The morning call., 1891-05-05
SEA AND SHORE.
Rough Passage Experienced by
the County of PEBBLES.
Proposed New Slip for Tug-Boats- Mysterious
Cargo of the Robert and Minnie-Vessels
Loaded for Chile.

The British ship County of PEBBLES, now
| diseharging her cargo at Union-street
Wharf, had pretty rough time of it on her
voyage from Ne wcastle, England, to this
port. The experience began even before she
was clear of the English Channel, in which
she was detained over two weeks by heavy
gales of wind from the westward. When
off Ushant she was struck by a heavy gale
and lost several of her sails.
The foresail was c.ewed up and the entire
crew, with the exception of the man at the
wheel, the captain and chief officer, went
aloft to furl sail. Time and again did they
have the gaskets around the big sail, only to
have the canvas snatched from their grasp
before they could secure it. For seven
hours they worked to secure the sail. and
several times one or more of them was nearly
knocked from the yard by the Tapping can
vas Finding that they could make no
Roadway, one of them cut a hole in the big
bag Of wind with his sheath knife.
Once started, the canvas was fairly blown
to pieces, leaving nothing to be secured to
the yard but the bolt ropes. The fury of
the wilma was so great that while the men
were on the foreyard the upper, fore. main
and mizzen topsails and the main and mz-
zen topgalant sails were blown from the
gasketS and torn to shreds. All this time
the ship was laboring badly, and her decks
were frequently swept by the heavy seas,
which took everything movable off the
decks, the galley door being smashed in and
several pots and pans carried overheard.
ROUNDING CAPE HORN.
After clearing the channel fiue weather
was experienced until the ship reached
Cape Horn, when she was struck by a ter
rife gale and seas, and more sails were
blown away. The fist to go was the fore
sail, and all hands were called on deck and
the ship hove TO. A new f0reSail was
brought out, and while this was being bent
the lower jigger topsall went with a report
like cannon.
The sail was blown clean out of the bolt
ropes and carried far to leeward before 1t
struck the water. The vessel was hOve-to
thirty-Six hours, and most of the time was
almost under water, the heavy sea cOntin-
uallv sweeping over her. tearing the main
ventilat0r away and doing other damage.
The foresai WAS again blown away and the
tired crew dared not go below, for fear the
ship would either be Swamped or have her
decks crushed in by the heavy sea.
After the weather moderated sail was
made, and no heavy blows were met with
until north of the equator in the Pacific
Ocean, when she was caught once more in a
terrific gale and again suffered the loss of
canvas. The mainSail was the first to go,
and in rapid succession the tigger, upper
and lower tOpSallS and the royal out OF
the gaskets. The main t0pgallant and
royal braces were carried away, and while
the crew was reeiDg new ones the fore
tOpgallant was blown from the gaskets and
torn to sbreds. Soon after the gale subsidized,
and from thence to port the ship had
pleasant weather.
RUNNING THE BLOCKADE.
In spite of the stories published the mys-
terry surrounding the cargo Of the Robert
and Minnie is Us deep as ever. The South
ern Pacific people are supposed to know
what she is laden with, but they are as
dumb as an oyster and profess to know
nothing, while the owners OF the craft
assert that the schooner should be in Eureka
instead of in southern waters. 1t is claimed
that the men on board say she is so heavily
laden with arms and ammunition that she
dare not venture TO sea, but how the in
formation was obtained from them Is also q
mystery.
Ii is further stated that the Chilean
steamer Etata. which is now cnalng at San
Diego, will carry the warlike cargo down to
Chile but this is denied by her captain, who
states that his vessel is on her way 10 San
Francisco with passengers aud freight and
his papers bear him out In his assertion. His
orders, so he claims, are to proceed to San
then return to Chile.
The Sirius, formerly the Scandinavia, has
a cargo consigned TO Chile, via Callao,
valued at $40 600, consisting of -four, barley,
hay, beef and potatoes.
1t is stated that the steamer M0ntserrat
will load grain for Chile. She has been Ia
the coal trade Tor over year.
SHIFTED TO A NEW BERTH.
The States pile-driver is at work at Mis-
sion No. l putting down piles for a new slip
to be used by tug boats, as the space now
taken up by them can be used by larger
vessels.
The weather yesterday was hazy, with the
wind from the south and southwest, blow
ing from II to 20 miles per hour The
barometer stood at 29 81.
The snip Elmbank towed to sea yester-
day, bound to Queenstown, With cargo Of
wheat valued ut $14l,9
The tug Vigilant has been placed on the
dTy-d0ck at the Union Iron Works and will
be cleaned and painted.
The CITY Of Papeete, lying at Mission No.
l, Is having new malnmast put into her.
Ships Sick Ohicer.
When the British ship Iredale, Captain
Little, arrived here on April 22d from Lon
don the chief officer, Mr.. Matthews, was at
once removed to the Marine Hospital. He
was suffering from a severe attack of
asthma, and since the vessel rounded the
Horn he had been unable to stand bis
watch, that duty devolying on the captain
Since being taken TO the hospital the mate
has gradually grown worse. Yesterday he
could only breathe with great difficulty, and
the doctors now give no hope of MS re-
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