The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-31

II happened In 80 degrees north lati-
tide, Isl degrees 30 minutes east iongi-
tude, and II the good bark Hesper or san
Francisco had not been az staunch a. they
make 'em. she would have had her spars
blown out from their fastenings- The ty-
phoon. for that was the kind Of beast
she ran against, was a bowler and had no
respect for man or ship. 1t bore down
from the northeast by north. travelling
pretty nigh straight. but all the time CIR
cling and a-circling. hauling to the right.
The blow lasted thirty hours. and then
the Hesper was in the center OF the storm.
For seven and Z half hours she lay help
less, becalmed, and then the storm came
back. from the southwest and hauling to
the left. For thirty hours more the Hes
per fought the mighty seas that rolled
over her as II she were nothing but
cockle-shell, and finally bobbed up serene
without losing rnore'n her lower topsaiiss
which had been carried away with bang
that sounded like the boom from big
cannon. When It was all over Capt. Sod
ereren stretched his legs on the deck and
rcn arked to himself in = serious manner.
stScdergren. II you didn't have the
starnchest little ship that ever noated.
you'd have been food for the nsh! II
took day or two to clear up after the
scattering about and to RIG q steering
gear, for the old ono had given out in
the first thirty hours. Then the Hesper
caught fair winds, and with the bone In
her mouth plowed along at merry rate
for Puget sound. arriving at Port Blake
ley October "a She had made the run
from Tsentsin. China. to Puget sound In
fifty-one days. remarkably good time. for
1t takes ten days longer from Tieutsin
than from Shanghai
Capt. Sodergren was In tho city last
evening, and while conversing with
friends said that he had never seen a
III a hi Il
the Hesper was In the typhoou.
''How did It tumpf" asked one Of the
party.
point Il reached was 2S.SS and the highest
ISIS. The needle would make clean
jumps between those points. We call 1t
. jump Of two-tenths. because the barom-
posed had seen q barometer jump. but
when saw that commenced 70 doubt
the truth of the instrument An Il kept
jumping Just both ways while we were In
the storm and while we were becalmed."
''How much would two-tenths be In
'About two inches" was the reply.
'.What would be respectable jump for
. needle In an ordinary typhoonr' In
Qusred . man whose knowledge Of barom-
eters and atmospheric pressure was aS
clear % the White river IN spring time.
.oh. oue-fourth Of one-tenth." replied tho
captain.
Then they al insisted that Capt. Sober
gren should tel shout the battle of the
Hesper with the typhoon. and 20 the cap
tain went on a. follows;
The Captain'o story.
I'VE sailed from Tientsin August 81 in
ballast. with q crew of thirteen" Here
one Of the listeners remarked that thirteen
was IN unlucky number. WELL" con-
tinusd the captain. Everything went
smoothly until We were about to pass from
uhe Eastern sea into tho Pacific ocean.
Things commenced to look bad The
mountains on the coast. not more than
thirty miles away, gave unmsstakabIe
signs OF . typhoon. The barometer fell
IT the rate Of S-l0 every four hours
for twelve hours. and things wsre booking
bad. You see, when the mountains show
up ~ they did there is no doubt that ty-
phoon 10 coming. Take . mountain 5000
feet high. II would be covered with c.ou.s
from the top down fully 1000 feet. and
from there to the bottom Il would be clear.
All the matches on board were hattened
down and every SAL was furied excepting
tho lower tops. We we're only thirty miles
on shore, and II was necessary 70 carry
sail In order 20 keep from being blown
ashore. - the wind was coming dead on
shore. ~ o'clock on the morning Of Sep
tember :. when the ship was IN % degrees
north taf4tude, III degrees % minutes east
Longitude. the sypshoon struck Us. Ii cama
from the northeast by north and was haul
sng to the right For about three hours
our sails stood the racket. the lee rail all
the while being buried under the water.
suddenly there was terrific report. ana
We found ourselves plungsng In the mount
atnous waves without . vestige of sail TO
steady. Thanks 10 the shree hours that
they had held OUT, We had been enabled
70 keep or hand and thus avoid certain
wreck To make matters WORSE after We
lost our eafls our steering rear broke. All
the time We had had three men ss the
wheel. and NJ that the Keeper steers kke
yacht There was . hustle 60 right
facik3ss. bast n Was finally done. and In this
way We saved tie rucder The storm
lasted thirty hours, and during that
time not man could 1--we on deck. Yes.
In broad daylight you could not see hair
tbs lsngth OF the deck Sometimes II
seemed ~ II shs spars would be blown out
from the decks. but they held. ana We sud-
deEiy entered the center of the typfoon.
4 calm lasted for seven and = half nours-
when We were again struck by tsse ~.
phoon. coming this time from the soutia-
west. hauling 70 she isfx- Thirty hours
more Of battle followed. and We finally
came out without the loss OF spar. II
we had nne had new rs8xzng. and ana OF
fhe stauncfest crafts noas, DON'T know
where - voa1d have landed"