the value of telephone communi
cation between the stations, b.
which three crews were easily an,
| promptly assembled under circum
) stances calling for a very con
} siderable number of men.
l The shipwrecked people wer
furnished with dry clothing an
, remained at the station until tn
day after the wreck, when the,
, took their departure on a wreckinI
! steamer for Norfolk, Virginia
: leaving with the keeper the follow
; ing statement expressive of thei
r appreciation of the services of tn
: life-saving crews:
: "The Schooner Nathan Ester
/ brook, Jr., of New Haven, Conn
stranded at 1910 o'clock on tn
t morning of February 20, 1898
/ about two and one-haf miles mort
, of the LITTLE Kinnakeet I,ife-Sav