The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-17

! last. She had q comfortable time OF il
until August y. when she ran into hur-
| ricane. It had been blowing pretty fresh
the day before and on the morning OF the
I'D the storm broke in al It's fury. The
reefed foresaiI was blown into ribbons and
the shreds of the Fib, foretopmast stsyssil
and the main topmast staysail went flying
through the sky, torn from their bolts BY
the herceness Of the gale.
First Mate Bruton, 8 lively Liverpool
lad. led the men aloft 10 take in sail. The
canvas formed the poor fellows shroud.
He was IN the fore rigging and was last
seen BIZ the carpenter. With the strength
OF young giant he was gathering in the
sail when the canvas was blown from the
bolt ropes and he was carried on with II
and thrown into the sea
!. This. was only the beginning OF the trou-
bles of the Spoke. Big seas swept over her
decks, carrying everything before them.
RED away, and a,number of seamen were
badly hurt by the force OF the water.
On the following day the gale moderated
70 considerable extent; but there was
still q fresh wind biowiugs with high cross
seas running. The ship -labored heavily,
with every rope stretched and every bolt
straining, with the tim bers creaking and
the yards shaking IN the blast The amid
ship steering gear was carried away and a
new topmast staysail which had Just been
bent was split.
Ascend staysail was bent, but it soon
followed the course OF its mate. Smooth
weather followed. the storm lasting until
September 2, and the interval was filled IN
BY the crew repairing the damage.
Five days later Cape Horn vas passed in
the face OF strong westerly winds
On September L, in latitude IS deg. 30
min. south, and longitude 70 deg. west, a
second hurricane was encountered. at
one time the ship. was almost on her
beam ends, and the sea made a complete
breach over the vessel, washing every
thing movable on deck overheard. The
crane OF the lower main topsail-yard broke
and the riTets IN the main and fore caps
were snapped. The fastenlngs in the fore
and main top gave way, and the bolts
which secured the main topgalIant and
royal stays were broken, and considerable
OF the ironyork aioft was smashed.
The crew was sent into the rigging, and
while assisting in furling the mizzen top
SAIL j. Anger, an ordinary seaman, was
hurled on the yard into the sea.
The gale. continued without Intern ission
until the nth. during which time the ship
I had crlfeed 70 the eastward from longitude
/ 20 deg. west. 70 longitude 20 deg 80 min.
west For two DAYS alter this the gale
| moderated and finally fell 70 calm.
On the 18th gale sprung up and the
! wind blew so hard that the ship was hove
down until she was again almost on her
beam ends The seas swept the vessel from
/ stem to. stern, smashing everything on
| deck. The cabin skylight was shiyered 10
bits, and the cabin and storeroom were
| flooded The forscastle was filed with
water and the bedding and clothing Of the
crew were soaked.
The sails were blown out Of the gaskets,
and the seamen were knocked down on the
/ deck ike SO many ninepins OF the whole
| left 10 lend hand at trimming sails
/ With nine men on duty il was a difficult
| job 70 run the ship, but the captain pulled
/ her out of her difficulty and set her on an
even. keel once more.
The ship was drifting to the eastward ali
the while, and from September l2 TO the
1 18th she lost 800 miles on her course The
morning OF September p opened with a
/ pretty stiff breeze, which gradually in
creased TO hurricane. Mountainous seas
poured over the decks, the amidship
wheel chains parted and the relieving
tackles gave way. The rudder took COM
| plere charge OF the ship for upward OF an
and the rudder pinfles were very badly
strained The rudder chains we're con-
nected Temporarily by shackles, but it was
found impossible 20 put the rudder hard
over 70 starDoard.
The cargo had shifted meanwhile and
the ship had hard list to starboard The
balwark stanchions were started and the
cement in the hold began 10 run out
through the waterway.
|. For several days the captain tried to get
the steering gear Strengthened out, but
without success, and then he decided TO
put back 70 the Falkland Islands The
Speke arrived st Port Stanley on October
and remained there until February 7,
undergoing repairs
From Port Stanley strong westerly gales
were experienced TO the westward OF Cape
Horn. The ship had to go north along the
coast OF Chile.
She dropped into latitude 81 deg. south