The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-06-09
WESTON, w. VA. MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1873 NO. 49,

dered and threatened them with de-
struction, so that they were obliged to
confine themselves to small pans,
changing their positions from time to
time as dangers necessitated. 1t was
impossible to launch the boat, no seals
could be taken, and actual starvation
was inevitable.
It was at this crisis that, on the olst
of April, fortune sent the Polar bear,
which they happily obtained possession
Of rs above described. The boat was
afterwards got into the water, and they
worked their way west and southwest
every day in the hope of reaching some
part OF tho Labrador coast. The only
then remaining shelter was q canvas
tent, erected after the annihilation OF
tho winter camp. On the 22d OF April
the boat happeped to become separated
from this tent some seven or eight feet.
Tho, weather, which had been fine for
some days previously, with hardly any
wind, suddenly shifted, aud terrific
storm, accompanied with sleet andsnow,
sprang up. More suddenly still, and
without any warning sounds whatever,
the leo between the boat and tent burst
asunder, with n loud and deafcning ex-
plosion. A cry was at once raised to
"stand by the boat" Fred Myer, in
the darkness (for it was night managed
to reach it, though, in attempting to do
so, he narrowly escaped being swept
into tho chasm caused by the separation
Of the ice foe, and in which tho mad
dened seq was seothing and the shat
tered and scattered fragments OF the
ice were tossing wildly against each
other. Having reached the boat in
safety his first act wns to look round for
his companions. None were to be seen
and nothing heard, save the roaring OF
the tempest and the grinding and the
crunching Of the olumpers as they were
driven with terrific violence by the sen.
To remain where he was would be, he
knew, to court immediate destruction.
The pan upon which he tottered was
becoming smaller and smaller every
moment, and, great Ms was the hazard,
he determined, if possible, to launch
the boat again, and, though desperate
Wy ns.enPV, etnsS ,: s.IS Sn". s''''S d.
ylded him from ms companions. an bhl M
breaking wildly over the pan. The boat
was heaVlly laqen, ana ~ seemed rs II
ms remaining strength, tnough doubted
by that desperate sltnation, was un,
equal 70 the required TASK. several
imes dld no make tne at!ehlpL @ @anu
twice was he washed IRON the pan INTO
the sea y, the violence OIL the Wi,Nes
that dashed over anu oVerwhelmed IL
The cold was intense, terribly augment
cd by the chilling ana freezing wafer
with which no was covered ana satHr- ,..Il
ated. In this awful situation pnt niue
hope remained of his ever again 1ehoI9-
ing his comrades or even preserving mS
own life.
In moment, as II by magic, the
storm lulled and the surge subsided,
and, straining his eyes through me
6iackness OF that PIutonian nlght IN the
direction in which he supposed the rest
OF tho party were, he discovered the
two Esquimaux, Joe and Hans, each
standing on small piece OF ice and
padding towards him. Ihese intrepid
and hardysons OF the regions OF thick
ribbed ice were not deferred by dan
gers which would have Dlanched tne
cheeks and made the hearts of men 9old