The New York herald., 1876-11-01
CURIOUS PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS
Fearful Onslaught Of the Winds and
the Waves.
AWFUL sUFFERINGS or THE SAILORS.
The Central Calm and the
Counter Blow.
UNITED STATES STEAMER OssrpEg.
IVY Wcsr Fla nrt - tS-c

In great ships SEQ tho wonders OF the deep II
might added with equal truth that they sec and
feel the errors Of the dcep and Of all those terrors
OF which old ocean has bountiful supply, mono arc
more to DO dreaded or produce greater havoc than
cyclone
As we have recently escaped from the Jaws OF OF
these vcritabe sea monsters have hastily thrown
ge,her OF OF my experiences during tho
passage Of such a meteor over our SHIP
OUTWARD ROUND.
We left Hampton Ronds, Va, on tho morning OF the
l4h inst, bound ior New Orleans Tho ship had been
waiting orders there from the State Department for
nearly three months and consequently in splendid
trim, and all hands antic cpating delightful sea
voyage TO and happy stay In thc Parts OF Amcrica"
Tho weather was beautiful, and we had very fair
tmc for couple of days; but duringlw ednesdny and
Thursday, the 18TH and 10th inst, strong
erly winds, with heavy frequent rain squalls and
tho sky pcrsstenty overcast that our navigator
could get no sights. However, at about eight o'clock
In tho evening CT Thursday, passed Cape Canaveral
lIgh. and were steering south.
PREMoNITIoSs STORM.
In tho afternoon Of that day we had had very
peculiar rolling along different directions aud
much longer and higher and moro noppy than those
arising cgtTaiey from the winds had been en-
countering during the two days previous
Tho sky, toward the evening OF Thursday
ary banks Of leaden gray clouds along tho horizou
whc overhead low flying scuds were hurry,ns along
seemingly just above our masts After dark heavy ana
rapid electrical discharges constantly lighted up
southern and eastern horizon. but thunder was
heard. Tho sea during ths evening was exceedingly
phosphorcscent. and the shpg wake appeared like
river OF miniature stars extending into the blsckness
OF the night astern bringing into beautiful effect tho
intense blue OF the water-that u' ra marine bluca
shade your lady readers would pronounce sjust too
lovely for anything" and they would certainly envy
old Neptune dross pattern OF his mantle, bospangled
as II was with its myriads Of opaloscen intermittent
sparks OF light
BAROMETER
commenced falling slowly at about tho afi crnoon
and at sundown stoed at 80 46 tmccurial and at mid
night had fallen to 20 80. Tho wind was then blowing
heavily from tho east by south with indicated force
o, 8 az being maximum and being min,mum).
These strong Indications OF a coming '.bown induced
the Captain head tho ship tho eastward put on
all steam and sail, and for room-away from
tho dangerous coast of Florida well as from the
equally dangerous Bahama Banks.
THE STORM
At ton In the evening the storm heavily upon
| us, and tho sea running strong nigh from tho
southwark Orders wcro given 10 batten down tho
hatches which speedily done, and all hands forced
deck From this time tho force OF the wind grad
ually increased. ana at two o'clock the
the starboard (wlndwardj rail. lifted The steam
cutter her cradle and ashings and carried her
nbosrd and deposited her In the gansway, narrowly
escaping overseeing the smokesiack OF the ship The
same stove In tho atarboard forward port break
ing the heavy shutters ana wrenching away their
been leather.
DAMAGE FROM TuE sEAa
Heavy seas continued to come board, each moro
heavy and threatening than the former TIL finally ono
came tearing over the starboard quarter with such
mock ncttinss and rails, and breaking through all
structions into the ward and nre below nearly
filled those places. one part Of this ait and
stove In the cabin bulkhoad and door, carried the
four mon away from the wheel, flooded tho cabn ana
quarter deck TO the depth OF thrcc ieot,
tossing the officers aud men about like rubber balls
and destroying tho furniture and woodwork generally.
Returning us the snip Iurchcd u carried away heavy
buikheads with force Of many tons and finally went
again, the port sidc, by knocking out the
heavy ports OF the pivot gun and smashing the launch
done but its effect was.domoraiiznr tor svsrvnoay
saw at glance that could not stand many such
slaughts However, wc soon Became omed tho
seas and they had no terrors for us, though they
Knocked us down and about tho docks In most
promiseuous manner. Ono camo flying entirely
y completely from II. fasteninss, smashed !,
Ike an ,cggshell and took u on to sea.
such sails spars, oars, &c, all or which were
branded with 'osspcc" Should any OF these articles
oe psssa up ee,ors % oar safety known oxpoc, con
nEe o'clock A. NJ tho storm had reached its ncrccst
force "a, and fury. Tho barometer was down 10 2ss2.
IL was impossible to hear the human voice unless tho
mouth of the speaker placed close the OF the
henrer
srrrERiSas or THE SAILORS
sight was equally impossible, except TO Toward for
the air loaded with small globules OF sea water
which struck the aco and eyes and any exposed
part with the hcrccncss and sting OF myriad
to attend Their ues rowo sooui roenv .ns dsexs o
their fcct and bnacd by the spray wcrc obliged
to go gropng about as II they total darkness
cun uHlv Qttn hair ftnnc hx.s
desperate struggling against tho matches, gratings,
doors, deck buckets and many other ARTICLES that
being swept back and forth across tho decks by
rushing OF tho water the ship rolled and tossed
Breathing was difficult and tho mir taken INTO the
lungs was so loaded with sct salts that II caused
excessive irritation, producing violent coughing
aud vomiting Tho suffering OF tho men
most mo- 90, intense, tense, especially among the bremen
ventilation but obliged toinhac the salt water
produced by me seas rushing into the nro room.
Things werc looking pretty blue II was then thought
advisable to encourage the men BY the use Of stimu
Inns Tho surgeon found sufficient quantity, to give
all hands "tot" each and II the cabin to
distributed. Then the boasswan's smiled for tho
nrst tmo that day ns he sounded tho call for M hands
TO lay aft 10 tho cabin aud splice the main BRACE,
call once very dear TO Jacky before Congress had
RAISED our pay I've a esn.s day
Just then tho storm began more In gusts
with intervals Of quie and in Ave minutes there was
a dead calm. 0minous stll the wind cars that
haa once heard the typhoon. Until now everybody
had hoped that tho storm was simply straight limo
hurricane.
IN rHE CENTRAL CALM
whom the calm came faces frightened and looked
ruddy that but a moment before were gloomy and
bianchcd with dread. O1icers congratulated each
oihcr their safe escape from Storm but old
croakcr as no voted a. the time. who had been
keeping an anxious eye ON the barometer. recon-
mended that We delay 'whisting TIL VIC get out Of the
wood" We then went up the poop TO hear ''what
Tho wild waves saying" We found them acting
most fantastcaly. As soon the wind had ceased
the commenced Hitting up their hugo backs In long
rolling high OF trcmr ndous size which seemed
roll from nowhere In particular ana we're going ana
coming everywhere. They piled themselves over and
against each other In strangely confused manner
that caused the ship TO pitch and roll so fearuIly that
II ncarIy impossible 20 keep ones foo ing Rid
ing the backs Of these huge billows were smaller
seas White crested and SNAPPED, that would leap
up toward tho Clouds iopple and disappear and
give place others, which seemed to be thrown out
nom the Interior OF the long with volcanic force
Thus. far tho eye could rcach in all directions
about the hcrizon, this dance OF the waves this IT,