The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-11-08
THE CENTER OF A CYCLONE
What the steamer Ossipee
Found aud Experienced
There.
A GRAPHIC STORY
OF fhc Horrors that Assn lThOS that
Go Down to the Sea I'm Ships
Chorus ad Ill.,

Go Down to the Sea I'm ships.
ICubsn Correspondence New York Herald.
Heavy seas continued to come on board,
each more heavy and threatening than the
former, till finally one came tearing over
the starboard quarter with such momentum
and violence that it tore away the ham,
mock MEETINGS and rails, and breaking
through all distractions into the ward and
FIRE rooms below nearly filled those places.
One part OF this sea went aft and stove in the
cabin bulkhead and door, carried the four
men away from the wheel, flooded the cabin
and quarter deck to the depth of three feet,
tossing the officers and men about like rub
Der balls, and destroying the furniture and
woodwork generally. Returning as the
ship lurched, il carried away heavy
bulkheads with force of many tons and fl
Rally 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 quick
ly done, but its effect was demoralizing, for
everybody saw at glance that we could not
stand many such onslaughts. However, We
soon became accustomed to the seas and they
had no terrors for us though they knocked US
down and about the decks in a most promis-
suous manner. One came flying entirely over
the ship, and lighting in the launch tore it
completely from its fastenings, smashed it
like an eggshell and took it off to sea. Many
of her belongings" were slowed in her,
such as sails, spars, oars, etc, all of which
we're branded with "Ossipse." Should any
of these articles be picked up before our safe
~ is known, l expect considerable anxiety
will be felt At about half-past nine o'clock
a. m. the storm had reached its fiercest
force and fury. The barometer was
down to 1882, and the noise of
the rushing wind was great that
il was impossible to hear the human voice
unless the mouth of the speaker was placed
Il. e III C,..l.&
equally impossible, except to leeward, for
the air was loaded with small globules of
sea water, which struck the face and eyes
and any exposed part with the fierceness and
sting of myriad of bees. The men in getting
about the decks to attend their duties were
thrown violently from their feet,
obliged TO go cropping about as
il they were in total darkness.
They could only stick to their stations by
the most desperate struggle against the
matches, gratings, doors, deck buckets and
many other articles that were being swept
back and forth across the decks by the rush
ing of the water as the ship rolled and
tossed. Breathing was difficult, and the air
taken into the lungs was so loaded with sea
salts that il caused excessive irritation, pro-
ducing violent coughing and vomiting. The
suffering of the men was most intense, espec-
tally among the iremen and coal beavers,
who were not only deprived of ventilation,
but obliged to inhale the salt water steam
produced by the seas rushing into the fire
room. Things were looking pretty blue. 1t
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 il to the cabin to be
distributed. Then the boatswain's mate
smiled for the first time that day as he
sounded the call for ''all hands to lay aft to
the cabin and splice the main brace" call
once very dear TO Jackey before congress had
Raised our pay five cents a day
And stopped our grog forever.
Just then the storm began to come more
in gust with intervals of quiet and in five
minutes there was a dead calm OminOus
still was the wind 10 ears that had once
heard the typhoon.
Within five minutes OF the commencement
OF the second attack the cyclone had us again
in its powerful grasp. For the space of two
hours and fOrty-twO minutes the storm was
more fearful than in the morning, and in ten
minutes the wind had completely fiat
tened out the riding seas" and was ex-
erfiBg such a heavy pressure upon the
rollers" that they could do but little mis-
= most fearful key. ! might say in several
fearful keys, no two Of which were in har-
rnOny like that of thousand women shrek
ing in the terrors of nightmare. combined
with a metallic cracking vibration, like the
highest notes of calli0pe and
steam log whistle Tie sufferings Of
the sailors were repeated and intensi-
fed, as was the moral effect upon