The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1961-11-24

ridge was suspicious of trouble, and
at daylight turned his telescope to-
ward the point where the signal
had been seen. The weather was
still a little thick, but at seven a.
m. it lighted up, and the telescope
then revealed the funnel and
masts of the wreck. Etheridge
knew them all. His many years
experience told him well enough
what his eyes could not see. He
quickly ordered out the Monomoy
surfboat, called up Keeper Styron.
of Creeds Hill Station, and re-
quested him to start at once for
the Outer Diamond, as the Hat
teras crew were about to do. The
boats of both stations got away
at the same time, and as soon as
they cleared the beach made sail.
The wind was now blowing gale
from northward, and the sea was
running high, but there was no
faint heart among the ife-savers,
although all knew full well the
peril Of their undertaking. BY nine
o'clock the five wretched men on
the wreck made out the cleaning
sails of the two surfboats, but
they could scarcely believe their
own eyes, for they had little con-
fidence that any men would ven
ture out to the Diamond Shoals
in such weather as then prevail
ed. But there were the lifeboats-
help was coming at last. For forty
two hours the poor fellows had
endured hunger and thirst, and
contemplated without sign of
weakness almost certain death, but
now that deliverance was at hand
they gave way to tears-the brave
mans last tribute to joy as well
as to sorrow.
The Creeds Hill boat arrived
first at a point within about a
quarter of a mile of the wreck, but
seeing the tremendous sea running
over the treacherous shoals, and
realizing the perils that an at
tempt to rescue would surely in
volve, Keeper Styron wisely de-
cided to wait for his mates to come
up. The Hatteras boat was soon on
hand, sail was taken in, and the
i two keepers conferred a few NOM
ents regarding the best plan Of
action, deciding, in order to mini
mize the danger of disaster to
either boat, that the Hatteras crew
should take the three men from
the bridge, and the Creeds Hill
the captain and mate from the
bow. The breakers were so heavy
that the boats could not cross the
Shoals, and therefore they pro-
ceeded under oars around the
southwest point of the Outer
Diamond, and each approached it:
appointed place as near as the
keepers deemed it prudent TO ven.
ture. Both were masters of surf
manship, and by their skillful ant
judicious maneuvering soon hat
the grateful survivors safely II
their boats according to the plar
lagreed upon, without the mos
trivial mishap. Sail was then made
and both boats started for home
where they arrived at about fiv'
p. m, having performed one of thu
most noteworthy rescues ever eff
Ifected in the vicinity of storm!
Cape Hatteras.
!. The fact that the shipwrecke'
! men were not relieved for perio'
Of forty-two hours would seem, u
! view of the testimony as abov'
|. narrated, to need no comment il
, the way Of explanation. To hav
attempted such a feat during tn
second night, when the uncertain
,, light was seen which raised q bar
suspicion of a disaster, would hav
been, as one Of the most compe
tent witnesses declares, simpl,
fool-hardy, and without justifi
: cation of the dangers involved