Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-03-28
Four Men Float on Lake Superior Ice
Island for Nearly Week,

About the 4th of January last four
Shebandowan gold employers, named
Thomas Watson, George Fisher, Edward
Under and Henry Zeck, started for
point on the Canadian shore below Thun.
der Bay, to cross the lake to Isle Royal.
The ice was supposed to be three or four
feet in thickness, and they felt perfectly
safe In undertaking the journey Unfor-
tunately they made little or no provision
for the trip, each supposing that the
other had a plentiful supply of bread and
pork in his pack. They leisurely walked
along on their course until nearly night.
fall, when it was proposed they should
sup. On opening their sacks and spread
ing their blankets on the ice, it was dis.
covered that but three of them had any
food whatever, and these three had but
about four pounds of bread and pound
and half of boiled beef between them.
However, they divided up their stock and
made a tolerable meal, expecting to reach
their destination next morning. What
was left of the Tepast, consisting of a
slice of meat, half an inch thick and
about the size of mans hand, and two
small loaves, were gathered up and the
four walked on their journey, the night
being clear and the weather calm. To.
George Fisher, gave out, and they CON
cluded to take a rest. So they lay down
and, after cOnversing awhile fell asleep.
When they awOke the sun was shining
brightly, but there was considerable wind
blowing and the air was piercingly cold
Fisher continuing TO evince signs of i'll
ness, they partly resolved to retrace their
steps, but on walking northward for
about some twenty miles, to their utter
astonishment and dismay, they discover
ed that the ice-cake on which they were
was surrounded by open water on all
sides, in fact that they were on an island
of ice, some ten miles in circumference,
as near as they could judge. Fears of
their safety now took possession of them,
and in their agony they cried aloud for
relief. But no one heard their voices.
Night was fast approaching, and with it
came a swifter and colder wind than that
which had been blowing all day.
Penned in, as it were, and beyond the
possibility of human aid, their mental
sufferings were terrible, for they beheld
death staring them in the face; but,
added to these, came the pinching au-
guish of hanger.
Fisher, who had once been "cast away"
on the ocean, and who appeared to be
suffering from a raging fever, was the
only one at this stage of existence who
appeared to realize the necessity of hus-
banding to the last what little they had
in the way of eatables. He suggested
that, as there were four of them in a bad
scrape, it would be right and proper that
the bread and meat should be divided
into four equal parts and that then each
man should subdivide his allowance into
six portions which, if they used but one
portion day, would sustain life for
nearly week. His argument told on his
companions in distress, and they acqui.
esced. The bread and meat were there
fore cut up into four parts, and then
each separated his share into moieties.
By mutual consent they resolved not to
eat anything till next morning; and sor,
rowfuliy they spread their blankets on
the cold ice and lay down. Worn out
with cold, hunger and fatigue, they soon
fell into sound slumber, from which
they were aroused about daylight by the
thunder-like sound caused by the crack
ing of the ice.
About eight o'clock in the morning.
this being the third day they were out,
they ate their breakfast" in silence, the
meal consisting of about a mouthful of
bread and piece of beef about the size
of ten cent piece, and as thin as wafer.
Their feelings, as they gazed at each
other, can better be imagined than de-
scribed. They observed on close inspec-
tion that the mass Of ice on which they
were was being moved north
westwardly, and their hopes revived.
1t was likewise getting colder,
and they begun to feel assured that
the open space between them and
the main body of tine ice would soon
freeze over But these hopes were of
short duration, for, during the approach
of night, the wind veered around and
blew their island westward. They were
strong hearted men, though, and Fisher,
whose fever had left him, cheered them
on and reused them up. Indeed, his
courage was astonishing under the cir.
with the others who, without him, would
have lain down and died from sheer help.
lessness.
That day and the two following were
spent in vain lamentations at the hard.
ness of their fate and wishes to be on
shore, but no shore was in sight, and the
sun went down and darkness came upon
them.
On the morning of the sixth day,
Fisher, who may he said to be the only
one among them who had ever before
been in real danger, suddenly threw his
cap into the air and astonished them by
yelling "Land hop' as he pointed to the
northward. They all looked with straiBed
eyes, and, sure enough, there il was.
about eight or ten miles off. They imme-
diately started for it on the double.quick,
and in three or four hours stepped ashore
at point about six miles below small
stream emptying into the lake some ten
miles east of Pigeon River. Once safe
on land, the saved men became cheerful,
and made their way down the lake to a
hut occupied by a half-breed trapper,
named Walla, who kindly furnished them
with coffee and food. After remaining
with him for over q week to regain their
exhausted strength, the party made their
way eastward.-Duluth Herald.