The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-11-23
THRILLING STORY.
TOLD BY CAPTAIN KEMP OF THE
BRIG ISABELLA BALLOON

Captain Murdoch Kemp Of Province
town, whose craft, the British brig Isa-
bella Balcom, was wrecked in a kucri-
zane Sept. %, while on u voyage from
New York to Nucvitas, tells a wonder
fully interesting story Of the hurricane
that wrought such destruction among
vessels in the vicinity of it's path. His
tale is rs follows:
We left New York Sept. IA, and on
the 22d were in latitude 80 degrees,
longitude 6S degrees 20 seconds, having
been forced farther east than | wished
by adverse winds. The weather on this
day was not alarming, though rather
inc]ement, but On the morning OF the
23d it came OH to blow hard, with u
heavy sea, and ut Z IA. IN. a nasty south
southeastern was increasing i'll power
rapidly. The BalcCm was making CAPT
tai weather of it up to this hour, beng
under snug canvas.
Finding that dirty weather was sure
to follow We began to prepare for it.
1--WE took the fOresail in but, the gale
coming down harder Immediately, the
lower tOpsall began TO give, and we
rounded her off to shake the wind out
while furling it. As we kept away We
started to dUHse the malnSall, and the
first breath of the hurricane reached
us. The mainsail was hoisted only five
hoops high when close reefed and was
brand new at that. The wind came with
such strength that the hoops could not
stand the pressure. Every IL burst I'M
der the drag, and about the same time
:he topsail went TO pieces.
"The after ~staysail had been secured
and the ~foretopmast staysail was TIE
only sail showing rs the brig swung
sJuarely before the hurricane and sped
away. Before long the only canvas ex-
posed was carried away and the craft
scldded under bare poles. The full fury
OF tie hurricane now burst upon US,
coming in IA blast that drove clouds of
sea spray headlOng along its track,
while the noise of its roaring was deaf
ening. 1t leveled the giant seas in q mo-
ment, acting as II mighty weight.
against which the towering seas could
offer no resistance, and converted the
whole expanse of ocean into Il level
plain, the top waters OF which were
blown like rain parallel with the sur
face. y
lat 9 o'clock the craft capsized. We
had steered her as straight as we could,
striving to expose the stern only to the
wind, without a bit of sea to bother,
and what caused her to go down on her
broadside SO quickly we cannot tell. She
went over in an instant, having, per-
haps, swerved a trif1e, and lay with half
her body under water, ~broadside to the
sea. While scudding we offered less re-
sistance to the wind than now, when
the wind poured over the weather rail,
yelling, to seize upon the partial deck
load Of lumber and tear it apart in a
twinkling. The stout boards went into
the air, were rent to pieces, cracking
and swapping. and were carried out OF
sight III a breath. Stout shutters, clos
ing against the cabin windows, were
supposed to be strong enough to with
stand almost any pressure, but she went
over with such force that these, with
the windows back of them, were crushed
violently inward by the impact with the
flood, and a torrent of water gushed into
the cabin, threatening to drain down
into the hold and quickly send the YES
sci and crew to the bottom. The mast!
such parts as could be discerned-la,
fat along the sea, with yards forkin.
straight aloft. The water Oh a leve
reached half way Of the deckhous
roofs. On the forward house u boat wa
slowed, bound down solidly by stou
ropes connecting with ringholts insertet
IN massive OVERLAPPING timbers bolted t
the housetop. With such fury did tn
wind sweep that it tore boats, ropes, ring
bolts and timhers away together all
hurled them out Of sight to leeward.
nave heard that men have been III gale
that have torn away their 'westcr.
leaving the Innings alone b>hind. \ | ht
lieve such stories now, for my ow
sou'wester was ripped clear, that par
Ct the lining confined by the chin stra
alone remaining. The craft lay pros
trate until noon. Then the masts brok
Off and the bowsprits went, swapping
the knightheads.
Va u cpaIS ~ A'iP~u ~
the dead weight i'll her hold, the Ba
CON rolled back upon her bottom, bu
y We were unable to do u thing until tn
first fury of the hurricane had passed
All Of IL sudden-within two minutes
tie wind changed from south-southea'
TO northwest and subsidized somewha
but still blew a living gale. Then a tr'
mendous sea arose and a new dang'
threatened-the crushing of the benz
by the pounding spars alongside. "
got to work clearing away the wrecka,
as quickly as possible, got the broke
spars a1rift and clear of the hull, the
turned our attention to the pumps. 81
had 6la feet of water in her hold. v
had two good pumps, and, with thr
men at each, we exerted ourselves
get the better Of the leak. After S
hours of steady work we got the wat
in the hold down to q feet. and. fin
ing that q pump could take care of
that entered, quit work at II pump
give the men a chance to rest. The Gre
presented a sorry apDearance. Laakir