Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-12-28

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At last soon after midnight the ba.
rometer showed slight upward move
ment. At 100 a. m. the change became
pronounced. simultaneously the wind
swung round n point to the westward.
Then Captain Ross smiled wearily.
His face frightened. He opened his
olskn cont, glanced at the compass
and nodded approval. Then he turned
TO consult chart. He was Joined by
the. chief officer. Both men examined
the chart In silence.
Captain Ross finally took n pencil
He stabbed its point on the paper In
the neighborllood of IL degrees north
and 1l2 degrees east.
1--WE are about there, I think"
The chief agreed. THAT was the 10.
cality I had in my mind" He bent
closer over the sheet.
Nothing In the way tonight, sir" he
added.
Nothing whatever. 1t Is bit Of
good luck to meet such weather here.
We can keep as far south as we like
until daybreak, and by that time
How did 1t look when you came in?'
"a triflc better. think"
II have sent for some refreshments
Let us have another look before we
tackle them"
The two officers passed out into the
hurricane Instantly the wind cndeav.
ored to tear the chart house from of
tile deck. They looked aloft and ahead.
The officer OH duty saw them and nod
less TO attempt to speak. The weather
was pcrceptibly clearer.
Then all three pecred ahead again
They stood, pressing against the wind,
seeking to penetrate the murkiness In
front. Suddenly they were galvanized
into strenuous activity.
\ wild howl came from the look out
forward. The eyes Of the three men
glared at a huge dsmasted Chinese
junk wallowing helplcssly IN the
trough of the sea dead under the bows
The captain sprang to the chart house
and sgnalcd in fierce pantomimc that
the wheel should be put hard over.
The officer in charge Of the bridge
pressed the telegraph lever to stop
and full speed astern," while with his
discngaged hand he pulled hard Mt the
siren cord, and raucOus warning sent
stewards flying through the ship ia
close collision bulkhead doors. The
"chief' dartcd to the port rail. for the
Sirdar's instant response to the helm
seemed 10 clear her nose from the
junk ms if by magic.
1t all happened so quickly that while
the hoarse signal was still vibrating
through the ship the Junk swept past
her quarter. The chief officer, joined
now by the commander looked dowr
into the wretchcd craft. They could
sec her crew dashed in bunch around
the capstan OH her elevated poop. She
was laden with timber. Although wa
terloggcd, she could not sink II she
held together.
A great wave sucked her away from
the steamer and then hurled her back
with irresistible force. The Sirdal
was just completing her turning move
mcnt. and she heeled over yielding Il
the mighty power of the gale. For al
nppreciable instant her engines stop
ped. The mass Of water that swayet
the junk like cork lifted the grea
ship high by the stern. The propelle
began TO revolve in air. for the third Of
ficer had corrected his signal to "ful
speed ahead" again, and the cumbrou'
Chinese vessel struck the Sirdar ter
rible blow in the counter. smashing of
the screw close to the thrust block ant
wrenching the rudder from its bearings
There was an awful race by the en-
zines before the engineers could shu
off steam. The junk vanished into til,
wilderness of noise and tumbling sea
beyond, and the fine steamer of few
seconds ago. repiete with magniticen
energy struggled like wounded levia
than in the grasp of vengeful foe.
She swung around as if in wrath I
pursue the puny assailant which ha
dealt her this mortal stroke. No longe
breasting the storm. with stubborn pei
sistency, she now drifled aimlessl
before wind and wave. She was mere
~ larger playthlng tossed about b.
titanic gambols. The junk was burs
asundcr by the collision. Her plank
and cargo Uttered the waves, wcr
even tossed in dersion on TO the deck
Of the Sirdar. OF what avail wa
strong timber or bolted iron agains
the spleen of the unclaimed and form
less monster who loudly proclaime
his triumph? The great steamshi
driftcd on through chaos. The typhoo
had broken the lance
But brave men. skillfuly directed
wrou.ht hard to avert further disas