Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-09
EXCITING SCENE IN M.D-oCEAN
Men Overheard in n Monsoon, with
Sharks About.

Sharks About.
From the Manchester Courier
correspondent who was passenger by the
steamship Dacca. which left Madras for London
on the LIST ult., sends from Alden an interesting
account of an exciting scene which he witnessed
! during storm in the Indian ocean, The yes-
sci encountered the monsoon few DAYS after
leaving Colombo, and had a rough time of II
until the nth ult. when the gale became so
Violent that canvas had to be taken in. avn
1ngs furled, and things made as snug as DOS
sible
The correspondent describes what followed:
Il came on deck nj Il. H.; it was blowing
merely. and the spray coming over the sheets
mere were three of us on deck when
the bell struck-a Miss, Mr., and myself We
! We're holding on to our chairs, which were firmly
iashed 10 the inner cabin skylights under the
lee OF the ladies' saloon. Part of the crew were
working hard to get the starboard lifeboat in
Doarc, when bigger roll to the windward
WARMED Us OF what was coming. Hold on
some one shouted. We held on. The chairs
rushed forward on their lashngs The deck
STOOD upright. In came the sea- over the gun
Gale over the taffral. up to our waists. lifted
the iifeo0at out of its shackles carried it over
board, smashing away stanchiOns and dayits
ana Out TO sea. Then came the hOrrid CRY of
| Man overboard,'
The helm was put down. the engine reversed.
ana oack we went Ona searc.l-all the more so as
SHARKS hld been seen round the ship earlier in
| the morning. The boat was presently seen some
| 300 yards Off. keel uppermOst Soon after the
TWO men were observed clnging on to it, Then
| came an exciting two hours during which we
steamed after the boat, which was drifting rap
idiy toward the east. But turning a ship like
| the Dacca is a very slow business and as she
hung in the winds eye a jib was hoisted to bring
her around. BY the time this was done the
BOAT, with Its pit!tul looking crew. was away
TWO miles and more to leeward. and we were
| rolling heavily and unmauaee5e At last the
| captain decided to lower 4 boat and the order
was given Stand by the boat. and soon after
/ lower Who is going in herr he shouted
The first officer. MI. Ingram sprang over
the side. caught hold of the davit ropes and
s!ippcd down, but just as he got near her n
great roll of the ship lifted him clear of the boat
~ feet In the air. As he came down again the
boat had drfted forward. and he was plunged
down in the boiling sea for five or six seconds
Up ne came again as the ship heeled over still
haii9ing on, and missed by an ace having his
skull smashed against the small boats side. It
was really Il terrible sight and we shuddered
as we looked on. the boat all the while being
dashed up and down 10y the violence or the
wares But at last his opportunity came. and
ne dropped into the stern. At once he was fol-
lowed by the bOatswain. two fremen. and two
European sailors. the native crew hanging
shamelully back. One of the passengers a
young English officer. Lieut.. Wolff. of the Sew
NACA d sui Vi SlT WOltf.
volunteered at once. But the officer in charge
Would not accept passengers services while
men OF the crew could be got. At last the boat
showed OH, and the oars were got out and in q
terrible sea they set out for the missing boat
Directed by the motions OF man aloft. they got
alongside her. and tOokthe men aboard. Then
began hard row back
we lost sight of her again and again; Won
derng how she could live in such sea. But
still she held on, and got at last under our lee
BY the help of a case of oil scattered over the
waves they were comparatively stiled. a ladder
was let down. and when the last man stepped on
board such cheer greeted him as told him what
We thought of his pluck and that of the gallant
fellows with him. Capt. Burkitt was perfectly
cool the whole time. and managed his ship with
great skill. When the first officer got change
Oh clothes, and came down to the cabin. he re-
| ceived all kinds of congratulations. and his
health was drunk in bumpers Of champagne On
sunday morning we got under the lee of Cape
Guardafui. and so ended our brush with the
fhyrn 49,