The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-01-11

ing high up in the rigging. The
captain, young man just turned
30, and who appears to have acteC
with great courage and presence
of mind through the terrible scenes
that ensued, and to have mani
Tested the greatest concern for the
safety of his crew-ordered all
hands on deck. Two or three OF
the men were forward and the
lrest aft. After calling the men
up, the captain, the mate and two
seamen undertook to lower the
sails, $50 that there would not
be so much gear swinging around u
The water was coming aboard in
much volume, however, that they
were unable to finish their work,
having to take refuge on the
quarterback, where they were
shortly joined by the men from
forward.
The captain next thought to go
down into the cabin to secure the
ships papers and some personal
belongings. On descending he
found the cabin awash and the
furnishings thrashing around so
violently as to threaten the safety
of anyone entering. He succeeded
however, in getting hold of his
watch and pocketbook, but did not
dare remain long enough to get
the papers, which were in a
drawer of the desk.
While he was below, the cook
appeared at an inner door of the
cabin and when he went back on
deck, followed him out.
All the ships crew with whom
the Investigating officer talked
agreed that. the cook was so badly
frightened as to be incapable of
intelligent action. In fact, both of
the men who were lost were prac-
tically helpless through fear. Their
shipmates were of the opinion
that had they been more coura-
geous they might have been saved.
The captain stated that the rest
of the crew never showed the
"white feather" but they even
joked with each other when it
seemed certain they would all
perish.
When the cook came up on the
quarterback, the captain appre-
ciating his condition, assisted him
into the yawl, which hung from
the davits over the stern. There
he remained until the crew, some
time later, attempted to launch
this boat, when he got out of it
and tried to take a hand in the
launching, but a sea came along
and swept both him and the boat
overheard.
Some twenty minutes after the
schooner fetched up, the deck load
began to work loose, and soon the
piles stacked under the starboard
side. were chatting the rigging as
they rose and fell with the seas,
tearing it asunder. Freed from
their fastenings to windward, the
masts could not Withstand the
terrible pounding and the pressure
of the piles on the leeward rigging
and three of them, the mainmast,
mizzenmast and spankemast snap
ped off simultaneously, the last
two going overheard and the MAIN
mast swinging around against the
foremost, where it hung suspended
by the rigging.
The first man to sight the
schooner from the shore was Surf
man Andrew Scarborough No.
man at Paul Gamiels Hill life
saving station. He was at the time
standing the 2:30 to 600 am.
beach watch near the station.
About $3.50, as it was coming day
break, he saw her off to the east
southeast. He watched her for a
few moments, and then set a
stake in the sand near the watch
house and took a range to deter
mine in which direction she was
moving. He saw that she was fall
ing off toward the beach. Scar
borough says that he wasn't sure
she would come ashore, but that
he knew she was where she
should not be in weather such as
prevailed at that time. While he
was watching the vessel, Surfman
Paul D. Beals, the No. 8 man at
the same station came in from the
south patrol, and at Scarborough
request kept an eye on the ship
while Scarborough went to the
station some 200 yards away to
inform the keeper of his discovery.
| Keeper Thomas Harris and crew
/ of Paul Gamiels Hill Station were
soon on their way to the vessel
with the beach apparatus, hauled
by the station team, arriving
abreast of her even before she
struck. Before setting out he had