, 1880-05-03
Caught in Il Gale.

Caught in Il Gale.
In the year 1916 made voyage to
China by tko way of Cape Horn. l had
command of the good ship Angelo, ,"
and was blessed with coed crew.
We had hard time g:tting aroHnd the
southern capes of America, but when
We catered the Pacific, We found the
weather good, and for some tino we
went gliding on our way without
Valpa, also, where l remained eight days
and thea l set sail for New Zealand, on
business coRnecteI with the United
States Christian Missions. For eleven
days after leaving Valparaiso we had
fair wind, bat on the evening of the
twelfth day We had Indications of
storm. l had the sail shortened. taking
in the top gallant sails and double reef
ing t he top sails.
About nine o'clock in the evening the
wind came round from the eastward
and blew a gale, and by midnight l was
forced to lay to. In the morning when
the sun rose, there was IA Iull in the
gale, and I began to fatter myself that
we were cheaply rid of the storm.
At noon 1 was able to get the sun,
and I fouad my ship to be in longitude
12S deg. west, and latitude 32 deg. Is
min. south, and the wind had now be-
come light ami battling, but with
heavy sea. Towards the middle Of the
aiternooR, my mate, who was an ex
perieEced seaman and All older man
than myself, named Hunter. came to
me and asked me what l thought of the
weather.
It's not settled yet, by any means"
I replied.
NO" said he, emphatically aad
that's not the worst oft. We are going
to have stinger."
Il think we shall have more gales"
responded, "for it is now evident
enough that the storm is not wholly
passed"
"Ay-and we shall catch it this time
more seutaerly. | tell yc, captn, we've
got to stand around some before we get
clear of this place. I've been here be-
fore"
$50 have l." I replied, "several
times bat 1 never happened to get
eaught in storm Of any amount in the
Pacific yet
"Oh, but 1 have" resumed Mr..
Hunter, with shudder. by my
soul. they can get up some great blows
here when they try. rode out here
in 90, in an old hulk of a barque. be-
longing IN New York, and for eight and
forty hours we expected every E1inute
to have to say our prayer RS for the last
time. l hope l mayn't see another
such"
After this the pate went forward to
attend to securing the anchors, and
having all ready for bending the cables
if necessity should occur, for l was de-
terminea to leave no point unattended
to. At five O'Clock the wind Was warm,
seeming like the tanning from a hot
oven, and it seemed to move in circles.
1t blew from no steady point. kut was
continually whirling and changing.
Heavy clouds had come out to the
northward and the westward, while to
the southwark and eastward there
seemed to be sort of lurid vapor rising
and extending itself along the horizon.
The clouds which spoke of rose very
fast, and when they had attained a
great height they passed over our
heads, and then settled down gradually
until they aetually rested upon the sea
about as. enveloping us in thick, cool
mist. This was to me a curious phe
nomeEa, but this was not the end. In
half an hour the vapor had swept away
to the northward and westward again.
1t did not rise, but it slowly passed
away, unii! it rested on the horizon like
land land. The appearance OF things
in the opposite direction had changed
somewhat, the vapor there having
grown mere dense and wearing q
ghastly. livid hue. The strange warmth
which l had experienced III the at
mosphere was gone. and a coolness,
which came in iittla puffs. had sue
ceeded. 1t seemed as though some ono
were standiog by me putting into nay
face.
As the sun sank isto the vapor wAie.l
rested upon the western horizon it had
o strange look, seeming like huge
lantern Of blue glass but l did not
gaze long upon it, for my attention was
called the other way. The heavens to
the southwark and eastward had grown
black as night. save long line of livid
light that rested directly upon the