The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-15
MIXED UP WITT 4 WATERPROOF.
A Stirring Episode in the Noyarr Of n Little
Schooner In the Pacific.

From the san Fv1rci,.7 Chronicle
Tt svaved and yig7,eged over the ocean IKE
the staggering gar ot a drunken man, then swept
with n roar Just under our stern and carried away
the spinnaker boom whit"
That was the way Capt Bic. described tho
encounter his vessel, the schooner Metha Mel
son, had with a waterspout on the morning ot
Oct Is, about thirty miles northwest Of Point
Reyes. while she was making for this port The
schooner was bound from Makswell, Hawaiian
Islands, with a cargo Of sugar She had fair
weather during all the voyage until the capes
which mark the entrance 10 the harbor wsSs al
most In sight when the wind began to ircshen
and rome In fi,fIl gusts
The schooner was holding well up TO the moth
east 10 get a good slant Of wind for the pou after
taking bearings from the Farnllone Light The
wind, which had been pretty brisk at the break
of day, kept increasing and a few hours after
the sun broke through the banks of fog clouds
in he eastward it was almost blowing a hurricane
from The northwest
When nearly abreast Of Point Reye the YES
sells course was changed and shc WAS bowling
in tow ard the harbor, with tie wind almost astern.
Suddenly and almost directly ahead Of the
vessel here arose a great, tall column Of water
For a moment II stood almost directly In the
IThik VI inc e NthinPT anu Only 3 Few NhTlS IN
advance OF its ibbOom. Just a. the vessel seemed
about 10 pierce IL, IL moved slowly from the
schooner. then swung ~ Ia starbuard Capt
Rice ordered the helm hard over. to pass 10 port
Of the column, and NJ the same time Jumped down
from the poop deck to give the men a hand in
hauling up the sheets
The work was hardly half done and the lbs
AID mainsails were tapping in tie wind. when
me great column II water changed is course
and came Swirlug back toward the schooner
aS II 10 S'riE"i II almost amidships
ms lime II came TutlnK over the ocean with
a roar and with the speed ui an "Nt Press train
The sailors dropped the ropes on which hey were
hauling and sought The protection ~ The heavy
beams ui the fOrrCaSue head i.oni the spers Of
the rigging, that they expected the next moment
would be- Torn from the vessel aud come t~umbIing
down, a mas u Wrevkage. on the deck.
Almost trfor' N" nirn could nnCh he shelter
the vessel MAS caught N the vortex Of HIt which
accom- anind th" mighty twisting column II water,
and .h" spun around Ike . top, lurchlrg h"r port
sile under the water ~ she went III" vessels
stern swung into IN" ivltlIng base II the water
spout and u was lifted high m H." air while tho
bow sum: down into N" waves and m" wntar
rushed In On IN" ssllurSuy"r ia" hul Vnrks forward.
II was only for an instant, hut IN that instant
thrr" NQS n cracking ~ 'lmb"r~, and the lIt'ln
heavily IHirn vessel groan'd Ms though tho lf'
were being chuk-d out ~ her There was q loud
report 81 smashing uni. fs IN the midst 81 Il all.
hen the vessels DOW ruS'. AMI With n quick roll
20 Si1rburrd that nut her nimogto on her heam end
the vessel sprung around the Wat0rSpuut ~rGvollug
almost rrtl!I"l e. her inclined docks. The Jgint
II the jIrNo.m al but UOk"d INTO the twisting
column HS The schooner 'rirl"d ground
Slowly the schooner rghind had " hen she came
10 an 'v"l k""' he watt rsEOut was well oF 20
cardboard n N" vessel and travelling raiidly
AWAY Al danger To N" vessel WIS rnsi and
"" greatest surprise 10 the crew was the little
damage ihat had been done,