Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-01-28
Terrible Hurricane ON tho Atlnntic.Th
Bremen, Driven Into the Trough oil the
Scn-A Night of md suspense.

Scn-A Night of Anxiety md suspense.
FALMOUTH, England, December 10,
lSGS.-The North American Steamship
Company's steamship Arago, under tho
command of Captain George W. Browne,
left New York on the I'd Of December
with 80 passengers, a crew OF 90 uen,
and 2,70O bales of cotton on board, des-
tined for Bremen. Nothing worthy OF
note occurred on the first part Of her
passage except her having to contend
with strong casterly winds and heavy
head seas. The morning Of the 18th OF
December was u,hered IN with a heavy
gale from southwest to northwest, and
terrific squalls, causing a fearful agi-
tation of the sea. The steamship was
then under close resfed foretopsail and
reefed foresail, %scudding before the
gale. By noon Of that day the gale had
Increased to q hurricane, the sea run.
ming literally mountains high, dashing
the spray ovcr her so that she was
nearly euvcloped by it. At each plunge
she made into the roaring mass she
would seem to have reached an abyss
but majestically she would rise, her
whole frame trembling, but still obedi-
cut to her helm, aud fairly flying before
the violence OF the storm. The grandeur
of the spectacle, rs witnessed by those
on her decks, was indeed impressive,
but awful to behold. Even those &C
cus,omed TO such scenes by long service
on Ncptunc's domains, could not but be
apprehensivc of danger should there be
no decrease in the violence of the hurri-
cane but from minute to minute, and
hour to hour, the tempest grew more
and more furious. At a quarter past 3
r. ". the long anticipated but dreaded
moment arrived, when another terrific
squnll struck the ship and caused her
to "broach to-" notwithstanding her
holm having been put hard up, and a
largo %forctopsail and reefed f~oresail
being set to guard against this event.
As she now lay in tho trough Of the sen,
lurchiug and laboring tremendously,
she shipped several very heavy seas,
which tore two of her lifeboats from
their davits, staying another and carry
ing away q number Of the stanchions
aud the greater portion Of the starboard
| main rail, leaving the after smokestack
guys flying about in the air. The
second officer was struck by ono ofthes.
| seas, knocking him senseless.
At 1880 p. 81. the sea was making
| clean breach oycr the vessel, starting
everything movable on tue decks from
| its lashings, and q sea breaking the
skylights of the main saloon, wherein
a large number of passengers had beer
placed for greater safety, and volumes
| of water forcing their way down into
the cabin, a cry of Transformation and hor
| ror could not DO suppressed by those
below. Dining tables were torn from
their ~fastcnings, mirrors, crOckery and
| glassware smashed to atoms, and al
sea upon sea poured over the decks ant
| into the saloons, engine and fre-rooms,
| tho complete destruction Of the steam
| ship and all on board appeared n fore
ronc conclusion. Total darkness had
now set in, and with it increased the
peril of the situation. The Ice wheel
house was almost constantly buried I'M
der water, the ship lying nearly on hol
beam ends, and the engines, which had
so faithfully performed their labor
| throughout, were now strained and
their capacities tested to a degree which
could but ill the minds Of all with the
greatest anxiety, for with the ship now
lying head to the wind (northwcst) eve
rythiug depended upon these engines
remaining uninjured. During this nigh
no abatement of the tempest came, anc
| many q silent and feryent prayer was
| rendered up to Heaven to avert the i'm
| pending calamity. There was no RES
| for the faithful and oyerworked crew
nor for the exhausted officers, who con,
tinued at their posts, nor for the watch
full commander, who fully appreciated
his responsibility.
The morning Of the l4th came, ant
still was the tornado raging with un
aba,cd fury the barometer continued
ss low as 2S.40, and the foam Of the sci
rendered the position Of those on deck
uncomfortable in the extreme. Later il
| the morning the appearance of the sun
MS it broke forth in all its splendor, wal
hailed with joy, and with it n modera
ton of the storm became perceptiole
and by one r. N. it had sufficiently lullet
to induce the commander to make Al
attempt to bring the vessel before thu
wind again, which feat was happily nc
complishcd without shipping any NOR,
seas. AS she was now again heading
ON her eastern course, scudding once
moro before the still strong gale, the
knowledge that the danger was nov
over frightened up all countenances,
and mutual congratulations took place,
while groups of men might be seen in
all parts of the ship warmly discussing
the late events. :,
Throughout the terrible ordeal oil
manifested %unbounded confidence in the
great strength and superior qualities o.
the ArHgo, ana the opinion was preva.
lent that the number of steamships was
small indeed that would not have sue
cumbed to the force Of the elements had
they been in a like position. On the
10Th of December the Arago entered the
port of Falmouth to rcplenish her
nearly exhausted stock of coal, which
article had to be used uusparingly du.
J ring her boisterous passage.