New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1861-08-16

any sailor understands. The top-sails
! were close reefed, a reef taken in the
maiasails, the jib and flying jib, and
all the light sails we're farled. and the
ship made ready for the expected gale
But yet no breath Of air had been fel,
moving, while an unnatural stiffness
aud hesviness Of the atmosphere was
observed by all. Several of the sea-
men saw dim, purple streak suddenly
appear right ahead Of the ship, and
called out
Here it comes, sir,
Whereof asked the captain:
Right ahead, SIR
Hard port your helm
Hard port it is, SIR
'Boace round the yards.'
Ay, ay, SIR
The yards were braced around, and
the ship was got ready to receive the
the expected blast on the larboard side.
That dreadful streak Of cloud grew al
most crimson; and there was heard
what was thought to be . heavy roar
Of the coming gale, and every man
seemed to hold his breath awaiting the
shock. Good men and courageous sal
lors were on that ships deck but they
shrunk from the onslaught like fright
ened children. When God speaks in
those storms his voice is awful to the
ear, and many strong man has quail
ed before it. The storm itself is scarce
ly less trying to ones nerves than just
before 1t strikes, while men wait in
dreadful suspense.
Thus those men waited till the min
utes heightened into hours, and the on
ly change preceptible was in the deep
ening color Of that lowering cloud of
crimson light. AT length, eight bells
told that four o'clock had arrived, and
daylight was looked for ss those men
with Paul looked for it when they
wished for day.
But the struggling light Of day
seemed only to reveal the thickness of
the wandering vision. Just at day
light their ears were stunned with sue
cessivo, quick reports, louder than
whole broadsides from hundred.gun
ship, the whole heavens we're lighted
up with a fiery red light-the ocean
was stirred from her prsfoundest depths
waves without any visible
cause, ran in the most awful commo-
tion, now striking together and throw
ing the whito foam and spray high in
the air, then parting to meet again in
fearful embrace as before; school of
sperm whales ran athwart the ships
bows, making every exertion to escape
the strangely troubled waters; within a
few cables'lengths Of the ship an i'm
mense colum Of water was thrown mast.
head high, and fell back again with a
roar like Niagra;, deep mournful
noise, like the echo of thunder among
mountain caverns: was constantly heard
none could tell from whence it came;
the noble ship was tossed and shatter.
ed like plaything.
Great God, have mercy upon US!
cried officers and men. What is this!
What is coming next? Is it the day Of
judgmcntp The royal Psalmist de-
scribes them accurately. They reel
two and fro and stagger like drunken
men, and are at their wits end.' Soor
the mystery was solved when, righ
before their eyes, about one league
from them, there arose the rough side
of a mountain out of the yicldisg water
and reared it's high head in the air
then from it's summit flames burst forth
and melted lava ran like a river dowr
the declivity, and fell like cascade 0
fame into the seething ocean. It wa
birth throw of nature. and an lslant
was born which was miles in circum
ference.