Iowa news. [volume] (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1837-1841, 1838-01-20

DrOacneu DIT al, " Si'C W s'S PNi'1''- =
satisfactory reason for the faith that is
lin him-or to state unequivoca'ly that
The maintained in public no such theo-
logical rhapsodies.
SEA STORM.
/ A toroado at sea! 1t struck us in
the afternoon abruptly as we were
Espeetingon luckily with our sails close
reefed, through warm but gloomy
rain. al nine nots. We were on the
cdyeof the Gulf Stream, and took the
full senctil of what the sailors called
1.-The but-end Of northwester. The
Iriseof this whirlwind was instantane-
lous Ii had been blowing pretty stiff
all day, when suddenly saw the fore
~aa ,,,air mast SurIicd away, and Il
ware burst into the round-housc and
rolled backward and forward, there
leaving us all nearly knee-deep in wa
ter. In an instant the wind was-not
blowing-but bursting over the YES
sci in rapid series of explosions, each
one like water forced violently from
the spout of an engine. The sea ard
air were foam to the top-mast. The
ship lying over low, iner gunwale under
water, her deck scattered with pieces
CT broken bulwarks and great fragments
Of sail, ropes, spars, and catire blocks
flying offa and up upon the gale. The
sounds exceeded all Ihad everimagined;
"a mingled and fierce crash: thunder,
whirI and tumult almost beyond con-
eeption. The masts bent like willow
wands.- The noises resembled those
of some tremendous conhagration, the
roar of broad flames and the crash Of
beams, roofs, walls and timber. There
is, indeed similitude between the ex-
IRENE fury offir and water when those
elements attain mastery. Above our
heads sail, blocks and cables loosencd
and rent, were hurled up and down
again upon the roof Of the round-h6use.
1t is not possible f one unacquainted
with the sea to conceive fully the phe-
nomena of such a scene. The wind
is there new and appalling power, or
rsther fiend omnipotent and Internal
1t breaks invoIumes and audible Bill
lows over your head; producing sounds
which seem like the conflict of unseen
demons in the air. Each separate part
OF the rigging in motion, the huge fab
rick stained TO itsutmost tension; ropes,
waves, sails, spares, cables, chains,
blocks, doors, beams instinct with the
phrensy Of nature. We were dea(ened
with the slamming, Banging, cracking,
crashing, swapping, splitting, Aouting,
roaring, laundering. 1t seemed i'm
possible that such fearful noises could
be produced except from the crushing
to pieces Of planks and timber. Each
moment as turned my eyes from the
masts thought heard them go, and
could scarcely creditmv sight that they
were not yet gone. The prominent
feature of this hour is the noises. In
addition to the full thunder Of the sea
and wind, thousand whips cracking,
a thousand mas;s breaking, thousand
doors hanging, a thousand p!anks split
4 ting-al together-all with the most
Iinccssant, phrensied, intense violence
and rapidity. 1t was madness, de-
lirium of the elements, paroxysm,
an ecstacy of rage and ruin.
If the surrounding scene was appall-
ing, horrors were not decreased by that
more near us. The round-housc con-
tiDued to be swept by the deep surges
which rolled to and fro across The floor.
We had in vain endcavored to persuade
the ladies' to go below. Every heart
quailcd before the gigantic madness
/ of nature. Most Of the females aban-
doned hope utterly. One was terrified
TO a calmness that made me shudder.
Poor Sophie was sometimes on her
knees in prayer and sometimes in ac-
tual commissions. Criesof"Oh heavens!
what's gone now? There go the masts.
Is there any hope?' were all that was
said. OF us gentlemen, can only say
we were all dccently still and most
thoroughly frightened. 1t was ter.
rible to behold the sailors aloft on the
yard cndeavoring to furl the fragments
Of sail, the mast bent frightfully, and
each moment looked to see the men
whirld off upon the air. After raging
for two hours, the tornado subsidized to
such a gale as would have of itself al
armed us at any other time. | went
into the cabin. Everything was over.
turned, broken, drenched, desolate'
Tired, sleepy, sick hungry; my head
aches, my eyeballs burn; l am beaten
out and exhausted. All, people ashore,
how family you feel your blessings!