Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-07-30


RF'S sci aloat thirty
six hours later.
The day opened with a murky and
threatening aspect. "Mare's-tails'
floated here and thero in the leaden
sky; the sea seemed disturbed and
restless; the wind rose and fell. BY
eleven o'clock the clouds had gathered
into denser and darker masses, and
reached to the horizon; the mercury
fell rapidly; the sea became more agi-
tated, and the whitecaps rose higher
and faster; the wind came out fresh
from the northeast. 1t soon began to
shift against tho hands of the watch,
and gave warning that the approach
ing storm would be circular, like a
whirlwind.
Before noon the signal was flying
from our flagship Trenton: "Send
down lower yards and house topmasts.' y
Immediately preparations were begun
On the Nandalia to ride out q heavy
gale.
The light yards and masts were sent
down; the topmasts were housed; the
lower yards were lashed across the
ships rail, aud the topsail yards
across the tops; the guns were secured
for sea; everything movable about
the decks was ashed; the boats were
rugged in; chain was veered to two
anchors and steam was raised i'll all
the boilers.
/ BY four o'clock in the afternoon the
wind hal backed around through
thirty-two points OF the compass,
travelled to the right to east-northeast
and backed again to the left to north
northeast, from which direction itcon
tiuuod to blow even more furiously
while the storm lasted.
/ Darkness came early and settled
down over q wicked sea, the angry
waves breaking into seethiug foam as
they dashed over the hidden reefs ant
rushed heavily past the laborins ships
tugging at their mooriugs. BY hal
past eight o'clock tho wind had in
creased to hurricane force, and the
Vandalia's third and last serviceablt
anchor was let go.
The seas were running higher ant
higher. About ono O'Clock heav,
wave broke over the forecastle, carry
ing away tho catamaran which was
hoisted above the rail and sweeping
the deck. Tho waves came heavier
aud faster, and the old ship, now hig(
on the crest of some lofty billow
now pitched violently into its depths
was slowly dragging her anchors. Th'
engines were kept going with all thu
power they could develop, but the!
were not match for the roaring SCI
aud tho bowling wind.
The ship pulled and ierked ut he
chains, iarring and shivering as thu
strain came violently on them, an,
many weary men, tossed hero an'
there in their hunks and hammocks
lonscd and prayed for the day; bn
they were not to wait in thei
wretched beds till daylight, for abou
three o'clock furious wave b. ok
heavily over the ship and rushed vic
lently below.
Instantly the command from th'
captain, CAN hands on deck!" brough
up every man just as he came fron
his berth, or at most wearing only
pair of trousers and shirt, or q blous
and shoes.
At last the day stole over the temp
estuous scene, but 1t brought littl
comfort to the anxious watchers
Never shall + forget the awful pictur
of confusion aud disaster that sprea'
out before me in the faint dawn. ~
windward nothing could be seen, TO
rain, wind and spray swept over IL
in singing gusts and sheets. Over
head occasional clouds scudded acros
the dull, thick, lcaden sky; high alof
flew the while foam as the seas dashc
nngrily against the ships sides; o.
to leeward hoatel dense black massc
of smoke, as the tiremeu in the sweI
tering stokehold stirred the fires int
greater activity. All around IL
secthel the tumultuous seas, and no
far away the snow-white breaker
flung themselves with Ominous roal
ing upon the hidden coral reefs.
TO leeward lay the other ships, cs
cept the Trenton and those that ha
, already gone down, rolling, pitching
dragging, surginy in that waste {
waters. now strewn with wrecknge i
: every direction. A sailor, washed froi
some lost or struggling vessel, woul
occasionally float by, look appcaliugl
up to us beyond his reach, and pas
! ont of sight forever.
The weather-beaten and dismantle
, war-ships, laboring heavily, the
, masts swayiug sulienly back and fortl
! with rigging adrift aud trailing, wit
| colors whipped into shrels and ia
ters. seemed each like some proud an
, NAL brought at last to bay, b'
. struggling tiercely for life and ma
n terry. One moment vessel would al
c pear to be overcome in the might
deluge; the next it rose triumpian
shaking oil its foe; then, shiveriug
every timber and pouring forth hu2
: volumes of black smoke, it woul
, plunge llindly as if to destruction.
5. The sailing vessels aud small,
, craft soon sauk or drifted helpless
upon the reefs. Thus had gone dow
the Eber, cut in two by her Germa
consort, the Olga. There was +
. sounding crash, asplitting Of frame
, heavy jar and mighty tremble; II
e. bow and stern separated, and {
q ha" ou lrl-ha'f of the crew
!, werr ensnital. l'uur, by Q miracl