Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-02-13


captain, saving your presence, being, you
see--just so, sir" Ito the doctor, who was
raising bis glass to his lips) 1--WE didn't get
down the Gulf till precious late in the season.
| We came across lots of ice off Antcost, and
the captain being o mighty timorous man,
we'd an awful time of it across the Banks
Well, sir, we got becalmed just south of Cape
Race, Newfoundland, in about AZ degrees n
latitude, on the night afore Christmas. day >; q
beautiful night it was to see the roaring
boreagols (aurora boreals) and the icebergs
in the moonshine looking, for all the world,
like hougey (huge) palaces of white clancy
| was looking at one on 'em about half a
mile or more to the norrard Of us, when the
doctor came forward with a spy glass to
take look at the same. lie was an uncom-
mon nice young gent, as had come out with
US in the spring vyage taking emigrants
He'd been staying up the country for the
summer and fall, and was goin home with
us, as he'd agreed when we first sailed
Ben says he TO me, after locking o time
through the glass, isn't that bear on that
iceberg 2 HI banded me the glass and sure
enough, there was one of the biggest bears
ever see; just on sort Of quarterback by
hisself at the bottom like, Of big mountain
oil ice as went up from it as straight as the
mizzen-mast, the sort Of iceberg they calls
hummock.' We could see him quite plain
in the moonlight, and precious dismal he
looked. "Well, SIR" continued Ben, al was
taken all aback by what he says to me-"
"What the bear said" exclaimed /.
"No, sir, what the doctor said. He was
always up to some lark, he was; but Tm
olowed if he didn't say to me, Ben, ! must
have shot at that chap and down he goes
to the cabin to ask the captains leave. Our
skipper had been trying to keep the cold
out, for it was awful cold, till | 'spcct he'd
been ready to give in to most anything.
Howscmever, presently up he come on deck
holding on by the companion, for he couldn't
hold up of hsself, and orders us TO do what
ever the doctor wanted.
"Mr Tnnel, that was the doctors name.
knowed how to manage as soon as he heard
this here order: he come forrard TO me at
once, and sarved me cut a couple or stifsh
glasses of grog, and the like to all ny watch
and then he whisperes me TO put soma
blankets in the quarter-boat and have all
ready to be off for shot at the bear There
was no good in objecting for he was tre-
1 mendous obstinate young gent, he was-and
besides which, he brought out couple of
bottles of rum to put into the boat with his
rifle and thing, so it was not long afore we'd
got off from the ship; he and me- and another
chap Bill Britton as was--poor Bill, he
didn't think as how he'd never como, back
again.
Well, sir, we pulled toward the iceberg
| hand over hand, for it was dreadful cold. the
air coming off it regular fresh, and we took
good many pulls at the bottle too, to keep
tus warm. We could see The bear q sucking
his paws, and hear him snufing and growing
as if he smelt summit wrong. Poor brute,
he found it was wrong, aud no mistake, for
| hn ntOrx lcI,,
his rifle up to his shoulder, as gentle as could
be, whether the bear sawthe moon shining on
the barrel or what | can't say, but down ho
came with run along the fiat Of ice as he
was on, az if he knowed il were all up, and
meant to swim for it. The doctor was too
| quick for him, and we just saw him drop on
his haunches and turn over, as We turned our
| heads when he fired. Be sure, sir, we let 20
heartily to get to him, the doctor loading
! again the while. He looked over into the
water jnst as We got close TO the iceberg. aud
| pulled up lot Of weed as is on the edge of
the Gulf stream. We was then about q
dozen yards from the ice. He didn't say
nothing, but didn't like his look as he put
his hand in the water after we'd gone a bit
| further, and drew it out oil n hurry, with
sort of shudder. We could see the water
changing from the blue color of the Gulf
stream to the regular sea green, as We pulled
through it. We ,cds just at the edge of the
stream There was a deal Of drift ice, bits
like, just 'atween us and the fat of ice where
the dead bear was lying, and it was careful
work pulling among it. Howsumever we
took drop apiece, ard worked on through il
at last. The doctor a fastening tie fail
grogbottle to bis belt, to give the bear a
dose, as he said.
"When we got to the iceberg we found
that it wasn't above foot out Of the water
the Hat, l mean, where the bear was-so
we made quick work and ran the painter
round big nub of ice to hold the boat and
all three Of US climbed upon the ice. 1t was
| roughsh work getting over il, though it
looked so smooth at o distance not bit
slippy, more like hard snow than ice The
Hat as We was on was as big, about, as the
whole deck, fore and aft of the Cross. We
wasn't long getting to the bear, aud tried to
heaye him along to the boat, but he was
! sight too heavy for that, so We set to work
skinning him with our knives. The doctor,
all the while, looking upon the hummock Of
ice, as went right up like the side Of a ship,
over our heads. It's often come across nv
mind since, that he looked too cool then con.
siderlng how up he'd been to start.
"We'd well nigh finished our bear, when all
at once we felt the ice beginning 10 rock
ard shake. This got, after minute or two,
a regular pitching, like little cock boat in a
channel breeze. Along with this We heard
sort OF roaring, and hollow, splitting kind
OF sound, as seemed to be all round us. and
under us, and all about, and which made US
stop like as if we'd been shot | looked at
my mate who looked as poorly as sick cod,
and had got the skin Of one of the paws as
he'd just finished held up to protect him like.
just then the doctor leans over me, and,
'Ben,' says he, bolt down to the boat as hard
as you can, and We'll bring on the skin.
warnt long going to where the boat had
been and sure enough it we're clean gone,
painter and all. Not an oar or anything to
be seen.
'If l live till the age of Methusalem, I
shant forget that moment | was regular
al, OF heap like when the doctor came up
with Ben and the skin. The iceberg rock
ing all the time like big cradle, aud with a
regular heap Of the weed we saw when we
was pulling to it, piled all round on the edge
of the ice.
I'VE was all three holding togeather to
keep ourselves up on account of the working
oil the ice, when all at once it became quiet
again and as firm as the earth. Depend
upon It, We looked at one another then. lust
TO keep uD our pluek and tho doa,o, ,,',o.