The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-10-08
From the New York Tribune.
Perils Of the Great Western---
The Storm at Sea.
SATURDAY, Sept. /,

tai I'll. The weather., generally, was pleas
ant for the season of the year, and our prog.
rcSs was about 200 miles a day.
Extracts from her Log.
SATURDAY Sept. 10, lat. 48 81, long. 81
AZ, at i p. m. light airs from the S. L. and
foggy, with light DRILLING rain. Got the
yards alOft, and set the ibis and fore spencer
Brcczcs refreshing. At 6 set the single reef;
ed main spencer and the square sails, with
two reefs in the topsail.
cat g, p. IN. the wind increasing and vari-
able to the westward, took in the square sails,
outer jiband main spancer. At 10, p. m.
treshening gales and ugly weather; sea get
up and tossing high. At midnight, i%ncreas-
ing gales and heavy squalls took in the fore
spancer, the out hall having broken in the
meantime, the inner jib stay bulls eye hook
broke and the sail became useless; hauled it
down and set the fore stay sail.
SUNDAY, goth, at 40 minutes past 2, a. m.
split the fore stay sail took in the remains OF
it and lay to under bare poles.
The sea rising ~frightfully, and breaking
over and against the ship, At A, the wind
increased to a heavy storm, and the sea run
ming most t%uriously at the ship. The wind
veered to the N. w. at the same time, and the
ship breaking %offinto the trough of the sea,
rendered our situation more critical. A great
quantity OF water got into the engine room,
from the sea breaking over the ship, which
we pumped out.
al o'clock, a ma heavy sea broke over
the fore part of the starboard wheel house, or
paddle box, which started the ice house and
large iron life boat, from their fastening, and
washed them to lccward, and with much diff
Guilty they were temporarily secured.
I'll 30, a. IN. The lee quarter boats were
torn from the davits by a heavy lee lurch of
the ship, bending the davits, tearing out the
rlngbolts from their stems and stearns.
al noon, storm and sea raging in all its
fury, sea still breaking over the ship, a heavy
sea struck the larboard paddle box and smash
ed it to atoms; sprung the spring beam, break
ing the under half; shattered the parts of the
ship attached thereto. A~splinter struck the
captain on the head while standing on the
poop, and the force of the blow, and the sea,
carried him over the lee quarter, and he was
only saved by the n~ettings,"
MONDAY, 21st, II so, storm commenced rag
ing again in all its fury, and the sea a perfect
foam, till 8 a. m. at which time the clouds
began to break and the squalls less furious.
Got the ships head to the n. w. and hauled
the yards round, the sea still raging as before
and nearly ahead, curling and breaking over
the ship in every direction. At noon the
storm ceased; but the sea continued more Vi
olent till ,, p III, at which timeit ceased grad
ually with the Withdrawing lasted about 36
hours; during which time, it gives me much
pleasure to state, that my officers and crew
conducted themselves with great GOODNESS and
presence of mind"
At half past 5 o'clock on Monday morning.
we were in the greatest possible danger.
Mr. Stevens, one Of our passengers who
was an eye witness, says of it: IA peculiar
lifting Of the haze in the east. with an appear
ance of an amber colored belt of light, low
down on the horizon, warned us of an APP
preaching blow. Presently it came, a perfect
tornado, driving before it the clouds OF spray,
and as it ncared us, fairly lifting up the white
foam from the waves, like Il shower of rain.
AS the squall struck us, the ship carcened
over and buried her gunwales in the ocean,
and lay for a few moments stricken and pow
%erless, and apparently at the mercy of the
waves that threatened 10 engulf us
This was the trial, the last round fought be-
tween the elements and our gallant vessel.
At this critical moment, the engine was true
to her duty. Still went on its revolutions,
and round and round Numbered her iron wa
ter wings. Gradually recovering her upright !
position, the good ship with head quartering
the sea, came up to her course, and all was
well, 1t was the climax Of the storm. The
great effort ofthe whirlwind king, to send
us TO the sea giants cave below"