The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-01-07

A HEROIC ACTION. In the middle Of the
great st. Lawrence there is nearly opposite
Montreal, an Island called st. Helens, be-
tween which and the shore, the stream, about
three-quarters of mile broad, runs with very
great rapidity and yet, notwithstanding this
current, the intense cold of winter invariably
freezes its surface. The winter am speaking
of, was unusually severe, and the ice on the
St. Lawrence particularly thick: however,
while the river beneath was rushing towards
the sea, the ice was waiting in obcyance in
the middle 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 stupendous
confusion to hurry down towards Quebec
On ST. lleIens there was quartered a small
detachment of troops, and while the breaking
up of the ice was momently expected, many
of the soldiers mufled up in their great coats,
with thick storm gloves on their hands, and
with piece of fur attached to their caps to
protect their ears from being frozen, were on
the ice, employed in attending to the road
across it to Montreal After a short suspense,
which increased rather than alayed their eX-
element, deep laundering noise announced
to them that the process have described had
commenced. The ice before them writhed,
heaved up, burst broke into Fragments and
the whole mass, excepting small portion
which remaining riveted to the shore of ST.
Heens, formed an artificial pier, with deep
water beneath it, gradually moved down
wards.
Just at this moment of intense interest, a
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.
ImprudentIy and unobserved, she had at
tempted to cross over to Montreal, and was
hardly half way when the ice both above, be-
low her, and in all directions, gave way
The child's fate seemed inevitable, and it was
exciting various sensations in the minds, and
various EXPLANATIONS from the mouths Of the
soldiers, when something within the breast of
Thomas Neill, young sergeant in the oath
Regiment, who happened to be much nearer
to her than the rest distinctly uttered to him
the monosylablcs, "Quick march p and in
obedience thereto fixing his eyes on the child
as on parade bandarolc, he steadily proceed
ed towards her. Sometimes before him, some
times lust behind him, and sometimes on eth
or side, an immense piece of ice would pause,
rear up on end, and roll over, so as occasion
ally to hide him altogether from view Some
times he was seen jumping from a piece that
was beginning to rise, and then like white
bear, carefully clambering down piece that
was sinking; onward he proceeded, until,
reaching the little island on which the poor
Child stood, with the feelings of calm triumph
with which he would have surmounted a
breach, he firmly graspcd her by the hand
BY this time he had floated down the river
nearly out ofsight of his comrades. However
some of them having run to their barracks
for spy-glasses, distinctly beheld them about
two miles below them sometimes leading the
child with his hand, sometimes carrying her
in his arms sometimes haltng," sometimes
running " double quick :" and in this danger.
Gus predicament lie continued for six miles