H. M. 'CAPMORANT IN A ROTARY STORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5722, 20 March 1880, Page 4

H. M. 'CAPMORANT IN A ROTARY STORM.

H.M.S. Cor.mora.vt left Port Lyttelton on the 4th March for Auckland, and experienced principally head winds. On trying to make the East Cape on the afternoon of the 10th (Wednesday), found the wind increased to such an extent, accompanied with thick mist, that at 5 p.m. the vessel's head was put off the land, under stormsails and easy steam. Bar-meter, 29'63. The wind increased steadily during the night, with heavy squalls and rain, averaging u force of 0 ■ from the north-east, which denoted that we were in the south-east quadrant of a hurricane. At noon on the 11th still blowing, force 10", with very heavy confused sea. At this time the wind sliiited to east-by-north, betokening i an approach to the centre, which we were I unable to avoid owing to the proximity of the land. At 3 p.m., as expected, the win 1 fell light and almost calm, the barometer now having steaiily fallen to 2S'SO, till at the hour of G p.m., with the barometer at 23 44, a terrific squall struck the ship from the south-west, the opposite quarter from which it had been blowing, the vessel having now reached the north-west quadrant of the storm. This fierce wind, force 12', being opposite to the direction of the sea, cause 1 it to heap up in tremendously-confus-id ma-sea, turning the tops of the waves completely backwards, the whole sea being iike mountains of foam, which teemed at times as if they would tear away various parts of the vessel. Ihe helm was at o::ce p'*.t ap, the yards squared, and t!ie engines kept eonig at full speed, scudding with bare poles being considered the only resource, a< luckily no land lay in that course. The sea then washed over the vessel on every side, dashing over all the boats, and filling them. At 7 p.m., a sea having filled the staiboarclquarter boat, which her fastenings could not resist, swept her away. Immediately the vessel commenced to run to the -V. J<\ £ , the barometer rose, which showed that we were rapidly distancing the centre, which was passing to the southward—following the trend of the land. At S p.m. the wind shifted to the W.N.W., which sign was looked upon with pleasure as representing a change of position in the. storm for tho better. At 4 a.m. on the 12th the wind had decreased to an ordiuiry stiff gale from the W. by N., gradually m'derating noon, though the heavy confused s- a c 0?" tinued all next day. The ship was again, put under sail, and course steered for Auckland, where she arrived on Sunday, I4th inst., at G.oO p.m.