Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-11
DEVILS LOOSE IN THE HOLD.
A British Shippers Yarn Goes Hugo Sc,
eral Better.

British Shippers Yarn Goes Hugo Sew
eral Better.
From the New York Sun
This story may recall to the reader a cele-
DRAFTED chapter in French fiction from the mas
ter pen OF Victor Hugo, which tells how a can
non on board a little ship manned by half
savage Vendeeans got loose in gale and came
near wrecking the ship before it was secured.
Hugo endows the cannon with the fierce in
stinct Of living monster
Capt. Creeden Of the steamship Elsie. like the
true Briton that he is. scorns to read anything
except standard English writer's who know the
forecastle head from marlinspike, but he de-
ciared yesterday that the big spare propeller,
welghtier than Hugo's cannon, that broke
from its lashings on the Elsie seemed to have
threeSpr four devils in it. 1t is the habit Of
every well-regulated tramp steamship to carry
usually between decks, aft. a spare propeller
and tail shaft. which is that section Of the
shaft nearest to the propeller. These extra
pieces Ga machinery may be put in place by
the engineers Of the ship in almost any port
The extra tail shaft of the Elsie weig hing
ever four tons, and the spare propeller, weigh
Ing about two tons, were lasEed between decks
art In the ship. which was IN ballast Capt.
Creeden says they we're made fast in the most
approved sailor fashion. and would have stood
any strain except the altogether abnormal and
unexpected one they were subjected to on
Wednesday last. The Elsie is from St. Vincent.
Cape Verde Islands, and she had a fine voyage
until she reached the latitute of frost. Capt
Creeden was in his berth at 8 O'Clock last
Wednesday morning trying to get a few winks.
A frigid gale was bowling out Of the northwest
and every bit Of spray that struck the ship
froze instantly, weighing her weather bow with
two feet Of ice. She rolled deep in the seas and
every movable thing on her decks was carried
away. Capt Creeden was awakened by a
thunder-like rumbling aft. The mate rushed
forward and reported that the spare propeller
had got loose.
The little skipper summoned every one of
the crew except the helmsman and few to
the after hatch and scrambled down the lad
der. He says the ship when she rolled went
over to an angle of 60 from the perpendicular
The compartment where the propeller got loose
was only dimly lighted. When the skipper re-
covered his equilibrium he deserted what
seemed to be several propellers whirling and
curving like gigantic bats about the hold. He
also saw that there we're two big holes, one in
each quarter, through which the seas gushed
whenever the ship went on her side.
Not a man dared at first to venture within
the space where the huge pieces of iron tore
about. They were the propeller blades, all
av,,a had fra, 10 ,,l
an s. rom .ne nuo except one. That was
'i' I'm mus dangerous.
their chances with pieces of scantling and
assoc. .n 70 lhteIcept 'ne destructive career OF
Ine proheh piaues. Ihere were many close
shaves. One by one, by the sudden placing Of
lever or the dexterous use of a moose all save
t .no oiaoe a.lscnea 10 ,he hup were secured
a. tna I one seemed 70 nave positive genius
~. uouSiis, anu d 'erliply earnest aeslre 70
crusn .ne adVen'uresome californian who tried
10 get leVeT uhaer IL or iasso around 1t. 1t
resis'eI al 1ne EFFORTS 10 make II last OF the
men, VINO sometimes were thrown py the Wild
ioioil VI 'me snip In.o 'aneled hesps. IL was
nA1 a PIoPeAer 'iD'' hao an Invisible engine at
'"S VIZ. " :. ~.
"a "nIo ~ was ny ing anu Pounoing lore and
az ~ anu 'a W. noiu oaP. Sreeaen saw
ane poho Go ezra 'ali smart ,remole and
n,ore. -; tio NV Il mat massive cyhnder
-. a. hn.t no.niS eouio prevent IL
enihSnnh sne pottolu ou. vi ,ne snip. 30 re-
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