Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-05-26
A GLOOMY NIGHT.

Bonsall and myself, accompanied by two o.
the men, set off over the ice to try to reach the
life-boat on foot. The head of the cove where
it lay was distant two miles we were at about
the same distance from Lyttleton Island. The
foes were tightly packed, and we found no diff.
fculty in accomplishing our purpose. The de-
pot was reached in an hour.
1t remained undsturbed evidently not hav-
ing been discovered by the natives. The boat
was turned bottom up, and under it lay the ar
tices deposited there by DIR. Kane. These
were, besides the oars and sail, 9 barrels oil
bread, Of pork, and another of beef about 80
pounds of rice, the same quantity of sugar, q
saucepan, an empty keg gallon keg of alcohol
bale Of blankets, an ice anchor, an ice chisel
gun and Ratchet, few small poles, and some
pieces of wood.
We could not take much of this provision,
since we were compelled to carry everything
upon our backs. We however, selected such
articles as were most needed and as could be
most readily transported in this manner.
Ascending the hill. side little way, we OBJ
served that the eastern shore of Lyitleton Island
was mainly free from ice, while the pack was
locked upon its northern cape, and stretched
up the west and north as far as we could see
From the beach where we stood to the open
water of this island, was about II lie. 1t was
fully double that distance to where our COM
palnons lay with the Hope.
Since we must drag the boat and carry the
cargo, we chose the shortest distance, intending
to reach Lyttleton Island, and there await the
breaking Of the storm, the loosening of the
pack, and the arrival of the Hope. =
The boat was light and had the tack been
smooth we should have progressed well enough /;
but after leaving the land-ice our route lay over
closely damned pack of pieces of ice, of al
most every shape and size some of them being
foot out of water, others ten feet. One mo-
ment we were hauling the boat up precipice
the next letting her down over another. Added
to this difficulty the feeling of constant in
security, for it would have been perfectly in
character for the whole raft suddenly to take
flight to seward. We were consequently COM
PEELED to keep our different articles as near to-
geather as possible. First we carried forward
the boat about hundred YARDS then piece by
piece the cargo and equipment. The same OPP
Grafton being repeated about dozen times, we
reached finally, in six hours, the open water
BY this time it was blowing a regular gale,
still from the northeast. The pack had partially
broken, and some loose pieces were drifting
rapidly down through the channel To work
between these driving masses was an operation
attended with no little difficulty. Once we came
near being crushed
Lyttleton Island, which was at length reached,
is the largest of the granite knobs which lie in
cluster at the south side of Life-boat Bay. 1t
is about threequarters of mile in diameter,
and is separated from the main land by chan
mel about half mile in width.
Everything gave promise of dirty night
The sky was overcast. Light clouds went fit
ting wildly across the sky breaking now and
then, and disclosing twinkling star of the first
or second magnitude. 1t was not dark, for the
sun was not yet far beneath the horizon; but a
dull, gloomy twilight. Already we were wet to
the skin with the dashing spray. The mercury
stood at % deg. and the water was freezing up.
on our clothes. We must either land on the
island, or run before The wind down under Cape
Ohlsen, five miles south. This last would carry
us too far from our comrades of the Hope, and
we determined to land on the island if possible
The shore was steep, almost perpendicular;
and 1t was some time before we found a place
which offered the least chance for executing our
intention At length we discovered little
cove, or rather cleft in the rock, about twenty
feet in width and twice as deep. The rocks to
the right and behind were vertical, but the cleft
ran off TO the left and there the Irock sloped
gradually upward. If we could strike this in
clined plane, by a fortunate turn of the boat
after entering, we should be landed in safety
The boat was healed square for the opening,
the men gave way on their oars, and we rode
in on the top of swell, which, as it retreated.
left us high and dry. The next moment all
hands, sprang out, and, Selling the boat by the
gunwale, hauled her out of danger.
There was gloomy prospect for the night.
No where could we find protection against the
wind, which not only swept in from the sea, but
came furlously down upon us through the rocky
gorges We had not as much as a blanket to
cover us, and the cold gusts blew most cruelty
through our watersoaked cloth coats and canvas
pantaloons. We cambered about in the dark
ness along the rocky ledge, under great black
WALL hunting in vain for a "a; but no sooner
had we found place which seemed to offer us
protection, than the wind shifted. Indeed it
seemed to blow, in one and the same minute,
from every quarter of the heavens, North,
South, East, and West; and when it could not
get at us from either of these directions, it roll
ed down over the Cliffs and fell upon us like
an avalanche
We returned to the place where we had land
ed, and erected an extempoYe tent. One end
of an car was thrust into a crack in the rock
the other end was supported upon the barrel
over this was spread the sail. After securing
the corners with heavy stones we crawlel in,
but we thus obtained only sorry protection
The wind came in on every side. Bonsal and
Godfrey firally gave way under the pressure of
fatigue and long exposure and shvered them
selves to sleep. / would here give much to be
aole 10 forget, IN like manner, all care and
trouble; but it was on. of the question. In
able longer to bear the cold, drew mysef out
from the sail, determined to thaw my frozen
blood by run about the island John follow
ed, muttering something like, 81 believe they
could sleep with their heads in tub OF water"
was nearly blown off as | clambered up the
steep rocks, but | reached at length the level
table above, and ran to and fro, from east to
west, and from west to east, for about an hour,
until had got pretty well warmed; / then
faced about and ran in the teeth of the gale to
the north cape of the island. To the north,
west and south the sea was dotted with bergs,
loose hummocks, or streams of pack ice, against
which the waves were lashing themselves into
frosty foam. To the northeast could trace the
outline of the solid pack in one long line of
dashing spray. There had left four comrades.
There they must have remained, but the mist
and darkness were too great to permit me to
detect them. 1t was now about midnight.
took another turn about the island, and
came back to the same spot The wind was
blowing less fercely, the clouds opened and
moved sullenly away; and the stars shone out
in unobstructed beauty. The pack had separa-
ted, and great streams CT ice were pouring
down through the channel to the eastward nc