The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-06-11

spared that nights discomfort but, not
knowing, l deemed it advisable to abandon
her at once, fearing she might glide off, in
which case no mortal power could have res
cued us.
Leaving the vessel the last, joined my
men on the ice, and then, in few but fer
vent words, we thanked the Almighty for
our escape, and implored his protection.
/ can scarcely picture the horrors of that
night. would fain indeed forget them, but
that is impossible. We had preserved our
lives for the present moment, but we knew
not at what moment the schooner might
break up, or glide of the ice, and then what
could we expect but starvation in its worst
form? Strange to say, we did not suffer
SO much from the cold as might have been
expected; probably the sense of our greater
danger rendered us less susceptible to the
lesser one.
We had many hours to wait for daylight,
but as several of the men had their pipes
and tobacco in their pockets, and had a
box OF lights, we smoked, and, by keeping
close huddled together, got through the
night better than might have been expected.
To favor us still further, the wind fell very
much and veering round TO the southwark,
made it much warHer.
Morning dawned at last, and what
change from the previous day! Then we
had stanch vessel under our feet; now
we were adrift on an iceberg, our poor little
schooner half in, half cut of water, with
hole in her bows big enough to drive
wagon through but the storm had ceased,
and the sea was rapidly going down. A
thick fog come on, but that we cared little
about.
Our first act was to again effer our thanks
to that beneficent Power who had so mer-
cifully spared us. This done, we descended
to the wreck, and then saw that she was
so firmly fixed, that, unless heavy weather
again came on, we might yet make her cur
homo for some time to come, although it
would be quite out of our power to make
her seaworthy again, even if it had been
possible for us to launch her, which it most
decidedly was not.
Climbing on board, the cook was at once
set to light the galley fire and prepare
breakfast, and then cast about for some
means of securing her in her position, and
this l determined to do, by laying the
bower anchors out on the ice, and heaving
in taut on the cables.
Breakfast over We rugged a pair of sheers,
a.
its carriage over the bows, and lowering
the starboard anchor into it, contrived by
the aid of a deck tackle to drag it up to the
level space we had spent the night on.
This done, we served the port anchor the
same, and then dragged the ends of the
cables to them and reshackled them. We
then, by the aid of pickaxes, buried the
anchors securely in the ice, and bringing
the cables to the windlass hove them taut.
Doing this occupied us nearly the whole of
the day.
Again night approached, and again we
assembled-but this time on board the
schooner-to offer up our prayers for deliv-
erance; and then, having set watch,
turned in and slept the sleep of the tired
Another dawn brought no change in the
weather, the fog hanging like pail around
us, and the sea continuing smooth and calm;
but towards night the wind sprang up again
from the north, and clearing the fog off,
gave us hopes of being able on the morrow
to determine our position, which l had
every reason to believe was not very far
from frequented fishing ground but we
were again disappointed, for before day
break the fog came down again, and
another day was passed in uncertainty and
doubt.
During the afternoon, endeavored to
form some idea of the berg, but was unable
to de so. The highest point we could see
appeared to be about one hundred and fifty
feet in altitude but it rose so precipitously
from the little plain On which we spent our
first night, that we could not ascend it, so
were unable to form any conjecture as to
its shape or size. One fear alone haunted
me, and that was that it might capsi=e, and
| could not help remembering that had
on previous occasions seen iccbergs do so
without giving any warning, save pre-
monitory rocking but this was not des-
tined to be our fate, and our third night
passed unmarked by any accident.
About noon of the fourth day the glori-
Gus sun shone out, and quickly dispelled
the fog, and our eyes were gladdened by
the sight of the distant shores of New
foundland.
Anxiously was the horizon scanned for
fishing vessels, but none were seen and
then remembered that it was Sunday, and
that most of the beats would have made
their ports the night before. Our own
boats were stove and useless, so all we
could do was to hold the usual Sunday ser
vice, and patiently await the advent of
another day.
Next morning we were up betimes but
hour after hour passed, and still ne welcome
sail hove in sight, and we felt the full truth
of "hope deferred maketh the heart sick"
but just before sunset, the welcome cry of
"Sail, oh % sent flood of joy to our bo-
SONS, and couple of fishing boats were
seen heading well up for us.
To charge our remaining mounted gun
and fire it was but the work of moment,
and before the smoke had cleared away, |
we had the joy of seeing them steer direct
for us.
All was now happiness and joy, and l
thought no better time could be chosen for
sendiug up our thanks for our almost mi
raculous preservation.
Soon after this was done the boats hove
to close under the schooner's stern, and |
heaving lines to us were brought alongside.
Unbounded was the establishment of the
fishermen, and hearty and warm their con-
gratulations Oh our escape.
at once chartered them to convey our
selves and as many of cur stores as could
be saved, to Saint johns; and next day,
having removed into them as much as they
could carry, we set fire to the wreck, and
made sail for that mort where we arrived |