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

Hatteras is; in the language Of the
ltialto, they have ''been there, and
it is not gambling to bet that the man
who has never forgets it. A gentle
man by the name of f. VI. Lecte, who
recently made trip up the coast, in
which the good ship Iroquois was de-
taincd three days off the cape, has
written g 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 tie departure of the
ship from Charleston. Mr.. Leete says
'Thc 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 we're many vacant
seats at the table and the stcwardess
was busy waiting on those in their
rooms. All that evening the vessel
rolled and pitched in the evcr-incrcas-
ing sea, and many went to bed, but
not to sleep. All through the night
we were tossed and rolled in our berths
until about4 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 clock,
or six bells, in the morning, when it
was time to get up. II 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
l managed to reach the window and
shove the sash an blind back SO that
l could look out. The picture that
showed through that open window I
shall never forget. The sky was Gov
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
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 ished for
sea bass in open water, near some
favoritc reef, when it seemed rs
though our boat stood on end, and
thought nothing Of it. To sec an
ocean steamer three hundred feet or
moro 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
80 long. One was that rather enjoy
cd it and the other was that I hardly
knew how to get into my clothes
under the existing circumstances.
Imagine yourself in 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 eff from the
hooks and was in heap in the corner.
picked ou: some things the. 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 SO stairs, SO,
leaving my wife in her berth, l opened
the door and stepped out. I could
step much easier than I could stop; in
fact, I left the room rather suddenly
snd brought Up against the door on
the other side Of the hall. With a
good hold on the door knob 1 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 dozen passen-
gers in sight Of all the gay company of
the day before. From something I
overheard I inferred that some we're
seasick. And the breakfast, where
was it? Not thing on the tables
but the rack to hold the dishes. I am
free to confess that the way I felt it
did not seem any great matter, but
still it was time to eat, so I sat down
and looked over the bill Of fare. did
not put in very elaborate order. In
fact, I was not hungry, and, moreover,
it was time for me to go upstairs.
The air was very close down there,
and I was afraid my wife was sick.
She was, and not only that, but felt
queer myself, and the state room was