The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-08
GALE AFTER GALE.
Rough Passage of the Bark
Sarah and Emma.
The Vessel Stripped OF Her Sails, Edwards
Swept Away and Cabins Flooded.
q Death at Sea,

Among the arrivals yesterday was che
British bark Sarah and Emma from London
with general. cargo consigned to Girvin,
Baldwin s. Eyrs. The vessel had terrible
time of it from the latitude OF the river
Plate until around Cape Horn.
Beginning ON May 9th the bark was struck
by a tidal wave. The sea was perfectly
smooth and hardly breath of wind stirred,
when suddenly the lookout reported big
sea rolling toward the vessel at terrible
speed. This wave, which was fully Is feet
high. overlook the ship on the port bow
and threw her on her beam ends, filling the
decks with water.
The shock was so great that the masts
nearly went over the side. All hands
rushed up on deck, thinking the vessel had
struck rock, and most of the crew were
thrown to the deck so violently did the
bark roll. Five minutes after she was
caught fat aback by heavy squall. and
Captain Patterson ran aft to the wheel tc
assist the helmsman to put the helm up.
BLOWN OUT OF THE BoLT-RoPEs.
In ten minutes from the time the squall
struck the vessel every stitch Of canvas was
either blown clean cut of the bolt-ropes or
hanging in ribbons from the yards. The
uppOi 1OlCtOPooii-1 dlQ was lttCu away,
most of the bulwarks on both sides were
gone, the forward eapstan torn out of the
deck, the cabin doors smashed in and the
cabins filled with water, while the galley,
carpenters shop and paint-locker were COM
petely gutted
Two of the crew who we're sick and who had
to be removed to the aft deck were washed
out OF their hunks and almost drowned be-
fore assistance reached them. As soon as
hn In har hafA
the wind, and so strong was the gale that
she was driven through the water at a rate
of twelve knots without single rag of sail
on her. This was faster than this vessel,
which is over thirty years old, had ever
travelled.
Captain Patterson remained at the wheel
for over eight hours while the crew was
doing its best to make things secure aIoft
All night the terrible seas swept over the
crippled bark with such violence that it
seemed as If the deck would be fairly
crushed in. Life-iines were stretched along
the decks and even then the men had hard
work TO move around. The gale lasted all
through the two following days, accom-
panied with thunder, lightning and very
heavy rain.
CARRIED BY A CURRENT.
. During this time strong current carried
ner nearly so miles TO the soutb-southwest.
On the morning of the 9th there was a lull
in the gale, and this was taken advantage
of to send a new topsail yard aloft, but it
was found to be very dangerous work, ow-
ing to the fearful rolling Of the vessel
Hardly had the men finished this work
when the gale was renewed with increased
force, apparently and the lower foretop-
sail was again blown from the bolt ropes.
Time and again the decks were swept by
the heavy seas and everything movable
swept from the decks and the cabins again
flooded with water. The men dared not go
al I'LL
the gallery or cabin, and the flaif-famished
crew had to make meal on hard tack and
water.
On the morning OF the 18th of May the
foresail, upper foretopSail and inner jib
were blown from the gaskets, and torn to
ribbons before they could be secured, and
the cook and q seaman were almost swept
from the decks by heavy sea. The cabins
were then turned into sail-room, and sew
eral OF the men set to work repairing and
patching the torn sails. but again owing to
the rolling of the ship very little could
be done.
REP AIRING THE DAMAGES.
From the 14th to the Goth there was a
spell OF more moderate weather, and every
man on board was Kept at work repairing
the tattered sails or making new ones.
Captain Patterson worked day and night.
hardly taking time to cat, and by the Goth
most of the sails had been repaired or re-
before night the foresail was again blown
to ribbons, both lower topsaIls were split
and not single good sail was left on board
the bark.
For the next four days 1t was constant
battle with the elements, which threatened
to close the career of vessel and crew. The
decks were constantly swept by terrible
seas, aud the gale increased to hurricane,
until on the 24th when several pieces Of the
alfeady-torn 5ulwarks were carried away,
the galley, paint and carpenters shops
swept clean OF everything they contained,
and once more the cabin doors were smashed
in and the entire after part OF the vessel
filed with water.
Again, on May 20lh, the bark was caught
In gale and several more sails blown
away. 4 fearful hurricane began on June
"a, Whlch lasted three days, and SO badly
did the seas sweep over the craft that al
hands gathered for safety in the after parl
OF the poop deck, where they remained fol-
over thirty hours, not daring to so forward
Tor lear OF being swept overheard.
ROLLING IN THE HEAVY SEA.
So dangerously did the vessel roll In the
heavy sea that every one expected to see
the maSts go over the side every minute
When the gale subsidized the bark was al
most wreck. Not sail was left that could
De set with the single exception of the main
topmast staysail. For the next two weeks
all hands were kept busy making and bend
ing new sails and reeVns new running-gear.
The last OF the bad weather had been en-
countered, and the bark experienced very
fine weather from the latitude of 54o south
to port. She came in showing very little of
the terrible handling received on her event
full passage.
The saddest event of the voyage occurred
on July 18th, when seaman named Fred
erck Flemming, % years Of age. and a ma
tive of Windsor, Nova Scotia, died of con-
sumption. The poor fellow was taken sick
soon after leaving London, and his death
was no doubt FASTENED by the terrible roll
ing and pitching of the vessel. The remains
were kept until shutdown of the 18th and
were then buried al sea in the presence OF
the entire crew,