THE SCHOONER JESSIE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 447, 19 February 1890, Page 3

THE SCHOONER JESSIE.

CAUGHT IN A HURRICANE. The Auckland three-masted schooner had a very rough experience in a terrific hurricane a few days ago while on her vyay from New Caledonia to Sydney. Captain T. Mahon states that on February 2 -the barometer fell suddenly, and the increasing gale was evidently developing into a hurricane. At 4 p.m. the flying jib blew away, and a high, dangerous sea was running. At midnight the ship was struck by a heavy squall, tin-owing her on her beam ends. The skipper cut away the main and mizzen halyards, likewise the top-gallant sail, tho top-gallant backstays cai-rying away, thus losing all three sails. At 2 a.m. the sea was one mass of foam, and there were blinding sheets of rain. The schooner shipped a very heavy sea which carried away the wheel gratings, boom tackle, six buckets, and two lifebuoys. At 4 a.m. the storm reached cyclonic force with a very heavy sea. The master furled the upper topsail and bent another mainsail. At 5 a.m. a squall struck the ship, causing her to broach to and go over on her beam ends. The fore topsail, foresail, main staysail, jib, and foretopmast trysail were all lost. * The fore and jib staj T s snapped, the maintopmast staysail blowing to shreds. The stay carrying away, she immediately righted. The jibboom was found to be sprung through, the foremast springing aft. Finding the ship would not lay ,to, the master rigged a sea anchor. The sfiip was then lying with her lee rail in the water and straining heavily. At 10 a.m. the storm reached its height (barometer 29.50} and gradually moderated.