The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-06-23
SMELLING AN EARTHQUAKE.


Abnormal Development of Sea Captains
Olfactories.
eve was anchored in the harbor OF
MANILA" said bronzed and weather.
beaten sailor. as he stretched his legs
under the table and looked meditatively
at glass of beer which had Just been
placed before him. '.It were in the
ship Albert, as shipped into fur the
voyage and our old mans name was
Cole. The old man was the best ever
see at scentin' blow. Why, bless We,
that nose of his were better than any
barometer that ever was made. Many
time I've seen him a-walking up and
down the poop with the sky as blue and
wind as fair as anything. Suddenly
he'd stop, cock up his nose and give a
sort of snuff like. Then he'd snuff all
round the compass and sing ont for to
shorten sail and get ready for a blow.
And the blow came, too. The old man
used to say he sometimes lied, but he
never made mistake.
"Well, as | was a saying, we was
anchored in the harbor Of Manila. 1t
was the most heautifullest day you ever
see. Not enough wind to ripple the
water, and not cloud in the sky The
old man was ashore. B;meby he came
aboard. As he stepped over the side he
stopped and gave great snuff. Then
he suuffed harder and harder all round
the compass Then lie looked scared
like and rushed below to look at his
barometer. He brought the barometer
up on deck and placed it where he could
keep his eve on it, and began to get the
ship ready for a typhoon, for that was
what he thought were a-comin. The
barometer didn' 90 down bit, but that
didn't fool the old man. He sent down
the sky sail and royal yards, bent on
purventer backstays. put double gas
kets on all the sails 'cepting the fore
and main tawps'ls, and did every thing
he could think of to get the ship IN
condition for a typhoon. We oyerhauled
the sheets, halyards. buntlins. clewlins
and braces of the fore and main tawps'ls,
and fixed the gaskets so as we could
get UNI Off in about two shakes of a
lambs tail, fur you see we wanted To be
able to get sail On to her quick to keep
her off shore if so be as she would drag
her anchors. We put out both anchors
and all the chain we had. and it was a
powerful lot / can tell YOU
"Well, that night there want anv
sign of a blow-just as calm and pleas
ant as it had been, and there was the
old man a-walkin' up and down the
deck purity much all night a-lookin' at
that barometer, which never moved an
inch. The next morning the barometer
did 90 down little, and the old man
looked actu'lay pleased, fur you see
he'd rather lie in the biggest bow that
ever was than be caught at a mistake
in smellin' bad weather. Well, about
noon that day, while we were at din
ner. there come dull rumblin' sound,
and the ship began to tremble all over
like as if she had struck rock. Then
she began 10 60 up, up, and we rushed
out of the foc'tle to see a great tidal
wave sweeping into the harbor and on
shore the dust and bricks and trees was
a-tyin' round in great shape. We was
all pretty well scared, but fortunately
we had out SO much chain that we rode
the wave in safety. In the midst of the
confusion saw the old man clinging
for dear life to the fiferail and heard
him shout: "A earthquake, by thunder;
l thought twas typhoon. M z
Tribune.