The morning call., 1894-10-30
THROUGH COMBERs
And Was as Steady as a
Ocean Steamer.
FULL DETAILS OF HER VOYAGE
What One of Her Crew Has TO Say
About Her as Seagoing
Craft.

From Puget Sound 70 Astoria in coast
defense vessel. with gale blowing and a
heavy sea running, voyage over the
Columbia River bar. when sailing ships
and other craft hesitated to trust them
selves to attempt the passage, is the latest
heard from the Monterey.
Word was received here yesterday on
the water front from one of the gunboats
crew. He claims that the vessel is one of
the best seaboats he ever sailed in. and
barring a little discomfort between decks
ste is ga fairly good boat to travel in."
There has been a good deal said about
the Monterey. but her actions in a heavy
sea have never been explained in detail.
The account of her run over the famous
Columbia bar is also of interest to all who
who have watched the career of the ship.
''When we left the sound" writes the
member of her crew, "the weather was
partly fair. but as we dropped below Care
Flattery there was an ugly sea TO climb
through. Big Betsy and Alice had their
noses covered over with rubbe: cars that
saved them from being dampened by the
water that came over the bow in torrents,
striking the tnrre:s nearly as high up as
the gun muAles and turret ports. The
bow of the big ship was buried nearly all
the time during the trip. but the water
did not Inconvenience the vessel in the
least. She skinned and dived like duck
and shed waves that would have swamped
an ordinary steamer.
eve had a rough trip of it as we drew
near Astoria, but l never saw the Mon
terey act better. She was. of course. very
wet above decks, but she rode verv steadily.
Between decks there was very little jar or
Dlunglng felt. 1t seemed as if we were
riding over ordinary seas, while, in fact,
we were going through some of the mean
est weather l ever experienced.
''No time was lost on account of the
blow. We made an exceedingly fast run,
and astnnished even Captain kempff, who
il more convinced than ever that the Mon
terrv is fit for any service.
ITO illustrate how steady the ship is,
we were at one period going through tre-
mendously high breakers that almost wen
clear over the forward turret. Every body
h al to remain below, for there was not an
inch of dry decking, except on the bridge.
In spite of this fact there was not a sim
gle piece of china broken in the pantry,
ana the men found it no bother or iDcon-
venieDre to play checkers on the berth
decks"
The crossing of the Monterey over
the dangerous bar at Astoria is
hAn described. The sight must have
been a grand one. for at times
the lOokonis on shore say the big
fighter d dsappearad in the monster combers
like a turtle sinking beneath wave.
Nothing but her SmOkestack could be
seen. Then suddenly she would emerge
and throw the water from her broad steel
back, seemingly shake herself. then dive
out of sight again.
When the vessel arrived off the bar il
was breaking fearfully. Several vessels
lay hove to outside waiting for The waters
,lNoigt fsofa
Ii was whispered about the Monterey that
Captain Kempff would not ATTEMPT to pass
in, but would keen of several miles, per-
hapt for twenty-f0ur hours, until the
stnrm abated.
Not so. The commander knew his craft
too well TO be frightened off by u few roll
er., so he gave few instructions to his
engineer and pointed the Monterey's nose
$ raight into the channel.
At every quarter OF the gunbnat were
| breaking cOmbers. The water was cut
| into cross-seas by wind and current. Ii
was like a mass OF foam madly striving tC
do damage, to engulf something in the
| shane OF a shir.
The Monterey followed the course
marked by the buOys and picked her way
through the channel without a sign Of TN.
| sieadiDesS. She passed over the on er bal
| with waves breaking over her in all direc
| tious and steamed for the inner channel
| From there on 1t was comparatively easy
| sailing.
Had an artist been able to get anywhere
near the Inbound coast defender he might
| have secured some astonishing mega
| tives. The people on shore say that ''sht
acted beautifully and forever put the
brand Of falsehood on The stories that have
been circulated about her unseaworthi
| ness"
After the Monterey passed over the baI
she started for Portland. arriving there
| after nine and a half hours trip.