The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-11-06 00:00:00

Good'

A NIGHT AT SEA.

The report of Captain Adder Hansen, of the Nor
wegian barque Poussin, of Mandel, is interesting in
connection with the recent violent gales in the North
Sea, and gives an extraordinary account of his pluck
in navigating his ship during a fearful night. The
vessel left Gefle with a cargo of deals and iron on
October 6, and proceeded on the voyage, all going
well until in the North Sea on the 19th, when
the wind, which was ESE, increased to a gale, and
later in the day to a complete hurricane, with a tre-
mendously high sea, which caused the vessel to labour
heavily and ship large quantities of water. "At 10.0
p.m. (the captain reports) we sighted a light SW
by S, four miles distant, which we took to be the
Hinder Light. We tacked and stood to NE. The
vessel becoming leaky all hands were kept constantly
working the pumps. On the 20th we kept away, and
steered SW, the hurricane still continuing with un-
abated violence, and the sea, which was now fearfully
high, and the heavy ground breakers continually
breaking on deck, making a complete breach over the
vessel, breaking loose and carrying away portions of
the thckload, and doing much damage to the ship's
topsides. The crew were working the pumps incessantly,
but could not keep the water under. It was gaining
on them considerably. At 8.0 p.m. only one of the
pumps remained in working order, and at 12.0 mid-
night we could do no more with either of them.
On the 21st, 4.0 am., wind SE, we had more
moderate and better weather, but the vessel was roll-
ing most fearfully, and we could do nothing with. the
pumps. At 8.0 a.m a steamer hove in sight. I did
not yet dare to lift the pumps, as the decks were being
constantly filled with water. During the afternoon
the weather cleared up, and became finer, with a mode-
rate breeze from SE. A smack now made ut. to us,
although I had by this time persuaded one of the crew
to take the signals down; but the smack being now
close alongside, the mate and the boatswain "told me
there was nothing left for them to do but to leave the
ship. The whole of the crew now took their respec-
tive baggage, and were conveyed in the smack's boat
tt that vessel, leaving me alone to my fate. As I
did not consider it consistent with my duty to
leave the vessel, especially as I saw that
she could be taken into harbour without much
danger, I now shaped my course to the west, in the
hope of getting the vessel into Grimsby, and gained the
information from the smack that I was 25 miles NE.
of the Lemon and Ower light ship. The wind
freshened, and the fishermen hoisted their flag and
tried by this and other means to persuade me to heave
to and leave the vessel; but I kept steering towards the
west, and by much _exertion succeeded in setting the
foresail and the mainsail, also lighting the binnacle
lamp and side lights. During the night I had several
squalls, with lightning and rain; in fact, it was a most
dreadful night. The sea was still very high and break-
ing on deck, as the vessel was very deep. 'The cabin was
full of water, which, by the rolling of the vessel, kept
rushing from side to side and making a fearful noise, and
destroying every thing in it. I was now almost exhausted
with the continued working of the wheel, as the vessel
steered very badly, and I fell down several times
through sheer exhaustion, but after a while I recovered
again, and continued steering WNW. Later on towards
morning, and with a strong breezo from the SE, I
sighted several steamers and other vessels. On Oct. 22,
about 9.0 a.m., Spurn light ship in the N by E, the
Hull pilot cutter No. 1 spoke me, and on hearing that
I was.alone put their boat out, and four of them came
on board. Later on some more pilots came on board
from another cutter and assisted in setting more
canvas, and steered up the Humber. The pilots en-
gaged a tug to tow the vessel to Grimsby, and she was
towed on to the mud near the entrance to the old dock
there."