breakers. Every wave broke over her
decks. The condition of her crew was frightful. In the dead of winter,
the wind keen as a razor, and the waves of icy coldness, the body soon
became benumbed; and it was with the greatest effort that the men
could cling to the rigging. So great was the fury of the wind and
waves, that no assistance could be given her. For a boat to venture
into that seething caldron of breakers would have been throwing away
lives. So the crew of the doomed ship were left to save themselves as
best they might. The night passed away, and Tuesday morning saw the
gale still blowing with unabated force. Hoping to lessen the strain on
the hull, they cut away the foremast. In falling, it tore away the
pipes, and the vessel became a perfect wreck. Numbed with cold, and
faint for lack of food, the crew lashed themselves to the bulwarks and
rigging; and so, drenched by the icy spray, and chilled through by the
wind, they spent another fearful night. The next day the fury of the
storm seemed to have somewhat abated. The sea was still running high,
and breaking over the almost unrecognizable hulk stranded on the
beach. With the aid of a glass, sailors on the other ships could see
the inanimate forms of the crew lashed to the rigging. It was
determined to make a vigorous attempt to save them. The first boat
sent out on the errand of mercy was watched eagerly from all the
vessels. Now it would be seen raised high on the top of some
tremendous wave, then, plunging into the trough, it would be lost from
the view of the anxious watchers. All went well until the boat reached
the outermost line of the breakers, when suddenly a towering wave,
rushing resistlessly along, broke directly over the stern, swamping
the boat, and drowning seven of the crew. Again the last hope seemed
lost to the exhausted men on the wreck. But later in the day, the sea
having gone down somewhat, a steam-tug succeeded in reaching the wreck
and rescuing the crew. The second engineer was the last man to leave
the ship. He remained lashed to the mast until all were taken on the
tug. Then, climbing to the top-mast, he cut down the flag that had
waved during those two wild days and nights, and bore it safely away.

After this gale died away, the work of getting the squadron over the
inner bar was begun. It was a tremendous task. Many of the ships drew
too much water for the shallow channel, and it was necessary to remove
large parts of their cargoes