The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-06-06

all the crew. We had them up, one by
one. We examined them, and made all
those who could write, write "Steer N.
W." but we gained no clue. One thing
was very clear-it could not have been
old Shiel, who was proven to have been
forward at the time | was in the captains
cabin. The mystery remained unsolved.
That evening [ sat drinking my grog
with the captain in his cabin. We were
neither of us inclined to be talkative. [
tried to think of home, and the pleasure
it would be to see old England again, but
still my thoughts wandered back to that
mysterious writing [ tried to read, but
| caught myself furtively peeping at the
desk expecting to see the figure sitting
there
The captain had not spoken for some
time, and was sitting with his face buried
in his hands. At last he suddenly looked
up and said:
"Suppose we alter her course to north
west, Mr.. Brown 2"
[ don't know what it was; [ cannot
hope to make you understand the feeling
in my mind that followed those words !;
but it was a sense Of relief as from a hor-
rible nightmare [ was ashamed of the
childish pleasure | felt, but / could not
help answering eagerly, "Certainly shall
| give the order ?''
| waited no longer, but hurried on deck
and altered the course of the vessel.
1t was a clear, frosty night, and as [
looked at the compass before going below
| felt strangely pleased, and caught myself
chuckling and rubbing my hands-at
what [ cannot say didn't know then,
but great weight had been taken off my
mind
[ went down to the cabin, and found
the captain pacing up and down the small
space. He stopped as [ came in, and
looking up, said abruptly
at can do no harm, Mr.. Brown"
off this breeze continues" [ answered,
awe can hold on for thirty hours or Sc,
but then | should think"
s.But then-we shall find ice How's
the wind ?''
.Steady, north by east"
We sat down and finished our grog.-
[ had the morning watch to keep next
day. I was too restless to sleep after it,
so [ kept on deck the whole of the day.
Even that did not satisfy me. I was con-
tinually running into the tops with my
glass, but every time I came down disap-
pointed. The captain was as unquiet as
myself. Something we expected to hap
pen, but what it was to be we could form
no idea The second officer, [ believe,
thought US both crazy; indeed, | often
wondered, myself, at the state was in.
The night was bright, and the captain
determined to carry on under easy sail till
morning.
Morning came; and with the first gray
Fight [ was on deck It was bitterly cold.
Those only who have seen them can form
an idea of the delicate tints of a morning
sky in those northern seas. But was in
no humor to appreciate the beauties of
natule There was mist low down on
the horizon; | waited impatiently for it
to lift. 1t lifted soon, and could not be
mistaken-5eyond it [ could see the
simmer of ice. I sent down to tell the
captain, who came on deck directly.
at is no use, Mr.. Brown" he said,
ssyou must put her about"
Swat one moment" [ said, "wait one
moment, the mist is lifting more it will
be quite clear directly"
The mist was indeed lifting rapidly
Far to the north and west we could see
the ice stretching away in one unbroken
field. | was trying to see whether there
appeared any break in the ice toward the
west, when the captain, seizing my arm
with one hand, and pointing straight
ahead with the other, exclaimed:
"My God there is a ship there
The mist had risen like curtain, and
there, sure enough, about three miles
ahead, was a ship seemingly firmly packed
in the ice. We stood looking at it in 81
lence There was some meaning after al
III that mysterious warning, was the first
thought that suggested itself to me.
ashes nipped hard, sir,' said old Shell
who, with the rest Of the crew, was anx
iously watching our new discovery.
was trying to make her out with the glass
when the flash of a gun, quickly followed
by report, proved that she had seen us
Up went the flag, Union downwards
We needed no signal to know her distress
The captain ordered the second officer of
into the boat. l watched him as he made
his way over the ice with few of the
men towards the ship. They soon returned
with eight of the ships crew. 1t was /:
dismal account they gave of their situation
They might have sawed their way out O
the ice, but the ship was so injured that