Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-01-24

II had hardly welcomed the spectacle, when |
saw that we had passed upon q belt Of Ice that
was obviously unsafe. To the right, and left, and
front, was one great expanse of snow .howered ice.
The nearest solid foe was a mere lump, which
stood like an island in the white level. To turn
was impossible; we had to keep upon our gait. We
urged on the dogs with whip and voice, the ice
rolling like leather beneath the slcdge runners: it
was more than a mile to the lump Of solid ice
Fear gave to the poor beasts their utmost speed,
and our voices we're soon hushcd to silence.
'The suspense, unrelieved by action or effort,
was intolerable. We knew that there was no rem
edy but to reach the foe, and that everything de-
pended upon our dogs, and our dogs alone. A
moments check would plunge the whole concern
into the rapid Tide way. No presence of mind OF
resource, bodily or mental, could avail US. The
seals-ior w were now near enough to see theii
expressive faces-were looking ut us with tina
strange curiosity which seems to be their charac
teristic expression. We must have passed some
fifty Of them, breast-bigh out of water, mocking
us by their selfcomplacency.
"This desperate race against fate could not last
This rolling of the tough salt water ice terrified oui
dogs, and when within fifty PAGES from the fo'
they paused. The left hand runner went through
our leader, To~odlamick, followed; and in one sec
ond the entire left Of the sledge was submerged
My first thought was to liberate the dogs. l lean
Ell forward to cut poor Tood's traces, and the mex
minute was swimming in q little circle of pastr.
ice and water alongside HIM. Hans, dear, goo'
fellow, drew near to help me-. uttering pitious eS
pressions in broken English; but | ordered him +
throw himself on his belly, with his hands an
legs extended, and to make for the island by cog
ging himself ON forward with his jack-kuife. l
the meantime-a mere Instant was f0underin
about with sledga and lines, in confused puddl
around me.
81 succeeded in cutting poor foods lines, an
:, letting him scramble to the ~ice-for the poor fel
low was drowning me with his caresses-and mad
| my way for the sledge; but | found that it woul
not buoy me, and that ] had no resource but to TT
the circumference of the hole. Around this i pat
died faithfully, the miserable ice always yieldin
when my hopes of a lodgement were greatest
During this process | enlarged my circle of opeIt
tions to a very uncomfortable diameter, and begir
p ming to feel weaker after every effort. llan'
meanwhile, had reached the firm ice, and WAS o
his knees, like a good Moravian, praying incoh,
rent in English and Esquimaux, at every fires
crushing in of the ice he would calculate God
aud when | my padding, he recon
menced his prayers.
y II was nearly gone. My knife had been lost
I cutting out the dogs, and a spare one which ! ca
: ried in my trousers pocket was so enveloped in tt
r wet skiing that | could not reach it. l owed N
extrication at last to n newly-broken team do
who vas still fast to the sledge, and in s%trugglin
: carried one of the runners chock against the cd
of the circle. All my previous attempts to use Il
/ sledge as o bridge had failed, for it broke throut
to the much greater injury or the Ice. 1 'eit VI
it was a last chance. | threw myself on my bac
so as to lessen as much as possible my weight, n,
g placed the nap Of my neck against tho rim OF Il
edge of the ice. and then, with caution, slow
bent my leg, and placing the ball of my moccas
foot against the sledgeI pressed steadily again
y the runner, listening to the halfyielding crun
Of the ice beneath.
"Presently | felt my head was pillvwed by t
10 ice, and that my wet fur jumper was sliding
the surface. Next came my shoulders-they we
fairly on. One more decided push, and | W
launched up on the ice and safe. / reached t
ice float. aud was irictioned by Hans with fright
nf zeal. We saved all the dogs; but the sledgc. ka
ack, tent, guns, snow shoes, and every thing /
sides was left behind. The thermometer at ely
SO degrees will keep them frozen fast in the sled
a. till we can come and cut them out"