TERRIBLE STORM IN THE ATLANTIC.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2618, 8 July 1871, Page 3

TERRIBLE STORM IN THE ATLANTIC.

BRAVERY OF A NEW ZEALAND SEAMAN. The following account of a terrible storm in the Atlantic is not only possessed of a me lancholy interest in ilse'f, but the interes' is enh need in this instance, by the fact tl at the second mute, who behaved with so much seamanship and bravery is Mr Einlay, \ve : ! knovn and deservedly respected in Wan ganui, as the captain at one time of the little cutter the Paten. We quote from the tfew York Sun —“ The steamship Europa, sailed from Glasgow for this port on the 25 hj February, with 195 steerage and 10 cabin passengers. She experienced sqnal y wea her during the first few days, which increased to a str.uig gale from the west, with sleet and heavy cross sea on March I. Next day (Thursday) at m on another s ronv gale blew up from the south-west accompanied by a heavy cross sea. At 11 t) in the wind checked to the west, followed by another gale from W.N.W., with heavy cross seas. This continued all night, but on the next morning another fresh gale sprang up from the west, which necessitated the double-reefing of all the sails. Towards evening the gale increased in fury, and the vessel was put under slow steam. The scene at 8 o’clock was awful. The ves el had ra-cbed lat. 48,30 north, and long. 38.50 west It was as dark as pitch, the horizon being overcast, and the air chilly with driving sleet and the dashing spray. The wind whistled through the rigging and rushes aoainst the side of the ship, which groaned and shivered at every blow. In all directions foam-crest. d waves, from seventy to to eighty feet high, ran roaring on the gallant vessel, threatening to crush her, but she rode like a duck. At about half past 8 o’clock the steerage and the intermediate passengers had been partialis quieted, and the captain sat down in the midst of the cabin passengers, nearly all o whom had known him and sailed with him before, and began a conversation about old times everyone became interested, and in joking and even laughing they forgot the peril of the hour. At about 9.25 Captain Mac Donald drew out his watch and excused himself, saying that it was time to go on deck, to give his final instructions for the night to his mates, as was his custsm before going to bed. Turning to Mr Alexander D. Corson, of No. 3, Bowling Green, New York, he said, “ Corson, wouldn’t you like to come up and take a look at the sea?” Corson replied in the affirmative, and they started up the companion way together. It was the watch of the first and third mates, Mersra Davies and Waller, 'i hese officers were standing together on the bridge, under a canvas awning which had been erected especially to protect them from the weather. The bridge was very stout, and was braced with heavy iron stanchions and rails. When Captain Mac Donald and Mr Corson reached the deck, the storm was a- its greatest fury. The captain laughingly dared Mr Corson to go with him upon the bridge. Mr Corson accepted the challenge, and the two started forward. They bad barely reached the end of the deck-house when the ship gave a sudden lurch to starboard, and Mr Corson’s courage cooled. He said, “ Captain, I guess I’ll go back, as I’ve only got my slippers on.” The captain laughed, and said, “ All right; go back, th n.” Mr Corson’shouted, “Captain, take care of yourself!” and re-entered the cabin, lie had hardly seated himself when he was startled by a tremendous crash, quickly followed by the hoarse yells of the seamen, “ Help ! the captain’s overboard !” Mr Corson sprang up the steps, aqd sjpv qt a glanpe the full extent of the disaster, A tremendous sea bad struck the bridge beneath the starboard side, twisting the horizontal iron railing into a perpendicular position, and tearing the planking like paper. This broke the wave, and its crest fell with a crash on the leeward side of the bridge, snapping the stanchions and grinding that part of the flooring into kindling wood. The almost solid mountain then hounded off into the sea again, staving in two boats andbreakingtbemain-boom, having evidently turned a somersault in its pass ig . It overwhelmed the captain and mates, sweeping them far off into the deep. Startled by the cries of the sailors, Mr Finlay the second mate rushed up on deck in his undershirt and drawers. He hounded to the taffrail just in time to see three black specks disappearing in the darkness behind. Screaming to the men to throw out ropes and lifebuoys, he sprang to the hatchway and signalled the engineer to stop the engine. The ship was speedily slowed and stopped, and the buoys and ropes were cast into the waves, but without avail. But the ship soon began to pay off in the trough of the sea, and Mr Finlay was compelled to move again slowly. A strict watch was kept up forthe lost captain and mates, but all chance of rescuing them had gone, they had gone down in mid ocean. The news of the disaster was carefully kept a secret from all except the cabin passengers. The remainder of the night was spent in prayers and tears. Even the bravest refused to occupy their state rooms, and lay down in their clothing in the saloon. Meantime the gale became a tornado. At midnight another wave struck the Europa, and she trembled from stem to stem. The hurricane continued through the night .and all day on Sunday, Sunday night, and Monday, the vessel from nccusily going under a very slow head of steam all the time. _ To add to the horror on the night of the disaster ops of the intermediate passengers heard pf the captain’s death, and spread the story among his follows. Next morning it was told to the steerage passengers, filling them with consternation. A kind of mutiny ensued, a mass indignation meeting was held, and a committee of two— one member selected from the intermediate, and one from the steerage passengers —«-as sent to Mr Finlay to demand that he should put into the nean st port. But the cool-headed, skilful officer quilted them after a-while, and they soon became so well satis-

tied with the second mate’s management of rlie ■'hi'), that they clubbed together and raised twelve p muds sterling, which they rive him yesterday morning with the warmest expression of their than s and esteem. From the disaster to yesterday (I2rh), when the Europa arrived at this port, Mr Findlay did not sleep 12 hours.*’