The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-01-04

ing down the coast supports this
theory. Besides whenever the YES
sci showed tendency to head up
toward the land the jib sheet
would at once be drawn to wind
ward (the wind being little off
shore) when she would immed-
lately resume her course. The Cap
tain seems, however, to have fl
nally changed his mind, and
abandoned the undertaking, for
after a while the mainsail was
again hoisted and the schooner
was steered for the beach. She
struck, as near as could be judged,
some five or six hundred yards
off, at a point about three miles
north Of Cape Hatteras.
When the cart became disabled
and there was no prospect Of get
ting it over the beach,: orders were
given for the men to hurry along
and meet the crew of the Hatteras
Station, on whose beach it was
now obvious the vessel would
strike if she was headed for the
shore. The keeper rode one of the
horses as fast as he could for half
q mile or SO in advance, when he
dismounted and tied the horse to
a telephone pole, so that some
member of his crew following aft
err could secure a rest by riding
the animal and also hurry the
quicker to the scene of operations.
The keeper then ran down along
the beach, passing the vessel just
as she struck the bar, until the
suIfman on the horse overlook
him, when he remounted and gal
Hoped on until he met the crew of
the Hatteras Station, who were
hurrying to the schooner's assist
ance as fast as the condition of
the beach, the beating rain and
strong, head wind would permit.
The vessel struck at about twenty
minutes of 6 o'clock.
The work of the life saving
men now proceeded under the di-
rection of the keeper of the Hat
teras Station, the latter, as soon
as he received word that the YES
sci was in distress in the vicinity
of the Big Kinnakeet Station,
ordered out the apparatus cart.
Some ponies belonging to the surf
men were caught and hitched to
it, and all hands, pushing and help
ing as best they could, started up
the beach with the gear. Before
the two crews could join forces
the mainmast of the craft was
seen to topple and the foremost
almost Immediately did the same.
Both kept gradually going over,
and finally fell together into the
sea, the vessel entirely disappear
ing.
1t was sudden and unlocked
for collapse and a moment after
wards nothing could be seen in
the waves but a confusion of
wreckage, most of which began to
drift toward the cape. The keeper
of the lighthouse, who witnessed
the event, testified that the
schooner went to pieces just seven
teen minutes after she struck.
The expectation of rescuing the
entire crew, which had stimulated
the life savers to put forth their
utmost endeavors, now vanished,
but they were yet hopeful of saw
ing at least some of them. Their
! efforts, therefore were not once
relaxed. When they reached a
favorable spot the gun was quick
ly placed in position and line
fired over the floating wreckage.
The keeper thought that he could
make out two of the sailors
amongst the debris and bystand-
er testified that the line fell across
one of them, but that he made no
effort to secure it. AS soon as it
was found that the line was not
made fast the surfmen bent on
several cork jackets and attempt
ed to float them by the action of
the current within reach of some
of the shipwrecked people, but the
surf was so high that the life
preservers could not be sent off
shore.
Just at this time one of the
schooner's crew was discovered on
the cabin. The gun was, therefore,
hurried to a new position and
quickly loaded and fired-a No.
four line (the smallest size) being
used on account of the great dis
lance. This went true to the mark
and fell within easy grasp of the
man, who Immediately made it
fast and waved his hands to those
on shore. The line was then car
ried by the beach party to wind
ward and held taut so that the
wash of the sea might bear the
cabin to land, a plan that was con-
sidered safer than putting an I'M
due strain on the line which
might break If. notwithstanding,