The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-22

OellCdUelV
Grated TO an ethereal beauty Toward the
mainland the forest visible seemed gray
ana yelled in semi-diaphanous half-neou-
lous Vapor. But it was early then, and
the sun scarcely had had time to drive
away the ghOstly gray fog, blended with
UhaU OF the sea from the great LafOurche
marshes lying along the nearest shore.
AS the sun rose higher the sea mist
vanished. But such day as it was! The
thermometric measurement of September
IN louisiana is not greatly different in its
altitude of heat from that of Washington
or Baltimore. This day, however, there
was such dOwnpour of solar warmth
mat the island was almost burning.
Gentle puffs of wind blew and rippled the
sea water, and turned it to an opalescent
green. But the fresh, cooling sea breeze,
rev1ving and refreshing all living things
did not come. Men wandered about list
lessly. Politics-it was the great know
nothing year-even ceased to be of in
terest. In the air there was a stiffness as
though nature were watching and waiting
IN baleful mysterious omen. The sunset
that evening frightened the timid souls
1t went down in the west in sky red as
Yermell, an angry sun, and left the occi-
dent blazing across therwaves as though a
world was in flames.
All that night the Dago fishermen, a
curious, superstitious class, half Spanish
Italian and half Creole, taking to the
wave like sea gulls, declared that they
heard out at sea strange sounds, moans-
as though some supernatural being was in
awful agony. The morning of the 18th
was like that of the previous day. To-
ward night there came up q dreadful
thunder storm. The thunder was as uu-
like that of the nOrtbe rn dash of storm as
a tirecracker is to the crash end roar of
a siX-inch gun. The dweller on the main
laDd-the Teche and Lafourche planters
had never before seen such lightning. 1t
flashed from the zenith to the eastern and
western horizon, in great broad, green,
purple and fiame-eolored bands of electric
blaze, degree in width, and after each
awful crash that almost rent the ear
drums there would be a distinctly sui
phurous tinge perceptible in the air To-
ward the morning of the l2th the thun-
der and lightning ceased, but the rain
continued and the wind blew stronger
from the southwest. The sailboats of the
frightened fishermen could be seen in the
early morning darkness flying before the
wind for secure landings in the safe
streams gnd waters of the Cheniere
CaminOda.
There was to be that evening the grand
ball of the season, for it was the last. The
band of the French opera house was
there, then unequaled for its music in
America. There were no wind instru-
ments in it, except a cornet, some flutes,
and similar sweet sound producers. The
others were strings. The ballroom was
distant from the main hotel perhaps
twenty yards, and was reached by Gov
cred way elevated to the level of both
buildings. 1t was built very near the sea,
and set upon brick pillars six feet above
the surface of the earth. The hotel was
constructed in the same fashion, so that
the breezes could blow under both edifices
and produce better ventilation.
Broad piazzas surrounded the ballroom
on three sides upon which doors opened,
so that after each dance one might take a
turn in the promenade on the gallery and
enjoy the GOODNESS of the fresh night
breeze from the sea. 1t was about 100
feet long by 80 wide. Around the room
were JwO rows of chairs, and the usual
dressing rooms were at the rear. The mu-
sicians occupied high dais that extended
across the end of the ballroom The
buildings were lighted with gas. So much
Subscription.
Toward noon of the 18TH the sun shone
out for an hour, but it was dull orange
hued orb surrounded by yellow, misty
haze that changed constantly. AS night
came on the sky was covered with cloud
of the deepest blacknesS. There was a
renewal of the vivid sheet lightning, but
no thunder. The sea was in such agita-
tation as the oldest had never before seen.
Great brilliant lights burst from the
waves as they were rolled in by the ire
mendous southwest wind. Deep phos-
phorescent fires, incandescent, in ser
pentine forms, were seen writhing like
shadows of monsters, far out at sea. And
most terrible of all, there was distinctly
audible at intervals, in the blackness and
gloom, an unearthly moan from the depths
of the sea.
The women became seriously fright
ened. and the men realized that nature
was in one of her most unusual and mar
velous moods. Still no one anticipated
any real danger. There had been great
storms before. This was but the begin
ming of the equinoctial blow. The ball
room was lighted. There was nothing
else to do but 90 to the dance. Women
clothed themselves, aided by deft-handed
maids, with hearts ill at ease. Other
thoughts than those of conquest were
filing their souls with dread of what
might come. But they would go; per-
haps the gay dresses, the brilliant lights,
the soft, sweet music, might drive away
the fears that oppressed their souls.
At 10 O'Clock the dance was at its hight.
Outside the storm was raging. The in
tense blackness of darkness was broken
only by the constant broad flashes of
lightning and the phosphorescent blaze of
the sea- A terrible wind blew, with tor
rents of slanting rain, that was as warm
as newly-drawn blood. The band was
playing one of Gottschalk's sweetest
dreamy waltzes, The was a Louisianian
"Creole Eyes" when a girl screamed.
Her white satin bottine had been wetted
by water coming up through the floor.
Terror then beset all. A rush was made
for the hotel, but the covered way was
gone. 1t had been carried away by tire
mendous wave from the raging seal
Mothers had left their little children
asleep in the other house. How should
they get to theml 1t was utterly impos-
sible, unless one had wings, to pass
through the tossing, boiling flood of mad
dened sea that rolled between.
OF the horrors that followed no living
tongue could ever tell. But about mid
night the strange sea moan became roar
that grew nearer and louder until it was
like the ten thousand laundering Ma
garas. II was tidal wave 1000 miles
long, 10 miles wide, and 30 feet high.
And as it. rolled resistless, hotel, ball
room, all, were swallowed up in the
nav of the pitiless sea. Men, women,
and little ones were parted never again
to meet until that final day "when the
sea shall give up its dead"
Such tragedy had never before been
known in the nations history Nothing
was left of the lovly isle but a few broken
brick pillars to mark where life and
beauty had died so awful death. For