Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-01-12
AN EARTHQUAKE SHOCK
A M,osHIeMAn's EXPERIENCE.
a Former Adventure of = Member of
" The Telegram Staff -Excit-
ing Inc dsnt ia the West
indies.

The following article. which will be con
tinaed IN another number Of TIE TELEcRAx,
relates the exciting bat actual experience Of
gentleman now connected with THE IEI-
EoRAM ; staff. The article was originally
Published IN Scribnef's Monthly in March,
1878.
Six months after receiving our diplomas
OF graduation at Annapolis found Us dis
cOnsolate mess Of six midshipmen attached
to one of uncle Sans most unseaworthy
''donble-enders, fitting out at the Boston
Nayy-yard for the most disagreeable station
in the world, the West Indies. We felt as
if the Navy Department had put as on the
black list and was determined 70 sit on Us
from the start IN our active service career.
Cur professional ardoF was at a low ebb
when the joyful news reached us that we were
all 20 be detached from our d0uble-bowed
bugbear and ordered 10 the sloop-of- war
- which shall be nameless in this mar
ratiye. Suffice it 10 say she was vessel
with history that will live in story as long
as the Battle of Mobile Bay and the terrible
passage of the forts at New Orleans are
recorded; and what was more to our pur-
pose and "a desideratum sought after by all
midshipmen, bnt unfortunately not always
obtained, she had cOmmOdlouS quarters;
and rumOr. as rumOr 50 often does when
vessel Is preparing for a cruise. assigned as
her destination the Mediterranean squadron.
However this illusion was soon dispelled
for the navigator informed us contdentially
that he had been supplied from Washington
with a full equipment of charts of the West
Indies ''Ah, well - we thought, "we have
the weather-gague of some of our kind who
are sweltering down there in much smaller
vessels, "a consolation which, L fear, we
keenly relished. | will not attempt full
description of the trials and tribulations we
endured in this our first experience at equip
ping mess: the shifts and stratagems, the
profound calculations to make ends meet,
paw our bills and avoid the dread dead
horses; our frequent councils to devise
ways and means: the heated wrangles that
broke the harmony of these councils, and
the invariable conclusion that starvation or
bankruptcy would be the result of all our
efforts. How we missed the providing
hand of our excellent cOHimiSsoire at An
napois, which always bounteously supplied
Us with the best in the market We were,
indeed, hedgelings cast out to provide for
ourselves.
At length our ship was ready and we
bade adieu TO Boston. We shaped our
course southwark, our destination being
Cape Haytien, where we were ordered TO
report to Admiral Palmer, on his flag ship,
'Susquehanna." We passed Cape Hatteras
(the dread of all landsmen, and, at times,
the terror of old salts) while the Storm king
slept, the sea being as smooth as an inland
lake, which was pleasant surprise to US
''green uns." However, had we remembered
the doggerel,
IF Hatteras you should pass.
Then look out for Bermudas
we would not have plumed ourselves so
much on our luck, for, on the second day
after. Boreas took things in hand At twelve
O'Clock that stormy night the rude hand of
q quartermaster aroused me from my peace
full slumbers and announced that it was my
watch on the fo'castle.
is il raining?" | inquired.
''Yes, sir in torrents -
| arose, and sheathed in rubber from
head To foot, ascended to the spar-deck.
The night was intensely dark, the sea run
ming high and the ship rolling only our
noble vessel knew how to roll | scrambled
forward, holding on TO the running rigging
to keep my feet as she iurched heavily to
leeward, lodging with very in different sue
cess the seas that broke over her bulwarks.
souahat when / reached my cOntTere TO re-
leve him, | was as wet as though | had
swain forward.
''Well, I'll relieve YOU said to him;
''What orders -
1.-The commodore and first huff will
give them to you, they are both forward
trying TO run a hawser to the foretopmast-
head; the stay has carried away" he re-
piled.
Jast then a flash Of tropical lightning lit
up the scene ana made visible an old tar
hanging in sling about halfway up the
mast, assisting others aloft to secure the
hawser. which was to take the place of the
broken STAY Whew What lightning and
what thunder | thought till then that
our Western lightning was Incompatible,
but fOr extreme brilhancy attended with
a diabolical greenish tint, commend all
lovers of lightning to the tropical zone.
overheard a blue jacket make the following
remark after one of these displays, to which
/ mentally gave my hearty concurrence:
"A man would be fool to sell a farm to
go 10 sea in weather like this y
During this storm we noticed at the mast
heads the dim, blush. electric light called
st. ElmO's upon which sailors, in times
gone by. looked with superstitious dread.
These are now regarded. however, as an
indication that the gale has spent Its power.
And so IL proved ia this instance. for by the
next morning we were booming along with
stiff breeze aud clear sky. few days after,
the welcome cry of Land no - sounded
from the MASTHEAD. and soon we made the
entrance To the harbor of Cape Haytien
Here We learned from the American consul
that the "Susquehanna' had left week
before for the United States, "a yellow
fever. the scourge OF these fruitful islands,
had appeared among her crew. We found
orders for us 10 take an extended cruise
among the islands commencing with Santa
Cruz and returning TO the same point by
certain date.
We remained ouly two or three days in
this harbor. which gave rs but a short run
ashore. Sufficient ume we had. however.
10 admire the picturesque scenery IN the
neighbcrhood of this once hourishing city.
I this New Paris As IL was called under
/ the French regime. 10 is located az the
+ foot Of a towering mountain covered with
tropical verdure abutting on the sea. and
I Is built on q large and beautiful plain.
utilized in part for coffee plantations which
/ terminates at the foot of brown-stone
7 colored mountain abounding IN crsgs and
/ rhaStlv precipices upon which. standing ont