The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-16

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Eh gales that ever blew over the
v " high SierTas Ben leaned con-
tentedly back in his chair,
near the open mouthed fireplace, and
told US youngsters about his voyage
upon a schooner laden with gun
powder, through the thick of an awful
thunder storm and tidal wave III the
tropics.
I was the master of the schooner
Nancy Bell" said Uncle Ben. we took
on a load of gunpowder at Matanzas
and started to carry it to CallaO. There
We're four men in the crew besides the
first mate. Dan Cheever. They were all
good seamen and Dan was generally
the best of the lot. All went we'll with
Us until the tenth day out. We were
then we'll off the South American coast,
having had fair winds all the way. l
was below in my cabin when 1 heard
the men on deck rushing madly about,
and before I could set up to see what
was going on l heard sails coming
down on the run. The sea had been
calm a few minutes before and was
naturally much surprised until l
reached the deck. When / poked my
head above the companion hatch was
more astoniShed
Coming along at race horse speed,
perhaps three miles distant, from the
westward, was terrific high wall OF
black water, surmOunted with a crest
of angry foam. The sea near US had
begun TO heaVe a little uneasily and
the wind had suddenly all died out.
The schooner had lost steerage way al
most in an instant and rolled about like
a log. You may not believe it, but that
oncOming wave Of mysterious origin
was higher than the main truck OF our
vessel. In a very short time it would
be upon US and then it was many
chances against one that we should
eSCaDe total wreck.
For the first time in my knowledge
Dan Cheever lost his GOODNESS and did
not know what 10 do. Already he had
lost precious time. The schooner was
side TO the coming wave. Unless she
could be moved out of that position she
would be surely capsized and fill and
fourder in a few seconds.
The blocks ia the rigging were
squeaking as they swayed and the
ropes began to beat tattoo against the
masts. II almost seemed TO the super
stitious sailors that the vessel was
scared by its impending DOOM l do
not want 10 boast, but 1 can truthfully
say that I have always been cooler
when danger was coming than when it
has passed. I raised my voice in
shrek
IS Get up a staysail, men, and get out
the sweeps of the long boat and try to
bring up her head to the waves.
My voice seemed to break the spell.
The men flew about with astonishing
speed and, Icing over their momentaG
panic, they made every movement
count to the best advantage. 1 took
the wheel, sending the mate forward
TO help get out sweep on the port
side. He worked we'll and soon had
laboring oar at work with the help of
Harry Nightingale. able seaman.
The vessel turned slowly. 1t seemed
an age before she turned at all, al
though really the time was not so long
as it seemed But when we had her
on the turn lucky flaw of wind filed
her fore staysail and pulled her fairly
around so hat she was directly head
on 10 the wall of black water. And
now the wave was up to US Every
man on the vessel held on for dear life
TO the rigging as the vessel began to
hastily fasten myself with a spare rope
to the wheel and I stood there awaiting
the worst that might happen.
What a wave that was. I have since
learned about tidal waves more than l
knew at that time, and l have every
reason to bflieve that we then en-
countered a tidal wave, one of the
worst ever known. There was no time
to think. The schooner strained and
held her own, but tons and tons of
water flooded and swept across the
decks. Had I not hastily closed the
matches as ! leaped on deck the vessel
must have filed at once.
We got over the first wave without
any great damage; but directly follow
ing the first We're several other waves,
the third higher than the first. How
we failed to breach to and founder I
have never been able to make out We
seemed to be more under the water
than on its surface.
Poor Harry Nightingale lost his hold
on the rigging and was swept away on
a huge green wave and was lost sight
Of in an instant. Finally all the great
waves went by. The schooner was
safe for the minute from the waters.
We on the deck had no time for con-
MA