The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1864-04-22
Srlcrtrd 4slisfrllaag,
ON FIRE.

The recent terrible catastrophe in
Santiago recalls wildly to my mind
one Of the most extraordinary adyen-
lures Of my chequered life. Fiye-and-
twenty years ago, l was captain of the
Northern light, large schooner trad
ing between Hull and St. Petersburgh
A long acquaintance with the vicissi-
tudes Of the Russian climate had made
me somewhat reckless The conse-
quence was, that one 30th of October
I l found my vessel tight locked in ice
| had stayed week too long, in my
oagerness to take a full cargo of timber,
and was justly punished for my tie
4 merity; a prisoner till the middle or end
fof April, far away from my friends, and
4 dong what ahyery -stable-keeper would
call eating my OWN head of.
Being, however, of a sanguine tenn
4 permanent, and having no wife at home
4to be anxious about, l resolved to make
the best Of it, and enjoy myself as well
las | could. l saw all the sights of St
i Petersburgh, from Peter the Great
d wooden house down to the mammoth
visited Moscow l went bear hunt
A'ng. | drove about in sledges. | fell
Sin love and fell out again Nor did |
sneglect business. frequently attend
4ed the Exchange, and made myself
4known to the chief tallow, hemp, and
$timber merchants. | studied Russian
commerce. l arranged for cargoes for
1.-TWO years to come. The Anglo-Rus-
xsans are very hospitable and, thanks
Ito the kindness of Mr.. Anderson, the
English banker, my hotel expenses
Were very small. My fur coats were
Hmy chief expense; they cost me a large
sum then; but 1 reckoned that they
you'd last me my life, and so they have
at least, | wear them to this day.
Nevertheless, I pined for the hour Of
thoerty. An idle life did not suit man
'zof my temperament-on who had been
~ sea ever since he was twelve years
'Sold. Like all sailors, l was ALWAYS
Agrumbling against the sea, and vet |
was never happy away from it. At last
&c order OF my release came. The ice
Ion the Neva, opposite the custom
mouse especially, began to melt into
&lhln bars an inch or so wide. Ii be.
game dangerous to venture ON it. ex-
%.eept where it was piled with snow
Z. he lce-slabs ON the quay began to
sspfeak, when | pushed them with nv
81 ss<sIlck' INTO CLASSY fragments. Here and
llere some spaces began to open, and
puty brown snow water pooled on the
- surface. There had been several warm
Jays but now rain and wind came, and
q ney soon melted the walls of my crys-
~ prison. Sledges still ventured on
he ;Ney,a, though the waters rose IN
70 the horses knees.
one morning, when / looked out OF
~ window on the ground floor al
.,iiSS benson's, ON the English quay
sne water had all gone from the sur.
9iace OF the ice; that was the well
y known sign that the ice had become
100 porous and spongy to hold water
..uu IN a few hours would break away
Prom the banks and begin to float sea
q had just sat down to breakfast
~nen Handicapped of cannon broke
nom the fortress.
What is that, Miss Benson ?" / sale
70 our hostess at the head of the table
4 That" she replied, sis the sigma
mat the commander of the citadel, Will
MS officers, is crossing the river, to pre-
sent the emperor at the winter palac,
witn goblet of Neya water in toker
" ", 1he return of spring. The emperor
i ducats." ~ ''0' WIZ
England" 40 0''