Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-08-20
\ yynhoon in the China Sea.

We we're running under all SAL at 0
o'clock in t c morning, but Us III" weali'-
or ,ookcd murc and more unsettled, ard
sirour, frighlfvA gusts q wind came t'om
,hc :. f., Captaln Mckay, who is IN
cid vuvaCcr in It's part Of tie world
commcncrd making preFaraticn Tor re-
criyirr the enemy. We took al OF oar
siuddinr sails in, seat down the royal
wards, rurlcd ,hc top gallant SAIL, close
rreled the top-sai!s and lullcd the malnsaA'
, 'Fhe rain now commenced pouring down
n torrents. W lille the loud ciapS'ol ihun-
der and the vivid flashes of lightning gave
100 sure evidence OF the near approach OF
Uuc orlausc dreadful Scourges OF tile CHI
ma Sea Tvphoon. At lhiS time we
were steering W. s. W., and the wind
s. T.. nearly, brought il aft The barquc,
running a, the rate Of eigitmlcs an hour,
undts easy sail. AsI stood looking over
ne rail, watching the conflict OF the ele-
lacuis, heard a loud roaring TO wind
ward, and Instantly knew it was coming
luii-rr,d foremost, IS the sailors say.
Captain Mckay, who WAS standing be-
Aidc ne, heard tie sound, and instantly
ordered the man at the wheel to keep the
hin of before the wind, and then shouted
forth Els orders, " Clew up the iOrctop-
tail was clcwcd up, 1t burst upon US IN all
IS fury. Upon The first gust, 1t took our
foresail clean out Of the bolt ropes, and
then the poor barqUc rceled and mmhled
Ike drunken man. By this time we
had our main topsan clewcd up, but It
sp.i, into 4 thousand pieces, ana before
HE men could get on the ioretopsali yard,
that sail went with loud report. BY
his time the wind had increased TO per-
feet hurricane, and the heavy sea that was
running plainly showed TO us that we
must heaye the ship too, or run under.
The poor barque was laboring very heavl-
", and Captain Mckay seeing our only
hone of safety would be TO heave Der too,
watched his opportunity and ordered the
helm pul down by motion of his hand,
for ami Isl the roaring of the wind II was
impossible to hear person SIX inches
from YOU.
Our gallant bark, obedient to the helm,
slowly came TO the wind, every person
seized a rope and dashed himself IN the
best manner possible to prevent being
swept overheard, i'll case we shipped
sea, and as luck would have ii, we escaped
that misfortune, and shipped no water
of any consequence. We now began TO
ieel the force Of the wind, with not
stitch of canvess set. We found 'hat the
POOR vessel lay nearly on her beam ends.
Although we were very deep loaded,
something had to be done to relieve her,
and by the motion Of his hand the captain
EXPRESSED to the mate TO stave all the wa
ter casks on the lee side. Instantly half
dozen were in requisiton, while the rest
Of the crew were cagaged in heaving over
board everything that was lashed on deck,
The gale instead Of decreasing, increased,
and with loud crash our toretopmasts
went over the side taking with II The MAIN
top-gallant-mast. All hands were now at
work with will for every man felt that
unless the vessel was llghtened all must
90 10 the bottom, and by almost superhu-
man exertions the deck was cleared. Just
as our deck was somewhat cleared, our
jib.boom went, taking our JIb, tlymg-Jlb
and loretopmast stay sail. Fearful OF the
spars getting under the bottom of the ship
and staving plank, we were Obliged to
cut the wrec k away. We now turned
our attention 10 the pumps, and by sound
ing the weather one we found that there
were three feet Of water in her hold. |
now for the first time began toteel little
discouraged, but fortunately the gale be-
ran TO abate, and by constant pumping,
we had the satisfaction Of finding that the
water decreased, and by seven o'clock, i.
NJ, she was clear. After losing spars,
rigging, water, provisions and SAIL the
CAPTAIN concluded 10 60 back to Manila
and reft, and, considering our condition
we could not do otherwise. In conclu-
sion, let me say that / have been around
Cape Horn and in great many parts OF
the world, but have never Witnessed a
Gale Ike the above, and sincerely hope
That never shall see one OIcqual severity.
We found after our arrival at Manila that
,hc shin CaroIus, Captain Dunbar, had
.xper!cnced the same gale, and was OBJ
l,sed TO put back with the loss OF SpaTs'
g.. and leaking very badly, most OF her
>naar being damaged, she having as much
.ss,x feet of Water 10 her hold, and was
-, her beam ends for twelve hours.
Self-Trainins.
L. Ioif !,