Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-22

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 hourss 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 were not visible. Masthead and side lights were obscured by the 1 pelting scud. The engines thrust the vessel forward like lance into the vitals of the storm. Wind and wave gushed out of the vortex with impo-
 tent fury.
 At last soon after midnight the ba-
 rometer showed slight upward move ment At 80 a. m. the change became pronounced. Simultaneously the wind swung round point to the westward. Then Captain Ross smiled wearlly. 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 a pencil. He stabbed it's point on the paper in
 the neighborhood of 14 degrees north and 112 degrees east "We are about there. think" The chief agreed That was the To- cality I had in my mind" He bent closer over the sheet. Nothing in the way tonight, sir,' he
 added ... Nothing whatever. It is a bit of good luck to meet such weather here.
 until dayb-eak. and by that time How did it look when you came in?"
 "A trife better. I think" q 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- ored to tear the chart house from off I. The officer on duty saw them and nod ded silent comprehension. It 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 ill 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 speel 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 so quic...'y that while the hoarse signal was sill 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 if 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 tc
 the mighty power of the gale. For ar
 appreciable instant her engines stop ped The mass of water that swayed i the junk like a 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 "ful
 speed ahead" again. and the cumbrous
 Chinese vessel struck the Sfrdar ter ] rible blow in the counter. smashing on
 the screw close to the thrust block and
 wrsnching the rudder from its bearings ! ~ss.u