The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-03-20

when a great tidal wave was
observed by the spectators gathering
itself about mile to seaward. Distin-
ouishable by lockers on far inland, like
4 mighty Andes towering above the les
ser mountains, this Atlantic giant swept
in, extending right across the bay and
up the cliffs on either side.
In the opinion of experienced seamen
who observed it, this would have swept
the decks as the Great Eastern like
raft. As it neared the devoted boat its
appearance became more terrific. The
water shoaled there from seven to ten
fathoms, and changing its shape with the
conformation of the ground below, that
which had been rolling mountain rose
into a rushing cliff of water. Never were
six men in more desperate circumstances.
The rule laid down for meeting desper-
ate sea is to pull against it with the ut
most speed; but for meeting such sea
as this no rule was ever made. Cheering
his men forward, the steersman put his
boat right at it, calculating nicely. to
meet the sea at right angle. Steaaiiy,
as if squirting in race, the men STRAINED
at their oars, and gliding on, even keel,
like an arrow, the boat entered the roar
ING avalanche, its crest towering twenty
FIVE above her, and overhanging.
The inspecting officer, who was steer
ing, and the chief boatman, who was pull
ing stroke oar, were hurried headlong
over the boats stern by the falling sea.
Had she not been of extraordinary
strength, owing to her peculiar double
sided construction, she must have been
shivered like bandbox. Crushing her
bodily, fathoms down, the sea bore her
astern at lightning speed, tearing away
her rudder, irons and steering crutch by
the pressure The steersman was caught
head downward as she passed by some
projecting hook or spur rOwlock, and
dragged thus for few seconds; then
found himself suddenly freed and rising
rapidly. On reaching the surface he met
the chief boatman already afoat, and
looking very much confused. The latter
afterward described himself as having
been conscious of receiving some ire
mendous impetus, which caused him, as
he imagined, to turn a series OF somer-
saults under the water.
Though cased in heavy water proof
boots, thick pea jackets and oil-clOth
overcoats, the life belts supported them
with perfect ease. The sea, which had
hurled them out Of the boat, had beaten
the rest of the crew down as they bent
over their oars in STOPPING posture, each
man on the thwart before him. The bow
man alone was stunned. The remaining
three retained perfect consciousness; they
had their eyes open, but all around was
total darkness. They described their
sensations as like that of being whirled
in an express train through railway
tunnel, but whether they were in the
boat or in the sea they could not distin-
guish at the time. At length faint
dawn of light reached their eyes, increas
ing rapidly, and they were conscious of
rising through the green water; and at
last they emerged through the broken
foam, sitting each men i'll his place.
The first object that met their eyes as
the boat rose to the surface was the buoy
of the Kay Rock close alongside OF them.
This buoy is by measurement over four
hundred yards from the place where the
sea had struck their boat. She had been
shot about a quarter of a mile under wa
ter and had risen III the exact position
in which she had entered the sea at right
angles to it. A spare rowlock and pair
of boots were lying loose in the bottom
of the boat, giving clear evidence that
she had not once turned over during her
extraordinary submarine passage. The
oars had all been lost but one, and with
this the men managed TO keep her head
to the seas, though she was drifting fast
upon the rocks aStern.
The letter concludes by describing the
rescue of the men in the water and those
in the drifting boat. In the result the
whole worked back into the harbor,
without even the slightest injury. He
adds: THE time during which the boat
remained submerged is difficult to arrive
at. Under such circumstances seconds
seem like minutes both to actors and
spectators; but, so far asI can judge from
pretty fair data, she must have been
about two minutes under water. l can
scarcely expect any one who reads this
statement of SO wonderful preserva-
ton from destruction to believe it. |
could not believe it myself at first nor
could any, save those who witnessed it,