Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-12-02

(25th Oct. } after 81 days of hurricane, the
wind bowling like ten thousand discordant
demons without capez maeister, the water
frothing and Kissing around us like the pool
Immediately beneath Niagara Falls, the deck
at an angle of 45o, matches battened down,
fires put out, tons of water rushing through
the closed gun-ports at every lurch, and
then imagine an officer cody entering the
Commodore's cabin, where [ was chatting
with him, and touching his hat, making the
following observation, Commodore, Capt.
Adams desired me to tell you that the talIer
has worked loose IN the acard-roona, and they
are trying to right it"
The next moment, thump, thump, thump;
the rudder was loose, and we at the mercy
of the water-mountains. Fortunately the
spanker had been lashed in the lee mizzen
rigging tied inch by inch to the inside of
the shrouds which kept her head to wind
and out of the trough of the sea.
A wooden locust tiller was first got up,
but snapped in two hours. Thump, thump,
thump-like the commander in ''Don Juan" Z"
Some one knew of an iron "free-scudder'
down below It was found-weighing 900
pounds, and about u feet long. To get it
up from the hold, to clap it in the rudder-
head, to rig tackles, relief-tackles and pur-
chases, by which it might be lashed down
and still kept in the eye of the rudder, was
the work of some two hours, which seemed
eternities. But it was relief to ones very
natural suspense to witness the consummate
dexterity of these sailor-men with ropes,
which, in their hands, became so many boa
constrictors in grasp and fexibility, or with
the pully-levers to lift the earth. When
all the skill and grace that tconsummate cool
ness and undaunted self-reliance are en-
ployed, silently and with the quickness Of
thought. to keep you out of Davy Jones'
locker, your admiration becomes enthusias-
TIC
The commodore and officers never dis
played hue or wrinkle of alarm. For
five hours, while she lay upon her side, all
thought she must 60, but acted in their ef-
forts and precautions as if there we're no
danger. I had some twenty-six hours of
suspense in all. was braced up for the first
spell, but when. after deceiving lull of
three hours, it came on to blow stronger, [
rather lost my temper.
In the middle of Monday night. so A.
1.-The ship took fire, the bell rang, the
drum and fife beat to quarters. All but four
of the crew and marines we're in their places.
The discipline was perfect, and the fire was
soon extinguished. This alarm only dis
turbed me by waking me out Of the first
sleep had had for sixty hours. It was not
comparable to the dismay at the broken rud-
der, but there were plenty on board whom
! it hit hard.
On the third quarter of the sixth day the
gale abated with heavy rain squalls, the ba-
rometer crept up to 29.30, the tiller ropes
of the wheel were led down through the deck u.
to the iron make-shift, the lashings were
loosened which had kept it jammed hard
down for so many painful hours, and we
drew long breath Of relief and thankful
ness for more miraculous escape of 543
souls than ever saw recorded.
In the same spot, in 1882, the French
fleet foundered in a similar gale. In it the
Vile de Paris, 12O guns, went down with
all hands.
The next day survey was made by a
ported too damaged to proceed with safety
on her voyage. The rudder would never
have stood another gale.
cannot say that this little adventure has
enamored me of the sea, and particularly of
sailing vessels, although few steamers could
have lived through it, But with steam this
might have been avoided, by enabling us to
make more direct course, whereas to catch
''the trades we are bound to steer for the
destroyed the crops, stripped the trees Of
oranges and other fruits, and torn the young
potato crop out of the ground. The dam
age is estimated at thousands of pounds.
Our officers are all perfect in their way
thorough men of business, ready for any G.
mergency. It would have been difficult to
make better selection.
[ will further add that we had 40 sea-
men and sailors on board, and with all the
proneness Of nautical nature to exaggerate
past perils, there was not soul who ever
saw such hurricane, and particularly one
Of such long duration. All it's features Of
fered thorough confirmation of the law Of
circular storms. During the two luis ]
mentioned, we had the honor of being in the
centre of this devils waltz, and as we enter
ed from one ring and came out at the other
it took us g,oime and a-comin'. think
it will be my last German.
The TRUE GENTLEMAN-He is courteous
and afable to his neighbors. AS a sword Of
best tempered metal is most flexible so the
truly generous are most plant and courte.
Gus in their behaviour to their interiors;
M~No man can tell whether he is rich
OR poor by turning to his ledger. 1t is the
heart that makes man rich He is rich OF
poor, according to what he is, not according
to what he has.