New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-10-31
Passing through an iceberg.
Extract from Jo4rnai Kept BY Seaman uho srted IN
me Arctic Erpedifign of lejO-5l

fhs Arctic ErDscitlgr u lejO-5i.
Sryp.Y. June 80, .-Mcored to an
jceb.re weather calm sky cioudiesS, aud beau
tli,Il,y blue surrounded oy vast number Of stu
porcous beres, gItefing ana eIiStennS oeneath 'he
Teltleent rays OF midday sun
4 great portloD of The crew had gone on shore TO
gather the eggs II the Wild seasirds that frequent
lie lonely lce-oouni precplces of Bathns Bay.
"a bi,e tfose on board had retired ~ rest, wearled
with the harrassiue tolls OF the prece ling day.
10 me. waking the deck and zione All nature
seered hushed Ia universal repoSe. While thus
contemplating the stiffness OF tue IlonotOn0lS scene
around me- obss we'd III the Of:ng large iceberg,
completely perfoIatee, exhibiting IN the distance an
arch or tunnel. apparently - uniform IN It's conior
nation that was Induced TO call two OF the seamen
to look at II, at The time telling them that had
never Tead or heard OF any Of our Arctic vOyagers
passing through one Of those arches 50 hequedtly
seen through large bergS, and that there would be
novelty in COing and Il they chose 10 accompany
me | would get permission 10 take the dlngy Ia
small boat and eudeayor 10 accomplish the unpre-
ceGoDteo feat They readily agreed, and away We
went.
On nearing the arch, and ascertanlng that there
was a suffclency of wafer for the boat to pass
through, We rowed slowly and silently uAleT, when
there burst upon our view one OF the most mag
nfcent specimens of natures handy-wOr6 ever
exhibited to mortal eyes the sublmty aud grandeur
OF which 10 language can cescrlbe-no Imagination
conceive.
Fancy an immense arch OF 50 feet span, 50 feet
high and upward OF 100 IN breadthas correct IN It's
conformation as 1t had been constructedby the most
scientific artiSt-formed of solid ice Of beautiful
emerald green, It's whole expanse of surface smooth
er than the most polished aabaster, and YOU may
form some slight conception OF the Architectural
beauties Of this icy temple, the wonden "orkfnah-
ship of time and the elements.
When we had got about hallway through the
mighty structure, on looking upward observed that
the berg was split the whole breadth OF the arch
and In perpendicular direction to It's summit, snow
ing two vertical sections Of regular surfaces, dark
w. deeply beautifully blue" here and there unlned
BY an arctic which darted ITS golden rays be,
tween presenting to the eye picture OF ethereal
grandeur which no poet could describe, no painter
portray was so enraptured with the sight that for
a moment faDcied the :" blue vault of heaven" had
opened, and that actually gazed on the celeSIlal
splender OF a world beyond tins. But, alas III an
instant the scene changed, and aWOke as II were
from delightful dream TO experience all the horrors
of terrible reality observed the fracture rapidly
close, then again slowly open. ms stupen9ous
mass of ice, millions Of tuns IN weight, was ailoat
consequently in motion, and apparently about to
lose its equilibrium, capslZe, or burst INTO fragments
Our position was truly awful my feelings al the
moment may be conceived, but cannot be described.
looked downward and around me the sight was
equally appalling the very sea seemed agltated L
at last shut my eyes from scene so terrible, the
men at the oars as # by instinct gave way, ana
our little craft swiftly ghded from beneath the
gigantic mass.
we then rowed round the berg, keeping at re
spectacle distance from 1t, IN order to Judge OF It's
magnitude. supposed 1t to be about mile In cir
cumference and It's highest pinnacle $50 feet.
Thus ended an excursion, the bare recollection Of
which at this moment awakens IN me shudder ;
nevertheless, would not have lost the opportunity
of witnessing a scene so awfuy sublime, 50 trag-
cay grand, for thousands sterling, but 1 would not
again run such rlsk for a world
We passed through the berg about two p NJ and
at ten O'Clock the night burst, agitailng the
sea for miles around.
may also observe that the two men who were
with me in the boat did not observe that the berg
was rent until told them, after were out OF dan
ger, We having agreed previously to entering the
arch not to speak word to each other, lest echo
itself should disturb the fragile mass.
\. B'-Arctic vOyagers differ as to what portion
of an iceberg is under water. Some say one nth ,
some one-seventh some more | refer the reader
10 the works of Ross and Parry as the best authorl