Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-06-08
G8e Storp GtlItr,
A DAY ON AN ICEBERG.
One of the Strange Stories.
BY II. G. WRIGHT.


ern Cross , 1000 tons register. was COM
ing home from Melia with two years leave
of absence and highly blue-bilious liver
On that Christmas-day we were just south of
the equator, with the thermometer standing at
30 degs. in the shade. We dined with win
dows and doors opened wide, and fore-and-
aft sail suspended over the cabin skylight,
punkar fashion, making feeble attempts to
cool US with air blown off the coast of Africa.
Having, on that special occasion, considered
1t necessary to appear at the cuddy-table in
full dress, it may be imagined what relief we
experienced, dinner over and the ladies bowed
our tight dress coats to the backs of the seats,
and ourselves to the enjoyment of the gentle
evening breeze of the Ocedn-c,m dignitate.
Having recounted our remembrances of any
past Christmas-days distinguished by incidents
worth relating, we had relapsed into cheroots,
brandy pawnee, and meditation the latter
expression, when at sea, means thinking of
nothing and taking your time about doing it.
Who has got the hellum 2 asked the cap
tain of the steward who chanced to enter the
cuddy. Il never discovered why he persisted
in making two syllables of that word.)
Ben Spinyun, Sir, answered the steward.
(The creaking from the motion of the wheel
here became very regular and carefully
: Oh = said the captain well, start one
of the men aft TO take the hellum, and send
Ben in for glass Of grog'
The steward seemed inclined to stand on
his dignity, and object to the intrusion of 'Ben'
into his domain. However, seeing that every
one round the table looked most after dinnerIy
good natured, he Obeyed the captains order
This fellow said the skipper, alluding to
Ben, 'is one of the best specimens have on
board of the genuine saltwater breed. A
capital sailor, he has been everywhere in the
world and seen everything in or near any port
where vessel can put in; yet, if we were to
drop anchor tomorrow among the Tee-Total
Islands, if there be any, Ben would manage
to get drunk within half dozen hours after
being on shore, and to get done out of all his
money before returning to the ship. He has
been in all kinds of scrapes and adventures,
and I'd lay wager can spin you any amount
of yarns about queer-spent Christmas days at
sea. wish, gentlemen, that it lay in my
power to serve out roast beef and plum-pud-
dings to all these poor fellows, for, when we
think of the hardships of sea-faring life
This was one of the captains grievances.
believe the old villain (who had a share in
the ship Systematically served out the weak
est of grog and the woodiest of beef that he
could procure, yet as sure as he got 't'other
glass, he began to talk nautical philanthropy
in the above strain. Luckily, the entrance
of the old seaman cut short his prosings.
A well-bult, strong fellow was Ben Spin
yum, with fine, open, impudent face, and
pair of eyes that seemed to have caught their
color from the sea, and twinkled over the rim
of the glass of rum that the doctor handed to
him at the bottom of the table, with bright
ness that many fair damsel would have en-
Wed. Not that this glass of rum was tossed
off without due observances and ceremonies,
for Ben was one of natures polite men, and
his hearty Here's wishing merry Christmas
and good wage had genuine ring about it
pleasant to hear.
Hottsh weather for Christmas-day, Ben,'
said |, as he set down the empty glass with
immense care that il should rest perfectly up
right on the table.
WoI L.
his short hair frontward with his hard brown
hand, Il have knowed it deal colder, espec-
tally up about Canedee.'
Why, what on airth brought you in Cana
da at Christmas = asked the doctor, pleas
ant and very clever Yankee, who was what
he called going round the world before begin
ming to 60 through it.
Why, you see, SIR said Ben, 4 wasn't
exactly there, neither. | should ha' been
precious glad to have been there or anywhere
else on that Christmas-day.'
Where were you. then q asked.
Deed, Sir, said Ben, in the simplest mat
ter-offact manner possible, Il was on an ice
berg
On an iceberg we echoed, and helping
Ben to another glass to wind him up, we got
from him the following story. | have en-
deavored to render his narrative as nearly as
possible in his own words; his pronunciation,
however, of some of them is quite unspellable.
We was loading from Quebec, good
many years ago now, when there was some
riots going on up in the country as kept back
the timber we was waiting for from coming
down the st. Lawrence so 'ativeen that, and
the laziness of the stevedor, and the captain,
saving your presence, being, you see-just so,
Sir TO the doctor, who was raising his glass
to his lips,) swe didn't get down the Gulf till
precious late in the season. We came across
lots of ice off Anticost, and the captain being
a mighty timorous man, we'd an awful time
Of 1t across the Banks. W ell, Sir, we got
becalmed just south of Cape Race, Newfound-
land, in about AZ deg. N. latitude, on the
night afore Christmas-day beautiful sight
it was to see the roaring boreiagolis (aurora
borealis) and the icebergs in the meonshines
a looking, for all the world, like hougey
(huge) palaces of wite clancy. Twas look
n Il A..