Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-09
EARTHQUAKES AT SEA.
The Sailors AN American BARK Have .
Lively Experience.

hANfiN
From the San Francisco Examiner June =
California is not the only part Of the world
that got a shaking up by an earthquake in April
last. Among the arrivals in port today was
the American bark Seminole. Capt. Weeden.
from Newcastle. \. :. W. The voyage up was
not an uneventful one. and some Of her crew
think themselves very lucky TO reach san Fran
cisco at all
On April IS. when right in the middle Of the
Solomon group, the bark had very narrow
escape from being wrecked by an earthquake.
Ii was bright, sunny day. with not e breath Of
wind. while the sea was smooth as glass.
The nearest land was about twenty miles away.
and there WIS nothing to show that anything
unusual was aboat to take place.
About half an hour beforu noon the witch on
deck were startled by feeling the vessel shake
from stem t. stern. as If she had touched the
ground. Capt. Weeden ordered the deep-sta
lead to be brought up. although lac was sure MS
vessel was in deep water ut the ti.no.
About 1--WE minutes after the Il rst shock there
was another quake. which. 10 use IA, language
OF Capt. Weeden. was dandy" The bark
was lifted up at least six feet and then rolled
over TO port until her rail wsN under water.
Every timber in the vessel croaled and l,roaned
as II the ship was about to go 20 pieces. All
around the vessel as far rs the zee could see the
sea was heaving and tumbling "a if in a heavy
stDTtn. ana TONS OF water Duufel the rails
on both sides. flooding the deC.As
The watch below were thrown out of their
hunks and rushed deck. thinking the ship
had struck a rock and was going down. The
shock lasted nearly miuute. and inside of
twenty seconds was followed by a third falls a.
severe as the one that preceded il. but II did
not last more than twenty -sive seconds
The bark pitched and rolled 80 heavily that
the main yard was dipped in the water half
dozen times. and IT seemosl az if the masts woald
go over the eide.
the rush of water. and some of the men mar
nowly escaped being dashed against the deck
house and rail
Ii was nearly an hour after the last shock be-
fore the big waves subsidized and the bark was
once more motionless on the water. and the
crew began 10 realize what had taken place.
In the cabins and forecasths everything was
turned topsy-turVy and nearly all the crockery
on board was smashed. That evening a breeze
spranS up and the Seminole resumed her voy-
age toward San Francisco. Just before dav-
light on the morning of the 10th. two DAYS after
the earthquake. the lockout reported a bright
light ahead. and II soon proved 20 be a
large volcano in full blast
The blazing mountain was over forty miles
away, aud vet by noon the vessels decks were
covered with ashes over an inch deep For the
three DAYS and nights during which the volcano
remained in view the light was so great that a
newspaper could easily be read on the vessels
deck at night.
Capt. Weeden SAYS it is the worst shake-up he
ever got end he would not care for another Ike
it. In spite of the very severe shaking the bark
escaped unscathed. and excepting the few bot
ties of ashes. which were preserved by the crew
as memento, there Is nothing Ia show that
anything out of the common occurred