The morning call., 1891-06-05
CAUGHT IN A GALE.
Terrible Experience Of the Ship
Balkamah.
A Sailor Has His Neck Broken BY Heavy
sea-A Voyage That They Thought Was
Their Last-Buried at Sea.

The British ship Balkamah, that recently
arrived at this port from Liverpool, was
caught in a gale while in the Pacific Ocean
that, in the language Of the captain, was
corker"
The gale began on March 22d and lasted
forty eight hours, and was so heavy that
none of the crew ever expected to see San
Francisco again. The blow came on sud-
denly and before sail could be taken off the
ship she was over On her beam ends. She
was then hove to under her lower topsails.
BY this time the sea was going completely
over the vessel. One Oil bag was rugged. but
was thrown in on deck as fast as it could be
put over the side.
The gale now increased to a hurricane,
and the captain decided to put the ship be-
fore the wind under bare poles. More than
two hours were spent in waiting for favor
able chance and then the topmast staysail
was set and the ship began to pay off before
the wind and in very short time she was
flying before the hurricane at the rate OF
sixteen knots an hour.
ROLLED PAINFULLY.
The ship now rolled fearfully, and the
heavy seas frequently broke on board, pour
ing tons OF water on deck. Water tanks,
harness casks. hogpenS and everything
either daShIng from side to side with every
roll of the vessel or was carried overheard
and lost.
On the morning of the 23d the sea was
like mountain, and the vessel rolled so
badly that the lower yaTd-arms were often
dipped IN the water. About clock the
malnSail was blown from the gaSketS and
torn to shreds before man could get on the
yard to save it. The crew now all gathered
under the wreck of the poop, where lines
had been stretched across the deck in order
to prevent the men from being washed away.
At noon the man at the wheel was relieved
by a big Swede named John Carlson, one of
the best seamen in the ship. Carlson had
not been at the helm more than half an hour
when a cry was heard from the second mate,
who was standing aft.
HE WAS DEAD.
Several Of the men ran to see what was
the matter and Carlson was found stretched
on deck, bleeding from terrible wound in
his head lie was at once carried into the
cabin and laid on the floor, but the poor
fellow never moved again. 1t was then
found that his neck was broken and bis
death was instantaneous.
The second officer stated that Carlson
made some remark about the weather. and
the next instant the ship was struck by a
heavy sea, which caused the wheel to fly
around like lightning. One of the SpOkes
caught the mans coat, and he WAS thrown
over the wheel, striking the deck with his
head. The body was carried forward and
laid in spare bunk. About shutdown the
vessel was struck by several terrific seas,
which filed her deck and made the crew
think their last hour had come.
FLAT AS PANCAKE.
On top of the forward house was the
ships long-bOat. This was smashed fat as
a pancake. The doors in the forward house
were stove in, the house filed with water,
and every light of glass on board the vessel
knocked out. The rails on both sides were
torn out of the ship from the main rigging
to the forecaStle The next sea took the
figurehead away as clean as it could have
been done by a gang OF ship carpenters.
The crew were powerless, as the decks
were full of water all the time and they
could only move about with the greatest
care for fear Of being washed overheard.
The cook had been engaged In making
some hot coffee for the crew when the terri
bic seas swept over the vessel ami washed
him out of the galley. He was dashed
against a stanchirOn with sufficient force to
knock him senSelesS, and would have been
washed overheard if one Of the men had not
run forward at the risk of his own life and
dragged him into the cabin, where his IN
jurieS were attended to.
THE GALE MoDERATEs.
By daylight on the oath the gale began to
moderate. and sail was made on the vessel
and the course resumed. Not a single man
on board the ship will forget that gale as
long as he lives The captain says he never
saw such blow in his thhty-fve years at
sea.
The body Of poor Carlson was buried at
sea on the evening of the oath. the crew
standing with uncovered heads as the cap
tain read the burial service and the body
of their shipmate was consigned TO the
deep. John Carlson WAS native OF Sweden
and 40 years old.