Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-10-12
a fFnrreIlous R.cnnc.

Nearly eishty years ago two Moratiau mission
aries, stationed in labrador, ct a place called
Nam, set out on q Journey IN a sle1e,.. over The
ice, TO one Of their settlements further North
Then siedge was drawn by dors, and driven bv
an EsquimauN Indian. Another sledre fol-
lowed, Ia witch were other natives who were
tlenus Of the missionaries; and among them
were a woman aud her child. They had one
hundred aud ttty miles to so, which they expec-
teuto accomplish inabout two days, as most Of
the way was over the frozen sea, and The sIrdqes
ran with ease and the dogs were fresh and in FUN
yiGOr.
After they had journeyed some hour. and
Were a long distance from the shore, upon the
clear, glistening ice thSt covered the ocean. they
met q slcdge containing some strange ESuuimaux
lndtans. These natives were fastening for the
landHS rapidly as possible. They barely stopped
a moment, and advised the missionaries to ~
turn atonce TO the shOTe, They gave no reasons
Tor their advice and as the missionaries could
sec no eaaae for returning it was not needed By
them. The weather was fair; hardly q cloud
was seen in the sky; the frozen ocean, as far as
the eye could reach, was motiOnless as though
the troacheT0us waves beneath were chaiued for
ever. Not many moments passed, however, be-
fore their driver thought he perceived what was
called a ground swell under the lee. lie iumred
from his sledgo. Lying down. he placed hs ear
upon the frozen surface. He then distinctly
heard q hollow grating and roaring noise, that
seemed as If ascending from the abyss beneath.
The travellers now quickened tbe pace of
their dogs. Soon the motion of the sea under the
ice was more perceptble. The drivers turned for
the shore, and urged The dogs to thcir utmost
speed.
The gTound-sWol increased so much that the
vast body OF Ice, appeared by a troubled ocean
beneath, heared f%earfuily in many places. and
rose slowly like gathering waves; the slcdges
no longer moved swiftly and smoothly along.
bat could with difficulty b. preserved from over
turning. Il soon appeared evident that the ice
would burst midway between them and The land.
As they neared the coast, the prospect before
thom was truly terrific; the ice was grinding
and breaking into q thousand pieces against the
p~recipices, with e tremendous noise, which,
added 10 the raging of tho wind aud the snow
stoIms driving about in the air, utterly prevented
their bearing or seeing anything distinctly II
was with the utmost difficulty the terrified dogs
could be urged onward amid the rising and fall
ing Of the icy sea. The drivers paused a few
seconds, in a kind OF mute despair then, sei2-
ing the critical moment when the TREMBLING mass
dashed wildly to the level OF the coast. they
drove their slcdgcs furiously along il, and sue
ceeded in their hazardous attempt.
They had hardly time 10 l0ak around them
@lft Hh4u4A8 bC lduui WIEN tldL pan or the
ice from which they had Just mnde their escape
burst asVnder, and The water forced itself In
from below. In 81 instant the whole frozen
mass in the wiLdest Imaginable ruin, broke loose.
The vast surface as far as the eve could reach,
was cHmhlng, crushing, piling, and tossing
itself madly, amidst 3 claIu0r, utterly indescrib-
able. The missionaries were overwhelmed with
amazenent at their marvellous escape; and
even the pagan Esquimaux expressed gratitude
TO God on account Of theiT deliTcrance.
After remaining SIX days in this miserable
place, they resolved TO return to Nain. There
was no way to effect this but one aad sheir
Esquimaux driver ran forward as q Kind Of pio-
neer to find the track. The brethren followed
with their sledge, Il was q weary, irarful jour
nay. They made q last meal of the remainder
Of their PROVISIONS and by diut OF bOldness aud
skill, arrived at Main, TO the great joy Of tho
whole settlement, aud especially to their own
families, who lad been reduced almost 70 de-
SPAR of ever behOlding them again.
This is but one Of the numerous pcIils and es-
capes Of which the Muraviena speak in the simple
annals Of thcir mission to Labrador.