A FEARFUL VOYAGE.
MAEVELLOTJS ESCAPE,
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[By Tblkgraph fbom thb Bluff ]
MELBOUENE, September 8,
The Loch Ness, from Glasgow, arrived last week after the most severe passage she has encountered daring the sixteen or seventeen years she ha 3 been trading to this port. Her fifty passengers had a moet trying time. She left Glasgow on May 22nd, and reached St. Paul's on August 2nd. From this date the trouble commenced, and the ship had to hold her own ! against a sequence of gales from W. and S.W.j and then again from E. and S.E. The gales increased at times to hurricane force, and tho sea on those occasions was almost appalling in its fury. There'was considerable danger also in the sea after the wind lulled, and it was feared that the masts would be wrung out of the vessel. The first gale of any note eet in on August 4th in lat. 45 deg. 29 mia. S., and Ion?. 89 de?. 22 mm. E. The ship on that date, while running with the wind from W.S.W., was struck suddenly by a fearful sea, -which poured in on each side and did considerable damage. The front of .'the poop was burst in on the starboard side, cabin doors and ventilators were carried away, the saloon was filled, and a large quantity of water found its way below. The officers' cabins on the starboard side were driven in, and the passengers in the cuddy were up to their waists in water before they could help themselves. At 11 a.m. the situation was repeated, and the ship again struck by a tremendons sea. which smashed the boats on the forward skids, tore away the doors of the second cabin, besides carrying away the skylight and portion of the top-gallant bulwarks. The headrails were also damaged, and the large ventilators by the mainmast swept away. Damage was also done to the deck and fittings. The foresail was hauled up end the ship brought to the wind, all this while there was a terrific sea running and the foresail was blown away before it could be furled. Some time afterwards the foretopsail was blown out of the bolt ropes. The ship watthen bove-to for forty hours, but in all • -t time the weather showed little or m> gas of improvement. A more northerly coarse wes taken, but the ship, instead ot escaping the foul weather, seemed to have plunged into the thick of it. Oα August 12ch, in lat. 39£deg and long. 115 leg 52min E., she was hove-to again, in consequence of the wind blowing a gale from W.S.W. and raising a tremendous sea. Some fifty-six houre elapsed in this instance before she could again eqaare away on her course. Fur two days afterwards the weather moderated; but after tbat the wind came away from B. and S.E., and there was a high, tumultuous sea from E.N.E. On Auguet 18th, 19tb, and 20th there was a wild raging sea from the E.N.E., and at 9 p.m. on the 20th the steering gear was smashed by the fearful seas, and it was a wonder that the rudder was not carried, away or the sternpoßt started. No time was lost in securing the rudder with tackles and having the gear repaired .-\s well as possible for us». This was the last of tho heavy weather.
A FEARFUL VOYAGE.
Press, Volume XLIII, Issue 6544, 13 September 1886, Page 2
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