142 STAGE GIVES WAY — CALM. 



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two logs might have easily accomplished, in the destruction of this 

 with also perhaps that of the other stage entirely — and another 

 part of the stage and platform, thus undermined, falls. We rush 

 outside and are just in time to see the water lift it with its waves ; 

 to see the platform bend lower and lower until, with a final crack, 

 it parts, and hurls barrels and boards upon the rising crests of 

 the billows surging upward to receive them. Powerless to hinder 

 it we see several barrels of fish, and five barrels of flour of another 

 man — who could ill afford the loss — go towing about with the logs 

 on the watery billows, mingled with boards and debris of hay, chips, 

 and all sorts of material swept clean off the stage. Presently two 

 logs catch one of the barrels of flour between them ; opening for 

 a moment they come together again with a crash, the barrel is 

 burst in an instant, and a cloud of flour flies in all directions, 

 while cakes of dough go floating off on the waves. Three barrels 

 of flour and several of fish are speedily disposed of; one apparently 

 sinks bodily as it disappears and is not seen afterwards, while but 

 one is saved whole and another in part. But unless the storm 

 increases the remaining damage will be slight, and we return to the 

 house. During this gale, to-day, the barometer went do\vn to the 

 lowest that some twenty years of readings have given it upon this part 

 of the coast, reaching 27.32 ; the thermometer 19°, and the wind 

 still southwest varying to north. At length night comes, and we go 

 to sleep again listening to the roar of the tempest, which, however, 

 shows signs of abating ; still we are anxious for the morrow. 



Tuesday the 23d. Our hopes have not deceived us, and this 

 morning we awake to find the tempest moderated to such an extent 

 that we can calmly view the extent of last night's disaster. The 

 waters are comparatively calm, though they still toss about the logs, 

 boards, and miscellaneous pieces of wood that have gathered upon 

 its surface ; chips and debris are floating about on all sides matting 

 the surface of the water like a carpet which undulates with the motion 

 of the waves beneath. The further end of the stage house has fallen 

 in a mass upon the stage-head, which has lost the greater part of 

 its underpinning and part of its platform ; while the right hand 



