, 1892-09-14

branches Of trees will as much ease as she
could steam over a calm sea but care had
to be taken to dodge the limbs 80 as
not to lie swept overheard. Fortunately
the ship never reached the houses or they
would have shared the same fate as the
sheds.
AS the water was seeking its level the ship
was washed back and forth until her keel
took bottom. In anticipation of this. and
fearing when she did SO she would fall over
on her port beam, that side being towards
the sea, and all her guns as we'll as every
thing movable would 90 overheard, all
hands were ordered to keep over on the
starboard side, to throw over the running
rigging on that side, and us the ship went
over 10 port to climb over the starboard
bulwarks and hold on, or to shin down the rum
ming rigging.
You can rest assured there was not much
hesitancy in obeying this order, and some OF
the men were so frightened that when they
found themselves on solid ground they
started off on a run and never stopped untli
they reached the centre of the island, some
eight miles away. To the surprise OF those
who remained on board the ship, she went
over only as far as about an angle OF 19o and
there stopped.
The commanding and executive officers
Skinned Town arope and found that 3 pro-
iecting piece of mari (out Of which the
island is formed) about sixteen feet long
had CAUGHT her under the horn of the bllge
and held her. There certainly Is a providence
which looks out for poor jack, for had 1t not
been for this piece Of mari which was raised
above the general level land by the way.
il WAS the only piece on the beach, there
would have been considerable loss OF
life. for there were many whose duties pre-
vented them taking advantage OF the oraer
to crawl over the starboard side as the boat
went over. The spare spars were lmmedl-
atelv fitted under the port channels, ana
hawsers were token from the topmasi heals TO
trees on shore, so as to prevent her @oing,oVer
any more.
During that night there were an Immense
number of shocks. and az they passed under
her. they would lift the ship nearly upright.
slack the hawserb INTO a blight, and as they
passed away the ship would bring unp the
hawsprs with such force as to threaten 20
break the masthead. A man ON shore trie'
to count the number Of shocks there were
during the night Of November Is md morning
Of the 18th: but as he took a1trlnk after each
shock, so as to keep up his courage, he "ventn'
ally lost his reckon rg. There was no noise
with the first two shocks, but all the others
were accompanied w q NHA'''"
much like thar made by a heavy laden cart at
a distance.
When the ship found n resting place on "a"
shore. her keel was entirely out of water, but
on account of hel list 70 port. watev could be
drawn over that SIDE.
The, welr " mall briggs in the harbor
one was saved, but the other was carried
over a p,raprt right into the middle OF
a pond. AS there was no way OF getting
her ont, she was broken up and sold as hfe-
wood.
The "M~onongtheIn' was ey'atually launch
ed, an1haviag been ,lte~cd into q sailing yes
sci is at present etnpIoycl a~ u training ship
for apprentices.
One of the most unfortunate results OF TINS
earthquake was that it shook the Commission
ers right off the island, and it also seemed to
shake the desire Of our government to pHr-
chase ST. Thomas and St. Johns. for all
negotiations ceased. 1t is to be hoped they
will lie resumed and carried to q successful
conclusion, for the harbor Of st. Thomas Is
one that is needed by our modern ships aS a
coaling station.