Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-11-20
BURLINGTON, IOWA, NOVEMBER 90 1851



Extract from Journal kept by seaman who
served IN the Arctic Expedition of lSS0-5l. +
Sunday, June 80, 1SS0-Moored to an iceberg
| weather calm; sky cloudless, and ''beau,ifully
blue" surrounded by 4 vast number of stupen.
daoas bergs, glitterng and glistsning beneath the
retulgent rays Of a midday sun.
A great portion OF the crew had gone on shore
TO gather the eggs OF the wild seabiras that fire.
! Qnent the lonely icehouna precipices of Baffnss
Bay, while those on board had retired to rest,
| wear!ed with the hacrasSing tolls of the preced-
Ing day.
To me, walking the deck aud alone. all nature
seemed huShed IN universal repose While thus
contemplating the Stiffness OF the mcnctoaous
scene around me, | observed, in the ei'ins. a
large iceberg. completely perforated, exhibiting
| IN the distance an arch, or tunnel, apparently so
uniform IN its conformation that was induced 10
call two OF the scamen to look at It, at the same
time telling them that had never heard or read
! of our arctic Novagers passing through one of
! those arches SO frequently seen through large
hergs, and that there would be "a novelty in doing
so. and If they chose 10 accompany me would
get permission to take the ,iingv ca small boat,
and endeavor 10 accomplish the unprecedented
| feat. They readily agreed, and away we went.
On nearinS the arch, and ascertaining that
there was a Suiliciency Of water for the boat to
pass through, we rowed slowly and silently under,
when their barst upon our view one of the most
magnificent specimens OF natures handiwork
ever exhibited to mortal eyes; the subimity and
grandeur of which no language can describe-no
Inauguration conceive.
Fancy an immense arch of so feet span 80 feet
high, and upwards of 100 in breadth-as correct
in its conformation as If il had been constructed
by the most scient fc artist-formed Of solid ice
of a beautiful emerald green, its whole expanse
OF surface smoother than the most polished ala
haser, anl YOU may form some slight conception
Of the architectural beauties Of this icy temple,
the wonderful workmanship of time and the ele-
ments.
When we had got about half way through this
mighty structure, on looking upward | observed
that the berg was rent the whole breadth of sae
arch, and IN perpendicular direction TO its sum-
init. showing two vertical sections Of irregular
surfaces, ''darkly, deeply, beautifully blue" here
and there Illuminated by an arctic sun which
dartea its golden rays between. presenting to the
eye picture of ethereal grandeur which no poet
could describe, no painter portray. Twas en-
raptured with the sight that for u moment |
foncied the "h,ne vault of heaven" had opened,
and that actually gazed on the celestial splen-
ior of world beyond this. But, alas in an in
stant the scene changed, an1 awoke as il Were
from delightful dream to experience all the hor-
rors of a terrible reality. 1ohserved the fracture
rapidly close, then again slowly open.
This stupendoas mass of ice, millions of tons
in weight, was ai,oat, consequently in motion,
apparently about 10 lose its equilibrium. capsize,
or burst into fragments Our position was
truly awful my feelings at the moment may be
conceived, but cannot be described. | looked
downwards and around me the sight was equal
ly appalling; the very sea seemed agitated. I at
last shut my eyes from scene so terrible, the
men at the oars as if by instinct "gave way" and
our little craft swiftly ghded from beneath the
gigantic mass.
We then rowed around the berg, keeping at
respectful distance from it, in order to Judge of
Il, I ", ha Il,
circumference, and its highest pinnacle $50 feet.
Ihus enled an excursion, the bare recollection
of which at this moment awakeus in me shui-
der neverthelessI I woaid not have lost the op-
portnnltv OF beholding scene SO awfnlly sub
lime, so sragicay grand, for anv money, but
would not again run such risk for the world.
We passed through the berg abont2 p. NJ. and
at 10 o'clock the same night itbarst, agtating the
sea for miles around.
| may also observe that The t!ro men who were
with me in The boat did not observe that the berg
was rent until told them, after we were ont of
danger, we having agreed. previously to entering
the arch. no. to speak a word to each other, lest
echo itself should disturb the fragile mass.
\. b. Arctic vovaGers differ as to what por-
ton of an iceberg is under water. Some say one
fifth; some one-seventh: some more. | refer
the reader 10 the works of Ross and Parry as the
best authorities.
Sir joan FRANKLIN.-The London Morning
Chronicle publishes the following interesting
statement, vouching for its accuracy, and saying
that the Admiralty has ordered an inquiry:
GLOUCESTER, Friday.
An extraordinary circumstance has Just bap-
pened here, which hasten TO communicate. Il
is almost incredible. but for the fact that the
thority is ucdoubtei and the Admiralty have
been induced to order an official inquiry, which
is now being proceeded with.
These are the facts: Last Sunday afternoon,
Mrs Russell, lady living at Wootton, near this
city, observed something fall in the garden while
at dinner. On sending out the gardener he found
it to be small balloon, in the ear of which was
a card, bearing the following Inscription:
EREDus, III W. Long.
II deg. N. Lat
September 3, 1851.
Blocked in.
The matter was first looked upon as hoax,
but subsequent events led to a communication
being made with the Admiralty, who sent for the
balloon and card, and immediately on their re-
ceipt sent down Captain Beechy, r. n, to Glon-
cester. with another officer. TO make inquiries
These inquiries are now being prosecuted; Cap
tain Beechy having been twice at Woot.on. ex-
amning all parties resident there. 1t turns out
,bnt # i n real Government baion Of eSartly n