Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1867-02-13
An ARCTIC ADVENTURE.
ENCOUNTER WITH AN ICEBERG.

counter with an iceberg;
"Giving too little heel to the currents
we we're eagerly watching the indication
Of the wind which appeared at the south
and hoping ior breeze, when it was dis
covered that the tide had changed and
vas stealthily setting US upon nest o.
bergs which lay 30 leeward. Oae of tho u
was Of that description known among the
crew by the significant title of touch me
not and presented that jagged, honey
coulbed appearance indicative of grea
age. They are unpleasant ueishbors,-
The least disturbance Of their equilibrium
may cause 'he whole mass to crumbie Il
pieces, and woe be unto the unlucky yes
sci that Is caught in the dissolution.
la such trap it seemed, however
that we stood fair chance Of being en-
snarei. The current was carrying US
along at an uncomfortable rapid rate. 4
boat was lowered as quickly as possible,
to run out line to berg which lay
grounded about a hundred yards from US.
While this was being done, We grazed the
side cf berg which rose hundred feet
above our topmasta, then slipped past an
other of smaller dimensions. BY pushing
against them with our ice poles we chang
ed somewhat the course Of the schooner !;
but when We thought that We were steer
ing clear Of the mass which we SO much
dreaded, an eddy changed the direction
Of our DRIFT, and carried US almost broad
side upon it.
The schooner struck on the starboard
quarter, ard the shock, slight though it
was, disongaged some fragments Of ice
that were large enough to have crushed
The vessel had they struck her, and also
many little humps which ratified about US !;
but fortunately no person was lit. The
quarter deck was quickly cleared, and all
hands crowding forward anxiousiy watch
cd the boat, The berg now began to re-
yoIvc, and as settling slowly over US the
little Jumps fell ,hickar ard faster upon
the alter-deck, aud the forecas;le was the
only place where there was the leas,
chance of safety.
AT length the berg itself saved US
from destruction. An immense mass
broke Of from that part which was he
meath the surface Of the sea, and this, a
dozen times larger than the schooner,
came rushing up within few yards Of
Us, sending vast volume Of foam and
water flying from its sidoz. This rupture
arrested the revolution, and the berg be.
gan to settle in the opposite direction
And now came another danger ! long
tongue was proiruding Immediately un-
derneath the schooner; already the keel
was slipping and grinding upon it, and ii
seemed probable that we should be knock
Ell up in the air like foot ball, or at least
capsized. The side of our eDemy scou
leaned from US, and we we're in no danger
from the worse than hailstone showers
which had driven US forward SO we
,prang to the ice>po.es and exeItel our
strength in endeavorirg to push the vessel
Df. There were no Idle hands. Danger
respects not the dignity OF the quarter
deck.
"After we lai fa;isued ourselves at this
hard labor without any useful result, the
berg came again to our relief, A loud
report first startled us another and an
);her followed in quicl, succession, until
he noise grew dealening and the whole |
.ir seemed u reservoir of frishtful sound /.
The opposite side Of the berg had split
IT. piece after piece, tumbiiug vast VOL
lme Of ice into the sea, and sending TIE
,erg revolving back upon US. This time
he movement was quicker; fragments
,egan again to fall, and, already suifi-
:iently startled by the alarming dissolu-
ion which had taken place, we were in
nomentary expectation Of seeing the
whole side nearest to US break loose and
rash bodily upon the schooner, in which
vent she would Inevitably be carried
.own beneath it, as hopelesaly doomed as
shepherd S hut beneath an Alpine ava
anche.
''By this time Dodge, who had charge
f the boat, had succeeded in planting an
ce- anchor, and attaching his rope, and
.reeted US with the welcome signal, Haul
n We pulled for our lives long and
teadily. Seconds seemed minutes and
minutes hours. At length we began to
move off. Slowly and steadily sank the