The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1960-07-22

away the spanker topsail and stant
by. The slackening of this sail, he
stated, was to throw the wind pres.
sure 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 &C.
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,
] next called to the mate to slack
the spanker peak. AS she still did
not pay off, / then told him to
lower the spanker away. I, at the
same time, ran to leeward and let
go the mizzen sheet. As the vessel
still did not answer her helm, l be-
gan 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
freshened up to 90 knots and it
had begun to drizzle making a
mist over the water. Day was
breaking however, and through the
occasional riffs in the scurrying
fog, the sailors could see to wind
ward, long lines of foam crested
seas, which warned them of their
proximity to the shore. Up to this
moment, it seems, the captain had
not been apprehensive that he was
dangerously near the beach, and he
had scarcely time to realize what
was in store for his vessel before
she fetched up in the breakers. She
struck about $50 yards off shore,
nose first, then swung around port
side to the beach, headed north
ward.
The seas were running high when
she took bottom, and they now
broke over her decks and the
houses fore and aft, the spray fly
ing high up in the rigging. The cap
tain, young man just turned 30,
and who appears to have acted with
great courage and presence of mind
through the terrible scenes that en-
sued, and to have manifested the
greatest concern for the safety OF
his crew-ordered all hands on
deck. Two or three of the men were
forward and the rest 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 swing
ing around" 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 furnish
ings 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 APP.
peared at an inner door of the cablr
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. Theil
shipmates were of the opinion thai
had they been more courageou:
they might have been saved. The
captain stated that the rest OF the
crew never showed the white
feather" but they even joked witt
each other when it seemed certain
they would all perish.
When the cook came up on thu
quarterback, the captain apprecl
ating his condition, assisted him in
to the yawl, which hung from th'
davits over the stern. There he re
NAMED until the crew, some TIM
later, attempted to launch Thu
boat. when he got out OF it ant
tried to take a hand in the launch
ing. but sea came along ant
swept both him and the boat over
board.
Some twenty minutes after tn
schooner fetched up, the deck LOAF
began to work loose, and soon tn
i piles stacked under the starboar'
side were chatting the rigging a
they rose and fell with the seas
tearing it asunder. Freed iron
their fastenings to windward, tn
masts could not Withstand the ter
. r;ble poundinp and the pressure o