The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1958-10-03

Hatteras.
men who would walk with both
parts of it along the beach to
windward to offset the current,
and then suddenly slack out they
finally succeeded in getting the
block into their hands and making
it fast to the flying jib boom
The hawser quickly followed,
and in due season the arrangement
of the lines between the schooner
and the shore was complete.
Schooner's Captain Made
Error of Judgment
The work of rescue was not be-
gun by sending off the breeches
/ buoy. There were seven men in
sight at this time at the bow OF
the vessel, the eighth man, who it
appears was the captain, having
gone aft and climbed into the star
board mizzen rigging. He had
done this soon after the firing of
the first shot. The survivors give
no reason for his taking this step,
and perhaps the best that can be
advanced is that he thought as
the line just thrown> had landed
aloft on the after spring stay, no
other would be sent off, and that
would have to be used.
The gear worked smoothly, and
all seven of the men forward were
landed safely by 9 o'clock. BY this
time the schooner had gradually
settled in the sand until she was
almost entirely under water except
the masts, which were still stand
ing. She was also fast breaking
up. Under these circumstances it
was utterly impossible to get for
ward to the jib boom, where the
I breaches buoy hung in readiness
for him.
The only way at that time to
have got forward would have been
by the mastheads, and he was
doubtless in no condition, then to
! attempt such a perilous feat. 1t
was equally impossible to reach
him with the boat, or for anyone
to go off in the buoy from the
shore with any prospect of aiding
him, as the surf was dashing
wildly over the submerged hull
between the bowsprit and the rig
ging, where he was. After the
lapse of about three quarters of
an hour, or at a quarter to 10
o'clock, he was observed to de-
scend the rigging as though he
meditated a dash for the. bow of
the vessel.
But he had scarcely reached the
sheer pole when he was swept
away, and after battling desper-
ately for a few moments with the
waves in vain effort to regain
the rigging he sank out of sight
and was not again seen until his
lifeless body was cast up by the
surf about an hour later. Immed-
tate efforts were made to resus-
citate the body, but without sue
cess. AS the head and face were
badly bruised, it was quite likely
that he was knocked insensible
by contact with wreckage very
soon after being washed overheard.
The seven survivors lost all
their effects, and were furnished
with a change of dry clothing
from the supply of Women's Ma
tional Relief Association, besides
shelter and sustenance until the
following day (23rd), when pas
sage was obtained for them on a
small schooner to Roanoke Island,
when they could proceed by steam
er to the mainland. Nothing was
saved of the schooner or her cargo.
The following paper was left by
the castaways with Keeper Pugh
and by him forwarded to head
quarters:
"Gull Shoal Life Saving Station
! "Sixth District, January 20, 1891
"The undersigned, crew of the
schooner Nathaniel Lark, wrecked
on Chicamicomico Beach January
%, 1891, do hereby certify that
every possible effort was made to
save all the crew of that vessel
by the keepers and surfmen OF
| the Gull Shoal and Chicamicomicc
Life Saving Stations, that the
drowning of the Captain was the
result of his own action, and that
It was not by reason of any failure
on the part of the life-saving
crews to discharge, their duty.
While we deeply regret the loss
of our Captain we desire to ex-
press thanks to the keepers and
crews of said stations for their
promptness in rescuing US and for
the hospitality we received after
reaching the Gull Shoal Station.
Harry Sipple, Mate, Robert
Greer, Peter Aucker, Henry King,
John Sober, L. Sanderage, Charles
H. Williams"