Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-01-05
OLD OCEANS RAGE.
The Steamship Calabria in a Hur-
ricanes
Fearful Voyage from New York to !
LIverP0OI-A Passenger's story.

| AAEcEpOOh-A EA8Sen&oFOA SBOEY.
From the Liverpool Post.
On the 18th of November the Calabria.
| loosed from her moorings at Jersey City
swung out into the river, and commenced
| her voyage across the treacherous waters
| About twelve o'clock on Sunday night the
| 18th, one of the fiercest hurricanes that ever
swept across the Atlantic Gas attest the
numberless wrecks) burst upon US. was
awakened by being jerked half way out OF
| my berth by the lurch of the vessel. |
glanced out of the porth0le; the scene was
fr1ghtful. The sea, which few hours be-
fore was SO calm, had risen in its awful
height.
The waves, running mountains high,
were lashed into fury by the wind, which
blew with violence perfectly inconceivable,
roaring round the vessel and through the
rigging with noise of thunder. The ship
was dashed from side to side as with the
iorce OF an earthquake, careening over until
the sea washed her decks. She would
right herself with bound that made every
timber crack; then, mounting the crest Of a
huge wave, she would plunge downward
Gas 1t seemed) to the bottom Of the sea. We
held on for our very lives. Many of the
passengers ran from their rooms with
blanched faces, and braced themselves in
the gangway, expecting every moment the
destruction of the vessel. The dishes aud
glasses in the salooDascame down with a
crash from the racks, and were broken into
thousands Of pieces. The pitchers, wash
bowls, water-jugs and glasses 10 the state
rooms Wer9 torn from their fastenings and
dashed to atoms. The state-room doors
were hurled open, and trunks, Valises,
clothing, ETC., thrown clear across the gang
way. o, how we lOu2ed for daylight. So
furious was the dashing OF the vessel it was
almost impossible to maintain an upright
position. 1t was only by bracing my back
against the side of the state-room, with my
feet against the berth, could save myself.
Those who attempted to move about were
dashed from side to side, in immediate risk
of their lives. Meanwhile the hurricane
increased. We attempted to run before the
wind. The maintop sail was torn into rib-
bons and carried away; the very chain
which held it to the yard-arm, with links
nearly quarter Of an inch thick, was snap
PED like tow-string.
Having no sails, 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.
IL seemed impossible for her TO Withstand
the blows. At every stroke We could hear
the sharp ting, ting Of the signal, 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 state-rOom, On deck, a rope had
been stretched from one railing to the
other for the men to hold by, 20 keep them
from being swept overheard. 1 could hear
them, as, catching sight Of an enormous
wave coming, they would run for their lives,
their only salvation being the rope. l
trembled for fear they would not catch it.
1t was also a signal to me, and l bIaced
myself accordingly.
The hfe-boat had been swept away and
lost. The skylights Of the wheel-house
gave way, and the men at the wheel stood
to their waists in water. The Captain
came down with an anxious face, and ex-
amined the chains which held the wheel
to the helm. In going up on deck again he
paused moment to speak to Mr.. Yates,
Of st. John, n. B, who was standing in the
smoking-rOOm. 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 donkey engine,
TO which he clung for his life. Shortly
after be called a council Of his officer,
and the opinion of all was that if they
continued on their course, the vessel must
sUOn gU down, under the weight or water
which was poured upon her from
behind. That most dangerous of all ex-
perimente was resolved upon-Our only
nope-tO put the ship about and brig her
head to the sea. There were eight chances
against us to two in our favor. Yet it wss
done successfully. An old sailor aflerward
to me: at was the finest piece
Of seamanship ever seen in the Atlantic,
turning that vessel round in the teeth of
hat gale.n The great danger was that IN
bringing her round she would fall into the
srough of the sea, and the waves, striking |
her broadside, would sink her.
The captain, standing on his bridge, |
watched his opportunity, as she mounted a |
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 grOsned, |
strained and keeled over, until the saloon |
port holes were under water. She hung o !
ong in that position that the panic-strick-
IN passengers concluded she would never |
light herself again. 1 myself gave up all |
nope. Visions of wrecks; Of foundered
7essels, hid thousands of fathOms deep;
If pale skeletons in saa-1eed winding
heets; Of salt-lined bones and grinniug
kulls, which lay tbickly strew On
he sandy floor, came before me;
md grasping my wife by the hand, waited
o hear the water guTgle through the port
loles, and creep through the tightly-bat-
ened doors. For the space of about one
II mute the vessel lay in that position, aud
hen slowly rigated. Should 1 live thou.
and years l will never forget tie sensation
# thai moment, when life seemed to trem-
,le in the balance. Our brave. skiilful
Captain had chosen his opportunity well
The prov Of the ship received the force Of
be next wave, and We were now in better
condition We were CleaVing the waves,
instead Of presenting q broad surface to
heir stroke. Toward noon the fury OF the
torn somewhat abated. The waves, al
hough running high, did not chase esch
)ther so furiously. a new tOpsall
vas rigged up, and We put about
gain and ran with the wind. 1t was a
,erilous voyage nearly the whoie way.
Captain McMickan said that for thirty
i've years on the ocean he had
lot had so rough pass age. The storm
eemed to gather its force again as we
leared the Irish Coast, and when we got
nto the Channel it was blowing furious
,ale. So severe, indeed, was is that We
we're unable to make Queenstown Night
,ame on, and we we're without a pilot. We
ent up rocket after rocket, but there Wss
10 response. No boat could live in such
iea. We passed the spot where the Cam
,ria went down with all hands on board, in
ust such a gale; passed the spot where the
Royal Charter was dashed to pieces on the
coast, leaving scarcely one to
ell the tale. Cautiously we felt our way
n the inky darkness. Every few rods the
,aptain drew a bucket of water, and, dip
,ing the thermometer into it, would Judge
# our locality by the temperature of the
water. So that night of anxiety, of dread
apprehension, passed away, and when
morning broke we had crossed the bar, and
Liverpool was IN sight. Many a heart on
hat vessel silently sent up a prayer of
thanksgiving to God, who had mercifully
escued us from g watery grave.
CRANKY CSPPERS.
It may not be generally known that the
irst copper coinage in this country was
made at CRANKY, Ct, in 1877, by John