Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-06-30
mistellaneons.
From the Daily News.
The Icc-Bursi on the Neva.


The crisis of the Baltic enterprise seems
near at hand Under safe Of the Sd Of May
we hear of bitter east winds and thick fall
ing snow; of the 4tb, Of Stockholm steam
ers. running, with crowds Of cit zens to see
the feet; on the 5th, of fog so thick that
the ships could not stir. In Finland mean
time, the season is mild, ard vegetation is
rapidly advancing. The month Of May is
always the season of suspense at St. Pc
tel sburg-the time when it is said the
restless Gar, who sleeps only by snatches
looks out, or goes forth, almost before any.
body else is stirring, to observe the aspect
of his watery realm, and see which way the
| wind is The suspense is about the wind;
and even row, in this most solemn spring
season of all the fifty seven he has known,
the movements Of the wind are of more
consequence to Nicholas than even those
of the allies. A long continuance of strong
east winds would do more for him than all
the preparations he can make. A rush of
west wind would ruin him more speedily
and thoroughly than all his united enemies
could without its help. The suspense is
about this. The fog is the token that
the crisis is at hard The fog proceeds
the breaking up of the ice in the Neva,and
it will be succeeded by those singular twi-
light nights. of unequal beauty which are
The only charm of the desolate region in
which ST.. Petersburg stands While the
! fog lasts the sentinels on the watch tower
in the city look out in vain, some towards
Ladoga, some up the Neva, some toward
the sea. They can hear something, hut see
nothing. So il is with the Car listening
in his balcony; and with the commandants
at Sweaborg and at Cronstadl; and per-
haps with our "Charley" walking the deck,
and talking to himself What he is listen.
ing for is the arrival of the French squad
ron. which will enable him to proceed to his
work when the fog curtain rises. What
the Russians are listening for is. first, the
wind. To some it comes signing over the
peaty plains which stretch to the margin
Of the gulf, whence they look like a mere
drift upon the waters. Over that barren
bleak cxpanse the wind comes sighing
through the rusher, with an occa sional bark
of the wolf, or bursts ofthe din Of the wa
ter fowl in the pools which are already
| ulClttN. ~ VIC NtUh s'llDtS VIVA
ting like mournful music through the pine
forests, which, surrounding the capital. with
their black belt now here further off than
90 miles, approach much nearer in some
directions.
There are sounds which come TO the ear
on May nights when the wind is from any
point Of the compass; for there are swamps
and pine forests everywhere. 1t is the
voice of the waters that the watchers listen
for with hearts that stand still. AS long
as the hollow moaning goes on, the moan
ing Of the imprisoned winds below the ice.
the suspense is complete. Sooner or later
comes the crack, which tells that the hour
of crisis has come. The cracks of the ice
are naturally the most impressive and sound
his sentries are already on the watch; but
now the citizens rise, and look out in vain
through the fog. Some dress and 90 TO
the wharves though it is much to soon to
conjecture how high the waters will rise
Next comes the crash of the ice, driven up
in heaps in the river.or against the wharves !:
and then the more anxious sound-the
swash OF the driven waters. The thing
most desired is a moderate east wind-and
this is what usually happens. A violent
east wind brings down the inland ice and
food too fast; and every inch that the wa
ters rise above the iron rings in the granite
embankment is so much danger. But the
fearful thing is strong west wind, turning
back the food on its way to the Gulf
it is less the swnsh Of waters pouring down
than the roar OF the sea coming up; and
when the tides meet, the consequence is
what the world saw in 1851 The vessels
that were not capsized by the meeting of
the floods were carried over the wharves,
and stranded on he sands which were ara
Bile fields the day before. The nine rivers
and seven canals on which 81. Petersburg
lis seated all over6owed at once. and the
food poured olhe upper chambers Of
the hest houses in the capital. Al Cron.
stadt a large vessel was drifted into the
main street Of the town. and left there
Every successive year adds to the peril Of
such chance; for every year does ST. Pc
tersburg settle lower IN the swamp. Amid
the stagnant silence maintained there about
all disagreeable facts, this very disaereeable