Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-11-15
A PERILOUS VOYAGE,

OF the united States
Ossipec i'm aCyclon~.--Foarfnl Onslaught
Of the Wind and Waves.-Suffering.o of
the Seamcn.
The United States steamer Ossipee
was caught in cyclone on the 10th
ult., off the coast Of Florida. We ex-
tract the following from letter written
on board the steamer, giving the awful
of the vessel:
The barome ter commenced falling
slowly at about two in the afternoon,
and at shutdown stood at 29.46 (me-
curiaD, and at midnight had fallen to
1880. The wind was then blowing
heavily from the east by South with an
Indicated force of s IL being maximum
and 0 being minimum). These strong
indications Of coming elbow" induced
the Captain to head the ship to the
eastward, put On all steam and sail, and
run for sea room away from the danger
Gus coast of Florida as we'll as from the
equally dangerous Bahama Banks.
At ten in the evening the storm was
heavily upon us, and the sea running
strong and high from the southwark.
Orders were given to batten down the
matches, which was speedily done, and
all ll1ilIiS lOICCA Oh uSCh. EIOI!l UI1lS
time the force of the wind gradually
increased, and at two o'clock the next
morning friday heavy sea came
over the starboaYd wind ward) rail, lift
ed the steam cutter from her cradle
and lashings and carried her inboard
and deposited her in the gangway, mar
rowly escaping overseeing the smoke
stack of the ship. The same sea stove
in the starboard forward port, breaking
the heavy shutters and wrenching away
their thick iron fastenings and hinges
as though they had been leather.
Heavy seas continues to come on
board, each more heavy and threaten
ing than the former, till finally one
came tearing over the starboard quar-
ter with such momentum and violence
that it tore away the hammock MEETINGS
and rails, and breaking through all OBJ
structions into the ward and fire rooms
below nearly flied those places. One
part Of the sea went aft and stove
IN the cabin bulkhead and door, car
rled the four men away from the
wheel. flooded the cabin and quarter
deck to the depth Of three feer, tossing
the officers and men about like rubber
balls, and destroying the furniture and
woodwork generally. Returning as the
ship lurched, it carried away heavy
bulkheads with force of many tons,
and finally went to sea again, over the
port side, by knocking out the heavy
ports of the pivot gun and smashing
the launch that was slowed away on
the port rail. Twas quickly done, but
it's effect was demoralizlng, for every
body saw at glance that we could not
stand many such onslaughts. How
ever, we soon became accustomed to
the seas and they had no terrors for
us, though they knocked as down and
about the decks in most promiscuous
manner. One came flying entirely
over the ship, and lighting in the
launch tore it completely from its fas-
Jennings, smashed 1t like an eggshell
and took it off to sea. Many of her
belongings" were slowed in her. such
as calls, spars, oars, ETC., all of which
were branded with "Ossipee." Should
any Of these articles be picked up be-
fore our safety is known [ expect con-
siderable anxiety will be felt. Atabout
half-past nine o'clock, A. NJ, the storm
had reached its hercest force and fury.
The barometer was down to 1882, and
the noise Of the rushing wind was so
great that it was impossible to hear the
human voice unless the mouth of the
speaker was placed close to the ear of
the nearer.
Sight was equally impossible, except
to leeward, for the air was loaded with
small globules Of sea water, which
struck the face and eyes and any ex-
posed part with the ferceness and sting
of myriad of bees. The men in get
ing about the decks 20 attend their du-
ties were thrown violently from their
feet, and, blinded by the salt spray,
were obliged to go gropiug as if they
were in total darkness. They could
only stick to their stations by the most
desperate struggling against the
matches, gratings, doors, deck buckets
and many other articles that were
being swept back and across the decks
by the rushing Of the water as the ship
rolled and tossed. Breathing was diff
cult, and the air taken into the lungs
was SO loaded with sea salts that it
caused excessive irritation, producing
violent coughing and vomiting. The
suffering of the men was most Intense.
among the firemen and coal
beavers, who were not only deprived of
ventilation but obliged to inhale the
salt water steam produced by the seas
into the fire room. Things
were looking pretty blue. Ii was then
thought advisable to encourage the
men by the use of stimulants. The
surgeon found sufficient quantity to
give all hands "tot" each and sent it
to the cabin to be distributed.
Just then the storm began to come
more in gusts, with intervals of quiet,
and in five minutes there was a dead
calm. Ominous still was the wind to
ears that had once heard the typhoon.
Until now everybody had hoped that
the storm was simply a straight line
hurricane.
When the calm came, faces bright
ened and looked ruddy that but mo-
ment before were gloomy and blanched
with dread. Officers congratulated
each other on their safe escape from
the storm, but one old croaker, as he