The herald., 1894-12-25
THEY LONGED FOR TERRA F|RMA
Dangerous Voyage of the Coast
Tug Steamer Eureka.
One More Heavy Sea Would Have
Sent Her Down.
Hours of Agony Suffered by Passengers
of the Little Vessel That Arrived
This Morning,

Passengers bound for Los Angeles via
the steamer Eureka, that left San Fran
cisco last Thursday morning, arrived
at San Pedro Sunday morning, about "a
hours behind time, and rather meek
and humble in spirit-so meek and
ern Pacifc's habitual disregard for the
comfort OF their passengers evoked from
them only feeble tokens OF disapproba-
tion.
What they wanted most OF all was the
aolidness of terra frma beneath their
feet, something to tread upon that was
sober and reliable and not given to fam
tastic somersaults in mid sir and this
boon being granted them, what care to
.hem though the Southern Pacific kept
them waiting at San Pedro till midday,
and then maze them change cars, ior no
apparent reason on earth, in the short
ride to their destination?
A rough experience had been theirs.
Since leaving San Francisco most of
them were sick all the way down the
coast and all OF them we're sick--to the
point W here life at best is but q joyless
burden and death means kindly peace,
at least soms Of the time.
The Eureka 10 one Of the smallest of
the Pacific Cosst Steamship company's
vessels, and in the trough OF the most
peaceful sea caresns almost to her
beams ends. She has register of 725
tons, and WAS on this trip loaded about
to gunweles, besides carrying Is cabin
and Is stesrage passengers out OF San
Francisco.
From the time she rounded Point Lo-
bos and began to plow her way through
the pillows of the south passage over the
bar she encountered strong head winds.
The Eureka ia billed to stop at every
cross-road on the way down, but on this
trip the programme wss varied consid-
erably. Santa Cruz was the first port
that Captain Green gave the double
cross," SO to speak.
There were some freight and several
passengers for that point. but the wealth
er was too rough to permit landing. 1t
was nearly midnight Thursday when the
Eureka put into Monterey, nearly 13
hours late. l. was almost q hurricane
outside, and the huge waves that washed
the decks came as near being mountain
40 bucy oVcI
Not until Santa Barbara channel WAS
reached, two days later, did it become
apparent--irom their own admissions
that some OF the passengers did not suf-
Ter in the least from the agonies OF msl
de mer. Most OF the passengers we're
aick and not caring W no knew it.
Captain Green, very quiet and mod.
est man to all appearances, evinced the
al "a Cf his l.
ing the Eureka for the open sea again So
soon as her Monterey cargo was un-
loaded. He went ont aud battlsd with
the waves for three mortal hours-the
longest hours that the passengers had
put in for many day or night. Then
be gave it up in sheer despair, turned
stern to wind and waves end ran back to
Monterey's peaceful waters aa last as
possible.
The next morning Captain Green
spoke rather apologs stically about run.
ming from the weather. He remarked
that they ceuld make but little headway
and that he wanted to save enough coal
for the return trip. Before the eventful
voyage WAS over, however, the truth
leaked out, which was that during those
three hours OF battle in the open sea the
Eureka shipped q good deal more OF the
ocean into her forecsstle and steerage
than She has license for carrying.
II was afraid that another sea on
board would sink her." the captain said.
And that was the real reason why the
Eureka was "a hours late at San Pedro.
But the cabin passengers didn't know
this at the time-and would have cared
less if they had. They were like Marx
Twain on his frat voyage. Before they
reached Monterey they were go Bick they
feared they were going to die. After
they left Monterey they became go i'll
they feared lest they ehould have to
live.
Before noon on Friday, the pumps
having done thsir work thoroughly, the
Eureka again braved the open sea,
being the frat OF the little fleet that
had sought q safe harbor during the
night 10 dare the outside terrors. These
were but little moderated. II was a
aoutheast gale that blew. and an almost
hopeless task for steam and human skill
to struggle ageinst it.
Captain Green himself walked the
bridge ell day Friday, and by skillfully
taking each wave head on, managed to
at least keep to the course till night
fall, when the wind abated triAe, and
even the popular marine novelist could
hardly have described the billows Ga
mountains high.
Sam Simeon and Cayucosiwsre given
the go-by and Port Hartford finally
reached Saturday morning, after q
night of agony for the passengers only
q little less terrible than the previous
night.
From Port Hsr ford down the sea grew
cslmer and the wind softer. When
Santa Barbara was reached the sun
shone and there was the perfume OF
flowers in the zephyrs that blew off the
shore. The rest of the voyage was
pleasant enough, and by contrast with
the first part OF it. like rowing at West-
lake park. The through cabin passen-
gers bound for this port were: Annie
Forsythe, l. ]. Murma. Miss Cora Max
we'll, Mrs. Msckey, Mrs. (. B. Smith,
A. G. Patterson, J. II. Briggs, Mrs. ].
L. Laforce and daughters, f. E. Monte
vede, ir. Mr.. and Mra. Sanders and
Miss Sanders came to Santa Monica