A Southern Cyclone

A letter frora Key West, giving the txperiencea of the United States steamer Ossippee in the storm of the 19th anc 20th of October, says: "The men, in gctting about the deóksto attend to their duties, were thrown violently from theii 'eet and blinded by the salt spray, anci wera obliged to go groping about as if they were in total darkness. ïhey could ouly stick to their stations by the most desperato struggling againat the hatches, grating, doors, deckbuckets, and mauy other articles that were being swept back and fortk across the deoks by the rushing of the water as the ehip rolled and tossed. Breathing -was diffloult, and the air taken into the lungs was so loaded with sea salts tliat it caused excessive irritation, producing violent eougliiug and voraiting. The Buffering of the men was most intentie, especiaily among the flremen and coalheavers, who were not only deprived of ventilation, but obliged to inhale the spli-water steam produced by the soa rushuig mto tlio üre-room. It was then thought advisablo to encourage the men by the use oí stimulants. The snrgeon found a sufficieiit quantity to give all hands a "tot" oach, and sent it to tko oabin to be distributed. The effect of the storm on the animáis on board was peculiar. The cats disappeared the mornJDg boforo tlie storm, and were uot (Seea for live days afterward. The dog Daniel, a splendid pointer, owued by the Captain, exhibited the greatest drcad at being lelt alone, and ws nnly nppeased whea Eüiüb one was petting ldm. llie hens and turkeye, usuaUy the moet hungfy and voraciou'a anA qtiartelaome büasts on board, forgot their hunGcr, and barely opeued their eyes when food vrhs throTO to them. Two birds, bobos, a species of peliopn, cin? on board lyhtle We Wera lyíng ín the vorfcox. ïhcy must havo been dra n down whilo attempting to fly ovor ub. The parrot was the oiily thing on board that seemed at all to enjoy tlio surroundings. The storm commenned oü. tke 19th, and lasted twenty-six hours, anii was nsely violent. The seas made clean sweeps over tüe vessel, and the sailors suffered severely. Sho lost her f ore and maic-top-galknt-maet nnd much pcronal pïoperty was deslroyed. The storm eame up over Cuba, and pasaed over Key West, leaving a track of tfcBolation in itrs rear. Much property was destroyed, and aoverai lives were lost. The island of Kaya Sarga was flooded, md lts tntire poputation awept away. i hero werc about 4Ü0 people there. One vessel was capsized in Key Went harbor, and all hands drowued. The storm is pronounced tho scverest that has visited Key West since 1845.