West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-09-08
EXCITING scEnu IN mID-ocEaN.
Won - erDonrd ia "a monsoon, =, liza
sharks About.

sharks About.
a CORES pordent Of The sIanchcst 2
Cournr. VINO was pass, Dger 10y a.,
steamship Dacca, which left Maar,s Tor
London on the isi ult Studs from Alden
an Interesting account Of an exciting
scere which &c witnessed ~u-.ug q storm
10 the ladien Ocean. The vessel eucoun
tered the monsoon a few days after lrav-
ing Colombo, AID nod rough time of Il
until the l7lh ult when the gale became
so violen, that caHvis had 10 be taken In g.,
awnings furlcd. aDd tAinls made as snug
as possible
The correspondent d scribes what FOL.
lowed
Il came on Do ok al 6 q. m. it was
blowing ficrccly, and the spray coming
yer the sheets. There were
three of US on deck when the bell struck
IA Miss, "a Mr., aud myself. We were
holding on 10 our chairs, which were firm
ly lashod 20 the inner cabin skylights, I'M
der the lee Of the ladies saloon. Part Of
the crew were working hard to get the
starboard l:fcboGt in-board. when a bigger
vas comirg. Hold on I some one shout
cd. We held on. The ch IRIS rushed for
ward on THEN lashings. The deck stood
upright In came the sea over the gun
vale, over the taffrail up TO cur waists,
lifted the lifeboat out Of it's shacklcs, cur
! ricd it overheard. smashing away stauch-
ions and davits, and out TO sea. Then
came the horrid cry of Man overheard /!
"The helm was put down, the engine
reversed, and back we wen; on a search
all the more 20 az sharks had been seen
round the ship earlier in the morning.
The boat was presently seen some zoo
yards OF, keel uppermost. Soon after
the two men were observed Clingug on to
il. Then came an exciting two hours,
during which We steamed after the boat,
which YVES drifting rapidly toward the
cast. But turning a ship like the Dacca
is Il very slow business and as she hung
in The winds eye a jib WAS hOlstId To
Bring her round. by the time this was
done the boat, with its pitiful looking
crew, was away two miles and more to
leeward, and we were rolling heayiiy and
unmanogeablc. A. last the Captain d,ci.
ded to lower boat, and the order was
given stand by the beat, and soon after
lower VINO is going in ber?' he
shouted.
'The first officer, MIR. ingram, sprapg
over the side, caught hold Of The davit
ropes and slipped down, but just as ne got
near he, grea, roll of the ship lifted
him clear of the boat 90 icct Ia Tie air.
As be- came down ogun the boat had
dciItod forward, and he was plunged
down 10 the boiling sen for five or six sec
onds. Up be came again as the ship keel
ed over, still hanging ON, ana missed ~
an ace having his skull smashed against
the small boats SIDE. r. Was really "a ter
rible sight, and We shudJercd Gs VIC look
ed on, the boat sll the while beng dashed
up ead down by The violence of The waves.
But at last his opportunity came, add hc
dropped into the stern. AZ once bic WAS
followed by the b0atswain, two frcmun,
and two European sailors, The psuyc crew
hanging shancfully back. Olc Of the
passengers, young Eoglish officer, Lieut..
Wolf, Of the Seventh FusiIers, ii son of
Sir Drummond Wolf, volunteered 81 once.
But the Cflicer in charge would no, accent
passengers services while men of The
crew could be got. At last the boat shav.
ell off, and the oars were got out, and in
terrible sea they set ont for the missing
boat. Directed by the motions Of - men
aloft, t. ey got alongside her, and took the
m'n aboard, Then b gar hard row
back
We Lost sight of her again and again,
wondering how she could live in such a
sea- But still che held on, and got at
last u1dor our lee. BY the help of case
of oil scattered over the waves they were
comparatively siilled, a ladder was let
down, aud when the last man stepped on
board such q cheer greeted him as told
bIn what we thought of his pluck and
that of the gallant fellows With him.
Capt Burkitt was perfectly cool the
whole time, aud managed his ship W sch
great skill When the first officer cot o
change Of clothes, aud came down to the
cabin, be received all kinds OF c1ugratula.
tio"s. AID his health was dru0k iu b0mD-
era Of champaign On Sunday morning
wc got under the lee of Cape Gu4rdafui,
aul go ended our Brush with tue soutb