Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-24
ense as the fire of a hundred parks of artil-

sense as the fire of hundred parks OF artll-
lery.
On a sudden there was a hash-crimsoned,
SPIRAL 1t seemed to leap in 20 corkscrew
shapes of fire out OF the deck and sides and
ceiling of the cabinet in which l sat-
thought I could catch a splintering timber
penetrating the blast and shock of thunder
that followed. The atmosphere was full Of
sulphur. 1 could scarcely breathe, and,
convinced that the brig had been struck and
might be on fire even as sat thinking OF it,
I fled to the companion steps.
THE BOLT STRIKES.
The rain had ceased, but there was still
no wind. The air was afame with light
ming. A single glance suficed to assure
me that the brig bad been struck, and
struck with a vengeancel Forward she was
completely wrecked. Her foremsst was
gone some feet under the top, and the spars,
which had crushed the length OF bulwarks
fat In their fall, lay in hideous litter over
the side. The jibbooms were torn on the
bowsprit and on the main everything from
the crosstrees upward bad vanished
snapped off as clay pipe stem is broken
by the drag upon it OF the lightning blasted
fabric forward.
The crew had vanished, but seaman
stoutIy clung to the wheel, and side by side
wharrier. My good sense told me, spite OF
the desperate promptings Of my terror, that
this was not the time to bother the captain
with questions. stood at the companion
way sheltering my sight with my hands,
and very shortly after 1 had emerged some
order was delivered by the captain, where
upon Wharrier rushed forward, roaring out
as he ran. The men who had sprung out Of
the way Of the falling spars came tumbling
out on to the deck on hearing the mates
cries, and with sort OF fury in their man
ner went to work with knives and hatehets
to free the brig of the vreckage that was
grinding alongside and threateningto 10 open
her seams for her, the captain mean
while stimulating them by bawling out that
a hurricane of wind was coming along; that
1t would be down upon us in breath; that
if it caught Us with all that rattle alongside
we were lost men, and the like.
THE CYCLONE.
There was nothing else, 1 suppose, to Be
done in the face Of the lightning and the
lowering sky, black with the menace of the
cyclone. Certainly if old Larkins could
have saved his masts by hoisting them in
board he would have done so. There was
time to cut the wreckage clear before the
wind came; time for that, I say, but nothing
else. The lightning ceased; the swell
miraculOusly hattened; it grew brighter in
phantasmal sort of way in the west, and
then came the windl
| have no language in which to express
the fury of this first outhy. It heaped the
water into tall, boiling ridge, which one
could see miles distant approaching when
there was not a breath of air where the brig
was. Down lay the vessel to the fash of
the tempest and could hardly see her FOR
| the white thickness of the flying spray. Il
caught her right abeam, and in breath
away went our mainmast, parting its strong
fastenings as though they were pack thread.
What followed recall but indistinctly.
Ny senses were stunned by the suddenness
| Of our calamities, by the lightning that had
vithered rs aloft, and now by this tempest
OF wind that made BY it's own fearful rush
i, ing as wild q noise of thunder In the sky as
ever had attended the electric play that was
passed. But our sailors were all fne fel-
lows-able, cool and daring. Old Larkins
roared at them through q speaking trumpet,
and Wharrier was everywhere, yelling en-
eoursg smsnt, fourishing hatehet, knowing
exactly what 70 do and setting the most in
spiriting example that could Be imagined.
I could be Of no use on deck, and presently