The Shasta courier., 1863-03-28
An Army of skates.

During the famous expedition of Louis
NV, this art of locomotion was used against
the Dutch themselves in one of the most cur
ious and daring exploits recorded in history.
When the States sued for peace, the terms Of
fered by the pride of Louis were so mon
strous, that the people tore open their sluices,
and laid the country under water. The frost
after time, however, rendered even this un-
availing and atlength General Luxembourg,
one dark and freezing night, mounted twelve
thousand men on skates, and sent them over
the ice from Utrecht to surprise the Hague.
The result is given as follows by awriter who
takes his fact from a French historian:
3" When they left Utrecht, it was clear fros-
ty weather, and the effect of the moon and
stars upon the even sheet Of ice, over which
they swept ike breeze. was truly magical.
BY degrees, as they advanced, the visible
horizon of earth was obscured by vapor, and
they could see nothing around, above or be-
meath them, but circular expanse of ice,
bounded at the edge by thick gray clouds,
and canopied by the starry curtain of the sky.
The strange groaning sound which ever ard
anon doomed along the frozen wilderness.
had at first something inexpressibly terrific
TO the imagination and as it died fitfully
away In the distance, the space surrounding
sky at length was gradually covered by the
vapors rising, as if from the edges of the cir
Gle of earth veil of dull and hazy white
overspread the heavens and obscured the
stars; and a dim round spot of watery bright
ness was the only indication of the site of the
moon by which alone they could now steer
their course. A rapid thaw had come on
the skates sunk deeper and deeper into the
at last ba tar
gathering upon the surface, as it was agita-
ted by the night-wnd that had now risen, as
sumed the appearance of sea. The wind
increased ; the sky grew blacker and blacker;
their footing became more spongy and inse-
cure: they plunged almost to the knee; and
the ice groaned and cracked beneath them
Every one looked upon himself as lost and
the horrors of a fate hitherto untold in story,
and appeared to belong neither to the for.
tunes of the land nor of the sea, appalled, the
boldest imagination.
AT length faint, twinkling light appear
ed IN the distance, sometimes seen and some.
times lost in the varying atmosphere: and
they had the satisfaction, such as it was, of at
least knowing the relative bearings of the
place on which they were about to perish
The light proceeded from a strong fort in the
enemy's hands, impregnable without cannon;
and what added bitterness to their misery.
was the knowledge that beyond this fort was
dixie, which in all probability afforded q
path, however narrow and muddy, by which
they could have returned to Utrecht. The
Tort, however, was the gate tosthis avenue of
safety and cvcr=ni they mad pUssesscd tSr srs,'
requisite means of siege, if it was defended
for single day, they would other be swal-
lowed up by the water, in continuance of the
thaw, or perish miserably through cold and
fatigue. But anything was bstter than mac.
ton. The water creeping insidnously around
them was deadlier enemy than stone walls
or cannon shot: and they determined at least
to make rush upon the immotabIe masonry
of the fort, and provoke the fire of its defend.
ers. 1t is impossible to accounr for the re.
suit. 1t may have been the 81 sht of SO large
body of men rushing in upon them, and as
iffrom the open sea, their numl3e multiplied.
and even their individual forms distorted and
magnified in the mist, struck panic terror
into the hearts of the garrison while this
may have been increased by. the shouts of
courage or despair, booming widely over the
icy waste, and mingling like the voices of de-
mons with the rising wind But however
this was, the gates of the fort opened at their
approach, and the hapless and half.frozen
adventurers rushed in without striking a
bloW'