Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-30
SMELLING AN EARTHQUAK =.
The story of a weather-Beaten Sailor


"We was anchored in the harbor of
Manilla,' said a bronzed and weather
beaten sailor, as he stretched his legs I'M
der the table and looked meditatively at
glass of beer which had just been placed
before him. sit were in the ship Albert
as 1 shipped into fur the voyage, and our
old mans name was Cole. The old man
was the best l ever see at scentin' blow.
Why, bless We, that nose of his were better
than any barometer that ever was made.
Many time Eve seen him a-walking up
and down the poop with the sky as blue
and wind as fair as anything. Suddenly
he'd stOn, cock up his nose and give sort
OF snuff like. Then he'd snuff all round
the compass and sing out 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 l was saying, we was an
chored in the harbor OF Manila. 1t was
the most beautifulest day you ever see.
Not enough wind to ripple the water, and
not cloud in the sky. The old man was
ashore. Bimeby he come aboard. AS he
stepped over the side he stopped and give
a great snuff. Then he snufed harder and
harder all round the compass. Then he
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 eye on it, and began to
get the ship ready for typhoon, for that
was what he thought were a-comin'. The
barometer didn't 90 down a bit, but that
didn't fool the old man. He sent down
the skysail and royal yards, bent on pur-
venter backstays, put double gaskets on
all the sails 'cepting the fore and main
tawps'ls, and did everything he could
think of to get the ship in condition for a
typhOOn. We Overhauled the sheets, hal
yards, buntlins, clewins and braces of the
fore and main tawpsls, and fixed the gas
kets SO we could get UNI oft in about two
shakes of lambs tail, fur you see we
wanted to be able to get sail on to her
quick to keep her OF shore if so be as she
should drag her anchors. We put out
both anchors and all the chain we
had, and it was a powerful lot, l can tell
you.
''WeI, that night there want any sign
of blOw-just as calm and pleasant as 1t
had been. and there was the old man
a-walkin' up and down the deck purity
much all that night, a-loOkin' at that ba-
barometer, which never moved an inch.
The next morning the barometer did go
down a little, and the old man looked
actu'lay pleased, fur you see he'd rather
be in the biggest blow that ever was than
be caught at a mistake in smellin' bad
weather. Well, about noon that day,
while we were all at dinner, there come
dull rumblin' sound, and The ship began
to tremble all over like as if she had
struck a rock. Then she began to 90 up,
up, and we rushed out of the fOc'tle to see
a great tidal wave sweeping into the har-
Dor, and on shore the dust and bricks and
trees was a-hyin' round in great shape.
We was all pretty well scared, but, for
tunately, we had out so much chain that
we rode the wave in safety. In the midst
of the confusion l saw the old man cling
ing for dear life to the hferail and heard
him shout, A earthquake, by thunder; ]
thought twas a typhoOn.'"