The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-01
SWEPTBY A MONSTER WAVE
Ten Sailors Of the Rhynland Badly
Injured During a Storm.

A Wave Thirty-five Feet High Rushed
Along the Deck From Bow to Stern
Sweeping Everything Before It.
None of the Men Washed Overheard
But Their Escape a Very Marrow
One.
New York. Dec 81.--The Red Star Inns
steamer Rhynland, which arrived in port
early this morning four days overdue,
brought story of storm and havoc
at sea, such as the big liners
rarely experience. 1t was no sail
or's yarn, for her appearance asashe cana
up the Narrows and passed quarantine
bore evidence unmistakable and when
she was docked during the forenoon in
Jersey City, this evidence was given
sequel by the rigging up of ambulances,
which took away three injured seamen
to Christ hospital. The Rhynland left
Antwerp on Dec. 16 A fresh southerly
breeze only rippled the usually turbulent
waters Of the English channel On pass
ing Lands End and, the Lizard, however,
she was confronted with a strong head
wind, which veered around to the north
for awhile but returned to the former
point Of attack with increased violence.
STRUCK BY A MOUNTAINOUS WAVE.
On the night of the 10Th the moon was
bright but the wind blew gale from
outhwest-by-west, aud the seas made the
big iron steamer tremble and pitch. At
midnight she was about longitude 17e
west, and latitude 52' north. On the
bridge were Capt. Mills, Chief officer
Dobson and Third Officer Kroger. Second
Officer Kenney was in charge
of the first watch, which at
the time was engaged in putting the
heavy storm doors over the companions
way entrance. The second watch had
been called, and was on the point of re-
lieying the hrst, when cry
came from the bridge; "Look out
for a wave" There was q laundering
noise crashing of timbers, and the
steamer shook from stem to stern, stag
| gering under thousands Of tons of water.
A wave not less than thirty-fve feet high
| met her, head on, and swept the entire
length of her decks, reaching way up
over the bridge.
SWEPT THE MEN LIKE ooRRs.
When it had passed, the decks were
nearly deserted OF the twenty-seven
men of the two watches, hardly one
was in sight. The officers on the
bridge, at least thirty feet above
the water, had seen the coming ava-
lanche of water, and catching hold
of the rail were able to resist the force
of the crest, though passing beyond them
it demolished net railing on top Of tho
companionway roof. The seamen and
! petty officers on the promenade deck were
| less fortunate. They were swept along
as feathers and were dropped on various
parts Of the deck aft. Quartermaster
Theodore Very had been swept over the
chocks of the port boats and but for the
rigging would have gone overheard. He
was found below on tho main deck with o
severe wound in the neck.
THE DAMAGE ON DECK.
A heavy storm door was carried aft,
and the companionway TO the main saloon
| flooded. The steel raft on the port side
forward was gone and the iron stanchions
supporting it were twisted of and
washed aft
Number two lifeboat on the port side
was carried away and the iron guard rail
of the promenade deck was whipped up
from its holdings for a distance of $50 feet
| and swept overheard.
The officers, and the few men who were
able to pick themselves up. started in
| search of the other men. They found the
men in various portions Of the vessel,
some of them unconscious.
The ships surgeon was on hand and he
| found ten men requiring treatment, three
of them having sustained serious injuries.
| Carpenter Castelyn, had his left thigh
fractured. He had been picked up by the
wave as the quartermaster had been and
was swept against the forward port
| shrouds, to which he had clung. Sera~
phim Correwyn, a boy Of 16, had bis left
| leg broken in two places, and Henry
Moostyas, sailor, was found to have
fractured thigh. The others were badly
shaken up and bruised.