Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1847-02-04
FANNY FORESTER.
Incidents IN q Canadian Winter.

Incidents In q Canadian Winter.
In tho middle ofthe great st. Lawrence
there IL, nearly opposite Montreal, an
island called St. Helens, between which
and the shore the stream. about three
quarters Of mile broad, runs with very
great rapidly, and yet Notwithstanding
the current, the intense cold of winter
invariably freezes its surface. The win.
ter am speaking of was unusually severe
and the ice on the St. Lawrence pnrticu.
larly thick however, while the river be-
meath was rushing towarde the sea, the
ice was waiting in allegiance in the mid
die of the stream until the narrow fastness
between Montreal and ST. Helens should
burst and allow the whole mass TO break
into pieces, and then in stupenduus con-
fusion to hurry down towards Quebec.
On St. Helens there was CHARTERED
small detachment of troops, and while
the breaking up Of the ice was momenily
expected, many Of the soldiers, muffled in
their great coats, with thick storm gloves
on their hands, and with a piece of fur
attached to their caps to protect their ears
from being frozen, were on the ice en-
ployed in attending to the road across it
to Montreal. After short suspense,
which increased rather than allayed
their excitement, a deep laundering noise
announced that the process have de.
scribed had commenced. The ice before
them writhed, hsaped up, burst, broken
into fragments, and the whole mass, ex-
cepting small portion, which, remain
ing rivited TO the shore of st. Helens,
formed an artificial pier, with deep va.
ter beneath it gradually moved down
wards. Just at this moment Of intense
interest, little girl, the daughter of an
artilleryman on the island, was seen on
the ice in the middle Of the river, in an
attitude of agony and alarm. Impru-
DENLY and unobserved, she hac attempt
ed to cross over to Montreal, and was
hardly half way, when the ice both above
and below her gave way.
The chlds fate seemed inevitable, and
il was exciting various sensations ir the
minds, and various EXPLANATIONS from
the mouths Of the soldiers, when some
thing in the breast of Thomas NeilI, q
young sergeant in the Oath regiment, who
happened to be much nearer her than the
rest, distinctly uttered to him the mono
syllables Quick march," and in obedi.
ence thereto, fixing his eyes on the child
as on parade bandarole, he steadily pro-
ceeded towards her before
him, and sometimes on either side, al
immense piece of ice would pause, rear
up on end, and roll over, so as OCCASION
ulIy to hide him altogether from view.
Sometimes he was seen Jumping from q
piecc that was beginning 10 rise, and then
like white bear carefully clambering
down piece that was beginning to sink.
However, onward he proceeded, until
reaching the little island of ice on which
the poor child stood, with the feelings Of
calm triumph with which he would have
surmounted breach, he firmly grasped
her hand. BY this time he had been
foated down the river, nearly out OF sight
of bis comrades. However, some of them
having run to their barracks for spy
glasses. they distinctly behel6 him about
tive miles below them, sometimes leading
tie child by the hand, sometimes carry.
ing her in his arms. sometimes hating, ,
sometimes running double quick; : and
in this dangerous predicament be contin-
ued foi six miles, until, after passing
LongueiI, he was given up by his COM
panions as lost. He remained with the
little girl, floating down the river, for q
considerable time. At last. toward eve
ming, they were discovered by some
French Canadians, who at no small risk
humanely pushed off in canoe to their
assistance, and thus rescued them both
frem their perilous situation. Tho Can
adams took them to their home; at last
in due time they returned 10 ST. Helens
The child was happily restored to its
paren,s,and Sergeant N. quietly returned
to his barracks.
s-~0~~-~.--S0~-~
The Western railroad despatched 1850