The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-10-23
ITO be coniiaued.)
Pertis of the Sen.

Periis of the Sea.
TIE GREAT WESTERNS PASSAGE.
The gallan, steamship appears to have
encountered a sore trial on her passage from
Liverpool an ordea !, her successful s,rug
gle with which proves her admirable quail.
/ ties as sea.bost. The following account
has been drawn up by committee OF the
passengers
SATURDAY, Sept. 10 b, 1916.
/ The stemshp Great Western, b. r.
Mathews, Etq. commander, left Liverpool
at O'Clock, p. NJ, having on board one.
4 hundred and twenty SIX passengers, captain,
hive cheers, five engineers and seventy. four
crew, IN all Two hundred and eleven per.
sons.
The weather generally was pleasant for
the season of the year, and our progress
good, averaging zoe miles day.
Saturday, Sept. 18Th, lat. As "a, long.
81 43, at p. NJ light air from the s. f.
and ioggy, with light dnzzing rain. Got
the yards aloft, aud sci the IBIS and icfe
spencer. Al 6 SET the single reeted main
spencer and the square sails, wlthiso reefs
II The topsai.
AT 5 P. NJ the sind increasing and
variable 10 the Westward, took 10 the
square gails, oD'er ib md the main spec.
GER Al 10 2. NJ, ftesheulog gnIes aud
ugly weather; sea gettln. up and Tossing
hgh. AT m,dalghl Increasing gales and
heavy squalls, took in the fore spencer, the
ouihauI having broken in the mean time
he inner bs,ay buil's-eye hook broke aud
The sail became useless hauled Il down and
SCI 't0 IRE staysII'.
The above ls an extract from the cap
taIns log book aud gives an account Of the
commencement of tha awful storm which
the Great Western surmounted on her pas.
sage from Liverpool 10 New York one so
terrific during lis continuance, and marked
by such slgbal delIverance in the end, that
II should be carefully related.
"SuNDAY, 20Ih, a, 40 minutes past 2
A. NJ" continues the log, split the fore
staysail; took in the remains Of 1t and lay
TO, under bare poles.
The sea rising fIighifully, and breaking
orer and against the ship, At A. the wind
Increased TO heavy storm and the sea run.
nlng most lurlouSy at the ship The wind
peering TO the n. W at the same time, and
tho ship breaking off into the trough of the
sea, rendered our situation more critical.
A great quantity Of water got INTO the en-.
gine room, from The sea breaking over The
SHIP which was pumped oul by The lee blge
pump"
Sunday morning most OF The passengers
assembled 10 the CABIN aud saloon Their
haggard lnces told TOO surely of the sleep.
less add ANXIOUS night winch had passed.
Even those most ignorant Of nautical affairs
could not fail 10 discover that We were in
the midst Of great peril. Few could dress
suh ihrir accustomed care, owing 10 the
violent pitching and constant rolling Of the
vessel. The stewards abandoned any al.
tempt TO prepare the breakfast table, and
bob then aud throughout the day we're
obliged 10 content themselves with bringing
such articles OF food as were convenient, to
those who felt any disposition 10 eat.
| o'clock, A. MA heavy sea broke
over the fore parl Of the starboaid wheel
house, or paddle box, which started the ice
house and large iron hte boat from their
las,enlugs aud washed them TO leeward,
and with much d,tficulty they were tempo
rarlly secured"
70 understand this the reader must bear
IN mind that the Great Western is, so to
speak, three stores high forward and oft,
aud two in the waist, or middle Of The
shlpi aft, there is the lower story or cabin !;
above il, the saloon, the roof or covering
OF which is the quarter deck, and may for
j the purpose OF description be considered as
thrd story. ln The waist, or middle, the
/ lower story is occupied by the engine room,
the roof or covering Of which is the main
deck GA this main deck, in the centre, are
! placed tho chimney, gallies and ice house.
The various offices appertainlng TO the
steward and police Of the ship, al The sides.
! ihls part is open above, aud protected by
the wheel houses aud sides of the ship,
shich rise TO the height Of IA feet. The
width o. the paddle box is about II feet
The ice house contained some seven or
eight tons of ice, and was fastened by elects
aud staunchions. Let The reader Imagine
the force Of the sea, Hno the beIght Of the
wave, which, rising over the paddle box,
struck the ice house and the large iron life
boat above 1t, twisted them from their fas
Jennings, broadening The ice house into two
parts, ripping Oft the planks, crushing the
slarboard companion way, and only proven.
led from making clear breach in the sides
OF The ship by sudden lurch to port
Meantime the wind howed mos, ffghliul-
iy through the rigging.