Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-11-13
poker. Nature was putting up huge


Oh, dear! She was SO tired. 1t de
manded physical effort to constantly
shove away an unseen force that tried
to push you over. How funny that Il
| big cloud should travel up against the
| wind. And So amid confused Won
derment, she apsed into an uneasy
slumber, her last sentient thought be
ing quiet thankfnlness that the
screw went thud thud, thud, thud,
with such determination.
After the course was changed and
the Sirdar bore away toward the south
west the commander consulted the ba'
rometer 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 melancholy dark
| ness of the gale
| For many minutes together the bows
| of the ship We're not visible Masthead
and side lights were obscured by the
pelting scud The engines thrust the
vessel forward like a lance into the
vitals of the storm. Wind and wave
glshed out OF the vortex with inpo-
tent fury.
At last soon after midnight the ba-
rometer showed slight upward move
ment At 1:3O a. m. the change became
pronounced. 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. Then he turned
to consult chart. He was Joined by
the chief officer. Both men examined
the chart in silence.
Captain Ross finally took q pencil.
He stabbed it's point on the paper in
the neighborhood of Il degrees north
and 112 degrees east.
1--WE are about there, think"
The chief agreed. THAT was the To-
cality had in my mind" He bent
closer over the sheet.
'.Nothing in the way tonight, SIR he
added.
s'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 trifle 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 endeav
To f1Nn ohov VT nfp
the deck. They looked aloft and ahead.
The officer on duty saw them and nod
ded silent comprehension. 1t was use
less to attempt to speak. The weather
was perceptibly clearer.
Then all three peered ahead again.
They stood, pressing against the wind,
seeking to penetrate the murkiness in
front. Suddenly they were galvanized
into strenuous activity.
A wild howl came from the lookout
forward. The eyes of the three men
glared at huge dismasted Chinese
junk wallowing helplessly in the
trough of the sea dead under the bows.
/ The captain sprang to the chart house
and signaled in fierce pantomime 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
disengaged hand he pulled hard at the
siren cord, and raucous warning sent
stewards flying through the ship to
close collision bulkhead doors. The
"chief'' darted to the port rail, for the
Sirdar's instant response to the helm
seemed to clear her nose from the
junk as If by magic.
It all happened 50 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 down
into the wretched craft. They could
see her crew dashed in bunch around
the capstan on her elevated poop. She
was laden with timber. Although wa
terlogged, she could not sink IL she
held together.
A great wave sucked her away from
the steamer and then hurled her back
with irresistible force. The Sirdar
was just completing her turning move
ment, and she heeled over, yielding to
the mighty power Of the gale. For an
appreciate instant her engines stop
ped. The mass Of water that swayed
the junk like cork lifted the great
ship high by the stern. The propeller
began to revolve in air, for the third Of
ficer had corrected his signal to full
speed ahead" again, and the cumbrous
Chinese vessel struck the Sirtlar ter
rible blow in the counter, smashing OF
the screw close to the thrust block and
wrenching the rudder from itB bearings.
There was IN awful race by the en-
gines before the engineers could shut
of steam. The junk vanished into the
wilderness of noise and tumbling seas
beyond, and the fine steamer OF few
seconds ago, replete with magnificent
energy, struggled like wounded levia-
than in the grasp of vengeful foe.
She swung around as If in wrath to
pursue the puny assailant which had
dealt her this mortal stroke. No longer
breasting the storm with stubborn per-
sistency, she now drifted aimlessly
before wind and wave. She was mere
ly 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
80 Tho E{,.Gor NJ what avail was