The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-29
THE LATE GALE.
The Hard Experience of the Charles p
hoffman.

The storm of Thursday, while disagreeable
on land, was attended with few or no
dangers, but for those who go down to the
sea in boats it was horse of another color.
The arrival of the Charles P. hoffman OF
Bath, Captain l.. W. Jewett, gives the hrst
comprehensive idea of the gale.
First Mate W. A. 1illetson when inter-
viewed by the PRESS representative, stated
that in the sixteen years he has followed
the sea he never witnessed such storm.
The following is description of the trip as
given by him:
I'VE were bound from Norfolk, Va, to
this city, and when about ten miles off Cape
Cod, Wednesday, we began to feel the storm,
and we gradually took in sail as it in
creased. The gale struck about 8 O'Clock,
and by twelve it was blowing with hurTi-
cane force. We held on our course under
reduced sail until twelve o'clock Wednesday
night. when we hove to, but continued to
drift towards our destination. The snow
and vapor was SO thick that it was impos-
sible to see the leneth of the vessel, and it
was dangerous to attempt to make this
port. At eight the following morning we
wore ship and stood out to sea, and as we
came too on the new tacK we heard the
whistle on Half Way rock, the sound show
ing that We must have rounded this in
wearing ship.
''The gale was terrific and very cratic in
course, for when IL started in 1t was blow
ing from about east, and gradually wore
around to the northeast with heavy SEA
running. About one o'clock Thursday it
suddenly jumped from the north east to the
south and blew with increasing force,
creating cross sea that was terrible, the
waves constantly coming on board. When
we came on deck we had our oilskins 'on to
protect US, but with the decks constantly
under water il was impossible to keep dry.
'The second mate and had expert
ence that we do not care to repeat. While
trying to clear the halyards we were struck
by wave that washed US clear of the
vessel We had hold of the lines upon which
we were at work, and the succeeding wave
brought us back. The mate, Mr.. Perry, sue
ceeded in clinging to the rail, but was
washed back Tito the sea. only to be re-
turned by the next wave. when too, chung
to the vessel for life, and my hands will
show for many day the effect of my cling
ing to that small. line in an angry sea-
The steward, Earnest A. Quincy of Bos-
ton, was caught by a wave at the main
hatch when going forward and was carried
aft and thrown with terrific force against
the rail of the schooner, nearly breaking
his hip. These were the only accidents that
happened to the crew. The boat was washed
from the davits by sea about this time.
and the steps leading down from the main
deck were also destroyed.
Captain Jewett's wife was engaged in
tidyipg up the cabin, for 1t was flooded as
we'll as the other parts of the vessel. and
she stated that Thursday she and her
husband were standing in the cabin door
and looking forward. 1t was impossible to
see the vessel, the waves dashing over her
SO constantly as to keep her buried. II
n ever before realized the power of the sea,
although have heard many stories in re-
spect to it, she said, 'sbut when sea came
on board and crushed in the heavy double
thick plate glass windows in the cabin as if
they had been SO much paper, l began to
appreciate it, The windows were double
shattered and strongly fastened, but moth
ing could resist such sea, and after that
each succe eding wave left gallon after
gallon of water in the cabin leaving no dry
place on the vessel"
The schooner is Maine built and is only
three months old, but if she had been an old
craft there is little doubt that she would
have succumbed to the effects of the storm.
Her safety was, however, in great degree
due to good seamansbip.