The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-07-07

him IN London, dressed in the highest
style of the celebrated PoorE.
The first four DAYS of the vovape
were marked by no event worth re-
cording. Not n sail nor an iceberg.
not even a porpoise had condescended
to break the surface of the water in
that time. But on Sunday, our fifth
day out, we had a sensation indeed.
The ship was making about fourteen
knots, the sea was heavy, and n driz-
cling rain and thick fog prevented the
lookout from deserving objects more
than thousand feet ahead. While
lunch was being served, heard loud
shouts on deck, and, being close by
tue upper deck stairway, / was bv the
wheel-house in less than fifteen sec
onds There was great confusion from
forward to aft, orders were hying. the
alarm gong sounded, engines reversed,
and just IN time to prevent our noble
ship from striking an iceberg, dead
ahead | stood beside Capt Charles
w. Marshall, who was on deck at the
time, and who assisted in giving the
proper orders. His face was very
white and h was, evidently, greatly
alarmed At seyenty-two and having
been off the water SO long, he would
not he as apt to exhibit as much COM
posure as during his thirty Years expe-
rence on the ocean. So rapidly did
the alarm spread, that it seemed o feat
Of magic only that could bring, in so
short time, nearly the entire company
on the upper deck White faces and
weak knees were the rule for many
minutes. BY the time that the vessel
was stopped, (and no time was lost in
doing it the ships bow was within
fifty feet (many say thirty feet of the
innocent cause Of all our excitement
and horror.
shall never forget tho sight, from
the moment that l first caught a
glimpse Of the iceberg, apparently I'M
der the ships bow, both rising aud
falling With the sen the passengers Of
hcers, and sailors running to ana fro
the noise and confusion all around
until the last glimpse of the great
northern sailor was had astern The
steamer was some minutes in hauling
of, and in getting under way again
afording us ample time to enjoy the
novel, sublime spectacle alongside and
within ships length Of us.
Nature has never presented SO grand
a picture to me. enjoyed every inch
every moment that the iceberg was in
sight. As it came heaving, surgine
along with almost conscious power, the
dark waters at its base in contrast
with its whiteness at the water line
the white crested waves foaming over
aud licking its two well rounded, pol
ished, camel-backed heights, which
were OF "a beautiful, aqua-marine tint
how wanted a moments sunshine
just them, and then falling into the
space between the humps; meeting the
waves which dashed through or over
the saddle the steamers immense
paddle wheels making the sea between
us and the monster, foaming white
could not but think a better subject
for an artist could not be suggested
Mans genius and power and the
strength and grandeur of the Polar
Sea We're II ship and iceberg. well rep
resented IN the persons OF Captains
Marshall, Judkins, and Nye were ag-
grcgated seventy years experience on
the ocean, and not one had ever es-
capped SO narrowly Had we met the
iceberg at night, one more "appahna
calamity would have been added to
the long list; and had we thus struck
it is hardly probable that o single per
son would have lived to tell the story
as the weather was thick, the sea
rough, and it would have been impos-
sible for life boat to live ia such q
sea, suppOsIng one on more could have
been cleared from the ship and
manned Besides we did not meet q
vessel within hailing distance, until
five days after the event An hour af-
ter we had bid adieu to the intruder
we assembled in the main cabin where
Captain Judkins read the service OF
the Church Of England, and YOU can
easily imagine with how much impress
siyeness The Queens birthday oc-
curing when in mid-ocean, ! natural
/ ly looked for some special demonstra-
ton on the part of the Captain, and
other subjects of Her Majesty. But
not flag was flown. Captain Judd
kins left the dinner table before the
cloth was removed, and our quondam
blockade runner took his seat and at
the proper time arose, appealed to the
loyalty of all Englishmen present, and
the good will of all Others in Joining
him III drinking to the health long
life. and prosperity of Her Gracious
Majesty, Queen Victoria. OF course,
every American joined and three good
cheers were given. Then one end OF
the table sang, to round of applause,
God save the Queen" This rather
awolle the national spirit in the Amer
lean heart Captain Nyo sent a mes
sage to Mr. Blodgett, to propose a
toast for the President and soon the
handsome New Yorker was on his feet.
In few well timed remarks, he gave
us what we were all suffering for,
the health of the President of the
UNITED STATES. Three cheers were in
stantly called for, and they were given
with vim, yehemence such as was
never heard on that ship or any other