The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-06-25
I Legend OF tie Polar Seas.


becalmed among an immense number of
icebci rs. in about seyenty-seven degrees of
north latitude. On one side, and within a
mile of the vessel. these were of immense
height, and closely wedged together, and
a succession of snow covered dpeaksappeared
behind the other as far as the eye could
reach, showing that the ocean was com
pletely blocked up in that quarter, and that
had probably been so for long time.
Caltain Warrens did not feel altogether
satisfied with his si uation but there be-
ing no wind, he could not move either one
way or the other, aud he therefore kept a
strict watch, knowing that he would be
safe as long rs the icebergs continued in
their respective places. About midnight
tile wind rose to gale, accompanied oy a
thick shower of snow, while a succession of
tremendous laundering, grinding and
chrayhiug noises gave fearful evidence that
the ice was IN motion. The vessel received
violeu, shocks eyecy moment; FOR the hazi-
ness cf the atmosphere prevented those on
board from discovering in What direction
the open watet lay. orif there was actually
any at all Oh either side Of them, The night
was spert in tackiug as often as any cause
of danger happened to present itself and
in the morning the storm abated, and Cap
tain Wauens found, to his great joy, that
his ship had not sustained any serious in
jury. lie remarked With surprise that the
accumulated iccbergs. which had on the
preceding evening formed an impenetrabie
barrier, had been separated and disauang-
ed by the wind, and that in ono place ca
nal of open sea wound its cJuise among
thcm Us far as the eye could discern.
1t was two miles beyond the entrance to
this caual that 4 ship made it appearance
about noon. The sun shone bright at the
time, aud gentle breeze blew from the
north. At first some intervening icebelgs
prevented Captain Warrens from distinctly
seeing anything but her rrasts; but he was
struck with the strange manner in which
llor sails we're disposed, and with the dis
1nantled aspect Of her yards and rigging.
She continued to 90 before the wind for
few furlongs, aud then grounding upon the
low icebergS. remained motionless. -
Captain Wanens' curiosity was so-much
excited that he Immediately leaped into
his boat with several seamen and rowed
toward her. On approaching he obsel we'd
that her hull was miserably weather beaten,
and not n soul appeared on the deck, which
was covered with snow To a considerable
depth. lie hailed her crew several times.
but no answer WAS returned. Previous to
stepping ON board an open port-hole near
the maiu chains caught his eye, and. look
ing ihtO it,, he perceived a man reclining
back in a chair with writing materials on a
table before bin, but the fcebieness Of the
light made everything iudistinct. TIE
party went upon deck. and having removed
the hatclway, which they found closed,
they descended to the cabin. They frst
came to the apartment which Captain
Warrcus viewed through the port-hclc. \
trem0r seized him as he entered it. It's
inmate retained his former position, and
seemed to be iuscnsible 10 strangers. lie
was found To be a corpse, and green damp
mould had covered his cheeks and fore
head, and veilcd his open eyc-5alls. He
had pen in his haud, anL log book lay
on The table before him, the last SEN
tence III whose unfinished page ran thus:
''Nov. II, Use. We have now been in
closed in The ice seventeen days. The fire
went out yesterday, and our master has
been ever since trying to kinile it again,
but without success. His wife died this
morning. There is no relief-', s-........
Captain WIrrcns and his seamcn hurried
from the spot without uttering a word.
On entering the principal cabin the first
object that attracted their attenlion was
the dead body Of female reclining on a
bed, in an attitude Of deep interest aud at
tentioD. Her countcnauce retained the
freshness Of life, and contraction of the
limbs showed that her form was inauiulats.
Seated ON the floor was the corpse or an an
parently young man, holding steel in one
hand and a flint in the other, Us f in the
act of striking fire upon some tiuder which
lay beside him. IN the fore pant or the
vessel several sailors were found living
dead ii their bcrths, and the body Of a boy
was crouChed at the bottom of the gang
way stains.
Neither provision nor fuel could bc dis
CpNSlSd ii'S NHClS bhb Ndpldlu W afFchS
was prevented, by the su?erstitiuHs preju-
dic-sof his seamen, from examining Iil. spih
mrpHJely as lie wished to have done He
therefore carried away the log-bool ;tiread y
mentioned, aud returned to his own ship.
and Immediately steeied To the south ward
deeply impressed with the awful example
which he had just Witnessed OF the danger
of navigating the Polar seas in high
northern latitudes.
On returning TO England he made va
rious inquiries respecting vessels that had
disappeared III an unknown way, and, 10y
comparing the results Of those with the in
formation which was afforded by the witt
tin documents in his possession, he asccr-
tanned the name and history of the im-
prisOned ship and OF the unfortunate mas
ter, aud found that she lad been frozen