The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-11

Nearly eighty. year. ago, two Moravian
missionaries. stationed In Labrador, ut a
place called Main, set out on journey in q
siedge. the ice, to one Of their settlements
further North. Their eledge was drawn by
dogs. and driven by an Esquimaux Indian. -
Another sledge followed, in which were
other natives who were friends Of the mis-
sionaries; and among them were woman
and her child. They had one hundred and
fifty miles TO 20. which they expected to ac-
complish in abouttwo days, as moet of the
way was over the frozen sea, and the sledges
ran with ease, and the dogs were fresh and
in full vigor.
After they had journeyed some hours, and
were a long dis ance from the shore, upon the
they met sletge containing some strange
GsQuimaux Indians. These natives were
has tening for the land rs rapidly as possible
They barely stopped a moment, and advised
shore. They gave no reasons for their advice !;
and as the missionaries cou Id see no cause for
returning, it was not needed by them. The
weather was fair; hardly a cloud was seen in
the sky; the frozen ocean, as far the eve
could reach, was motionless as though the
treacherous waves beneath weere chained
forever. Not many moment t. passed, however,
before their driver thought he perceived
ice. He jumped from his sledge. Lying
down, he placed his ear upon the frozen sur
face. lie then distinctly heard a hollow gra-
ting and roaring noise, that seemed as If as
The travellers now Quickened the pace of
their dogs. Soon the motion of the sea under
the Ice was more perceptible. The drivers
turned for the shore, and urged the dogs to
their utmost speed.
The ground swell increased so much that
the vast body of ice, upreared by a troubled
ocean beneath, heaved fearfully in many
places, and rose slowly Like gathering waves
the siedges no longer moved swiftly and
smoothly along, but could with difficulty be
preserved from overturning. It soon APP
peared evident that the ice would burst mid
way between them and the land As they
neared the coast, the prospect before them
was truly terrific; the ice was grinding and
breaking into a thousand pieces against the
precipices, with 4 tremendous noise, which
added to the raging of the wind and the snow
storms driving about in the air, utterly pre-
vented their hearing or seeing anything dis
tinctly. 1t was with the utmost difIicu the
terrified dogs could be urged onward amid the
rising and falling OF the icy sea. The drivers
paused a few seconds, in a kind of mute des.
pair; then, seizing the critical moment when
the trembling mass dashed wildly to the
level OF the coast, they drove their sledges fu-
riously along 1t, and succeeded in their haz-
ardous attempt
They had hardly time to look around them
after gaining the land. when that part Of the
ice from which they had Just made their es-
cape burst asunder, and the water forced it.
self in from below In an instant the whole
frozen mass, in the widest Imaginable ruin
broke loose. The vast surface as far as the
eye could reach. was crumb bling, crushing
piling, and tossing itself madly, amidst q
clamor utterly indescribable. The missiona-
ries were overwhelmed with amaZement at
their marvellous escape; and even the pagan
EsqulmauX expressed gratitude to God on &C
count Of their deliverance.
After remaining six days in this miserable
place. they resolved to return to Main. There
was no way to effect this but one and their
Esquimaux driver ran forward as a kind o;
pioneer to find the track. The brethren fol-
lowed with their sledge. 1t was a weary,
| fearful journey. They made last meal of the
| boldness and skill arrived at Main, to the
great joy of the whole settlement, and espe-
cially of their own families, who had been re.
duced almost to despair OF ever beholding them
again.
This is but one of the numerous perils and
| escapes OF which the Moravians speak in the
| simple annals of their mission to Labrador.