The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1959-01-30

that they would swing the schoon-
er clear around to port, making q
loop, as it were, and head out sea-
ward on the port tack almost al
right angles to the direction in
which they were going. This ma
neuver was necessary in order
to get out far enough to go again
on the starboard tack for Cape
Henry, inside of which the Cap
tain says he wanted to make ref
uge.
Just before the necessary orders
were given for bringing the vessel
around, a sounding was taken
which showed IL fathoms. The cap
tain states that he had then no
idea that he would go on the
beach. He simply thought that
they were getting as close in
shore as was prudent and that the
time had arrived to get off in
order to come up again on the
starboard tack. The necessity for
wearing ship, he explains, was the
direction of the winds, which was
blowing from the northeast. In the
opinion of some of the life-savers,
if the wind had been a point far
Their eastward, it would not have
been necessary to wear the schoon-
er around, and she would undoubt-
eddy have reached without accident
the haven she had in view. 1t was
while executing the maneuver
mentioned that she got into
trouble.
When Captain Hunter found his
vessel in IL fathoms, he took the
wheel and told the mate to slack
away the spanker topsail and
stand by. The slackening of this
sail, he stated, was to throw the
wind pressure more on the forward
sails, thereby helping to swing the
schooner around more quickly.
While the mate was slackening the
sail, the captain rolled the wheel
hard up and fastened it with the
beckett. Telling of what next oc-
Cured, he says:
"The schooner paid off north
west, but seemed to hang, and as
l did not want to lose too much
ground or strain my steering gear
l next called to the mate to slack
the spanker peak. AS she still did
not pay off, l then told him to
lower the spanker away. l, at the
same time, ran to leeward and let
go the mizzen sheet. AS the vessel
still did not answer her helm, ]
began to suspect that something
was wrong with her steering gear
and was doing everything possible
to bring her around"
By this time the wind was fresh
ened up to 20 knots and it had
begun to drizzle making a mist
over the water. Day was breaking
however, and through the occasion.
al riffs in the scurrying fog, the
sailors could see to windward, long
lines of foam crested seas, which
warned them of their proximity tt
the shore. Up to this moment, il
seems, the captain had not beer
apprehensive that he was danger
ously near the beach, and he hao
scarcely time to realize what wa:
in store for his vessel before she
fetched up in the breakers. Sh'
struck about $50 yards off shore
nose first, then swung around por
side to the beach, headed north
ward.
The seas were running higl
when she took bottom, and the!
now broke over her decks and thu
houses fore and aft, the spray fly
ing high up in the rigging. TIL
captain, young man just turne'
80, and who appears to have acte,
with great courage and presenc,
of mind through the terribl
scenes that ensued, and to hav
manifested the greatest concerl
for the safety of his crew--order
ed all hands on deck. Two or tire
of the men were forward and tn
J rest aft. After calling the men uE
: the captain, the mate and two sea
; men undertook to lower the sails