National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-02-01
An Arctic Adventure.
ENCOUNTER WITH AN ICEBERG.

III. I1d cS III Ills hS" WIN. III
Open Polar Sea- thus relates /;
dangerous encounter with an ice
berg:
Giving too little heed to tn,
cuTcnSs, we were eagerly watching the
indications of wind which appeared
at the south and hoping for breeze
when it was discovered that the tide
had changed and was stealthily set
ting us upon a nest of bergs which
lay to leevard. One of them was OF
that description known among the
crew by the significant title OF
" tOuch-me-nOt,' and presented that
Jagged, honey combed appearance;
indicative of great age. The. were
unpleasant neighbors. The least
disturbance of their equilibrium
may cause the whole mass to crum
bic to pieces, and woe be unto the
unlucky vessel that is caught in the
dissolution.
- In such a trap it seemed howev
er, that we stood a fair chance OF
being cnsnared. The current was
carrying us along at an uncOmtort-
able rate. A Joat was lowered as
quickly as possible, to run out a line
to Il berg which lay grounded about
a hundred yards from us. While
/ this was being done, we grazed the
side OF a berg which rose huudred
+ feet above our topmast then slipped
past another Of similar dimensions.
/ BY pushing against them with our
icc-pOlcS we changed somewhat the
course of the schooner: but when
we thought that We were steering
clearof the mass which we so much
dreaded. an eddy changed the direc-
tion of our drift. and carried us al
most broadside upon il.
The schooner struck on the star
! board quarter. and the hook, slight
though it was, disengagcd some
/ fragments Of ice. that were large
enough to have crushed the vessel
had they struck her, anC also many
little Jumps which ratified about lis !;
but fortunately no person was hit.
, The quarterback was quickly clear
ed. and all hands. crowCing forward,
anXiously watched the boat. The
( berg now began to revolve. and was
settling slowly over us /: the little
/ Jumps fell thicker and faster apon
/ the atter-deck. and the forecastle
was the only place where there was
the least chance Of safety.
:. At length the berg itself saved
us from destruction. An immense
mass broke off from that part which
was beneath the surface of the sea
/ and this Il dozen times larger than
the schooner, came rushing up with
in Il few yards of us sending Il vast
volume Of foam anG water flying
from its sides. This rupture arrest
ed the revolution, and the berg be-
i gan to settle Ill the opposite dlrec-
ton. And now came another dan.
ger. A long tongue was protrudine
Immediately underneath the schoon
er alreau; the keel was slipping
and grinding upon it, and it seemed
probable that we should he knocked
up into the air like a football, or at
least capSized. The side of our enc
my soon leaned from us, and W,
were in no danger from the wors,
than halStone showers W Ii e |
had driven us forward SO we sprans
to the icc.poleS and eXerted on
strength i'll endcavoring to push tht
vessel of. There were no idle hands
Danger respects not the dignity ol
the quarterback.
After we had fatigued oursel
YES at this hard labor without any
useful result. the berg came again t,
our relief. A loud report first start
led lis another and another follow
ed in quick succession, and the nois'
grew deatening and the whole all
seemed Il reservoir of frighttul sound
The opposite side of the berg ha,
split oil, piece after piece, tumblln
a vast volume of ice into the sc;
and sending the berg revolving bac
: upon lis. This time the movemel
was quicker; fragments began agai
to fall. and, already sufficient
startled by the alarming dissolutio
4 which had taken place, we were i
momentary expectation of seem
' the whole side nearest to us brea
: loose and crash bodily upon Il
!, schooner, in which event she woul
e inevitably be carried down bencat
u it, as llopelessly doomed as she
i herds hut beneath an Alpine aN;
\ anche.
'e " BY this time Dodge, who HI
.e charge of the boat, had succced'
a in planting an iceanchor aud
Il, taching his rope, and greeted
ii with the welcome signal, lla
N ill.," We pulled for our lives, Ion
I'd and steadily. Seconds seemed mi
IA utes, ,yesihours. At lengththey beg
r to move of. Slowly and steadi
y. sank the berg behind MS, carryiI
III away the main boom and grazil
IT. hard against the quarter. But
e. were safe. Twentj yards away al
ld the disruption Occurred which
Il. had all SO much dreaded. The 81
~ nearest to us now split of, and cal
te plnnging Wildly down into the st
be sending over us n shower OF spri
nd raising u swell which set us rocki
MS TO and fro as if in gale of VIII
ol. and LETT us grinding in the debris
ITO the crumbling ruin.
lily 4" AT last we succeeded in extri'
he ,;,o. o,,r..tvas and vpro fnr cuOll