The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-30
The Recent Hurricane.
DISASTROUS EFFECT OF THE CYCLONE AT sA,
DOMINGO.

DOMINGO.
The steamship Santo Domingo. Captain
Kelly, which arrived last evening from the
West Indies. brought additional news Of
the great hurricane OF September 9th. The
Santo Domingo sailed after the storm had
passed over. Among the seamen brought
by that vessel were Captain s. s. Thomas,
OF the American brig Wanderer, and two
OF his sailors. They went ashore shortly
! before the hurricane had set in and were
unable TO get back to their vessel. which
was lost. The storm found three briggs
an American, German, and SpaniarG-
It anchor i'm the lower harbor OF San
| Domingo. They were unable to with
stand the hurricane and were lost. The
CAPTAIN and one OF the sailors OF the Span
ish vessel went aloit, and by hanging to
the rigging managed to escape. The other
sailors on that vessel and all on board the
other two vessels were lost. The Ameri-
can brig Dauntlcss, which was ready to
sail for this port with q cargo Of sugar, was
reported as having been lost with all on
board, and the schooner Chatham. bound
| from Puerto Vigo for San Domingo, Is re-
ported as having foundered In the same
storm. The Dutch sailing vessel Persia
went ashore in the harbor and was lost.
Only two OF the crew were saved. About
fifteen small vessels OF different rigs, which
were at anchor in the harDor, were also lost.
Captain G.. u. Davis was on board a
schooner in the port of Aqua when the bur-
ricane reached them. He returned by the
SantO Domingo and tells a thrilling story
of his own experiences. He says: " The
sea re lied in with huge waves. breaking
everything before it. We had two anchors
out which held us fast. a vessel that was
near us was at last blown over. The Cap
tain then called TO me to come on deck.
had the barometer in my hand. Ii then
marked 1913 and was falling. / stood in
the companion-way and the Captain
and crew crouched under the rail-
ing, the wind being too strong
for them to stand up. We were all
waiting. when suddenly the Captain
and crew plunged over the stern and into
the sea. ! clung to the tiller-ropeS, and
saw some OF the crew struggling in the
water, but only for minute. when they
were carried out OF my sight. / stood, or
lay, where | was for five or ten minutes,
and discovered the Captain and two sail
ors clinging to the standing rigging. Then
a huge wave came roaring along and / was
the sea. The wind seemed to blow from
all quarters. / was almost strangled, and
could not 90; into position TO strike
out; though / had heavy shoes on, l
could not keep my feet down, but was
whirled around on every crest OF the
waves. / had taken my bearings before
being pitched into the sea--about one mile
one way and a half.mile the other. went
for the short way the best I'could. and
after long struggle, at last reached land.
grabbed the roots If the trees az the
waters edge and hung on with a death
grip. | was too much exhausted to get
up. and had to let the seas beat me up,
holding on and dragging myself up inch
by inch. 1t was impossible to stand, the
wind was so strong, but after lying where
was about two hours managed to crawl
under cover, where | lay about six
hours, too much exhausted to move, and
longing for drink of wafer AT last
found an old tub, and succeeded in catch
ing little Ian-waler, which | drank with
a relish. Toward evening some persons
came with a mule to where i was lying.
They placed me on the mule, and as i was
perfectly helpless, held me there. We had
six miles to 90. and for three miles we
Ndutu IHtOuSu IdhS VI Ndtci up W tHc
mules back, with the rain pouring down
in torrents. We at last reached the VIII
lage OF Aqua, but what was once dry
brook was now raging river. could not
be carried, and so was compelled to lie in
an old building containing about thirty
families whose homes had been blown to
pieces. 1t was pitiful to see these poor I'M
fortunates. They would bring the doors
OF their houses and lay them on sticks to
keep out OF the mud, and the women and
children would lie on them. | sat on
low stool IN my wet clothes. 1t was a
long, cold, dreary night. At O'Clock on
the morning OF the 7th instant the river
bad fallen somewhat, and a horse was sent
to me, and with a guide l arrived at the
house OF friend, more dead than alive"