The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-01
Shipping a Huge Wave ;aud
Swapping the Saloon.
THE LADIES IN THE tgCABIN.
Able Bodied Men Garry Them Out
I in Blankets
Create Excitement in the
Lower Saloon.

BOSTON, July 81 1873.
the Cunw ID steamer olympus, which left this
port on TN Sth inst, encountered cyclone the
second day out, and, although no great damage
was SUSAN ned by the ship, passengers or cargo,
tic excite ment for few hours was so intense as to
amount o panic. One OF the Boston passengers
Oh poaro has sent home very graphic account OF
the anaI and the exciting scenes on board. They
et Dos ton Light he says at noon OF the Sth, with
d soutD erly wind, and made some two hundred and
nifty NJ les the first twenty-four hours In the az
terno OF the second day the wind freshened from
the ~ Nstheast, and at eleven p M, when he turned
In, 1t was blowing steadily from that quarter At
aboI 1t two A. NJ. they encountered a cyclone and
the" slap was put head to the wind. About half
pas two A. M.
u HEAVY POINTED SEA STRUCK THE VESSEL
on the quarter throwing several TOYS of water
wi ha terrific force against the saloon, dashing in
to tsde of the saloon, carrying away the forward
Ait Of the quarter boat and some twenty feet OF
ne rail, tearing up and breaking OF several Of the
stanchiOns OF the poop deck railing, and carrying
the after pinnacle adrilt into the lee rail. This
large BODY OF water in the saloon made fearful
havoc ripping up tables, settees and chairs, and
tearing away glass racks, side lamps ana other
movables and apparent immovabes and dashing
them pellmell into the lee side OF the saloon.
Stewards and walters, asleep in the saloon were
dashed about among the debris OF broken chairs,
tables glassware and crockery, but, fortunately,
with the exception Of lew cuts and bruises, were
unhurt. Meanwhile the water, checked In its
course by the lee side Of the saloon, found vent by
the companion way and the ventilator into the
lower cabin, where the scene for a few moments
was very exciting.
THE PASSENGERS, AROUSED FROM THEIR sLUMBER
by terrific crash, which was Immediately followed
by rush Of water into the lower saloon and a
shower bath from the ventllator, imagined that the
ship had been run into and was not only sinking,
but already under water. 1t was with the greatest
difficulty that the stewards headed by the purser,
who had recovered from their fright and rushed to
the passengers assistance somewhat primitive
costume, could persuade the ladies' that there was
no real danger. The noise OF the gale over
head the roll and pitch OF the ship and
the constant rush OF the water from side
to side of the ship were by no meana
calculated to soOthe them. At last, however some
OF the passengers and the walters succeeded in
carrying the ladies from the wet staterOoms art to
the dry ones forward, where they wrapped
up as well as what few dry blankets and shawls on
hand would do, and then the stewards and what
men could be spared from the deck were set TO
work
BALING OUT THE CABIN,
which took some three hours, and by daylight the
carpets were all up and on deck together with the
mattresses, bedding, &c. Very fortunately there
were no personal accidents OF any account. Mr..
WHut, OF JOruau MARSH " COS eStaDISnment, OF
Boston, had q cut in the face, which, although it
bled quite profusely, is now all healed up. The
third officer, Mr. Pierson, had just left
the deck to LOOK at the barometer
when the sea struck. Had he been q moment
later or earlier he would probably have been badly
injured and perhaps killed The purser was
washed from his bunk, and together with the
chief steTard
FOUND HIMSELF SWIMMING WHEN HE AwoKE,
bruised, but not seriously. Those that were not
on duty on deck were below, encouraging and quiet
ing the passengers, which act was accomplished
In most Incredibly snort time, when 1t is con-
sidered that they were all asleep at the time Of
~the accident. After the excitement was over and
the writer had recovered one OF his boots, which
had gone on voyage of discovery all over the
cabin, he went on deck The sight was most
beautiful one. The sea, owing to the rapidly chang
ing winds OF the cyclone, was not in burrows, as
usual, but presented series Of pointed waves
rushing in every direction The accident was OF
nature not to be anticipated.