Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1857-02-21
Aza Adventure tga the Arssc RE-

/ Inc readers OF Kane narrative OF his
recent Artic expedition could hardly have
failed 10 read the following passage with
almost breathless interest, so completely
we're the lives Of Kane and his men de-
pendent upon the sequel. We copy it for
the benefit of those Of our readers who
have not read the work, with the remark
that it describes a scene that transpired af-
Ter The explorers had abandoned their yes
Isel, and were making desperate, and, as
| it must have appeared to them at the time,
almost hopeless attempt to reach a civil
lied spot, where they could obtain that
aid, in the shape Of food, rest and sleep.
which was SO necessary to their existence.
They were upon short allowance Of food,
and were almost furnishing, with still long
journey before them.
Things grew worse and worse with US;
the old difficulty of breathing came back
again, and our feet swelled to such an ex-
tent that we were obliged to cut open our
canvas boots. But the symptom which
gave me most uneasiness was our inability
to sleep. A form Of low fever which hung
! by lis when at work had been kept down
BY the thoroughness Of our daily rest; all
my hopes Of escape were in the refreshing
influence of a halt.
cit must be remembered that we were
now in the open bay, in the full line of the
great icedrift Of the Atlantic and in the
boats SO frail and unseaworthy as to re-
quire constant bailing to keep them ahoat.
sit was at this crisis of our fortunes that
we saw q large seal fioating-as is the
custom Of those animals-on q small patch
Iof ice, and seemingly asleep. It was an
as8ak, (seal,) and SO large that I at first
nistook it for walrus. Signal was made
for the Hope to follow astern, and, trem-
bling with anxiety, We prepared to crawl
down upon him.
peterson, with the large English rife,
was stationed in the bow, and stockings
were drawn over The oars as nufflers. AS
We neared the animal, our excitement be-
came so intense that our men could hard
lly keep stroke. l had set Of signals ior.
such occasions, which spared US the noise
Of the voice; and, when about three hun
dred yards of, the oars were taken in, and
we moved on in deep silence with single
scull astern.
"He was not asleep, for he reared his
head when we were almost in rifle shot
and to this day I can remember the hard,
care-worn, almost despairiig expression oil
the mems thin faces as they saw him
move; their lives depended on his cap
ture.
II depressed my hand nervously, as a
s sigma for Peterson to fire. McGary hunnl
leasly sagging ahead, seemed to me with
in certain range. Looking at Peterson, /
saw that the poor fellow was paralyzed by
his anxiety-trying vainly to obtain a rest
for his gun against the cutwater of the
boat. The seal rose on bis fore-fiippers,
gazed at us for moment with frighten
| ed curiosity, and coiled himself for a
plunge. At that instant, simultaneously
with the crack Of our rifle, he relaxed his
long length upon the ice, and at the very
brink of the water, his head fell helpless to
one side.
would have ordered another shot but
no discipline could have controlled the
men. With a wild yell, each vociferating
according to bis own impulse, they urged
the boats upon the foes. A crowd Of
hands seized the seal and bore him up TO
safer ice. The men seemed half crazy; |
had not realized how much we were re-
duced by absolute famine. They ran over
the foe, crying and laughing and brand
isbipr their knives. It was not five min
utes before every man was sucking his
bloody fingers or mounting long stripes Of
blubber.
ssNot an ounce OF the seal was lost
The intestines found their way into the
soap kettles without any observance Of the
preliminary home processes. The cartil-
aginous parts Of the fore-fippers were cut
off in the melee, and passed around to be
chewed upon, and even the liver, warm
and raw as it was, babe fair to b. eaten
before il had seen the pot. That night,
on the large hating foe, to which, in con-
tempt Of Che danger Of lrit, we happy
men had hauled our boats, two entire
planks of the Red Erie were devoted to a
grand cooking ffe, anu we enjoyed raw
ana savage Iecest.
| snAKEfs IN KnNruoKY.-A society Of
Shaker settled in Mercer county, Ken ucky,
lin 1sO7, and still remain there, thrifty, in
lustrioua, unobtrusive, comfortable and quiz
ct. as they are everywhere. They began
with a farm of about 100 acres, and now
have about 5000, worth from $50 to 500
per acre. The community is divided into
| five sfamilies" comprising between three
and four hundred members. Their build
Iings are principally Of brick and stone, and
their fields are separated and enclosed with
Substantial stone walls, one man being con
stantly employed in building and repairing
them. Forty miles Of this wall has cost
them about $4,000,
They have 500 heads ofCattle-mostly
| short horns, the best imported stock
Great care is taken Of their stock AM they
drive up course Of feeding that IS at
once economical and wholesome. Cutting
machines are operated by horse power ca