Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-06-23
A MOMENT OF HORROR.
An Incident Of a Stormy Night on an
Ocean Liner.

After two weeks in Holland, two in
ready to turn our faces toward home. We
took the train to Southampton. and
small sde-wheel steamer carried us out
side Southampton waters, where we
tossed about for thirty minutes before
the Normania came to anchor. The wind
was blowing half a gale from the north,
and We were glad to get under the lee
OF the great vessel to board her The
transfer was quickly made, and we were
on for New York. The wind gained
strength as the day grew old but while
we were in the Solent the bluff coast of
Devon and Cornwall broke its force suf-
sufficiently to permit us to be comfortable
on the port side of the ship
AS night came on, great clouds rolled
up from the northwest and the wind in
creased. Darkness, as of Egypt. fell upon
US before We passed the Lizard. and the
only things that showed above the raging
waters We're the beacon lights, and these
looked dim and far away Occasionally
nash OF lightning threw the waters into
relief, and then made the darkness more
impenetrable. AS we steamed beyond the
Lizard and the protecting Cornish coast
the full force Of the gale. from out of the
lrlsh sea, struck us. We were going
nearly with 1t. and the good ship pitched
and reared like an angry horse. but did
not roll much. Pitching is harder to bear
IMAM rolling, and the decks were quickly
vacated.
l turned into my stateroom soon after
ten O'Clock, and then happened a thing
Which VIII hold place in my memory
SO long as l have one. / did not feel
sleepy but ! was nervous, restless and
half sick lay on my lounge for perhaps
haif an hour, and then felt impelled TO
go on deck. wrapped myself in a great
waterproof ulster, pulled my storm can
over my ears, and climbed the companion-
way. TWO or three electric bulbs in
sheltered places on deck only served 10
make the darkness more intense
crawled forward OF the ladies' cabin. and
supporting myself against the donkey
engine, peered at the light above the
crow s-nest and tried to think that
could see a man on watch in the nest.
olo see MIN Tor an instant, when the next
hash OF lightning came. and also two
ofticers on the BRIDGE and / knew that
captain Bahrens was in the chart house
When the next flash came, I saw the
other lookout man making his short Turns
on the narrow space of bow deck. and
was tempted to join him; why, do not
SNOW l crept past the donkey-engine
holdlng fast to II as went, until I reach
ed the iron gate that closes the marrow,
passage 70 the bow deck With two silver
oollars in my teeth / staggered across
TINS ail-guarded plank, and when the
next nash came 1 was sitting at the feet
OF the lookout man with the two silver
toIiars IN my outstretched hand. He
TOOK the money, and let me crawl for
ward between the anchors and the bSeb
bulwark OF the bows
The sensations which this position gave
me We're strange beyond descrintion
Darkness was thick around me; at one
fn,t ti l was carried upward until 1
SKY, and the next moment the downward
motion was so terrible that the blaclxer
water at the bottom of the sea seemed
near. l cannot say that I enioved n but
could not give it up.
Wneh the great bow rose, stood UP,
see either sky or water, but tried In vain
save when the lightning revealed them
poth' When the bow fell, crouched
under the bulwark and let the see comb