The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-09
In a Storm off Hatteras.

it is not gambling to bet that the man
who has never forgets it. A gentle
man by the name of E. NJ. Leete, who
recently made trip up the coast, IN
which the good ship Iroquois was de-
tanned three days off the cape, has
written very graphic account Of his
experiences, which will prove inter-
esting to the hundreds Of people who
have been in gales off Hatteras and
who has never been able to forget it.
After describing the departure of the
ship from Charleston. Mr.. Leete says:
''The Iroquois in the meantime, with
her nose pointing straight for New
York, was fast leaving the miles be-
hind her and gaining the open sea.
The ocean was far from smooth, with
plenty Of white caps showing to the
windward, but not yet rough enough
to hinder US at all, and that afternoon
and evening we made good run. At
dinner time there were many vacant
seats at the table and the stewardess
was busy waiting on those in their
rooms. All that evening the vessel
rolled and pitched in the eyer-increas-
ing sea, and many went to bed, but
not to sleep. All through the night
we were tossed and rolled in our berths
until about o clock, when the motion
became easier and we missed the noise
Of the engines. Just what had hap
pened we did not know until Z o'clock,
or six bells, in the morning, when it
was time to get up. 1t was no joke
to stand in that state room that morn
ing. By dint of holding on to the
berth boards and watching my chance
managed to reach the window and
shove the sash and blind back so that
1 could look out. The picture that
showed through that open window |
shall never forget. The sky was COW
cred with thick clouds and it was
raining hard. The wind whistled
through the wire rigging and dashed
the wet drops in my face, while the
Iroquois was wallowing in the big
gray seas, each one crowned with a
snowy crest. We were under very
little steam, just enough to keep her
| head to it and yet remain in the same
place. Many day have I fshed for
sea bass in open water, near some
favorite reef, when it seemed as
though our boat stood on end, and
thought nothing Of it. To see an
ocean steamer three hundred feet or
more in length cut up the same antics
was another thing. Long stood at
the window and watched the sight.
There were two reasons why | stayed
so long. One was that rather enjoy
ed it and the other was that hardly
knew how to get into my clothes
under the existing circumstances.
Imagine yourself inia.box about six
feet square, with the floor making an
angle Of less than 45 degrees each way
about once minute and you get an
idea of our sleeping apartment. Some
of our clothing had fallen off from the
hooks and was in heap in the corner.
| picked out some things that belonged
to me and, after some little trouble,
put them on and finished out with
what was left on the hooks.
"The breakfast gong had sounded
and it was time to go down. stairs, SO,
leaving my wife in her berth, l opened
the door and stepped out. | could
step much easier than I could stop; in
fact, I left the room rather suddenly
and brought up against the door on
the other side Of the hall. With a
good hold on the door knob l waited
for lull, and made break for the
stairway leading to the dining room
below and staggered downstairs. The
gong had sounded some time ago, but
the place was almost deserted, save
by the walters. Not a dozen passen-
gers in sight of all the gay company Of
the day before. From something l
overheard 1 inferred that some were
seasick. And the breakfast, where
was it? Not thing on the tables
but the rack to hold the dishes. [ am
free to confess that the way l felt it
did not seem any great matter, but
still it aas time to eat, SO sat down
and looked over the bill Of fare. I did
not put in very elaborate order. In
fact, l was uot hungry, and, moreover,
it was time for me to 50 upstairs.
The air was very close down there,
and I was afraid my wife was sick.
She was, and not only that, but I felt
queer myself, and the state room was
| L l, I !