Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1885-07-11
MIDNIGHT AT NOON.
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE OF THE BARK w.
n. REssE OFF THE COAST OF JAVA.

n. RnssE OFF THE COAST OF JAVA.
The ship w. Fl. Besse, Captain Gibbs
which is tied alongside Welch, hlther %
Co.'s wharf. passed Through terrible ex-
nerience during the earthquake and erup-
tion that visited the island OF Java on
Avg. 9th, 1888. Capt. Gibbs all' wed a
reporter OF the Colonist to abstract iew
notes fro u his log in reference 10 the
matter.
The vessel was On voyage from Ma
nilla to Boston, and WAS under SAIL pe
,y.en the islands OF Batavia and Java at
the time OF tue terrible disaster. sudden
,v there WAS a quick succession OF heavy
reports similar to the broadside OF man
Of war. only deeper, occurring at intervals
during the night. When off st. Nichoias
Point most terrific reports were hearo ah'
heavy black bank was observed TO rise
M from the direction "t Rlakato ls'shu'
The barometer fell an inch at jump
risin. and falling quickly IN tins extra
ordinary manner, such was the action OF
the atmosphere. All hands were ca''e0
n. deck. and sail secured just before the
souall struck tie vessel with terrlinc
,o,ce The anchors were let go, the vino
increasing to a hurricane, the day becom
ing darker, until at noon it was darker
than the darkest midnight. A heaVy
shower of ashes came with the squalls
making the air 80 thick that it was diin-
cult to breathe while strong sme" VI
sulphur prevailed, all hands expected 10
be sutfocated. The scene was an awful
one. Forked lightning ran along the SKY
making the darkness more intense; 'he
wind bowling madly through the rigging
and the sailors thought the last day had
surely come The water was running
through the straits at eighteen miles an
hour toward the volcano.
At4p. N. the wind moderated, the ex-
plosions only occurred at long intervals
and the horrid shower of ashes similar 10
pumics stone, and fine as flour, lessened.
Tons of it covered the ship, sails ana ng>
oinc were coated with 1T, sticking so
hard that weeks were consumed remov-
;n, !. A little still adheres to the back
stays.
All dav Tuesday the men were employ
| ed in sbovelng the ashes from the decks,
cleaning cables and rigging, aud on wed
nesday afternoon the vessel got under
way, sailing cautiously along, with reeied
sails, and seeing no lights or sign of life
| on shore. A fair wind prevailed, but 1t
is not known to what extent the upheav-
als of nature had interfered with the
passage through the straits.
The water was covered with trees, dead
bodies. fish, and thousands of green cocoa
nuts. Open sea was at last reached, and
for six hundred miles was covered with
the ashes from the volcano. A number
of the sailors were taken il! with Java
fever and one died, leaving only hve
to man the vessel. The patients did not
recover when port was reached, and were
sent to hospital, where another died.
During the progress of the event sail
or walked of the forward house and was
so severely Injured that he died shortly
after reaching Boston.
The experience was an awful one, and
officers and men were stricken with feal
at the terrible sight, and glad they were
that they had been spared from the sac
fate thst overlook so many thoosaha'
during the Java disaster.