The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-30
WHEN WAVES RUN HIGHEST.
Vivid Picture of n Storm on the Al
snh<ic.
prom Ii Home Magazine

The wind chan ses from south to posi-
| bly, southeast. lhe officer in charge
| shakes his head as he looks at the ba-
rometer falling. It begins blowing hard
/ err and harder. Down, down goes the ba-
rometer and the Niiis..,; calls the Inessen-
| ger, who knocks at the captains cabin
| door with M wanted me to ten s1u
| sir, as how he thinks we may have mas
| ty blow The wind is coming up Does
| this feaze the captain Not much He
puts on his big boots, wraps his WOODEN
! comforter around his neck and goes on
| the bridge. Perhaps he never says word
| during the whole trouble and the officer
directs everything, as usual-but he is
I there, and when he gets there he takes
the responsibility for everything, and Mr..
- may feel little easier. The wind
picks up from a stiff breeze to moderate
gale, then to a gale (ffty miles an hour.
then to a hurricane (sixty-fye to sew
enty-fve miles an hour. 1t bowls so
man must shout to be heard
ten feet way. 1t blows strips
of paint off the funnel and Lighthouses.
The crests of the seas are whirled into
spray and the sides of the waves furrowed
with little ones. man cannot stand
against it without clinging with both
| hands to some SUPPORT. and seaman
ordered to make fast some ropes on the
held there for ten minutes
Finally he manages to creep on hands
and knees to the shelter of a deckhouse.
Tho air is so full OF spray that it seems as
If a heavy rain were falling. The waves
roll higher and higher. In an hour they
are ten feet from trough TO top and In
three hours are nearly on level with the
first deck below the bridge. An hour later
they are rushing from the southeast forty
font full -er,1taf
TO crest The clouds are rushing over IN
such masses as to almost touch the ship.
stop the engines and let her drift comes
from the captain.
"Clangi" goes the gong, and the propel,
Ter, which has been half the time in the
water and half the time peating the air as
a wave lifted it, ceases its revolutions and
gradually the great hull swings broadside
to the sea. Then begias a battle royal be-
tween the handiwork Of man and the ele-
ments The best artisans constructed the
former out OF the best steel in Britain's
most noted shipyard. Every bolt was
screwed h1.ne and every rivet clinched
tight. The snip begins to roll from side
to side. The seas lift this 10000 tons OF
weight so that third of the bottom is en-
tirely out OF water then let her down
with thud that makes her tremble. but
never finch. Up and down she goes. the
deck-sides playing see-saw with each other.
First one will be high above the water.
Then it goes down. The waves seem to
grow higher and higher, and as the bull
wark is within a few inches of the foam
ing water you look up. and up at a liquid
mountain. gTeen-topped with white. It
seems hundreds of feet high, but you are
looking obliquely and thus the distance is
magnified.
1t is a sight never to be forgotten, and
few care to see II a second time, as they
cling to whatever support offers itself to
keep themselves from being washed into
the water or thrown against the upper
works Miniature whiriwinds branching
off from the hurricane twist the spray
into little water-spouts, whirling them
over the decks, up the masts and drench-
ing the man in the crows nest. Farther
and farther rolls the vessel, until the
foaming water runs along among the cat
lie, washing through the compartments
and soaking them to the knees. But 1t is
a healthy bath.
Is there any danger2 None r. Car. The
green hand might expect that every min
ute the hull would turn completely over,
but that is simply impossible. Now the
reason for trimming the cargo properly Is
seen. II acts Ike foundation in holding
the ship. The cooks department cannot
be trimmed and suddenly the kettles, pans,
al-i dishes start for the door in an avail
ant he, as the deck tips more than usual.
accompanied by a flow of ''cuss words"
from the chef.
For six hours the roar Of the wind con-
tinues with scarcely seconds intermis
sion. Then 1t lulls a bit and the sky
(lightens a trifle. This is the beginning of
the end but for two hours longer it con-
tinues before the lulls become more fire.
quent. Finally the engine starts again
and the vessel is headed on her course,
victorious at every point. She has not
shipped sea. Not wave has rolled over
her, and not gallon of water has entered
her hold.
Finally the captain comes down and
changes his clothes. Yes, 1t was quite
blow" he says. lighting his pipe What
the captain does has been mystery until
now. He seems to write little, smoke
considerably, take nap in the afternoon,
and have plenty Of time to be sociable,
but does he draw his pay merely for this?
No, it is for being in the right place and
doing the right thing at the right time.