The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-25
ADVENTURES AT SEA.

Dressing the Atlantic I'm . Tsventy-Eight
Ton steamer with q Hurricane Blow
ing-Strange Narrative OF . Crew Who
LIVED Thirteen Days .in . CspsiGsd
vesssI-'rhsir su0erangs and Escape,
&c.. $50. r.. M str
TO THE EDITOR or TIE NEW YORK HERALD.
.r ~ e MArAHsAs, Cuba. Dec. q. 1896.
Az have arrived hers In class OF vessel that has
scarcely ever crossed tho before. and during
period Of tho year that considered most dangerous TO
any clAas Of ships think fcw extracts from tho log
may interest yoa a. 1t has done all hero len Ports
mouth England. on tbs 10th Of August In the screw
steamer Shamrock twenty TONS I'VE feet depth Of
hold md drawing less than three feet Of water She was
not new vessel and tho boiss leaked badly before
got thirty miles from port that got no use from
steam the remainder Of the voyage Her masts and sas
wsre very small just largo enough for vessel Of ave
tons her bottom quito nat no keel or side boards
Although greved much at tho slow progress Imade,
ewing 10 the smaness Of her spars, was most thank
full Afterwards for with the weather encountered, her
safety was entirely owing 70 that circumstance.
had much conversation with tho captain Of the
American schooner Enigma, which vessel capszed on
the 22d Of October Oh Abaco Island she was drawing
ave feet OF water and had scarcely any sail The
Gu, holc through the bottom Of the ship, after being
confined TWO days in the hold Of the vessel She was
lying bottom up and thoy Afterwards remained eleven
days exposed the the capszed hull with nothing to
ca, bu. two small nsh they caught Tho captain a..
tbaicd her topping 10 the weight Of her spars
viii now give you Few extracts from the lcgbook
Of the Shamrock - f
oTossr 1885 The evening Of this date set in with
heavy squalls and dense RAIN from east northeast the
4 steering west About ten O'Clock r N. the Wnd
wps n in greatest height The sea was high and the
gusss most furious Tho intense gloom that surrounded
was lif.up by the most extraordinary lightning.
Tho whole canopy Of heaven seemed blue blaze In
which the sharp angular chain lightning generally seen
at sea- took the form OF wrggng fcry serpcnts more
numerous than the stars OF heaven the finest night
Each flash showed more lightning than had seen In
all my lfe before and have travelled much. II was
the month OF the hurricane season, and In the
very nest Of them. where thcy mostly begin.
Midnight wind northeast In accordance with
the law of storms I resolved still 70 run
for H. although the dreadful appearance around
and the smancss OF my vessel almost bewildcred me,
though her buoyancy most extraordinary not having
any water deck throughout the voyage. After mid
night the wind gradually abAted. and In the morning wo
had fresh breeze from southwest
month"; learned that they had the skirt OF the hurr-
daloupe on the 9th inst
OcroBER 2sI on the south side OF the Island OF
Cuba, with strong wind from southwest and sQualIy
whom the hurricane Of that date ragged the north side
NOVEMBER o. 1865.-Rounded the Tortugas In company
with tho American schooner Cleaner She was heaving
her cargo overheard and under close recied sails We
had all sails sot and making very Hne weather OF H.
remain, dear sir, your obedient servant,
JOHN DREvAR, Master Steamship Shamrock.