Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-02-05

while the sea, rushing in and out tumultu
ously, made the pent-up air within howl ant
whistle like ahurricane. Altering our course
again, we stecred almost due west under tht
southern side, where its vast shadow spread
out far wide over the ocean.
! 1t now looked even grander, darker, more
/, fear.inspiring than before, with the sur
beaming over its rugged crest, or shining
through the thinner parts, and showing oil
, the prismatic colors of the rainbow. The
form Of the ice-island was that Of an irregu'
lar triangle, and in about FIVE hours We had sail
cd completely round it. But there was no sin.
gle point at which any boat could have land
ed, even had it been dead calm, and the
sea as still as mill pond; much less in such
heavy surf as was then foaming and cream
ing all around it. No sign of living thing
was seen, excepting one great sleepy seal,
that had crcpt into hole just above water
mark, and lay there as If he were in com
Portable quarters. 1t was picture Of utter
desolation.
We hove-to again, at the nearest point
from which the man upon the iceberg could
be seen. lie lay on his back with one arm
folded in an unusual manner under his head,
the whole attitude being one of easy repose;
indeed had it not been for the marbly look
Of his face and hands, we could have FAN
ciod that he was sleeping soundly. He was
clothed as one Of the better class Of scamen
in rough blue piot-cloth, with large horn
buttons he had no hat, and by his side lay
a small boat-hook, to which was tied strip
Of red woolcn stuff, apparently piece Of
the same which he wore round his neck.
This, no doubt, the poor fellow had intended
planting on the heights as signal. In such
thin, clear atmosphere, with the aid of
powerful telescope, even his features might
be plainly traced, and his iron grey hair seen
moving in the wind.
The second mate stoutly declared that he
recognized the mamie was quite sure of it
an old chum and shipmate of his, with
whom he had sailed many long voyage,
and some part Of whose wild, varied history
he told us the next evening. What seemed
to convince him more than anything, was
the peculiar way in which the dead mans
arm was slowed away under his head-his
old shipmate always slept so, even in his
hammock.
Numerous and strange were the coniec-
lures and remarks made by officers and men.
Who and what was he? How long had Il he
been there? How did he get there? The
general conclusion was that he was one of the
crew OF some vessel wrecked upon the ice
berg itself, Of which no vestise remained.
Yes like enough" said one of the sail
ors; "she run into the ice in the dark, and
went down like stone, same as we may
have done any time this last six weeks"
Perhaps he was aloit when she struck,
and got pitched up where he is now.'
"As like to be pitched into the moon"
rejoined another, contemtuously. "Why,
that there precipice is three times as high
as the tauntest mast ever rigged."
perhaps, now," suggested third, 'it's
some awful cruel skipper, who's been a ha.
zing and ill-using Of his crew till they could
mt bear with il no longer, and was drove to
mutiny; and put him ashore there, all alone
to die by himself so as they should not have
his blood upon their hands; or may be he
was a murderer, or Yankee slave-kcep-
er.
"Ah, Bill growled out previous speak
er, you've always got good word to say for
every one, you have'
1t was a very old man who spoke next;
one who was looked up to as great author
ity on all such matters, although he was
usually remarkably tac;turn, and would nev-
er enter into an argument. lie quietly de-
posted his quid in his hat; and, as this was
always done preparatory to his making a
speech, his shipmates waited in silence for
him to begin.
"That there ice-island," he said at last,
wasn't launched yesterday, nor yet last
year, nor the year before, perhaps; and, by
the looks Of him, he's been for pretty long
cruise in warm latitudes-last summer may
be-and then come back home for the win
ter. If you look away yondcr--there--just
this side of that high point like church
steeplc, only lower down, there's place
looks darker than the rest. Now, it's just
there expect that great piece has broken
of and drilted away; and I calculate twas
lower and more shelving off-not so steep
and rocky as it is now. Twas there that
poor chap was cast ashore from ship or boat.
He was trying to make his way up to the
heights to take look round, and hoist sig
nal, when he lay down and went to sleep,
and never woke again; only, where he is
now, you see, must have been covered with
snow then, Or he couldn't have kept his foot
ing"
Having said thus much, he replaced the
quid in his mouth, and spoke no more.
There was no earthly use in waiting long
er, and yet the captain seemed 10th to give
the order to fill and bear away.
~ 4 x.r r., -. |