The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-22
PERILS OF THE OCEAN.
Terrible Experience of Trans
Atlantic Steamers.
Three of Then. Arrived a, rhi. Port.

Atlantic Steamers.
Three of Them Arrived at This Port.
The steamer Sarnis, Capt Lindall, of the
Domin on Line, arrived at this port Yesterday
morning, bringing cabin aud 50 steerage
passengers, bat not a full cargo. A very rough
passage is reported. The following account
by one of the passengers may be of interest:
We sailed from Liverpool Thursday, Feb
ith, at 3 O'Clock p. m, and had good run
down channel by the northeriy route Early
Friday morning a fresh breeze sprang up
gradually increasing until Saturday, when it
blew regular gale, and by Saturday night
developed into hurricane from the westward
During the night some damage was done, tho
sea running nearly mountain high. One stay
OF the smoke@stack was carried away and some
damage done to the forward part of the
bridge, when the second officer narrowly
escaped being washed overheard. II continued
to blow all through Saturday night aud all
day Sunday moderating somewhat Sunday
night. Mon@ay morning opened bright and
clear, with every indication of fine weather
towards evening, however, the wind changed
again and II blew in terrific manner, very
soon causing the sea to rise again, even worse
ihan before. This hurricane continued
throughout tie night, the combined forces of
wind and sea doing much damage about the
deck. o1e OF the vessels boats was hnshipped
from the checks and stove ID. The f. eard
bridge was struck by heavy sea and badly
spliDtered, and the iron railing around it
broken and twisted into every conceivable
shape.
Que tremendous sea was shipped in the
early morbiog OF Tuesday, which struck the
INN ffro
CONSERVATION among those unused to the
briny deep; aud, in fact, when the result
thereof was ascertaiaed it gave good cause for
apprehension Oh the part of the hardy tars, as
the sea had made sad havoc on the forecastle.
The deck thereof was literally torn asonder,
the iron beams beneath broken, and the
siancnions OF iron supporting the same badly
bent The ir'n work around the base of the
capstsn was torn away aud the iron rail
around the lore castle was entirely demolished.
Venillators we're nnsLipped and other damage
occurred. The barometer during the height
OF this hurricane was lower than ever before
known, and 1t was probably as rough night
as ever known on the Atlantic ocean.
treat credit is due to Capt Lindall and his
ofi1cers Tor the skill with which they handled
the steamer during this bitter experience,
they being perfectly cool at all times. and ever
ready 10 speak an encouraging word to the
passengers on DO I'd. Capt. Lindall states th al
uulipg his service, extending over a period OF
more than thirty Years, he never experienced q
worse hight. Daring Tuesday, the 18th irst.,
shere was stili heavy sea running. the wind
however having moderated q tribe, but still
blowing hard. During he afternoon OF this
day it became finer, ana the engines worked
tnll speed ahead aga n, they having been
slowed down during the severe storm.
Everything went we'll uuti Saturday night
when about IL p. M, ice was encountered, and
IN endeavoling to use the telegraph from the
orid-e To the engine room, ia order to slow
do"D,the officers discovered that the wirrs had
been rendered useless by the Intense cold The
vessel as opped, however, and the wires pul
Ia workiog order, causing delay of about an
hour. On Sunday morning last more field ice
was seen, aid several icebergs, five in number
two OF huge proportions, and three smalle,
ones. The vessel { course was altered, steering
more to the southwark in order to escape the
ice.
Although heavy seas and high winds wers
encountered he rest of the passage, no other
damase occurred to the vessel
During the passage one of the passengers, -
the Bishop OF Fredericton, N. B.,-met with
painful accident by slipping on the deck and
fixing on the back of his head, and received
slight coDcussion of the brain, rendering him
unconscious for some Ii ne. The boatswain't
boy was also IN jared, having leg crushed by
an iron chure falling there on during the
heavy rolling of the ship
An amusing incident occurred on board dur
The saloon passengers, who was q very neryou:
man. became thoroughly frightened, and de
elared that the reason for the ships rolling &C
much must be faulty steering. When the
heavy STA was shipped Tuesday morning some
oi the water poured into his room from th
companion way. He Immediately called FOL
the captain to sop the ship, aud rushed fraUti
cally about, calling loudly for the stew ards Il
Jr'ng sponge to dr. up the sea. The stew
ards, Who are good fellows" humored him
ano klnd s, attended % HE wants, whereupor
he seized bockey and stated that it vas BIZ
intention to bail out the ship, and as a matter
of fact be went 10 work v it'll bucket and sponge
to accomplish his self-imposed task, whict
caused uncomfortable merriment among thu
rect OF the passengers. He also donned tw,
se's OF life preseryers, and evincsd disposition
to battle with the waves should the wors
come. In this garb he more closely resemble,
what the sailors Call a cork-fcnder than any
thing else which we can bring to mind
Otheers, crew and passengers were far from
sorry when ibis tempestuous passage termin
ated. 1t has been demonstrated, however, b,
this passage that the Sarnia possesses most ex
cellent seagoing qualities.
The steamer City of New York, Captain Nc
N chol OF the Allan Line, arrived here yester
day morning from Glasgow, February I'd. al
though she was off this harbor all day Wednes
day, detained by the fog. She had terrible
passage, the chief officer said all rho way over
From the very start the ship experienced ire
mendous seas and heavy gales. On the 9th il
hurricane heavy sea injured the boatswain'
mate, smashed two ventiators, Knocked GU
the engine room skylight, broke the DARTS an,
carried away boat besides doing other dam
age. The cargo was considerably damaged b
the lurching OF the steamer ana fifteen splen
did Clydesdsle stations died one after anothe
unth all were gone. There were five pas
seDgers.
The Sandman, Capt. Dutton, from Liver
pool, February 9Th, and Halifax Februar
Goth, a rived Yesterday morning with cabin
intermediate and 30 Storage passengers. Sh
experienced the same weather as the other
and on the Oh heavy sea smashed her quar-
ter-boat.