New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16
WHAT Il NORTHER is LIKE.
MARINERS WHO SAIL IN THE GULF OF MEyIcd
KNOW ALL ABOUT THEM-CAPTAIN DEAKEN'5
ANALYSIS OF THEIR RISE, FALL
AND EFFECT.


AND EFFECT.
From the reports received about the "northersa
along the Gulf coast of Mexico, from November 90 10
60 It appears that that quarter Of the globe has tn
part for the which alarmed business
men living out of town two weeks Captain John
Deaken who service officer IN the Navy
during the Civll War, aud now commands the steam
ship City OF Alexandria, of the Ward Lne ard is ono
of the Oldest Of the small number of American
ship captains, had interesting experience OF
days Of northers' in the harbor OF Vera between
the above dates. Vera Cruz has cen comparatively
open roadstead but being the most important
port the Mexican coast, President Diaz has con-
claded to secure safety TO the ships harb0rng there
by having bIeakwatcr built Of tho
entrances to the harbor Tho improvements WI
cost Mexico s1O,OOO.O0O.
Captain Dcaken is modest man when speaking
of his own experiences at sea- but he has seen some
of the worst storms that visited the ne ghborhoOt
Of Cape Hatteras. the Bermudas or along the Atlantic
or Gulf coast. His long experience in the trade with
the Gulf OF Mexico makes him competent to describe
mother in all its details Asked TO define one Of
full development, he said:
"A norther in the Gulf of Mexico IS The nearly ex-
pended devlry of one Of those Billiards which ripen
somewhere In the centre OF jag Cookies or gnal
lsotherm up there In Dakota Manitoba. II Is ono
Of those tempess which sweep down like an old
adventurer To mako tho amateur "a. logs wish they
"eIo ocdu. ihOsc "nlcn experienced on lass
trip were youngsters, but In its full healthy form
would smile at the weak preensions OF the Billiards
further north | have experienced some Of those in
Vera Cruz when the only thing to do was 10 ges
out the big anchors, bow and stern and then pray
that they would hold. ! have seen vessels Tx,
briggs, schooners and lighters. blown ashore IN tho
harbor and 10 pieces and have felt grateful thau
our own ships cables did not part The yawnlng sea
beneath us, the bowling gulf sidc and the shrtekIng
winds all about, make glad enough to be on q
ship strong and sound while along the craggy shores
the great waves break madly and the run OF spray
rises high above. And after II Is all over. and tho
sea has Gained down. and the doors OF the ware
houses are again opened, there IS a keen sense q
what norther Is capable OF from the sight along
the shore, with the bones of the various crafts that
Lave succumbed to the elements.
Another side Of the picture is and We experienced
IL on the last trip, that you must lie there several
days with no idea TO how soon the weather VIII
break, so that you have your vessel discharged
OF cargo and outward FIRE ght taken board. During
bis delay you cannot get shore. and IL on shore
you cannot get TO your ship the expenses 10 on your
friends become apprehensiyc. tho schedule OF tho
movements Of the vessel Is disturbed, the shippers
growl at the clerk OF the weather. IN fact, thess
northers put everybody ont Of humor for the tine
being However, these are only some of the ex-
periences of "a life on the ocean wave.'