American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1822-06-07

VOL. L.

he would sink down and be suffocated among the
pillows that struggled beneath him.
At last night came on /; and exhausted by fatigue
and mental excitement, wrapt myself in my cloak
and lay down upon the ice. 1t was so dark that
could not have moved one step without running the
risk OF falling into the lake almost wished that
the drowsness produced by intense cold would be-
gin to affect but did not feel in the slightest
degree chilled and the temperature of the air was
in reality above freezing. ! had lain only few mi
inutes when / heard the howl of wolf The sound
was indescrbaby delightful to my ear, and start
ed up with the intention of Fastening to the spot
from whence it seemed TO proceed; but hopeless as
my situation then was, my heart shrunk within me
when contemplated the dangers would encoun-
ter in making such an attempt. My courage failed
and resumed my former position and listened to
the fluctuations of the water, they undermined
and beat against the lower part of the ice which
/ lay.
About midnight the storm ceased and most OF
the clouds gradually forSook the sky while the ris-
ing dspelled tks darkness that had previously
prevailed However, a thick haze covered the hea-
vens and rendered her light dim and CHASTITY and ST.
miar to that shed during eclipse A succession
of noises had continued with little interruption for
several hours; and at last the ice beneath began
Ito move. started up, and on looking around, saw
that the whole surface of the lake in state OF
fIagatlon.-My eyes became dim and | stretched
out my arms to catch hold OF some object aud telt
as ii all created things were passing away The
Kissing, grinding and crashing produced by the diff
feren masses OF ice coming into collision, ire.
mendous Large fragments sometimes got wedg-
ed together and impeded the progress of those be-
hind them, which being pushed forwards by others
/ still farther back, were forced upon the top OF the
first and fantastic shaped pyramids * towers could
be indistincty seen rising among the msts Of night
i and momentarily changing their forms and finally
Idisorgsnizng themselves with magical rapidty and
i al A fhRrfi irnt,
of ice would start up in perpendicular position,
and continue cleaning in the moonshine for little
II perlod ard then vanish like spectre among the
A abyss OF waters beneath it. The piece OF ice
which had first taken my positions happened to be
livery large and thick but other fragments we're
. soon forced among it and formed mound six
seven feet high, on the top of which stood. con-
,ltemplating the awful scene around me and feelrg
i as if no longer had the least connection with the
world or retained any thing human or earthly in
j my composition.
J The wind which was pretty strong, drove the ice
down the lake very fast My alarms and anxeties
had gradually become less intense; and was
raj times ove come by sort of stupor du ing which
Fl imagination and reality combined their dsiractng
i influence. AT one time fancied that the snow still
! drfted as violently as and that distinguished
Through its hazy medium, band OF Indian chiefs,
walking past me, upon the surface OF the lake -
Their steps were noiseless and they along with
no attention TO my EXPLANATIONS and entreaties for
relief. At another. thought was floating in the
middle OF the ocean and that blazing sun famed
in the cloudless sky and mace the ice which sup.
ported me melt so fast, that | heard streams oil wa
tier pouring from its sides and felt myself every o.
ment descending towards the surface of the bllows
/ was usually awakened from such dreams by some
noise or yo,snt conclusion but always relapsed in
to them whenever the cause of disturbance ceased
Ito operate.
i The longest and last of these slumbers was bro.
ken by terrible shock which my ice island recev.
fled f; and which threw me from my seat and nearly
,Ipreciptated me into the lake. On regaining my
former position and looking round, perceived TO
lmy Joy and establishment, that | was in river
The water between me and the shore was still fro.
zen over and was about thirty yards vide conse-
Iquenty the fragment OF ice on who stood could
not approach any than this. Alter moment
of rresolution leaped upon the frozen surface and
began to towards the bank OF the river My feet
Iseemed scarcely to touch the ice, great was my
terror lest it should give way beneath me but
reached the shore in safety and dropped down, COM
tpletey exhausted by fatigue and agitation
Il 1t was now broad daylight, but neither saw AMI
lmals nor human beings nor any vestiges of them.
Thick forests covered the banks of the river and
Iextended back far my eye could reach fear
lied to penetrate them, lest | should get bewdered
fir their recesses and accordingly walked along the
sledge OF the stream. 1t was not long before dis
covered a column Of smoke rising among the trees.
Immediately directed my steps towards the spot;
and or reaching It, found party seated round fire.
IIhey received me with an air OF indifference and
lunconcern not very agreeable encouraging 10 one
lin my destitute condition However, placed my
lsef in their circle and tried TO discover to what
tribe they belonged, by addressing them il the
different Indian languages with which was acquain-
ted. soon made myself ineligible and related the
circ tances that had brought SO uneX pecled-