Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-22

the port size, out, Owing 10 the TeNOlutlOH
of the gale, when she passes its center the
wind is on the starboard side"
Yes, that was right as far as the first
part was concerned Evidently they had
not yet passed the central path Oh, dear!
She was tired 1t demanded a physical
effort to constantly shove away an unseen
force that tried to push you over. How
funny that a big cloud should travel up
against the wind! And so, amidst confused
wonderment. she lapsed into an uneasy
slumber. her last sentient thought being
quiet thankfulness that the screw went
thud-t hud, thud-thud with such firm deter
mination.
After the course was changed and the
Sirdar bore away toward the southwest,
the commander consulted the barometer
each half hour. The telltale mercury had
sunk over two inches in twelve hours. The
| abnormally low pressure quickly created
dense clouds, which enhanced the melan-
choly darkness of the gale.
For many minutes together the bows of
the ship were not visible. Masthead and
sidelghts We're obscured by the pelting
scud. The engines thrust the vessel for
ward like lance into the vitals of the
storm Wind ard wave gushed out of the
vortex with mpotent fury.
At last. soon after midnight the barom-
eter showed a slight upward movement
At 1:30 am. the change became pro-
nounced; simultaneously the wind swung
round point to the westward
Then Captain Ross smiled YEARLY. His
face frightened. He opened his oilskin
coat, glanced at the compass and nodded
approval
That's right he shouted to the quar-
termaster at the steam wheel. Keep her
steady there, south 10 west"
South Is west it is, SIR yelled the sail
or, impasively watching the moving disk,
for the wind alteration necessitated a lit
tie less help from the rudder to keen the
ships head true to her course.
Captain Ross ate some sandwiches and
washed them down with cold tea. He was
more hungry than he lima gined, having
spent eleven hours without food The tea
was insipid. He called through a speaking
tube for a further supply of sandwiches
and some coffee.
Then he turned to consult chart. He
was Joined by the chief officer. Both men
| examined the chart in silence.
Captain Ross finally took a pencil He
stabbed its point on the paper in the neigh
borhood of IA degrees north and 112 de-
grees east.
I'VE are about there. 1 think
The chief agreed. That was the locality
had In my mind" He bent closer over
the sheet.
Nothing in the way tonight. sir" he
added.
Nothing whatever It is bit of good
luck to meet such weather here We can
Keep as far south as we like until day
break, and by that time How did ii
look when you came IMP"
"A trifie better, l think
nave sent for some refreshments Let
US nave another dekko before we tackle
them
The two officers passed out into tbe bnr-
ricane instantly the wind endeayored To
tear the charthouse from off the deck
Ihey looked aloft and ahead The officer
on duty saw them and nodded silent com
pfehenslon 1t was useless to attempt to
speak The weather was perceptibly clearer
Ihen all three -peered ahead again They
| STOOD, pressing against the wind seeking
10 penetrate the murkiness in front Sud-
"a aaiz
activity A
A wild howl came from the lookout for
ward The eyes of the three men gIared al
huge dismasted Chinese junk. waIlowinp
helplessly in the trough of the sea TaaS
under the bows. ~
The captain sprang to the charthouse
and signaled in fierce pantomime that fbe
wheel should be put hard over
Inc of1lcer in charge of the bridge
pressed the telegraph lever to stop
and full speed astern." whilst
with ms disengaged hand he pulled hard at
ste,,s siien coro' ana raucous warning sent
stewards nylng through the ship to close
co+lslon bulkhead doors The ''chief' dart
ed 10 the port rail, for the Sirdar's insta Mt
response TO the helm seemed to clear her
nose from the junk as if by magic
1t all happened SO quickly that whilst tho
hoarse signal was stil vibrating through
Ine snip the junk swept past her quarter
Inc cnef ofhcer, Joined now by the com
nanoer looked down into the wretched
"a
bunch around the capstan on her elevafed
poop. She was laden with timber Although
water-logged she could not sink if she held
together. ~
A great wave sucked her awav from the
steamer and then hurled her back with ir
fesistible force. The Sirdar was inst corr
pleting her turning movement and she heel
eo over. yielding to the mighty power of the
gaze. FOR an appreciable instant her en-
gineS stopped. The mass of water tba+
swayed the junk like a cork lifted the great
snip nigh by the stern. The propeller he
gan TO reVolve in air-ior the third officer
had corrected his signal to full speed
ahead again-and the culnbrous Chinese
vessel struck the Sirdar a terrible blow in
the counter, smashing off the screw close 70
the thrust-block and wrenching the rudder
from its bearings.
There was an awful race by the epoires
before the engineers could shut off steam
The junk vanished into the wilderness of
noise and tumbling seas beyond, and the
me steamer OF few seconds ago, replete
with magnificent energy, struggled like a
wounded leViathan in the grasp of a venge-
full foe.
She swung round, as II in wrath. to pur-
sue the puny assailant which had dealt her
this mortal stroke. No longer breasting
tie storm with stubborn PERSISTENCE she
now drifted almlessiy before wind and
wave. She was merely a larger plaything
tossed about by Titanic gambols. The
junk was burst asunder by the collision
Her planks and cargo Uttered the waves
were even tossed in derision on to the decks
of the Sirdar. OF what avail was strong
timber or bolted iron against the spleen of
the unclaimed and forralcss monster who
! loudly proclaimed his triumph? The great
steamship drifted on through chaos. The
| typhoon had broken the lance.
But brave men, skilfully directed
wrought hard to avert further disaster
| After the first moment of stupor gallant
| British sailors risked life and limb to bring
! the vessel under control.
BY their calm courage they shamed the
| pSralyZed Lascars into activity. sail was
rugged on the foremost. and sea anchor
| hastily constructed as soon as it was dis
covered that the helm was useless Rock
| cts fiared up into the sky at regular inter-
| walls, in the faint hope that should they
| attract the attention of another vessel she
| would follow the disabled Sirdar and rem
| der help when the weather moderated.
When the captain ascertaned that no
water was being shipped, the damage be-
| ing wholly external, the collision doors
were opened and the passengers admitted to
| the saloon, a brilliant palace. superbly in
| different to the wreck and ruin without.
| Capt. Ross himself came down and ad-
| dressed few comforting words to the
| quiet men and pallid women gathered there.
| He told them exactly what had happened.
| Sir John Tozer. self-possessed and crit
! {cal ked a