The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-07-17

withstood the dreadful batter
ing received on the shoals that
when the pumps were sounded
they showed less than a foot of
water in the well, and the cap
tain, still hoping to save the
vessel, ordered the anchor to be
dropped at once. Sixty fathoms
were veered on the chain, when
the schooner began to feel the
effect and swing around head
to the wind, but either the an
Choir broke ground, or too much
cable was run out, for the very
next instant the stern struck
, with a mighty blow upon the
inner bar, starting the sternpost
and jamming the rudder astar-
board so hard that the wheel
could not be moved a particle
Dragged Anchors. !
She now worked slowly across
the bar, until she reached a
deep gully parallel with the
beach, where, after a second
anchor was dropped, she finally
came to standstill, from two
hundred to three hundred yards
off shore, headed toward the
west, with four feet of water in
the hold and the breakers comb
ing high on both sides of her.
Then the wind suddenly shifted
to the westward, with the re-
suit that, under its influence
and that of the rudder, still
jammed hard to starboard, the
head of the schooner canted a
little offshore, bringing both
the wind and the current on
the starboard bow, and making
it utterly impossible for the
crew to slip the chain and run
her on the beach. In this situa-
ton the Spofford was discover
ed by the people of Ocracoke
at daybreak, Thursday, the 9th.
The American ensign was flying
union down in the starboard
mizzen rigging, and she was
rolling violently in The trough
of the powerful sea heaving
from the southeast, while the
wind was blowing at a velocity
ranging from forty to forty-five
miles ain hour. The news of the
wreck spread rapidly through
the little village and by eight
o'clock upward of twenty men
and boys were congregated ON
the beach, but they were with
out the means necessary to
reach the vessel.
There is a life-saving station
at Portsmouth, seven miles
southwest of the place of the
disaster, and another, called the
Ocracoke Station thirteen miles
to the northeast, but it was i'm
possible that the wreck could be
discovered from the latter under
any circumstances, and pos
sible depending upon weather
conditions that she might not
have been seen from the former.
Although the people on the
beach were aware of this as
well as of their own inability to
aid the shipwrecked men, they
nevertheless neglected to COM
municate with the station. Mean
while the crew Of the Spofford,
momentarily in fear that their
vessel would 60 to the bottom,
were well-nigh wild to- get to
land.
Despairing of Aid.
Perceiving the continued in
activity of the crowd on the
beach and despairing of assis-
lance, they were not long in
making up their minds that if
they were to be saved at all it
must be by their own efforts
alone. To them, as it generally
the case on the outside or the
surf, the water seemed not to
be dangerously rough, and they
decided that a boat could go
ashore without much difficulty.
Accordingly, they cleared away
the yawl, hanging on the stern
davits, led the painter around
the starboard (inshore) quarter,
and at a favorable moment cut
the falls, letting the yawl drop
into the water astern, whence
it was quickly and safely hauled
alongside under the lee. The
mate and four sailors hastily
making fast in the stern the end
of coil of line from the