Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-10-30
GNortester Dailp Spp.
LEvIATHAN IN A TEMPEST.
John s. DwIghcs Experiences ON the Grent
Eastern.
tFrom Dwight's journal of Music. J

miles down the channel, so quietly that we
hardly felt we moved. For some hours |
could scarce detect hairs breadth variation
from the perfect level in the lines of the shin
seen against the horizon. 1t was testal go.
ing forth. Boats full Of people lowered round
us, and all Liverpool seemed to throng the
wharves, the house tops, and even the eleva
ted squares far back in the city, shouting and
waving handkerchieis. Boom of cannon blare
of brass bands tatigued the ear. Thcu there
was quaint. Su6., complimentary ceremonial
official Qualification and delay. The Lord
Mayor of Liverpool and party sailed down
with us to see us off, and we must stop our
course an hour or two to see them off, and let
the boats which bore them circle round us sew.
eral times with national anthem, waste of gun.
powder, and whatever else pertains to the
time honored privilege OF great bodies to move
slow. every portly directors with red ger
aniums in their button holes, and shining,
bengnant, afterdnnel faces, had been inspect
ing the great ship, aud said that all was well"
we were all glad when these gentlemen were
off, aud ceremonies over, felt that we were
fairly on our way Fairly, soon changed to
touhy, though y We were about 200 cabin
passengers, women and children being almost
in the majority many more in the steer.
age and about 400 crew 800 souls, who
made but sparse population in ship as big
as SWISS village.
Y
Thursday, 12h- A bad night for tile begin
ming OF sorrows Heavy rolling, and Internal
noises ringing and grating all night through
the sonorous, iron carcass of the ship-shovcl-
ling of coal, dragging of chains, whizzing of
great wheels, and all cast.iron sounds, mingled
with a most supertiuous deal of shouting, or
dering about and sGolding making all sleep
impossible. Consequence, sharp, teverish.
headache, disposing one TO seek rest-but not
sea sick-fortunate perhaps, they who were
for, in the Indifference to all things which that
nausea necessitates, they could not know all
the terror of the fearful night impending
Walk the deck awhile but it is dark and
rainy, long swells, ship rolling heavily. By
noon the wind grows violent. Seated at lunch,
we note at frequent, even intervals loud, me
talc, booming sound, which rings through the
hollow caverns of the ship-not thump as
from the waves, but an explosive sound, as if
the huge iron sides of the empty hull sprang
by their own vibration. Truly an ominous
sound, and an intelligent waiter confirmed this
theory of it whether correctly or nOt,) adding
that the ship paS eotth0ut ballast, only 800 tons
of cargo to her more than $4,000 registered
tonnage SO that the consumption of coal 1900
tons daily lett her more and more hollow, to
to yibrate and contract and spring, like huge
drum.
BY two O'Clock the gale is furious a boil
ing sea, tile rolling of the ship is terrible to
keep a footing on deck is impossible to any
but seamen. Headache confines me to lounge
in the luxurious grand saloon" where there
are shelves penttuily filled with books, CON
tinually topping down on peoples heads. Re.
solving to abstain from dinner l try 10 read
Mr.. Pepys's memoirs, and to realize the scenes
of London in old times by the light OF the
London in which have just been iving-or
watch the company about me, the ludicrous
efforts OF some to keep their seats, the pretty
ways and happy voices of children, to
whom it is all fun as yet. As for the din
ner, all Jared alike, there was no dinner that
day several times over we could heaS the
tables set, and every time new roll would
bring general slide and stampede of glasses,
dishes, tables, and all yet would the silly
walters persevere in building up card houses.
Soon it grew too serious TO think Of dinner,
or to find amusement in the drolest mshaps.
Chairs and tables slid away from us women
and children would creep into corners, bracing
themselves against walls and ratings. Sud
denly the wind bowls it lifts the sky.ights,
which run along over both sides OF the saloon,
and smashes them down, one after another,
with fearful jingling and flying about CT
glass. Most OF it, fortunately, falls through
skirt the room, down upon the deck below.
Ladies. terrified retire, cllnging to bannisters,
or TO whatever they can get hold OF, TO their
slater rooms. Many, however remain; and
l am Just watching beautiful group oil chill
dren playing in corner on the floor, as un-
concerned and cheerful as If childhood and
sunshine ruled the world, when suddenly
there comes great Iurch, with tremendous
crash, and everything gives way sofas break
from their slender m0oriugs, and chairs, Ia
bles, glasses, the great stove, piano, cOmmodes,
all are pitched from side to side, six or eight
times successfully women and children
with the wreck. Two of the ladies were
badly hurt it was a wonder some were not
killed; several gentlemen were cut witt glass
or sprained themselves in trying to help them.
The most were hurried away, as fast as posi-
Bile, to their berths, being the safest places
during the general shaking up and dashing
about OF every loose thing, which lasted all
that night and for days atterward The scene
lust at that crisis OF the hurricSne, little be-
fore sunset, was appalling. Terror reIgned IN
all places. No, not all some cheerful, beautl.
full Young faces never lost their sweetness and
serenity, nor did the cheerful music OF their
voices falter, during all peril OF those three
DAYS and nights. These were angels of hope
and confidence to others. And the calmness
shown by most of the women, and, under their
influence, by the children, too, after the first
shock was passed, was truly admirable. Ihat
the danger was real that destruction, so tar as
human calculation could see, was imminent,
there could be no doubt. Those who knew
the most, men who kept about the ship and
observed all, men of nautical experience,
thought the case most serious, while doing all
fn their power to prevent panic aud TO circu.
late cheerful hope.
Alarming reports came in continually from
without Boats had been swept away one
of the paddle wheels, after being at first twist
ed inward, so that it scraped and crunched
against the iron side of the ship with fearful
noise, was gone the other soon followed
sails, that had been hoisted to help bring her
TO the wind, were "torn to ribbons :" great
rolls of lead had got loose in the engine room
huge oil tanks, weighing tons, are rolling back
and forth, with noise like heavy thunder, in
the hold 1--WE ianced some of the great cannon
were rolling), and one of them has knocked
hole through the iron hull under the bows
fortunate that the ship does not pitch, as well
as roll, or she would fill there! Still our hope
is in the exceeding strength of this great iron
hull and though the ronderous engines sud
denly stand silent, ominous silence amid the
pandemonium of other noises, we have still
the screw left to manage with. Alas we lit
tie knew the worst, THAT that great sea, which
struck the stern with such terrific force little
before six o'clock, had broken the rudder
head, en- iron post twelve inches thick, short
off, and that the ship had long since refused
TO answer TO the helm. The captain wisely
concealed this from the passengers, to avoid a
panic, and kept a show of men, can army
of them," working at The steering wheels.
More sad reports came. A poor sailor had