The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1867-11-07
SIXTY FEET UNDER THE SNOW.
A GraphIc Story or Lnbrador.

pers on Terra Nova, or Coast Llfo in
Newfoundland, by Harry Boling>
broke" which appears monthly in the
Riverside Magazine, skipper Nat"
thus tells how he was snowcd-up in
Labrador.
"In the fall of 81, I volunteered to
remain on the Labrador oil winter, be.
cause there was a good deal of stuff
of ore kind and another that our vos-
sci could not take away. AS there
was q small settlement further d1wn
the coast, 1 thought l shouldn't want
for company, although. indeed, it was
a drearY prospect | had before me, and
not without considerable danger.
However, when the schooner put to
sea, and L found myself all alone, l
contrived to make the best Of 1t. and
went about preparing things for She
long winter.
my tilt was built under the brow of
a steep hill, not far from tho shorg
and with u little fixing up-such as
covering the roof with sous and stop
ping tho seams with moss-1 contrived
to max it a snug little nest enough.
Then l had II good stock OF wood, plen-
~ Of ammunition, a Bible, and some
other books, with a large supply of
provisions. ] soon began to like my
Crusoe mode Of life, and enjoyed my
self much more than one could suppose.
Some timcs-just about tea, time mostly
IA fit Of loneliness would come over
me; but it gradually worea away, until
IT seemed like u dream that ever | had
mingled with my fellow. creatures in q
civilized land. 1t took me some weeks
70 get my hut in order, my wood cut,
my provisions slowed away, and every
thing put ship-shape in comfortable
trim against the dreary days ahead,
ut was well l didn't daily in my la
Dor: Tor NJ sooner was | in a condition
to face tho winter than no began to
face me, and almost every day be as.
sailed my fort with wind, frost, and
snow, hail, sleet, and ram.
about the first week in December
it began to come down in real earnest,
and the wind being low, there was, in
TWO days, an even tall OF some six or
eight feet, which, indeed, was almost
lrvel with the caves of my house. By
hard shoveling | kept an open path to
my well, that gushed up at the foot Of
a rock, and, being a spring, never was
much frozen. thought 1t u wise thing,
however, to set up o pole, with a rem>
nanL of an old sail near by, so that in
case the we'll were covered up, | should
know just where to search for il.
"On the third night OF the storm the
snow came down thicker and faster
than ever, the wind increasing from
the northeast "a perfect hurricane. ]
got in u good supply Of water, piled up
a roaring fire, and sat down TO listen to
tho bowling wind, to read my books.
smoke my pipe, mend my togs, and
cook my mcal-such being my in door
employments. Somehow, i did fee
low-spiritod that night. | couldn't
help thinking of those who were SC
far away from me, till | actually began
to pity myself, as if | was q poor, for
lOrn creature, cast adrift from the
world, and all its cares and comforts
Tears came into my eyes; and Ialmosi
repented that had undertaken to re
mann nj oil lInNpnv.A, xvhx, Iuns
to consider that the same God who wa
watching my loved ones at home, wal
also present. IN my humble abod,c annie
the storms and SHOWS and night, l say
when i thought Of this, | gained rom-
fort, and, wrapping myself up in mr.
blankets, lay down to rest like a littl
child that goes to sleep holding it
mothers finger in Its fist.
"But oh, how the wind roqied, ant
howled, and whistled Sometimes
great gust would como, carrying
shower Of bright sparks up my chin
ney, and then howl down us if it wa
some demon that wanted to get int,
my house. Then again tho gale woult
moan and whine like some one in pam
or pant ana SHREK, as though som
poor creature were perishing in tn
drifts; then would come o roar like
furious wild beast
"At length tho sounds grew gradual
ly fainter and fainter; the wind SCENE
to be dying away, untll at last all wa
: as still and silent as the grave, except
= itmay be, II low, mufied growl, very
7 very far off.
II dropped to sleep. How .long
slept | know not; but when | wokl a
= was dark, and my fire wac nearly out
Jumped up, LAID some splits on tn
ashes; bul therc was not draugt
, enough t. kindle them, and the roc
X was full o5 smoke. When / opene
the door, | found n solid wall {