The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-11-15
PASSING THROUGH AN IcEDERG.

PASSING THROUGH AN ICEBERG.
lExtrnct frou, journal kept by a Sesman who
served In the Arctic Expedition Of is5O-6II
-SrVf,tr, Euur st,-ia5o hodrud n M
iceberg; weather calm; sky cloudless, and
beautifully blue,' surrvuRdsd ~ vast num-
ber of stuPcndous borgs, glittoring and glis-
tening beneath the rohlgcnt rays ofa mid
day sun.
A great portion Of the crew hsd gons''ou
shore TO gather the eggs OF the wild seA-birds
that frequcnied the lonely iccbound procipic-
60 Of Bafin's Bay. while thaae on beard had
retired to rest, wcaried with tho haTTUSing
tolls Of HE preceding day
To me, walking the deck and alone. all ma
turc seemed hushcd in universal rrposc -
While thus contemplating the stiffness of the
monotonous scene around me, observed in
the o1ing large iceberg, completely per-
foratcd, exhibiting in the distance an arch, or
tunnel apparently so uniform in its confor-
nation that was induced to call two OF the
scur,rrr TO iook at It, ut the surur time saying
that | had never read or heard Of any Of our
arctic voyagors passing through one OF those
arches so fr@ucptly seen through large berPs
andthat there would be novelty in doing 80,
and if they choose to accompany me ! would
get permission to take the dingy Ga small
boat), and cndeavor TO accomplish tho un.
prcccdented feat They readily agreed, and
away VIC went. t.----. -
On nearing the arch, and asdsrtaining that
thcre was sufIiciency of water for the boat
TO pass through, we rode slowly and silently
under, when there burst upon our view one
of the most magnificent specimens Of natures
handiwork ever exhibited to mortal eyes; tho
sublimity and grandeur Of which no language
can describe-no Imagination conceive,
Fancy an arch Of 80 feet span, so feet high
and upward of 100 feet in breadth-as cor
rectin its conformation as il il had been con.
structed by the most scientific Artist--formed
of solid ice ofa beautiful emerald green, its
whole expanco of surface smoother than the
mos, polished alabastcr, and you may form
some slight conception Of the architectural
beauties of this icy temple, the wonderful
Workmanship of time aud the elements
When we had got about half way through
the mighty structure, on looking upward
observed that the berg was rent the whole
breadth OF the arch, aud in perpendicular
direction to its summit, showing two vertical
sections Of irregular surfaces, 'darkly, deep
ly, beautifully blue here and there illumin-
cd by an arctic sun which dnrted its golden
rays betweeni presenting to the eye pic
ture of ethereal grandeur which no poet could
describe, no painter portray. ] was so en-
raptured with the sight thai for a moment !
faucied the blue vault Of heaven had opened,
and that actually gazed Oh the celestial
splendor of the world beyond this But,
alas in an instant the sceno changed, and |
awoke as il were from delightful dream to
experience all the horrors OF q terrible reality.
/ observed the fracture rapidly close, and
then again slowly open. This stupendoGs
mass Office, millions of tons in weight, was a.
float, consequently in motion, and apparently
about to lose its equilibrium, capsize,or burst
into fragments Our position was truly aw-
full; my feelings at the moment may DO con-
ccivcd, bat cannot be described | looke
downwards and aronnd mo, the sight was q.
T1Rlly appalling, tho very SEA seemed oeitat