Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-11-01
PASSING THROUGH AN ICEBERG.

Ertract from Journal kept 5y Seaman ,cAo sped in
the Arctic Expedition Of ls50-'5l.
SUNDAY, JUHE 80, ls50.--Moored to an iceberg wea
her calm sky coudless and beautifully blue = surround
ed by vast number Of stupendous begs eletng and gs
enng beneath the refuIgent rays Of a midday SUM-
great portion of the had gone on shore TO gather
the eggs Of the wild seabirds that frequent the lonely ice
bound precpces of Bans Bay while those on board had
retired ore weared with the harassns tolls of the peced
ing day. .ag7 9.s8 isi e9a III ela5s 5EA
TO me, walking .he deck and alone, all Nature seemed
hushcd in universal epose While thus contemplating the
stiffness OF the monoonous scene around me- observed in
the ong large iceberg, completely perforated exhibiting in
the distance arch, tunnel apparently uniform in its
conformation that induced ,a two of the
look at it at the time telling them that had read
or beard OF Of arctic voyages passing through
Of those arches 80 frequently through large beg and
that there would be novelty in doing and if they chose
TO accompany me would get permission to take the dney
small boa and endeavor to accomplish the unprecedented
feat They readily agreed, and away went.
On nearing the arch and ssceaning that there was suf
6ciency of water for The boat pass througb rowed
slowly and silently under when there burst upon view
one of the most magnificent specimens Of Natures hand
work exhibited to mortal eyes the submy and gram
deur cf which no language describe, imagination
conceive.
Fancy immense srch Of eighty feet span 6y feet hgh
and upward Of hundred feet in BREADTH correct in its
conformation if it had been constructed by the most scen-
tc artist formed of solid ice Of beautiful emerald ereen
m whole expanse Of surface smoother than the most polished
aabaster and you may form slight conception of the
architectural beauties Of this icy temples ae wonderful wok
msnship Of time and the elements. XII
When we had got about half.way through the mighty
structure, on looking upward observed that the berg
rent the whole breadth Of the srch and in perpendicular d.
recton to lis summit showing two vertical Of irgu
lar surfaces, darky, deeply, beautifully bue here and
there umined by aric which daed its golden
between presenting TO the picture Of ethereal grandeur
which no poet could describe, painter portray.
enrapured with the sight that for moment fanced the
blue vault Of heaven had opened, and that actually
gazed the celestial splendor Of world beyond this But
alas in instant the changed, and awoke az il
from delightful dream experience all the horrors of
terrible reality observed the fracture rapidly close, then
again slowly open This s'upendous Of ice, millions
Of tons In weight, was eoa consequently in motion, nnd
apparently about to lose its equilibrium capsize burst into
ffsgmens. Our position truly awful my feelings at
the moment may be conceived, but cannot be described
looked downwards and around me- the sight equally ap
psling tho very seemed astated at last shut my
eyes from terrible, the the If by
instinct "gave way" and little craft swiftly gded from
beneath the gigantic
We then rowed round the berg keeping at respectful
distance from it, n order to Judge Of its msgnude. sup
10 be about e in circumference and its highest
pinnacle $50 feet 98f 70
at this moment swakens in sbudder nevertheless,
would not have lost the opportunity Of behong scene SO
awfully sublime, trsgcsIiy grand for any money but
would not sgsin run such risk for the world.
We passed through the berg about p M and at ten
o'clock the same night bus sstatng the sea for miles
srourd. s1
msy also observe that the who were with me IN
the boat did observe that The berg wss rent until told
them, ser out Of DANGER we having agreed prev
ouy entering the srch spcsk word to each Other
lest echo itself should disturb the fragile macs
N. b. Arctic voysge differ - ~ What portion OF m ice
berg 10 under wsts Some say one-h seventh
some more. refer the reader 10 the works Of Ross and
] Parry ~ the best authorities.