Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-01-22

The telegram announced that Messrs.
McEwen and Smith would arrive home
on the evening train on the jackson, Lam
sing & Saginaw railroad Accordingly,
as The time for the arrival of the train ap-
preached, a large crowd gathered at the
depot to get sight Of the heroes OF one OF
the most perilous voyages on record, ana
congratulate them upon their narrow es-
cape. Upon reaching this city they were
Immediately conveyed to their homes,
where their wives and children and nu-
merous friends were awaiting their arri-
val Physicians were in attendance 10
render the men whatever medical aid was
necessary.
In an interview with VIM. McEwen
this morning, we were given full &C
count of the perilous voyage of himself
and comrade, the hardships endured, and
their final escape from their treacherous
boat. AS it will be of interest to all our
readers, we give full summary, prefac-
ing it by saying that Mr.. McEwen was
TWENTY-FIVE years of age on the day on
which he was carried out into the bay, and
Mr. Smith will be twenty-five in Feb
ruary.
These two young men left Bay City on
Wednesday, Dec. 81, at nine o'clock in
the forenoon, for trip to the bay. Mr..
McEwen intended to return on the fol
lowing day Mr. Smith intended to re-
main several days and locate fishing
ground. Accordingly quantity of pro-
visions was taken along in addition to
blankets, spears, two hand sleds, and
other paraphernalia requisite in fishing.
The provisions were lett on shore, and
taking the other articles, the men pro
ceeded out on the bay. They went about
three and one-half miles frcm the light
house, and to point about one mile from
the east bay shore, where the ice was
about five or six inches in thickness.
Here they commenced to fish, and were
so engaged when, at half past four o'clock,
McEwen looked up and saw a man
named Rundell, Of Wenona, running from
the ice toward the shore. He also dis
covered that the ice had parted in line
extending across the bay and down the
the break. McEwen called to his CON-
rade, and the two ran toward the crack
with the intention Of escaping to the
shore.
When the discovery was first made
that the ice had parted, the distance in
tervening between the held on which
they were and the ice which remained
attached TO the shore was only about eight
inches, but by the time they reached the
edge of the ice the distance had increased
to such an extent that to jump across was
an utter impossibility.
Accordingly, they called to Rundell,
but he paid no attention to them. Their
situation did not startle them in the least,
as they knew that on the ice which re-
Oh a,al
boats, and also knew that Rundell had
seen them, and were confident that he
would raise the alarm and come to their
rescue. He did not, however, and they
then set to work to help themselves. The
water where they were tnen drifting was
about eight feet in depth, and they ac-
cordingly commenced chopping out
small cake of ice, on which they intended
to pole themselves ashore by means of
their spear-poles. They had drifted into
deep water before the ice was chopped off
and this attempt was necessarily aban-
doned.
After discovering that Rundell did not
come to their assistance, they expected
that he would give the alarm in Bay City,
when search for them would be instituted,
but on Friday they gave up this hope.
| Saturday and Sunday the ice drifted to
the eastward, and on the latter day they
were in sight of Fish Point. The storm
of Sunday cut up the ice and reduced it
| to about three inches in thickness. At
this time the wind shifted to the north
west, and as they had drifted toward the
east shore, they again started eastward.
On their way they discovered a small
boat, but did not attempt to move it.
They continued on until noon of Sunday,
when they were compelled to stop, the
wind having parted the ice. They again
set out westward, and, coming up to the
boat, put it on a sled and drew it about
mile and half. Here they both got in
the water, and finally gave up their
! journey, and returned to wait for
colder weather, which would join the ice
together sufficiently to enable them to
cross. They saw the smoke of the tug
which went out on Sunday, and were in
spired with new hope, but this died away
on Monday, when no assistance came.
Monday night the weather was COLDER and
Tuesday morning ice had formed about
one inch thick, and on this (although it
bent at every step they crossed to the
shore. On the last night, while lying
| down, the ice was broken off repeatedly
by the storm outside, in several instances
| NSIy CloSe W tnciH. lHcy suCCecucu IN
reaching shore at last, having been out six
days, and having eaten nothing but
small amount of raw fish (which they ate
on Tuesday morning. since Wednesday
last They slept none whatever for the
first four nights.
Then they started off for the west shore,
thinking that perhaps the ice there had
not separated from shore. The field on
which they were was several miles in ex-
tent, but as they travelled westward they
found it had broken up considerably, and
at length, on account of this, they were
compelled to stop their journey. They
returned then to the place from which
they first started and lay down for the
night, cover ing themselves with blankets
The next day Thursday they started
westward again, and discovered that the
shanty that had floated with them had
disappeared. They then went to the west
/ ah.,ra hot ha l~;t.