Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-15
THRILLING EXPERIENCE Al SEA.


]
J Bichard-A seaman Loot Overheard.
A terrible story or the hardsaips to
which sailors are exposed was told yes
! terday By the arrival O, the two-masted
! schooner William and Richard, Capt. An
+ drew Patrick. from Boston. The vessel
came into Tybee roads on sunday night.
I she was taken in tow yesterday morning
by the tug Republic. and brought up 70 the
city and anchored in midstream opposite
the foot OF Drsyton street. The character
0f ner cargo. which consisted In part or
300 tons OF gUlp0wder. forbade her being
moored ar the wuaryes. TIE vessel pore
strong evidences of a rough time. Her
maintopmast, foremost and jlbboom were
gone, aud tse.brCken stumps told OF the
severe gales through which she had
passed.
The vessel LETT Boston bound for
Charleston on Nov. IS, with a general
cargo. She was met by constant heavy
weather, and the voyage from the start
was a succession Of west and southwest
gales.
The officers and crew consisted OF five
men. the captain was accompanied by
his wife and TWO daughters. His story is
most thrilling one. The vessel was
three times driven into the guilt stream
and worked back into her course under
jury masts.
Upon leaving Boston, said the Captain,
we had northwest and then variable winds
from the northwest - southwest ana
west, with frequent rain squalls. The
weather was more or less heavy, but we
made fair headway, and all went well
until the morning OF Nov. %. We were
then in lat. 81 :2l. and lon. 14:lj. About
O'Clock Thomas Ames, a colOred seaman,
while reedng the malnsan, fell from the
mainboOm overheard and was lost We
made every effort to save him, but the sea
was heavy and we could do but little.
Ames hailed from W Washington, ID. c., and
was % years old. lie had shipped only
few days before we left Boston.
From the 25th we had heavy weather
until Saturday and sunday. Dec. and g.
The morning Of the 9Th opened with gale
from the southwest, which increased in
violence to a hurricane. The sea was
like a mountain, and swept over the yes
sci at will. AT O'Clock on the morning
Of the 9Th the jibboom and tOretOpmast
was carried away. The blow lasted all
day. On Monday the wind veered from
the southwest to northwest. The heavy
sea continued. and the vessel labOred
heavily under close reefed sail. At 2
O'Clock in the afternoon the flying jibbOOm
was carried away. Towards night the
hurricane let up, and the crew
was employed in clearing away the
wreckage. On the morning Of the Sth
the wind set In from the west. At mid
day it had increased to a violent gale, but
abated towards evening. For two days
the wind varied from northwest to east
and southeast, accompanied by heavy
rain squalls, causing the seas tOrun high.
On the morning OF the 10th, while the
-. 60.
mast broke fifty feet above the deck and
came crashing down, carrying with it the
maintopmast and tearing through the
deck abreast Of the forehatch, let
ting the water INTO the cargo.
On the same day we passed bark and
schooner with part Of their masts carried
away. A high sea was running and all
hands were employed in staying the main
mast and getting uD jury sails on the
''preventer" stay. The day ended with
a heavy gale. The vessel could not hold
her own against 1t and was hove to under
close reefed sails. On Dec. u, In a strong
northeast wind, all possible sail was set
and the vessel headed for Tybee. The
crew was kept clearing away the wreck.
On Sunday afternoon pilot boat was
sighted, and the vessel was brought into
the roads. Immediately on arriving at
anchor the captain came ashore and noted
protest, and board OF survey was called
on the cargo. The board went aboard of
the disabled vessel and upon examina-
ton found the cargo badly damaged.
They recommended that it be discharged
and disposed Of here. The cargo is per-
ishable, and besides the powder consists
OF apples, potatoes, onions and cabbages.
Capt. Patrick says he has made many
voyages, but he never met with such
weather as he encountered on his last
trip.