SUNDAY'S STORM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 120, 30 August 1910, Page 5

SUNDAY'S STORM

NERVE-TRYING TIME ON A STEAMER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wanganui.Last Night. The little coastal steamer Huia,' which arrived at one o'clock yesterday from Wellington, had a temptestuous and at times thrilling passage. Bad weather was experienced through it, but matters came to a head about ten o'clock on Sunday morning. When the vessel was about 15 miles from Castlecliff, a frightful thunderstorm enveloped the steamer, accompanied by vivid flashes of lightning, which lit up the darkened sky. Two flashes struck 'the davits with reports like pistol-shots, and played round the ironwork of the I ship in a most terrifying manner. Little! balls of fire fell through the air, but; the culminating point of the disturbance wa9 reached when five waterspouts} passed over the ship's bows towards the; south-east Captain Dowell says thai 1 in all his 32 years' experience of New. Zealand coastal waters he has never, seen or, heard such a sight. He de-i scribes the disturbance as appalling,! and this view is shared by the ma/te audi man at the wheel, both of whom haa> frightful and nerve-trying time. The Huia stood the weather very well, being only five hours longer on the trip than usual. |