The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-13
TOSSED BY A TYPHOON.
For Two Days the Big Iron Vessel
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
Tor Two Days the Rig Iron Vessel
Was Tossed About Like a Cork
Prayers Were Said and Every
Hope for safety Abandoned.

Special Dispatch 70 the Poss-In.eiligencer.
TACOMA. Nov Ie-The British ship
Heathtield. Capt Mckenzie. which put into
port late last evening, brings with her
tale OF three days typaoon IN China
seas, which. from all that is sad OF IL, had
the vessel a. its mercy. only by seem
ing miracle iii the British ship weather
the terrific storm. All en- board talk OF the
experience in tones Indicative Of awe at
their narrow escape.
Capt Mckenzie, who has sailed in deep
water vessels for forty-fve years, says he
never before experienced such AZ awful
stress OF weather. In plain words he tells
story Of danger and hardship seldom read
Of in books Of romance. He was out bur
four days from Shanghai when the haroul-
e;er began TO fail and continued az a rate
that put him on his guard. AL day OF Sep
tember the ship was clOSe-hauled under
lower maintopsail. and rode a sluggish sea
with scarcely any Roadway. on thai same
evening. after calm that spoke volumes
for what was 10 come. IL view Of the ty-
phoCn season, the storm set in.
One must hear a member OF the crew or
one Of the Beathtield's officers tell OF the
experience 20 fully appreciate II. First off.
as the storm burst upon the ship the top
sails were carried away. q mass OF tatters.
After this first swoop OF the wind, which
seems. an advance note Of the storm. 4
Il
typhoon burst upon the ship IN al It's fury.
The second blow sent the vessels lee soup
pers under. and when the hull came for the
second time the vessel remained as she
was blown. Her ballast had shifted, and
despite every possible effort 10 trim ship.
the vessel remained beams end on for
hours.
The first attempt TO dress ship resulted
in second shifting OF ballast. while the
men were at work below, and IL required
every endeavor to rescue the men who
were buried by it in the sand and rock
ballast.
Then came period of comparative help
lessness, with the ship tumbling about in
the awful storm and nothing possible 10 be
done to improve matters. For twenty
hours the ship lay on her beams end. the
topsau yardarm striking the rough sea at
every lurch.
Then, as Capt Mckenzie tells it. his
daughter Jessie. who was aboard, SEM up
a prayer for succor, after every soul on
the vessel had abandoned hope. The mas
ter says II was on the morning Of Septem-
Der his daughter prayed for Divine help.
ard shortly following came a huh in the
terrific blow which lasted from the
4tl. The moment i: wan possible. the men
went below to move ballast and right the
ship. and after this had been done tht
ship rode out the storm without further
accident.
The entire sail dress Of the ship was car
ried away, and was new, as we'll as fitted
with extra gaskets for the occasion. From
the 9Th to the 10Th the crew put IN the
time bending a new set of sails. and on
the 18th she put into Yokohama, where she
was thoroughly overhauled and repaired
Not a movable piece OF equipment was
left on deck after the storm. and as her
master explains the Heathhed was mi
raculously saved from destruction.
The ship Is the property Of J. A. Rus
sell. Of the Clyde ship yards. Capt Ne
Kenzie is loud in his praise Of the conduct
Of ali his crew and under officers during
the trying days Of the typhoon, and refers
TO his ship as doub!y valuable for having
WA fherni the glia