Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-05-22
OUT IN A BLOW.

III Tue year lCtO iHduS w. oB0
to China by the way of Cape Horn.
| had command of the good ship
Angelo, and was blessed with good
crew. We had hard time getting
around the southern cape of Ameri-
ca, but when we had entered the
Pacific we found the weather good,
and for some time we went gliding
on our way, without trouble or
hindrance. l stopped at Valpa-
raise, where l remained eight days,
and then set sail for New Zealand
on business connected with the
United States Christian Missions.
For eleven days after clearing Val
paraiso we had fair wind, but on
the evening of the twelfth day we
had indications of a storm. had
the sail shortened, and taken in the
top-gallant sails and double-reefing
the topsails.
About nine o'clock in the even
ing the wind came round from the
eastward and blew gale, and by
midnight l was forced to lay to.
In the morning, when the sun rose,
there was lull in the gale, and l
began to flatter myself that we
were cheaply rid of the storm.
At noon | was able to get the sun,
and l found my ship TO be in longi-
tude 12S degrees west, and latitude
80 degrees Is minutes south, and
the wind had now become light and
battling, but with heavy sea. To-
ward the middle of the afternoon,
my mate, who was an experienced
seaman, and an older man than
myself, named Hunter, came to me
and asked me what l thought of
the weather.
"Its not settled yet, by any
MEANS" said.
"No," said he, emphatically ;
sand that's not the worst of it.
We are going to have a singer"
al think we shall have more
gales" l responded, "for it is now
evident enough that the storm is not
wholly passed."
"Ay-and we shall catch il this
time more southerly. l tell ye,
capt'n, we've got to stand around
some before we get clear Of this
place. I've been here before"
$50 have l." l replied, Several
times; but never happened to get
caught in n storm of any account
on the Pacific yet"
40, but l have" resumed Mr.
Hunter, with a shudder. "By my
soul, they can get up some great
blows here when they try. / rode
out here in 80, in an old hulk of ,
barque, belonging to New York
and for eight-and-forty hours W,
expected every minute to have t.
say our prayers for the last time
hope / mayn't see another such.
After this the mate went forward
to attend to securing the anchors
having all ready for bending tn,
cables if necessity should occur
for / was determined to leave NJ
point unattended to. At five o.
clock the wind was warm, seeming
much like tanning from hot oven
il seemed in q circle. 1t blew from
no steady point, but was contin
ually whirling and changing
Heavy clouds came up from tn
northwar,l and westward, while /,
the southwark and eastward Their
seemed to be sort Of lurid vapo
rising and extending itself alonl
the horizon. The clouds which
spoke of rose very fast, and whel
they had attained a great heigh
they passed over our heads, an
then settled down gradually unit
they actually rested upon the bosor
Of the sea above us, enveloping u
in a thick, cool mist. This was :
me-s curious phenomenon; bu
this was not the end. In bali q
hour the vapor swept away to th
northward and westward agar
II did not rise, but 1t slowly passe
away, until it rested upon the hor
lion like q land bank. The sp
pearance of things In the opposit
direction had changed sonewha
the vapor there having grown NOR
dense, and wearing . gastly livi