A NARROW ESCAPE.

Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 61, 14 March 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

A NARROW ESCAPE.

About 40 years ago, I was in command of a barque which had been chartered by the Government during the Chinese War. At Nankin we had landed the horses belonging to a regiment of artillery, and were lying close alongside a narrow wharf waiting further wders. The hilla Jußt above were crowned by a line <o* forts occupied by British troops; not far from us lay a corvette} while tl'o harbour was dotted With men-of-war and merchant veß"sels flying the English flag, as well as innumerable smaller craft. Our expectation of seeing something exciting in the way of active service was suddenly brought to an end by the declaration of peace, and early in August we heard that all the forts held by oar soldiers were shortly to be evacuated. I had just made arrangements with a friend, captain of a barque lying-out in the harbour, to accompany me for a day's shooting inland, and to see something of the country, when, early in the morning, as we were preparing for our start, a quantity of ammunition of every description, powder, shot, •bells, 4jg., about 200 tons weight, was brought down the wharf, with orders to have it put on board the nearest vessel for after distribution. This happened to be my own; and, having waited to see the whole stowed under hatches, injr friend <JJ — — and I started on our excursion, day was intensely hot, scarcely the slightest movement in the trees, and that peculiar and ominous stillness in the ttttnosphere which precedes a violent storm. We had^but poor sport; and, tired and hungry, were returning late in the afternoon to the 'harbour,' when the gathering masses of inky «louds burst over our heads in a drenching downpour of tropical rain, speedily soaking us to the skin. As we neared the ship I persuaded G to come on board with me, instead of returning to his own vessel, which lay at some distance out, promising him a change of garments and a good dinner. We were soon seated in my snug cabin doing justice to an excellent meal, and at first hardly conscious of the thunder, which might now be heard growling at lessening intervals in the distance. It was not until the lightning flashed more vividly, »nd the peals grew louder, that our attention was at length aroused, and wy friend remarked, "I say, the storm's evidently coming up pretty heavily. How about all that powder of yours? Suppose we should be struck ! I'm beginning to wish I'd bden at home, old fellow." , " Nonsense !" I replied. " We're safe enough ; the worst is about over now." Scarcely had the words left my lips, when an intensely vivid flash of lightning suddenly illuminated the cabin as with, the glare of noon-day, followed instantaneously with a terrific* peal of thunder, which broke, ,§§, it seemed, immediately over our heads, almost stunning us with its deafening reverberations. The vessel quivered with the shock from stem to stem, and. our faces blanched with terror, we sprang to our feet. Never'shall I forget G 's agonised expression : " Gracious powers, we're struck!" and my instant thought : How soon would the explosion follow if the mast were •struck? The ammunition lay .just below. I believe my friend turned to throw himself from the port-hole, but I exclaimed, "No, no; on deck !" In less time than I have taken to write it we had rushed up the companion way. Pitchy darkness had succeeded the sudden illumination, and as we emerged on the deck I ran violently against someone. "Who's there?" " It's me, captain." I distinguished the voice of the chief officer. "What is it?" " We're struck !" " Where ?" " The mainmast." •'Bring lanterns at once !" The figures of the men could hardly be seen on the deck in the darkness which lay around. Barely two minutes had elapsed ; the lanterns were brought, and I ordered one of the hatches to be raised. It was an anxious second. Was there fire below ? Only a volume of sulphurous smoke poured out. "Open another!" This time the men worked with more alacrity ; the first almost paralyzing fear had passed. One after another the hatches were lifted. Smoke issued at first ; then no more. There was neither flame nor the smell of fire. I turned now to some of the crew, and ordered them to follow me below. We carefully examined the ammunition, which had been loosely piled up and around the mainmast, only a thin* partition separating it from the upper deck. Our escape seemed marvellous. How had it been effected ? That the mast had been struck was certain ; fragments splintered from the top lay around, as we saw when once more on deck ; the lower part was scorched and blackened. One of the crew now came forward with the remark that he and some of his mates had seen the lightning distinctly strike the mast, disappear, then re-appear, and, gliding along the deck, vanish suddenly over the side of the ship. With as much light as our lanterns would supply, we carefully examined into the seeming miracle, and soon fonnd the sailor's statement perfectly accurate. I must explain that at the time of which I write certain arrangements on board ship were rather different from those of the present day. At that time, at tho base of the mainmast, there was the chain-locker, the square erection within which the chain was coiled when not in use. The electric current had evidently run down the spar, and then, having been diverted by the metal, which was a better conductor, had followed the coil of the chain round the inside of the locker, was conveyed by it up through the scuttle on one side, along the deck, and over the stern of the vessel, where the anchor was dropped into the sea. The mystery was explained, and I felt that we were safe. But how narrowly had we escaped! The whole incident had passed so quickly, and there had been such keen excitement during the few minutes our anxious search had lasted, that the progress of the storm was unheeded. Early tho following morning I went on board the corvette to report what had occurred, and found that the incident of the previous night had caused considerable interest

among lior officers and crew. One young lieutenant coolly remarked, • " Oh, captain, we were looking out i for a grand transformation scone last ; night." 1 "My good sir," I retorted, dis1 guated at his levity, " you would not 1 have seen much, that is certain. Had wo blown up, rest assured your vessel wonld have gone too ; and not she alone, but a good many other craft as well." Often during my life have I been in peril by land and sea ; but never, I think, was I so near a sudden and awful death as on that August evening, 40 .years ago.