True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-10-01
THE MAN ON THE ICEBERG.

'Itis man + said the captain, hand
ing his telescope to the mate, after long,
steady look; 'and he seems frozen hard
and fast to the side of the iceberg
Keep her away? cried the skipper.
: So-o--o. T Steady !" and by thus al
tering our course we brought the iceberg
right ahead. /, ",tf VI"
The iceberg had been in sight since
the weather cleared at midnight, when it
looked like some high rocky beadland,
except that, by watching the bright stars
behind it, we could see its gigantic out
lines swaying solemnly and majestically
up and down. There was something
sublimely grand in the slow stately move
ment of such mass. There it Aoated,
large enough, had it been land, to have
been the DIV elling place of hundreds Of
human beings. The lower part was of
SO deep purple as to look almost black
but higher up it shaded off to bright
azure, then to light pale green while
on its lofty summit were long and slender
spires and pinnacles, and pieces Of thin
transparent ice worked into all manner of
fantastic forms, and either of crystal
whileness, or tinted with beautiful pale
pink. There were bays and promonto-
ries, caves and glottos, hills and dells,
with every variety Of light and shade.
The island was almost equally divided by
a great valley running through its centre.
This was half filled with snow, which
thawing lowly in the sun, formed the
source Of waterfall, at height so great
that it was blown and scattered into fine
rain before it reached the sea. Around
its base-on which the sea was breaking
with noise less booming and more mu-
sical than when il dashes on the solid
shore-was broad band Of frozen spray,
which, glittering in the sunshine, looked
like the silver setting of all enormous
sapphire. r.rrj ' eI. ra,s..as
Not far from the top, and on the side
nearest to US, was a vast, smooth, CLASSY
plane, inclining steeply towards the sea.
and terminating abruptly in tremendous
overhanging precipice. In the very cen.
ire of this plane, those among US who
had good eyes could see small black
spot. 1t was at this the captain had been
peering through his glass when he said,
Ii is a man! ''.' .'
Every glass in the ship was in requisi.
tion, and every eye strained towards one
point. The excitement became almost
frantic when one of the watchers sudden.
ly exclaimed that he saw the man move
his head. .'."
We approached so near that the pla,
teau above, and its dread object, were at
last hidden from view by the brink Of the
precipice ITSELF which seemed as if about
10 roll over and crush us. We sailed
along the side, frequently lying-to, 10 ex-
plore each nook and corner as we passed.
The further end of the island, when we
rounded it, presented quite new feature;
the base was sapped away and under
minded for about half a mile by sue
cession of low cavernous ho,lows, extend
ing inwards fart her than we could see,
while the sea rushing in and out !umulli-
ously, made the pent.up air within howl
and whsle likea hurricane. Altering our
course again we steared almost due west
under the southern side. where its vast
shadow spread out far and wide over the
ocean. 1t now looked even grander,
darker, more fear inspiring, than before,
with the sun beaming over its rugged crest,
or shining through the thinner pa rts and
showing the prismalic colors Of the rain
bow. The form Of the ice island was
that Of an irregular triangle, and in about
five hours we had sailed completely around
1t. But there was no single point at
which any boat ever built could have
landed, even had it been a dead calm, and
the sea as still as a mill.pond; much less
in such a heavy surf as was then foaming
and creaming all around it. No sign Of
living thing was seen, excepting one great
sleepy seal, that had crept into hole Just
above water.mark, and lay here as il he
was in comfortable quarters. No sign oil
boat or spar, or wreck, 1t was a picture
Of utter desolation. ....-
We hove-to again, at the nearest point
from which the man on the iceberg could
be seen. He lay on his back with one
arm folded in an unusual manner under
his head, the whole altitude being one Of
easy repose; indeed, had it not been fol
the marbly look Of his face and hands,
we could have fancied that he was Sleep
ing soundly. He was clothed as one o
the best class of seamen, in rough blue
pilot cloth with large horn buttons he
had no hal, and by his side lay small
boat hook, 10 which was tied strip o.
red wollen stuff, apparently piece of the
same which he had worn around his neck
This, no doubt, the poor fellow had in
tended as signal. In such thin, clear
atmosphere, with the aid Of powerful
telescope, even his features might be plain
ly traced, and his iron-gray hair was seen
moving in the wind. lall7 4
The second mate stou,ly declared tina
he recognized the man--be was quite surf
of it--aa old chum and shipmate of hil
with whom he had sailed many a Ions
] voyage, and some part Of whose wild va
fied history he told US the next evening