The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-03
A GALE ON THE ATLANTIC.
PERILOUs VOYAGE OF THE CONAhD
STEAMER CALABRII.

PERILOUs VOYAGE OF THE CONAhL
STEAMER CALABRIA.
At Sea In q Fearful Hurrtcnne-fu'
ting the Ship About Between th'
| Mountain SwelIs-Nnrrow Escape
from FounderIng--The Event de-
scribed by q Passenger.
[From the Liverpool Post.l
On the 18th of November the Calaorla, OF INT
Cunard line, looeened from her moorings q
jersey City, swung out into the river, ant
commenced her voyage across the treacner
GUS waters. About twelve O'Clock on Sunday
night. tile l7th, one OF the flercest hurricanes
that ever swept across the Atlantic (as attes
| the numberless wrecks) burst upon us. 1wat
awakened by being Ierked half way out OF my
berth by the lurch of the vessel. l glanced
out of the portfolio; The scene was frightful
TIE sea which few hours before was so calm
had risen In It's awful height. The waves
running mountains high, were lashed into
fury by The wind, which blew with violence
perfectly ilconceivaole, roaring round tne
vessel aud through the rigging with the noise
OF thunder. The ship was dashed from side to
side, as with the force of an earthquake, ca
reening over until the sea washed her decks
| She would right herself with bound that
MADE EVERY TIMBER CRACK,
then mounting the crest OF huge wave she
| would plunge downward las 1t seemed) to The
! bottom of the sea. We held on for our very I
ives. Many OF the passengers ran from their
rooms with blanched faces, and braced them
selves In the gangway, expecting every mo-
ment the destruction of the vessel. The dishes
and glasses 10 the saloon came down Win q
crash from the racks, and were broken into
thousands OF pieces. The pitchers, wash
bowls, water jugs and glasses IN the state.
rooms were torn from their iastenlngs ano
dashed to atoms. The state-room doors were
furled open. and trunks, valises, clothing,
&C., thrown clear across the gangway. On,
how We longed TOR daylight So furious was
the dsshing Of the vessel 1t was almost impos.
sble to maintain an upright position. 1t was
only BY bracing my back against the side OF
the slateroom, with my feet against the berth,
that could save myself. Those who attempt
ed to move about were dashed from side to
side, In imminent risk of their lives. Mean
while
THE HURRICANE INCREASED.
We attempted to run before the wind. The
maIntopsaii was torn into ribbons and carried
away; The very chain which held II to the yard
~
thick, was snapped like tow-striDg.. Having
no sail, the engines alone were unable TO carry
us out of the way OF the tremendous waves
which swept upon us. The time came when
every wave burst over the stern OF the vessel,
striking her under the quarter like Titanic
sledge-hammers. 1t seemed Impossible tor
her to withstand the blows. At every stroke
we could hear the sharp ting, ting OF the sig
nal, showing that our brave captain was on
the watch, and from his bridge was telling the
men at the wheel to hold her steady. Directly
over my stateroom, on deck, rope had been
stretched from one railing 10 the other for
the men to hold by, TO keep them from being
swept overheard. / could hear them. as
catching sight of an enormous wave coming,
they would run for their lives,
THEIR ONLY SALVATION BEING THE ROPE.
Lrembled tor fear they would not catch it..
1t was also signal to me, and ] braced my
self accordingly. The lfebOat had been swept
away and lost. The skylights of the wheel
house gave wGy, and the men at the wheel
stood 10 their waists In waller. The captain
came down with an anxious face, and exam.
ined the chains which held the wheel to the
helm. In going up on deck again, he paused
o moment to speak to Mr.. Yates, of st. Johns,
n B., who Was standing In the smokeroom.
At that moment a mighty wave broke over
the vessel, dashed in the side of the room
where they were standing. washed the captain
from his feet, and threw him against the dom
key engine, TO which he cung for his ltte.
Shortly after he called o council of his officers,
and the opinion OF all was that II they con-
tinued on their course the vessel must soon go
down under the weight of water which was
poured upon her from behind. That most
dangerous Of all experiments was resolved
upon-Our only hope-to put The ship about
and bring her head 10 The sea. There were
eight chances against us TO two In our favor.
Yet IL WAS done successfully. An old sailor
afLerwa remarked 10 me, 1t was the finest
piece OF seamauship he had ever seen 10 the
Atlantic, turning that vessel round In the
teeth OF that gale" {
THE GREAT DANGER
was that In bringing her round she would
fall off into the trough of The sea, and The
waves, strikIngl her broadside, would sink
her. The captain, standing On bis bridge,
watched his opportunity, as she mounted q
tremendous wave, and saw that she would
have time to Come round before the next
wave struck her. He gave the signal. The
six men at the wheel threw their strength
upon the helm, and The old ship groaned,
strained aud keeed over, until the saloon
portfolios were under water. She hung 80
long in that position that the panlc-stricken
passengers concluded she. would never right
herself again. / myself gave up all hope.
Visions of wrecks, of foundered vessels. hid
thousands OF falhoms deep, of pale skeletons
In seaweed winding sheets, of salt-lined
bones and grlnDing skulls, which lay thlckly
strewn on the sandy floor, came before me,
and grasping my wife by the hand, waited
to hear the water gurgle through the port
holes and creep through the tlghtly-baLtened
doors. For the space OF minute the vessel
lay In that position, and then slowly righted
Should live a thousand years shall never
forget the sensation OF that moment when lie
| seemed 10
TREMBLE IN THE BALANCE.
Our brave, skllful captain had chosen his
opportunity well. The Prov OF the ship re-
ceived the full force of the next wave, and we
were now In better condition. We were
cleaviug the waves instead OF presenting q
broad surface to their stroke. Toward noon
| the fury OF the storm somewhat abated. The
waves, although running high, did not chase
each other 30 turiously. A new topsai was
rlgged up, and we put about again, and ran
! with the wind. 1t was perilous voyage
| nearly the whole way. Captain McMickan
| said that for thirty-fve years on the ocean he
| had not had 30 rough a passage. The storm
seemed to gather its force again as We neared
| the Irish coast, and when we got into the
channel 1t was blowing furious gale; 30
severe. indeed. was it that we were unable to
make Queenstown. Night came on. and we
were without q pilot. We sent up rocket
NO BOAT COULD LIVE
| in such sea. We passed the spot where the
Cambria went down with all hands on board,
In Just such gale; passed the spot where the
Royal Charter was dashed to pieces on the
rockbound coast, leaving scarcely one TO tel
the tale. Cautiously We felt our way In the
| splyv "A rl,p fa q "a nj O n