North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-11-29
PASSING THROUGH AN ICEBERG.

by seaman who served in the Arctic expedition
: of 1s5O-51:
j Sunday, June 80, 1850. Moored to an iceberg
weather calm sky cloudess, and beautifully blue
surrounded by vast number of stupendous bergs
glitterng and gistening beneath the refugent ray
of MONDAY sun.
! A great portion of the crew had gone on shor
to gather the eggs of the wild sea birds that fire
quent the lonely ice-bound precipices of Bafini
: Bay, while those on board had retired to rest
wearied with the harrassing tolls of the preced
ing day. +e... EEg L@ G/.
To me, walking the deck and alone, all natur
seemed hushed in universal repose. While thu
contemplating the stiffness of the montonous scene
around me, observed in the offing large iceberg
completely perforated, exhibiting in the distance al
arch, or tunnel, apparently SO uniform in its con
/ formation that | was induced to call two of the
seamen to look at it, at the time telling then
that had never read or heard of any of our Arc
tic voyagers passing through one of those arches
so frequently seen through large bergs, and thai
there would be novelty in doing so, and if they
chose to accompany me would get permission to
take the dingy IA small boat) and endeavor to &C
compllsh the unprecedented feat. They readily
agreed, and away we went.
| On nearing the arch and ascertaining that there
was a sufficiency of water for the boat to pass
through, we rowed slowly and silently under, when
there burst upon our view one of the most magni-
ficent specimens of natures handiwork ever exhib-
tied to mortal eyes, the sublimity and grandeur Of
which no language can describe-no imagination
conceive T d..
Fancy an immense arch of 80 feet span so feet
high, and upwards of 100 in breadth-as correct
in its conformation as fit had been constructed by
the most scientific artist-formed of solid ice of a
beautiful emerald green, its whole expanse of sur
face smoother than the most polished alabaster, and
you may form some slight conception Of the arch
itectural beauties of this icy temple, the wonderful
workmanship of time and the elements.
When we had got about half way through the
mighty structure, on looking upward 1 observed
that the berg was split the whole breadth of the
arch and in perpendicular direction to its summit
showing two vertical sections of regular surfaces,
darky, deeply, beautifully blue" here and there
Illuminated by arctic sun which darted its gol-
den rays between, 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 fancied the blue vault
of heaven" had opened, and that actually gazed
on the celestial splendor of a world beyond this.
But, alas in an instant the scene changed, and
awoke, as it were from delightful dream to ex-
perience all the horrors of terrible reality. 1 OBJ
served the fracture rapidly close, then again slowly
open. This stupendous mass Office, millions of tons
in weight, was ahoat consequently in motion, and
CtpSlZe OF
burst into fragments Our position was truly aw-
full my feelings at the moment may be conceived,
but cannot be described. looked downward and
around me; the sight was equally appalling the
very sea seemed agitated. l at last shut my eyes
from scene so terrible the men at the oars, if
by instinct gave way" and our little craft swiftly
gEded from beneath the gigantic mass.
We then rowed round the berg, keeping at re-
spectacle distance from it. in order to Judge of its
magnitude. I supposed it to be about mile in
circumference, and its highest pinnacle $50 feet.
Thus ended an excursion, the bare recollection of
which at this moment awakens in me a shudder
nevertheless, would not have lost the opportunity
of witnessing a scene so awfully sublime, so tragi-
cally grand, for thousands sterling, but would not
again run such risk for world.
We passed through the berg about 2 P. NJ, and
at 10 o'clock the same night it burst agitating 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 the1n after were out of dan
ger, we having agreed previously to entering the
arch not to speak word to each other, lest echo
tself should disturb the fragile mass.
N. B. Arctic voyagers differ as to what portion
of an iceberg is under water. Some say one-ffth
some onessventh some more. refer the reader
@ the works of Ross and Parry as the best author
ties.