The Winslow mail., 1898-07-30
An East Indian Hurricane
ATE WERE making passage from
WV Samaranr in the island of lava
By GEORGE II, cooMER.


w OdlildIdl4S, II llle 1Sidi4u VI "a q;
to Singapore, which, as most readers
are aware, lies close off the southern
extremity of Malacca, and is one of the
greatest commercial emporiums of the
world,
Our ship, the Lion, a vessel of about
7G0 tons, was loaded with coffee and
pepper, large quantities of the articles
| being carried from Java to Singapore,
and thence reshipped to other ports
upon demand.
| We had as passengers an American
| physician and his wife, who brought
with them a large number of beautiful
Javanese birds, which they hung in
cages about the deck cabin. In a large
cage, placed in The open air, they had a
wild peacock, with its mate, these su-
| perb fowls being very common in the
deep forests of Java, where they must
often, one would think, meet with un-
pleasant neighbors.
On leaving Samarang we were able to
head directly for our place Of destina-
| tion, with the northeast monsoon
squarely on our broadside, blowing a
hour, which, in about five days, brought
us within sight of the tall treetops Of
| Singapore that looked, as seen through
| our glasses at distance of some 20
miles, as if they sprang directly out of
the water
Here, however, there fell dead calm,
the monsoon being entirely gone. The
cI- no oh =; Il
not like; for, although not cloud was
visible, the whole heaven assumed a
strange, brassy look that was reflected
on board the ship.
The captain and mate conferred anx-
iously together; the hands forward
squinted at the sky and shook their
heads, and the two passengers, DR.. Al
ton and his wife, were evidently not a
little startled. The very peacock failed
to cry out that day, as was his custom,
and the birds iu the cabin were more
than usually quiet.
On the other hand, a cat which we
had on board became strangely rest
less, darting hither and thither, and
staring about her in such a wild man
ner as led the second mate to remark
that it must be high water, If there was
anything to be told by eats eyes.
Hurriedly the lighter spars were sent
down to the deck, and while this worl,
was in progress there game sweeping
toward Us three prodigious rollers in
close proximity TO each other, the cen
trail wave being, as we judged, % feet
ic~I x--hi ]
it, and were merely its consequent ad-
juncts, were considerably lever
There was something almost super
natural in the appearance Of those
three bread uEdulations, as they
coarsed heavily along upon an other
wise smooth sea. The ship, lying total
ly bSoalmed, received them "broadside
to- and it was our fear that they would
sweep the decks; but. with three tre-
mendous rolls, which threw the very
| peacock eff his legs, she surmourted
them in safety: The moment they
had gone by the surface of the China
sea resumed its ordinary appearance.
AT the end of an hour, however, we
received second visitation, precisely
somewhat heavier. They struck the
ship upon the bows, and, as her position
| for the moment was the most favorable
| one possible, she received no injury, al
though pitching s'bowsprit under
Again succeeded the ordinary aspect
Of calm at sea, where the gentle un-
| dulations, although nearly impercepti-
bic, arc never entirely absent.
Another hour. and we saw third ad-
vancing column, which, like the first
and second, consisted of a trio Of waves,
bus with an increased weight and ter
ror. The ship was now "stern on and
we awaited the result with great anx-
] iety.
There was terrible grandeur in the
| appearance Of the rolling deluge. The
middle wave could not have been less
than 80 feet high, while those in front
and rear may have lacked some eight or
| ten feet of this altitude. The combined
line illustrated the military idea of a
column Cf attack, formed three deep.
The silence with which this mighty
avalanche glided onward was. in itself,
fearful. Upon the top there might be
an occasional break ard growl, but be-
low was an utter noiselessness, and
the whole bespoke weight and power
. to mock any effort of the Imagination.
The foremost ef these corn bined seas
swept under the ships counters, throw
ing her stern in air till the deck lay at a
most unusual angle. Then the bow cor
resPondingly rose. while the stern sank,
and now the middle wave hung Ike a
moving mountain close to the taffrail.
The good cid Lion-ar. excellent sea
boat-onee more lifted her after part as
the base of the tremendous swell rolled
under her rudder port, ard for a mo-
ment We thought that even this huge
sea would go harmlessly by.
But it was too steep, and too near its
fellow wave for the ship to ride il
safely. She had glided swiftly down
from the smaller, and the larger caught
her at a disadvantage,
AS the stern began to rise, the top o.
the swell broke over the taffrail. L
came with inconceivable force upon the
poop deck, which was seven feet high
and under which was the cabin. The
bcai which hung at the stern was stove
the binnac.e broken, the cQmpas: