The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-05-19

M &c WARN lbc N'otf
~ over Cuba and
,--sxlN M Hayti, which
'-(2Rl W were below the
- 10y horizon, some
~H hundreds of miles
H away. The tenn
- perature during
the last few days had been growing
warmer and warmer. and they were now
near the twentieth parallel Of north lati-
u,dc. aud about on the sixty-sixth me
ridian west from Greenwich. Since
nassing between Hatteras and the Der
mudas they had had fair weather, with
Geht airs between the south and east.
But today there had been no breeze
whatever. and the heat had been OPP
pressive. The surface Of the sea looked
oilv. and lay quite fiat, without any per
ccptible heave or swell Masses Of drift
weed were passed occasionally, strung
out in long lengths, as if drawn by in
visible currents. Sometimes a cocoanut or
am orange would foa, past silent heralds
of the islands near at hand. The course
the steamer was steering was taking her
toward the group Of little islands be-
tween the greater and lesser Antilles, of
which St. Thomas is one. 1t was there
that they were to make their first land
ing
The officer had pointed toward the
southwest. or a few points off the star
board bow Percy could see nothing re-
markable theS but Valentine, who was
familiar with the sea, at once fixed ms
ewes upon small dark cloud, low down
on the water, the popularity Ct which
was that it changed its shape with great
rapidity. and without any apparent
cause. One moment it looked Ike
hand. with the fingers extended; then 1t
was like a hat. the crown of which grew
larger and larger until it presented the
aspect of a pointed foolscap. Then the
can suddenly inverted itself, and stood
ON its apex; then the foolscap divided
down the center, and took the form OF a
huge bird with wings pointed upwards
That is rather odd, muttered NaleD-
tine. intcnty watching the protean httl4
cloud. Il have seen a hurricane begin
that way. hope it will give us a wide
berth This is a bad place to be caught
bv a tornado, with that string Of Islands
right ahead of us.
1T must be a couple Of hundred miles
to the nearest of them, said Percy I'VE
are safe enough. This steamer can stand
anything.
There comes the captain" obser' ed
Valentine, without noticing Percy s re
mark
I'm fact the captain emerged from his
cabin and mounted the bridge, he cast
Glance at the cloud and then gave some
orders in a low tone. They were fol-
lowed by an immediate activity on the
part of the watch on deck. The sailors
moved rapidly about, and seemed to bt
occupied in slowing under matches o.
otherwise making fast various barrels
c,sos and other loose objects that hao
hitherto been kept on deck. Meanwhile
the captain had got out telescope anC
was contemplating the cloud through Il
with great earnestness. Presently ne
passed the glass to the officer who stooC
by him on the bridge, and who also tool
careful observation, then they con
ver.ed together in an undertOne and oc
easionally issued 4 new order to the
crew. There were no sails set on th'
steamer: but the sheets and ballard
were hauled taut and securely Delayed
ana everything was made fast and bat
.,ucd down in such way that nothin;
ehort Of hurricane could dislodge 1t.
The old man understands his bust
ness" remarked Valentine. and | fame.
be thinks that it may need all he know
70 pull Us through. Look at the clou'
nowg'
Valentine again turned his eyes towar
the southwest. The small cloud ha'
suddenly become very much larger. an
was now seen TO be connected with
mass of dark vapor that was rapid
crowling upon that section of the hor
ION. and Of which it was the pioneer
This vapor was Of an extraordinary darL
n,ss. or rather blacknes5; il had not III
blue shade that is often seen in storr
clouds. but was of the hue of the dense:
factory smoke, with yellow and GREEN'S
streaks upon it here and there. The III
or uuper margin Of the oncoming biacl
moss continued to advance with such a
tonishing rapidity that after only fe'
? moments il had blotted itself upon a
that quarter of the horizon, and no
seemed to have embodied the forerw
3 ming cloud, OF to have incorporated itse
, with IT, Looking more closely at 1t, !
edges and surface appeared wildly con
NOTED. flakes and shreds Of vapor, LII
black fleece, being torn of from II
7 General mass, and whirled around,
I snatched in various directions, 80 swift
t that the eve could scarcely follow the
Q movements The green and yello
streaks were multiplied and other &C
ors were represented until the inl
surface assumed an aspect OF hideous Il
desceuce. Meanwhile the northern az
a eastern portions Of the sky and sea
l mained unchanged in their sultry cali
= except lldl, Tie h6ht "a t44S SN''@@-0 ~
d being cut OF, their aspect had slranl
: feyerish ghastliness, unlike the tints
r nature. A hot. faint air drew past Il
o vessel in the direction OF the black ca
/ opy, rs ii it were sucked thither by son
d malign attraction. Presently the ears
i the observers began 10 be conscious OF
IS singular minor sound, somewhat resei
r bling that produced by the wind on
e telegraph wire, only infinitely more b
! low, deep and reverberating. II
Il sounded all over the level surface Of /
/ palinl sea, and appeared to DO echo
I cack from the horizon and the val
r above, as il the heavens were metal
inclo>ing dome. It sang and resound
!. and roared. but still with an inner soun
b as if that which uttered ii were stu ala
J. or walled of 10y some obstacle that 1t HI
e not vet overcome. Everything else W
$ deathlv STILL the plash of the toa
II AGAINST the vessels bows and under \
$ stern was the only othSr sound, but III
D. seemed abnormally loud.
= m u. .....,.,,'s voica on tho bridge bro