TERRIBLE STORM AT SEA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 1048, 21 June 1871, Page 2

TERRIBLE STORM AT SEA.

The following account of a terrible stoi m in the Atlantic is not only possessed of a melancholy interest in itself, but that interest is enhanced, in this instance, by the fact that the second mate, "who behaved with so much seamanship and bravery is Mr Finlay, well known and deservedly respected in Wanganui, as the captain at one time of the little cutter Patea. We quote from the New York Sun :—" The steamship Europa left Glasgow for this port on the 25th of February, with 195 steerage and 10 cabin passengers. She experienced squally weather during the first few days, which increased to a strong gale from the west, with sleet and heavy cross sea on March 1. Next day (Thursday) at noon another strong gale blew up from the south west, accompanied by a heavy cross sea. At 11 p.m. the wind checked to the west, followed by another gale from west-north-west, 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. Toward evening the gale increased in fury, and the vessel was put nuder very slow steam. The scene at 8 o'clock was awful. The vessel had reached lat. 48.30 north, and long. 38 50 west. It was dark as pitch, the hoiizon being overcast, and the air chilly with diiving sleet and the dashing spray. The wind whistled through the rigging, and rushed against the side of the ship, which groaned and shivered at every blow. In all directions foam-crested waves, from seventy to eighty feet high, ran roaring upon the gallant vessel, threatening to crush her, but she rode like a duck Men waited and listened with blanched faces; women sobbed and prayed, and little children huddled close to their parents in terror. Captain MacDonald, whenever he could snatch a moment from his duties on deck, strode about below with a smile on his face, laughing and joking away everybody's fears, and endeavoring to allay apprehension. At about half-past 8 o'clock the steerage and the inter mediate passengers had been partially quieted, and the captain sat down in the midst of the cabin passengers, nearly all of whom had known him and nailed with him before, and began a conversation about old times every one became interested, and in joking and e/en laughing they forgot the peril of the hour. At 9.25 Captain MacDonald drew out his watch and excused himself, saying that it was lime for him to go on deck, to give his final instructions for the night to his mates, as was his custom before going to bed. Turning to Mr Alexander D. Corson, of No. 3, Bowling Green, New York, ho said, " Corson, wouldn't you like to come up and take a look at, the sea 1" Corson replied in the affirmative, and they started up the companion way together. It was the watch of the nVt and third mates, Messrs. Davies and Waller. These officers were standing together on the bridge, under a cam as 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 MacDonald and Mr Corson reached the deck, the storm was at its greatest fury. The captain laughingly dared Mr Corson to go with him upon the bridge. Mi' Corson accepted the challenge, and the two started forward. They had barely reached the end of the deck-house when the ship gave a sudden lurch to star-

board, and Mr Corson's courage cooled. He said, " Captain, I guess I'll go back, as I've only got my slippers on " Tiie captain laughed, and said, " All right; go back, then." Mr Corson shouted, " Captain, take care ot youi self! " and re-entered the cabin. He bad hardly seated himself «'hen he was? startled by a tremendous crash, quickly followed by the hoarse yells of the seameny " Help ! The captain's overboard ! " Mr Corson sprang up the steps, and saw at a glance the full extent of the disaster. ; A V tremendous sea had struck the bridge beneath the starboard side, twisting the horizontal iron railing into, a perpendicular position,,, and tearing the planking like paper. This broke he wave, and its crest fell with a crash on the leeward Hide of the snapping the stanchions and grinding that part of the flooring into kindling wood. The almost solid mountain then bounded off into the sea again, slaving iu two boats and breaking the main boom, having evidently turned a somersault in its passage. It overwhelmed the captain and matos, sweeping them far off into the deep. Startled by the cries of the sailors, Mr Finlay, the second mate, rushed upon deck in his undeishirt and drawers. He bounded 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 en sine. The ship was speedily slowed and stopped, and the buoys and ropes weie cast into the waves, but without avail. But the ship soon began to pay off in the trough of the sea, and Mr FiDlay was compelled to move again slowly. A strict watch was kept out for the 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 but 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 stern. The hurricane continued through the night and all day on Sunday, Simday night, and Monday, the vessel from necessity going under a very slow head of steam all the time. To add to the horror on the night of the disaster one of the intermediate passengers heard of the captain's death and spread the story among his fellows. Next morning it was told to the steeiage passengers, tilling 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 steeiage passengers —was sent to Mr Finlay to demand that he should, put. into the nearest port. But the cool-headed, skilful officer quieted them after a while, and they soon became so well satisfied with the second mate's management of the ship that they clubbed together and raised twelve pounds sterling, which they gave him yesterday morning with the warmest expressions of their thanks and esteem. From the disaster to yesterday (12th), when the Europa arrived at" this port, Mi' Finlay did nob sleep twelve hours.