LIFEBOAT MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

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Killin, of Greenock

CATSTER, NEAR GREAT YARMOUTH.—At P.M. on the 19th March, the lights of a vessel, supposed to be on the Barber Sand,were observed from this station, and the No. 2 Life-boat, the Godsend, proceeded to her assistance. A snowstorm from the N. was raging at the time, and on the Sand especially a heavy sea was running.

On arrival at the Sand the Life-boat's crew perceived that the vessel, though in a dangerous position, was on the off-side of the sand, and still afloat, and apparently she required no assistance; they therefore returned to their station. But they had hardly hauled up the Life-boat when signals of distress were exhibited. The tide had now turned, however, and it being impossible to beat to windward against gale and tide, the steam-tug was sent for, and on her arrival an hour after midnight, the No. 1 Life-boat, which is of larger size and named the Birmingham, was launched and proceeded in tow to the wreck, which turned out to be that of the vessel previously observed in the No. 2 boat, and was the schooner Killin, of Greenock, bound from Thurso to Yarmouth.

The Life-boat found the vessel had already driven up among the breakers in the very midst of the Barber Sand.

She anchored as near as she dared, but the extreme darkness of the night rendered it impossible for a boat of her size to approach near enough to the wreck then to rescue her crew. The steam-tug was thereupon sent back to bring out the smaller Life-boat, the Godsend, which, towards daylight, arrived; but in the meantime the larger Life-boat, taking advantage of the rising tide, and a temporary lull in the fall of snow, had veered down to the wreck, and after sustaining a severe bumping from coming in contact with the Sand, succeeded in hauling on board, with a line and life-buoy, the whole crew of 5 persons, who had then been five hours lashed in the rigging, their vessel having sunk. The two Life-boats returned to the shore at 7 A.M. on the 20th, with the rescued men..