National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-14
AN ICY TOM

Inc Hamilton Spectator relates Q very remark
able incident which occurred on the shore of Lake
Ontario, 9 short distance east OF that city. IL
says: About the hrst Of January last, It viii be
remembered, there was great thaW here which
partly barred the fields Of the surroundin1 eoau-
try, and transformed the frozen creeks ina .voI-
len, rushing freshets. At shout the time OF this
iresnet In February, farmer. whose land was
situated on the shore Of the lake. lost a hog from
among number that were allowed to ran1a the
barnyard and fields. Circumstances, which n ia
needless to refer to, pointed suspicion Of then at
certain person, but the farmer being unable to
trace any satisfactory evidence the matter WINS al
lowed to drop. A couple Of days ago a son OF the
farmer was along the lake duck hunting, and han
pened to be standing for moment by . PROTECTING
point Of the icy banks which were then thaved
away to much smaller eminence, come Of them.
indeed, having already disappeared, when he
heard noise. Though nobody appeared to be-
near the noise after pause was repeated. He
listened intently, and again, amer g silence,
the sound was heard, this time apparently
proceeding from the ice beneath him. On
bending his ear to the Ice the singular sound
broke forth with more distInctness, and scanned
to be q voice. His curiosity was now excited to
It's utmost intensity, and he began to examine into
the state Of the ice that appeared to hold ne
secret oil this unnatural voice. Kicking away o
lump Of ice from the top, he observed hole I'M
the mound. he peeped into this, but was forced
to draw back from the fetid smell that issued ike
poisonous gas, from the opening. But ne an
not desist. Between serapIng and kicking he a
last made the aperture of the cavity quite larus-
and once more looking into the stenchJ hole. saw
to his utter wonder and amszement . hogl Pro-
ceeding without delay 10 the house, no procured
an axe, and returning, chopped open dayIighT!
into the strange residence Of the porcins In short
order. He found the poor animal IN the same
position as when he had len him, with hls
hams upon the sand, but erect upon bis fore
legs A great portion Of his hair and brlstIes had
dropped out, and formed thin bedding among,
the sands, and the animal himself was literally
but skin and bone, and was took weak to move
from his position. He was pulled out, how
ever, but was unable to stand upon his
four feet. On inspecting the cave tho sand
underneath was found to have been loosened
for depth Of two feet and hall, and burroW,
holes had been dug along the surface some three
or four feet, in several places on each side. II
appeared that pure air and the motion induced BY
being dragged out Of his six weeks homo had .
fatal effect on him, for he died In less than nine
hours after having been taken out. Exclusive Of
the burrow holes, the cavity was but seven feet
IN diameter, and how he got sufficient air to sus-
tain life, or how he obtained enough food to keep
him in existence 10 mystery indeed. 1t Is possible
that is survived on dead fish and other stuff
which 1t could get by burroWing. This Is the only
explanation Of the wonderful mystery Of how IL
kept alive. One rather singular and unaccC unta-
bic act in connection with this strange mattor
was, that the sides OF the upper portion of the
cave were turned to yellow color. and this color
was distinctly noticeable to the depth Of nearly
three inches in the Ice.