The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-06-02
m a WATER. SPOUT.
Marrow Escape of Boston Shir from
Total Destruction.


Total Destruction.
II a whrlwind forms over lhe sea
its elfoct is not only 10 collect the wa
ter from the clouds above. but 10 suck
up the water from the sea below. aud
so an immense column Of water ~
formed. Ships have been caught by
water spouts and destroyed. Yet in
such an encounter ship may escape
total destruction. rs in the case of the
| Wasatch. one thousand six hundred
tons burden, belonging IN Boston.
which, laden with sugar, was home
ward bound from the Philippine
Islands A. the ship noarod tho
Straits Of Macassar between BJrneo
and the Island Of Celebcs. the weather
was very hot The sky was clear and
cloudlcss. There was hardly n breath
Of wind, aud except for the long. reg
ular swell rolling in from the Pacific.
the sea was quite calm.
Such was the state Of affairs at eight
o'clock in The morning At half-past
eight thc sky, air AMI water were as
before hot. brcaihlcss and glitteringi
but 10 windward a heavy bank OF
black clouds was rapidly coming up
above the horizon Bright flashes Of
lightning appeared al quick intervals
accompanied by long rnmbling pcaIs
Of thunder. The lower surfaces Of
the thick. black clouds were observed
10 be- torn INTO rapg' 'd fragments. and
these were spun and blown about by
the rcsisrlcss force Of the whirlwind.
whilst in the center Of the mass rose
up an enormous watcr-spout. Near
the base Of the spout the sea was
lashcd into boiling fury, and rose and
fell in short, irregular waves, whose
whilo crcsls were whipped off by tho
wind. and carried away TO lecward
like smoke
Tho watcr-spout was dead 10 wind
ward, and was bearing down on the
Wasatch with terrific speed. Already
its roaring could be distinctly heard
ON board All hands were instantly
sent nlofl 10 get in the top-gallant
sails; and as much canvass was
got Of the ship ~ tine three
or tour minutes permitted, and
then the hands were called down on
deck In the meantime gun was got
ready with the intention Of firing ut
the spout The first shot missed it
altogcthcr The second shot went
directly through the column of water.
but apparently had no effect on it,
There was no Time for third shot, ~
the vessel was already staggering un-
der the violence Of the wind.
As the walcr-spout came nearer aud
nearer the noiso and uprOar became
tremendous; the lightning became
moro vivid aud the thunder dcafcniHg.
and the fury of the wind Increased
until the ship lay over nearly on her
beam ends. The masts bent like
coach-whips, then snapped. and went
over the side one after the other with
terrific crash. In an instant moro
tho water-spout was ON board. Thclo
was the most frightiul roar; ono
nigh ty rush of water, the crashing OF
spars, the swapping OF ropes and rcnd-
ing Of timbcrS, and the cries and
shricls of mon. In less than half n
minute it was all over, and the water
spout had passed
Five minutc8 before the Wasatch
had been fine. smnrt-looking three
mastcd ship; now all her three mastS
were gone close To the dock, the main-
mast having torn great piece out of
tho deck as IL went over the side, tho
bowsprit was twisted of close TO tho
stem, the dock house was gone, both
bulWarks were carried away from
forward rs far ail rs the dead eyes II
the m2zcn shrouds. all the boats wcro
stove IN or carried away aud out of
crew of twenty-five hands only eleven
men were lcf. The captain aud chief
officer were gone, and the cook and
steward had disappeared. galley and
ALL The captains lttlo boy was
damned into u corner of the compau-
iou-way. and his httDlc body was so
broken aud crushed n to he scarcely
recognizable. The hold was full ~
water washing about among the
-ugar-bags, while at every roll of tho
ship quantities Of sugar and Wa.or
poured over the side.
by this time the sun was shining
brightly, the sea had entirely gone
down, and there was scarcely n breath
of wind. The pumps wcro at onco
manned, and iury-mast rugged up;
but it soon after began To blow. tho
sea became rough, aud it was appar-
cnt that the Wasalch would go down.
whom, fortunately n vessel hove in
sight, and tool, off the survivors aud
landed thom in Java. Youths Conn
pdHtOn