Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-06-08
IN PERIL OF THE SEA.
THE EDITH SHERATON NARROWLY ESCAPES EIGHT WATERSPOuTS.

l
 Skilled seamanship saved the British barkentine Edith Sheraton, which ar rived at New York recently from Mace ris, Santo Domingo, from being over whelmed by gigantic waterspouts while off Cape Hatteras As it was, the vessel narrowly escaped being sent to the bot tom with all hands.
 The Edith Sheraton is little drab painted craft of 314 tons, but she is as handsomely modelled, almost, as yacht. ] She is commanded by Captain Mitchell and manned by crew of five men Laden with sugar up to her deck beams, she left Macoris April 29.
 Chief Mate Christian Miller, who spun the story of her trip, said there was then only light breeze from the southwest and every stitch of canvas was spread Favorable breezes famed J the vessels sails up to the morning of May IT, when she WAS in latitude S4 degrees 55 minutes and longitude "A degrees A minutes, or about 70 miles south southeast of Cape Hatteras.
 When the mate went on deck at 8 8. m. to take charge of the port watch, the wind was blowing light fron ths south, and the barkentine was running free un- der all sail Captain Mitchell had juss taken an observation and retired to the cabin to work out his reckoning
 Overhead the mate saw clear sky, and the sun was blistering the deck with heat but away to the westward appear ed black oyerhanging mass that speed fly betokened squall, as Mate Miller we'll knew Quickly the order WAS given, the buntlines and down hauls were man. ned, and in less than five minutes all 1he light sails were furled and the heav- fer ones clewed up. The lower topsaii alone was left spread, and the vessel was luffed up to meet the expected blast.
 The wind began to shift to fke vest ward in five minutes, but still held light, aud the vessel lay almost motion less Looking again toward the black mass of clouds to westward, the mats saw what looked like gray fingers of vapor reaching downward from the 1 lower edges toward the sea-
 "Waterspouts!" was Miller's mental ejaculation. and stepping to the com panionway he called Captain Mitchell on deck.
 One glance showed the experienced skipper what to expect. Already the gray fingers. 15 miles away, had grown to enormous columns that reached down almost to the ocean's sRrface Great spirals of water arose to meet the col umns and then eight enormous water spouts came swirling toward the Edith Sheraton
 The formation of the waterspouts had not taken more than 15 minutes, but the wind in that time had veered complete ly to the westward and had freshensd enough to give the vessel steerage way.
 All hands were ordered on deck, and Captain Mitchell took the wheel and anxiously watched the rapidly approach ing spouts. On they came, gathering force and volume iR their progress, bus | still the wind that blew over the bark entine was little more than & fresh breeze.
 The great whirling columns appeared to start abreast of enc another, but after trayersing half the distance to the yes- | sel they appeared in 8 straggling TOW, making zigzig course that rendered es- cape for the vessel hard problem. I've 1 of the great spouts were rushing straight for the barkentine, but the vessel rapid | ly fell of before the wind, and the whirling columns passed to starboard of her, as did four others.
 I Fxun 1oY4 TA 1 with, and at one time it was almost cer- tain that one or both of these vast bodies would strike the Sheraton. One of ths spouts lowered fully 1, 900 feet into ths clouds At its base, from the deck of the barkentine, the huge spiral appeared fully 50 feet in diameter, and the top of this enormous funnel of water was at least 150 feet across, Mate Miller sol emnly declares.
 If this vast mass of brine struck the vessel, she would be crushed and sent to the bottom under the weight of a noun tain of water. The other spout was not so large, but WAS big enough to do much damage. and Mate Miller plucked the shippers arm and said
 Is there a gun on board? will fire into and scatter that spout. '
 Not & frearm on the vessel, D re- sponded the captain as he grasped ths spokes more firmly.
 The big spout was now within 800 yards and travelling, as the others were, at the rate of 20 knots an hour They were urged on by the squall in the clouds, far above the barkentine, which still had a fresh breeze. The spouts hiss ed as they came, as if million serpents were entwined about them or multi tude of steam valves had been opened at once.
 l The distance between the colossal spout that threatened the Sheraton and the vessel was rapidly lessening, and the big column of water was not more than 300 yards away. when Captain Mitchell suddenly jammed down the | helm Heavily laden thnu oh Sba xx,as