Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-02-13
Awful Discovery.


the master Of the Greenland, whale
ship, found himself becalmed among
an immense number Of icebergs, in a.
bout II degrees of north latitude. On
one side and within mile Ct his YES
sci, these were closely wedged togeth-
er, and a succession Of snow-colored
peaks appeared behind each other as
far as the eye could reach, showing
that the ocean was completely blocked
up in that quarter, and that it had
probably been SO for long period Of
time. Captain Warrens did not feel
altogether satisfied with his situation;
but there being no wind he could not
move one way or the other, and he
therefore kept strict watch, knowing
that he would be safe as long as the
icebergs continued in their respective
places.
About midnight the wind rose TO a
gale, accompanied by thick showers Of
snow, while succession of trcmendu-
Gus Numbering, grinding, and crashing
noises, gave fearful evidences that the
ice was in motion. The vessel recciv-
cd violent shocks every moment; for
the hazness Of the atmosphere prevcn n
ted those on board from discovering in
what direction the open water lay, or
if there actually was any at all on eth
or side Of them. The night was spent
in lacking as often as any case Of dan
ger happened to present itself, and in
the morning the storm ahated, and
Capt. Warrens found, to hiJ great JOY,
that his ship had not sustained any Sc
rious injury. He remarked with sur
prise that the accumulated iccbergs,
which had on the preceding evening
formed an impenetrablc barrier, had
been separated and disranged by the
wind, and that in one place a canal Of
open sea wound It's course among
them as far as the eye could reach.
1t was two miles beyond the en-
trance of this canal that a ship made
its appearance about noon. The sun
shone brightly at the time, and gen.
tie breeze blew from the north. At
frat some intervening icebergs proven
ted Capt. Warrcns from distinctly see
ing anything but her masts; but he
was struck with the strange manner in
which her sails were disposed, and
with the dismantled aspect Of her
yards and rigging. She continued to
go before the wind for few furlongs
and then grounding upon the low ice
berg, remained motionless.
Capt. Warrens' curiosity was so
much excited that no Immediately |
leaped into his boat with several sea-
men, and rowed towards her. On ap.
preaching he observed that her hull
was miserably weather beaten, and
not soul appeared on her deck, which
was covered with snow to eonsidera-
BILE depth. He hailed her crew sever
oil times, but no answer was returned.
Previous to stepping on board, an open
portfolio near the main chains caught
his eye, and, on looking into il, he
perceived man reclining back on a
chair, with writing materials on a Ia
BILE before him, but tho ieebleness OF
the light made everything very iudis-
tinct. The party went upon deck,
and having removed the hatchway,
which they found closed, they deseen-
ded 10 the cabin. They first viewed
through the port-hole. A tremor sci
zed him as he entered il. It's inmate
retained his former position, and seem
ed TO be insensiblo to strangersl He
was found to be a corpse, and green
damp mould had covered his cheeks
and forehead, and yelled his open eye
balls. He had pen in his hand, and
a log-book lay before him, and the last
sentence in whose unfinished page ran
thus "Nov. 1862. we have now
been enclosed in the ice IL days. The
fire went out yesterday, and our mas
ter has been trying ever since TO kindle
IL again without success. His wife
died this morning. There is no re-
lief"
Captain Warrens and his scamen
hurried from the spot without uttering
a word. On entering the principal
cabin the first object that attracted
their attention was The dead body OF a
female reclining on bed in an atti-
tude Of deep interest and attention, -
Her countenance retained the fresh
ness Of life, and contraction OF the
limbs showed that her form was inani-
mate. Seated on the floor was a corpse
of an apparently young man holding
a steel in one hand aud flint in the
other, as If in the act of striking FIRE
l.. l.,