Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1906-12-18

B. =
keel, and time and again ] looked up
TO see the top of the incoming seas
It was a terrifying and awe-inspiring
spectacle. .g..
"3If you think this is frightful to
look at declared Captain Kinder,
you ought to see it when we are head
into the sea- .4
Looking out across the storm-tossed
ocean and watching the huge seas as
they gathered and began to pile up a
mile or more distant and add force
and height as they approached, it
seemed as if nothing could prevent
their swamping and engnling the
great boat The surface of; the sea
resembled a vast plain during a.
severe blizzard. AS far as the eye
could reach, it seemed as though fine
snow was being driven across the
face of the sea. AS the, big, waves
came closer the snowy drifts would
disappear and in it's stead would come
an apparently solid wall of water
which had reared itself higher than
the ship with the seeming purpose of
annihilating it. On the top of this
huge seawall would appear, as it
rolled inward, a comb of deepest
green, like the water as it comes
tumbling over the Horseshoe falls of
the Niagara when one is looking at
them from below. From the crest of
the comb, which seemed fully fifteen
feet high, would be blown a mass of
| silvery spray, making a picture of in
desoribable beauty.
when the great ship arrived at the
| foot of a mountain of water it ap-
peared to be hopelessly engulfed.
About it on all sides arose an ap-
parently impenetrable wall of sea
from which there seemed to be no
escape. Look in every direction and
bit was impossible to see aught but
towering, angry seas, piled apparent
ly mountain high, shutting out the
horizon and even the vaulted heavens.
when the storm had, passed, l
asked man from Philadelphia if he
did not think it the most glorious
sight he had ever seen. He replied:
eyes. 1t was a little swift for
Philadelphia, but would not have
missed it Cor anything. And he
added after. moments reflection, 4
wouldn't see it again for a million il
1 could help it,
"Not so with me. If 1 had money
to burn and had to pay the price, /
would give million to see it again.
What could be more glorious than to
stand for hours watching a great bat
tie between the resistless power of
the ocean and Of the wind concen-
trated upon one of the noblest ex-
ampIes of mans daring, mans in
| genuity, mans skill in overcoming
difficulties, great ship? In a storm
a ship is like a thing alive, like a
Titan in battle AS she is hit square
| ly by huge sea she groans and
braces herself for the shock. The
great wake spends it's full force upon
her hull, then worms its way under
meath, lifting her bodily from the
water. Her screws, still working,
whirl madly into empty space for a
moment, sending a horrible SILVER
| through her entire frame. The great
nose of the vessel plunges fearlessIy
into the masses that are hurled at
| her, shakes them from her and hurls
herself to meet the foe again and
| again, undismayed and undaunted. II
you are standing on the deck watch
| ing the struggle, you enter into and
become part of the ship. AS she is
thrown further and further over you
, strain with her, you find yourself
talking to her, you hold your breath
in suspense as she dips her rail, hest
tates for an instant before recovering
her balance and then defiantly shakes
off her antagonist and begins to rise
again. Then your breath comes ful'
,, and you mutter:
I Good boy: Look out, they are a.
! you again! Take 'em easy!'
"Then you fear for moment that
! she will never cease that awful
descent toward the apparently bot
tomless abyss of seething waters, but
when she rises again triumphant you
feel the collaboration of successful
combat and can scarcely resist shout
ing wild defiance to the conquered
but tireless and persistent elements.
Mo, if you've got money, million
would not be too great price to pay
] for such a combat, for such an ex-
perience-for the experience of life
time"
III l4N