A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 210, 4 September 1900, Page 5

A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.

DECKS SWEPT BY THE SEAS.

LOSS OF LIVE STOCK.

The steamer Moresby, of Messrs Burns, Philp, and Company's line, had a terrible experience between Sydney -, and New Britain, on her Island cruise, j Tho captain says it was the roughest passage they have had "since'the service waa started, and the worst weather he ha» seen for the last ten years. Letters received from Samarai state that the day after leaving. Sydney, July 21st, the Moresby encountered a. heavy, easterly gale, accompanied with > dense blinding rain squalls of almost. hurricane forcfc. This continued until Sunday afternoon, when the wind stfddenly changed round to the north west, blowing with greater force than ever, and setting, up a confused and dangerous cross sea, in which the vessel laboured heavily. Heavy masses of water came pouring ort board in • alldirections, sweeping the decks, and doing much damage. So terrific was the wind and sea at this time that vast sheets of [water actually swept right over .the top of the funnel, and two of the engine room skylights were torn off their hingea by the weight of water which was contmuaVy hurled at them. "V*i, The engine room was flooded, ana, tne whole of the machinery encrusted with salt The saloon doors were smasnea in, and" the cabin filled with water, whicn penetrated everywhere, and so mucti crockery was smashed that barely sulrtcient was left to meet the requirements of a meal. Three massive and strongly constructed.hen coops on deck were. simply crushed in like egg shells, and spllniered into fragments, and of course every fowl on board was either killed or '^addition to all this, 50 sheep,■ ».*»£■': of cattle, and one horse were either Klllea or so niueb. injured tliat they had to be thrown overboard. The scene on the deck on the Monday morning is described something appalling and pitiable in the^extfeine. The cattle were lying in confused heaps dead or dying, with broken, horns and legs, and bruised and bleeding all over, and the unfortunate sheep were in a nq. r . less pitiable condition. +lia bi-nrir -" To make matters worse, when the storir was at its height, an alarm of fire w?s r- - ed and the greatest consternation w, ated amongst the passengers. They v: however, with great admiration .of. promptitude of the offleers.who got theon the scene, with a plentiful. supply water, thanks to the equally prompt att tiou to duty on the part of the englt room staff. It was discovered that a larfc. bottle of muriatic acid had got smashed he fumes of which had been mistakenly, one of the passengers for smoke.. The Inci-, dent had one satisfactory feature, Inasmuch as it served to clearly show thereadi- \ SSs of the officers and men to meet any emergency which might have arisen, and, in this respect, is creditable to everyone concerned. ■'•