Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-01-29
A "ChiIling,, Adventure.

the following. DR.. Kane and his Esdui-
maux hunter named Hans take triir, after
seals; - sc 81 q y
i started with Hans and fve docs, al
we could muster from our disabled pack,
and reached he Panady Berg in single
hours run. But where was the water
where the sealF The foes had closed, and
the crushed ice was all that told of our in
tended hunting ground sS24 IA
Ascending the berg, however, We could
see TO the north and west the dark clouds
tratus with which betokens water. 1t ran
through our old battle ground, the Gergy
Belt-the labyrinth Of our lingering after
the frozen party of last winter. / had not
been over it since, and the feeling it gave
me was anything but joyous. RI
In couple of hours we emerged upon q
plain unlimited to the eye, and smooth as q
billiard table. Feathers of young frosting
gave plushlike nap to its surface, and the
dark horizon dark columns of frost smoke
which pointed clearly to the open water
The ice was firm enough: our experience
satisfied US that it was not very recent freez-
ing. We pushed on without hesitation,
cheering ourselves with the expection Of
coming every minute to the seals. We
passed a second ice growth; it was not so
strong as the one We had just come over,
but still safe for party like ours. On We
went at brisker rate, may be for another
mile, when Hans sung out at the top of his
voice, 'Pusey: puseymut! seal, seal p
At the same instant the dogs bounded for
ward, and, as l looked up, l saw crowds of
gray netsic, the rough or hispid seal of the
whalers, disporting in an open sea of water.
l had hardly welcomed the spectacle,
when 1 saw we had passed upon new
belt of ice that was obviously unsafe. To
the right, and left, and front, was one great
expanse of snow fowered ice. The nearest
foe was mere lump, which stood like an
island in the white level. To turn was i'm
possible; we had to keep our gail. We ur-
ged on the dogs with whip and voice, the
ice rolling like leather beneath the sledge
runners; it was more than mile to the
lump of solid ice. Fear gave to the poor
beasts their utmost speed, and our voices
were soon hushed in silence.
The suspense, unreliered by action or ef-
forts, was intolerable. We know that
there was no remedy but to reach the foe,
and that everything depended upon our
dogs, and our dogs alone. A moments
check would plunge the whole concern into
the rapid tide way. No presence of mind
or resource, bodily or mental could avail
US. The seals-for We were now near
enough to see their expressive faces-were
looking at us with that strange curiosity
which seems TO be their Characteristic ex-
preston. We must have passed some fifty
Of them, breast high out Of water, mocking
US by their self complacency. sieE
The desperate race against fate could
not last. The rolling of the tough salt
water ice Terrified our dogs, and when with
in fifty PAGES from the foe they paused.-
The left runner went through; our leader
'sToodlamilk," followed; and in one sec
ond the entire left was submerged. My
first thought was to liberate the dogs. l
leaned forward to cut poor Tood's traces,
and the next instant was swimming in q
little circle of pasty ice and water along
side him. Hans, dear good fellow, drew
near to help me, uttering piteous express
ions in broken English; but l ordered him
to throw himself on his belly, with his
hands and legs exterded, and to make for
the island by cogging himself forward with
his jack-knife. In the meantime-a mere
instant-I was .founderlng about with
sledge, dogs and lines, in confused puddle
around me. .s-a
I succeeded in cutting poor Toods lines,
and letting him scramble to the ice-for
the poor fellow was drowning me with his
piteous caresses-and made my way for the
sledge; but / found that it would not buoy
me, and that / had resource but 10 try the
of the hole. Around this l
padded faithfully, the miserable ice always
yielding when my hopes of a Judgement
were greatest. During this process l en-
larged my circle of operations to a very
diameter, and was beginning
to feel weaker after every effort. Hans,
had reached the firm ice, and
was on his knees, like good Moravian,
praying ineoherently in English and Es-
quimaux; at every fresh crushing in of the
ice he would calculate sGodp and when
recommended my padding, he recommen-
eed his prayers. --.--
was nearly gone. Ny knife had been
lost in cutting out the dogs, and a spare
one which I carried in my trousers pocket
vas SO enveloped in the wet skins thatI
could not reach it. I owed my extrication
It last to newly broken team dog, who
vas still fast to the sledge; and in strug-
,ling carried one of the runners chock
lgainst the edge of the circle. All my
previous attempts to use the sledges as
,ridge had failed, for it broke through to
he much greater injury of the ice. l felt
hat it was a last chance. l threw myself
IN my back, so as to lessen as much as
possible my weight, and placed the nape of
ny neck against the rim of the edge of the
ce, and then with caution, slowly bent my
eg, and placing the ball of my moccasined
DOT against the sledge, pressed steadily
Igainst the runner, listening to the half
Iielding crunch of the ice beneath.
Presently I felt my head was pillowed
y the ice, and that my wet fur jumper was
hiding. up the surface Next came my
houlders; they were fairly on. One more
ecided push, and l was launched upon the
Il a