The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-09

VIII u lnding Hash, and as there were nu-
merous other signs to betoken a gale, the
snip prepared to meet it, ike prize-fghter
stripping for a battle. The light canvas
was furlsd, the mainsail rolled up, and
single reefs tied in the Uopsails.
Inc work had hardly been completed be-
Tore the wind fell light and then died away
leaving behind it tremendous swell The
toamless Alps that came racing out of the
thickness caught the vessel broadside on
and, 'cccording to TIE narrator, never was
there ZACH rolling. IL was what be de-
scribei as a genuine Cape Horn swell
great hills OF water that roll a vessel until
1t makes the brain dizzy 70 watch the wild
reeling Of her masts.
frequently sbe would lean over until al
most on her beam ends, her Stating canvas
adding its cannon-like reports to the din OF
gear that had gone sdrift below. and which
went sailing across the deck with every roll
Of the vessel.
The waves that swung around that cape
Of storms are said to double in altitude any
that can be found else here. But Gains
are not frequent, nor are they usually Of
long duration. Such proved to be the case
with this one, and shortly after midnight
the watch below. who had been clinging to
their hunks the best they could as the big
ship rolled her yArdarms into the swell,
felt the vessel grow steadier under the in
fueuce Of a freshenIng wind. 1t rapidly
gathered weight, aud before morning the
tOpsails were swollen into bands rigid as
steel. Then, with sharply slopinR masts.
the Wind-driven fnbric slipped along the
sides Of the swell, with the spray smoking
around her bows and the foam level with
with her lee scuppers.
The wind gradually freshened, and before
noon it was bio wing a furious gale She
held on few hours longer and then it was
found necessary TO heave TO. When the
murky twilight came the narrator says
that the ocean was as wild q scene as be
had over witnessed The ship plunged
heavily over the waves. tossing the spray
as high as the fore topsail yard whenever
she sunk her bows into one Of the trsmen-
dous cliffs.
The Blanchard is fine vessel, has plenty
Of beam and on this occasion showed free
board that would have been the envy Of a
man-of-war's man, class Of men who are
accustomed to seeing considerable hight be-
tween the decks they tread and the water
upon which their craft floats
But every lifting swell brought with it
an icY breath and froze the tears that gath
cred in the eyes Of the lookout faster, as
marine writer expresses it, than any pity
ing angel of a woman could wipe away"
Furious squalls of snow, hail and sleet
beat into the faces of the crew, and the sheet
lightning which played around the vesssl lit
all objects with its fitful glare. 1t was too
dark TO see, and where the watch on deck
were no one could tell. They were all there,
however, crouching behind such shelter as
they could find, but ready for call. The
helmsman was at the wheel, his form dimly
lit by the pinnacle, aud the officer Of the
watch was clinging to the rigging some
where aloft.
The men who came on deck at midnight
to relieve the other watch we're called upon
to put sea Raskets around the tOpRallant
sails nd extra lashings on the yards. as
there as danger Of the sails being blown
from their lackstays, so terrific was the
gale
1t has been observed as a characteristic
of the sailor that he invariably sends
glance at the sky the moment he rerches
the deck. Those who came from out the
forecastle that night saw scene which
caused one OF them to give voice to that oft
quoted prophecy Of the sailor: olive TO-
night and you live forever"
The men Of the relief watch scrambled
up the weather rigging, in obedience to the
order TO secure toe light sails, but had
hardly reached the tops before they were
hastsned against the rigging by q terrific
squall. The gasksts Of the main-topgallaut
sail carried away, the sail swelled out like
a balloon, and the next instant the yard
went swinging away to the leeward. The
broken spar, supported by its gear, swung
back and forth with the 'headlong motion
of the hull, making the mast trembls with
the terrific blows it dealt.
UndRunted by the accident to the main
the men who had been sent up to secure the
nIzzen topgallsnt sail continued to ascend
the rigging. They numbered six In all and
we're led by the second mate. They
Clambered over the top, swung themselves
into the topmost rigging and reached the
topgallant yard just as mountain like
ridge Of water cams swelling out Of the
blaokness ahead
The vessel seemed to falter a moment al
the sight OF the tremendous ACTIVITY and
then gathered herself together like thing
Of life to meet the gigantic comber. There
was a wide sheer of the bow and then the
vessel scared skywArd with the seas foam
ing all around her hull. She reached the
crest at last, paused one breathless moment
and then reeled broadside on into the head
long abyss that followed.
The wild lurch was too much for tht
straining spars, aud the mizzentopgallant
mast carried away at the cap, precipitating
the yard and the six men who were clingine
to it over the side. The fall was in itsell
enough TO have dashed the life out Of thost
who made the perilous descent, but, strangt
20 relate, none of them were so much in.
jured by it as the mate, whose fortune il
was to land on deck.
The next lurch carried away the mizzen
toDmast, and the men who had survived
the fall from that spar for second timt
narrowly escaped death as the wreckag'
spleshed into the water near where they
were struggling.
To make the disaster complste the ruddel
carried away with the next roll, leaving tht
vessel for the time being unmAnageable.
The rescue Of those who had been carried
overheard by the falling debris must b
counted as one of the many miracles OF tht
deep. The fearful cry Of "all hands saw
ship" when once heard is never forgotten
brought every one up from below.
A few active fellows sprang over the sid
to cut away the wrecked spar and to Lent
assistance to their half-drowned shipmates
who we're struggling in the water.
Night always gives an additional horror
to disasters OF this sort. 1t is all blint
cropping on the part OF the crew, the dark
ness leaving the full extent of the damage
wrought TO be guessed at.
BY dtnt of hard eXertion the men Of tht
watch below got the wrecked spars along
side and finally succeeded in getting thu
half-drowned seameu who were cliuRing to
them safely on board. One Of the number,
Seaman Clark, bad the narrowest escape o.
his life
He was lying unconscious astride Of th,
topmast when the ship sunk her counter
into one Of those Cape Horn swels. TIT
Ice chief officer, who was in the channels
caught the man by the coat collar as the
Ha,1a a.