The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-04-05
THE VOLUNTEER NAVY.
A Texas Norther. Ordered to New York.
The Flutter of a Woman's Dress. A
Change of Currency. Promotion.


Texas Norther. and some may not have
ever heard of one. For the lntorma-
ton of all such l Will say that it is a
terrific North wind, accompanied with
extreme cold. that sweeps across the
plains OF Texas. and the cold is so IN
tense that it would seem to come from
Che very North Pole itself. Occasion
allv it sweeps along the coast of Texas
in the winter time and to the horror of
every living thing that it encounters.
The historian of Texas says that the
climate is remarkably varied and has
wide range, from the intense heat OF
the valley of the Rio Grande to the
snowy winters of the Pan Handle. He
saws that the singular and disagreeable
feature of winter is the Norther-a
bitterly cold wind from the North,
cutting sharply through the bland at
mosphere. and lasting for about three
DAYS. in sickening contrast to the
southeTly bree1eS that are almost con-
stantiy sweeping across the plains from
tbe gulf. These Northers drive men
INTO tleir oyercoats and to seek shelter
indoors and to build fires to keep warm;
and people have been known to perish
with the cold even as far south as
.7orpus Christi. which is. with one ex-
eeption the most extreme southern
mort in the Uuited States. That excep-
ton S Key West Fla, which is in
North latitude u : % min, while
Corpus Christi is III North latitude
~, 5e min, TO give my experience of
one Of these Texas Billiards it will be
necessary for me to go back a few
mont from the date of my last letter.
HAS took place in the month of Febru-
avy. 1~-- In that month while cruis-
Euc 1.r 0rpus Christi we encountered
1le these Northers, which satisfied
mt. never have lad an appetite for
luy ao-e. Though have many times
sHpereucrd rJugAer seas have never
witnessed FL heavier gale. The water
vas amua.atiyely smooth. for the
-.as5n that the wind WAS directly oft
zine A4l We had been having light
md variable winds tor several days and
.hp weather WAS outrageouslv hot tol
rAe time u the year. the Thermometer
-mlgIng IRON ~ to 50 degrees for the
i've DAYS Immediately preceding the
uorthel. There was no particular
change Ia the barometer 1t stood al
801 half an hour before the gale struck
for he reason that the atmosphere was
dry. There was 10 storm accompany
ing this norther, with the exception
chat the air was hlled with dust, in
sects. aud even birds that were bloWr
off from the land.
None OF us on board the ship had
experienced one of these northers and
consequently we did not note the ind
cations OF its approach. There were nc
clouds but d sort of a mirage, looming
Of the lend causing it to seem mucl
nearer TO The ship than it was in reality
TIE approach Of this phenomena had
9seu so slow that we had failed to
.,oticp it as we should, and would, had
,ye have known what was coming. This
state NJ things existed for nearly three
laws. but came SO slowly that the
officer 81 the deck could hardly per
,pive Tie increase during his watch.
l}ut one coming on deck after 1our
lours below could see material
change. On the night that the gale
struck rs it was my mid watch, viz,
from midnight to four o'clock a. m, On
coming on deck at midnight ! was
frightened. and as soou DIS | had re-
leveG the officer of tie watch said to
MIN: How came We in here" ''In
where SAID he "Why, close in under
the lanu." He said the ship had not
nad steeldge way during his watch and
Shat Ae did not think she had drifted a
hundred rods from where she was when
he took her at o'clock | thought he
must be going crazy, and springing to
the ships side dropped the lead over
board and found that we had seven
Iathoms Of water, the same soundings
we had when | went below, and that
depth Of water placed US six miles uff
shore. For an instant | thought that
1t was NE that had gone daft. The ship
looked to me as though she was up in
che air about 20 feet above Che sea, and
as it was not dark-there was a pale
moon-the vessel had the appearance
of being in a sea of glass. There was
not breath of air and every stitch of
sail was set, but every thing hung limp
10 yard and mast, and there was no
more motion 10 the ship than there
would nave been had she been frozen
IN TIE ice: and from all appearances
she was within mile of the shore.
The land not only loomed up high but
She trees looked exceedingly tall and
their branches could be distinctly seen.
Every thing looked so very strange that
/ came to the conclusion that either the
millennium or a norther was coming
and it was time something was done
1t was a general order on board the
ship that the officer of the deck should
NOT make or take in sail without the