Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-06-02
A STORM AT SEA.
Driving Through the Vortex Of .
Screaming Cyclone.


The wind had dropped entirely, and
with the dropping of the wind q thou
sand different sounds broke harshly
upon the ear, sounding almost unnat.
ural in their distinctness and Impress
ing the ear with q sense of discomfort.
With each roll of the ship there came
@ chorus Of creaks and grOans from
the swaying masts and gear, and the
sails Slated with damp, disagreeable
sound. Beyond the ship there was the
constant harsh murmur Of the sea, &C.
casionally changing to low roar as
one broke near us. One other sound
there was that punctuated all these,
and that was the loud, slapping blows
of the seas as they hove themselves
clunsily against the ship, and for che
rest there was strange sense of ST.
lence. Then, as sudden as the report
Of a heavy gun, great believing
came out Of the north and east and
died away into a series Of muttered
growls 1t was not thunder. 1t was
the voice Of the approaching cyclone.
In the same instant the mate nudged
my shoulder and pointed, and l saw,
with a great feeling o, surprise, that
large waterspout had formed about
200 yards astern and was coming to-
ward u.s. All about the base of it the
and the whole thing seemed to have a
curious luminous quality.
Its coming! Look out, every body
Hold on for your lives!"
Directly afterward a shrill yelling
noise seemed to fill the whole sky with
a deafening, piercing sound. I glanced
I hastily over the port quarter. In that
direction the whole surface Of the
ocean seemed to be torn up into the
air in monstrous clouds of spray
The yelling sound passed into vast
scream, and the next instant the cy-
clone was upon us. Immediately the
air was SO full Of flying spray that
could not see yard before me, and
the wind slapped me back against the
teak companion, pinning me there for q
few moments helpless. The ship heeled
over to terrible angle, so that fol
some seconds I thought we were going
( to capsiZe. Then with a sudden lurct
she hove herself upright, and be
came able to see about me little by
switching the water from my face and
shielding my eyes. Near to me the
helmsman, little dago, was clingine
to the wheel, looking like nothing 81
much as drowned monkey and palpa
| bly, frightened to such an extent ht
could hardly stand upright. : :
Some time later there sounded an in
tense roar in the air above the ship
and then came faroff shrieking tina
grew rapidly into q mighty, whistlint
scream, and a minute afterward
most tremendous gust Of wind strucl
the ship on her port side. hurting he
over on to her starboard broadside
For many minutes she lay there, he
decks under water almost up to tn,
matches. Then she righted sullenl,
and slowly, freeing herself from may
be half a thousand tons Of water. Agar
there came short period Of MINDLESS
ness and then once more the yellin.
Of an approaching gust, It struck ns
but now the vessel had paid off befor
the wind, and she was not again force
over on to her. side. From now OF
ward we drove forward over vast sea,
with the cyclone believing and wal
ing over us In one unbroken roar. Tn
vortex had passed. William Hon
0edena0 n CornAR Aasak1na.
--.aaaIas.n.~.-.~.-a