Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1871-07-06


sight, was vast precipice-appcaring
in the darkness to be of immeasurable
proportions. And at this the ship was
crashing and pounding. At each
stroke Of the ship huge masses came
laundering down, and falling with
deafening noise into the ocean.
What was it Was it the rocky
coast of Newfoundland or was it a
lonely rock in the middle ocean?
1t was neither. l soon knew all.
1t was vast iceberg
The ice itself was not colder than
the chill that rushed through every
nerve as this appalling thought burst
upon my mind Then in one moment
an utter sense of ruin, of hopeless des-
ISOLATION, took away my faculties.
But there was no time to lose, nor
was there time even to mourn. For
the ship, acted upon by the long roll
ing waves of the Atlantic, was driv-
ing with fearful violence full against
the enormous mass. / heard the
crashing ice-I heard the shattering
of her timbers-I heard the rush of
the water as it poured into her.
The ship seemed alive, struggling
like some drowning wretch to avert
her fate. The groaning of her parting
timbers sounded like a human voice
the voice of one in agony.
A mighty wave of gigantic size now
lifted the quivering mass high into the
air. Retreating backward it bore its
load away from the iceberg for some
considerable distance, but only to hurl
it back with more tremendous force.
Returning with re-doubled power it
flung the ship headlong against the en-
ormous mass. ], who was standing on
the PROV, was thrown as though I was
straw off from the ship entirely. l fell
PROSTATE and almost senseless upon
the iceberg, on declining surface
along which | shot for long distance,
until | was stopped by an upright
mass of ice.
All around me ! heard burst of
fearful sound-a sound of crashing
timbers, falling masts, roaring waters,
crumbling masses of ice, and howling
winds, while high and distinct above
them all arose a shrill wall of human
agony which shall never be forgotten
by me, until my ear is closed to all
earthly sounds forever.
'Misericorde y
Alone there in the thick darkness,
clinging to the mass of ice before me,
with the tempest bowling around, and
the sense of horror at the fate of my
companions, it was wonderful that
through the accumulated terrors of
that fearful moment my mind passed
without failing beneath the unequal
trial.
'Misericorde y
/ too exclaimed the last word of my
companions, and sank senseless upon
the ice.
How long | lay l know not. 1t
could not have been less than an hour,
but at last sense returned, and with it
all the recollection of my situation.
| rose to my feet painfully.
| was first aware of my own physi-
cal condition. Yet before doing any
thing cast look around.
The fog had cleared away altogeth-
cr.
The broad expanse of ocean lay be-
fore me, its deep blue surface reflect
ing the gorgeous rays of the sun which
was just rising. There was not a
breath of wind, and the sea was as un-
.uffled as mountain lake.
l cast glance downward to see if
here was single We -tige of the i'll
'ated ship.
Alas not single vestige could be
'een. Not plank-not even a chip
loating upon the water. 1 only-I
,nly had escaped to tell the tale.
l was standing upon broad surface
If ice nearly half an acre in extent
It was smooth and slippery as glass.
1t was nearly level. was at the
over end of it, and had been stopped |
BY high wall against which 1 had
stuck.
The iceberg was Of the most col
ossal magnitude and grandeur. At
he side of the slippery surface where
stood it went sheer down perpendic-
ilarly into the sea. But its edge ex-
ended away on either side for an i'm
nensc distance. Its edge ought to be
,alled coast, so extraordinary was
is extent. On the other hand, be-
lind me it ascended far into the air.
Not all at once or abruptly, but by a |