The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-08-17
An East Indian Hurricane
By GEORGE II. cOOMER.
ME WERE making passage from
w Samaranp. in the island of lava

NTE WERE making a passage from
w Samarang, in the island of Java,
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, vessel of about
TOO 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 large number Of beautiful
Javanese birds, which they hung in
cages about the deck cabin. In large
cage, placed in the open air, they had
wild peacock, with its mate, these SUI
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 q
gentle breeze of five or six knots an
hour, which, in about five days, brought
us within sight of the tall treetops of
Singapore that looked, as seen through
our glasses at u 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
sky had an appearance which we did
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 q
little startled. The very peacock failed
to cry out that day, as was his custom
and the birds In 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 1t must be high water, If there wai
anything to be told by cats eyes.
Hurriedly the lighter spars were sent
down to the deck, and while this work
was In progress there came sweeping
toward us three prodigious rollers in
close proximity to Zach other, the cen
tral wave being, as we judged, 20 feet
high, while those which accompanied
1t, and were merely It's consequent ad
juncts, were considerably lower.
There was something almost super
natural in the appearance Of those
three broad nndulations, as theJ
,coarsed heavily along upon an other
wise smooth sea. The ship, lying total
ly becalmed, received them "broadsid,
to-" and it was our fear that they woult
sweep the decks; but, with three tire
mendous rolls, which threw the ver1
peacock Off his legs, she surmountet
them In safety: The moment they
had gone by the surface Of the Chin,
sea resumed its ordinary appearance.
At the end of an hour, however, W
received second visitation, precisel,
ike the first, except that the swells wer
J0mewhat heavier. They struck tn,
khip upon the bows, and, as her position
Tor the moment was the most favorable
one possible, she received no injury, al
though pitching "bowsprit under"
Again succeeded the ordinary aspec
of calm at sea, where the gentle I'm
dulations, although nearly impercepti
BILE, are never entirely absent.
Another hour, and we saw third ad
vancing column, which, like the frs
and second, consisted of trio of waves
but with an increased weight and ter
ror. The ship was now "stern on" an
we awaited the result with great an2
iety.
There was terrible grandeur in tn
appearance of the rolling deluge. TIL
middle wave could not have been les
: than 30 feet high, while those in iron
and rear may have lacked some eight O
ten feet Of this altitude. The combine
line illustrated the military idea Of
column Of attack, formed three deep.
The silence with which this might
avalanche glded onward was. in itsel
fearful. Upon the top there might
an occasional break and growl, but bt
. low was an utter noiseessness, an
the whole bespoke weight and powe
I to mock any effort of the imagination
The foremost Of these combined sea
swept under the ships counters, throw
ing her stern in air till the deck lay at
most unusual angle. Then the bow CO.
] respondingly rose, while the stern sanl
and now the middle wave hung like
moving mountain close to the taffrai
| The good old LioE-an excellent st
hoat-once more lifted her after part :