Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-02-05
ENTOMBED IN ICE.
Four Men and Woman Shut Fast ina
newfoundland Iceberg.


Four Men and Woman Shut Fast in
newfoundland Iceberg.
New York Star at
Capt. Hubert Kane, who arrived in
this city yesterday from Gloucester,
Mass. in the schooner F'ar, of st.
Mary's, N. j., told very narrowing
story. It is to the effect that while ice
bound in Placentia bay, on. the south
coast of Newfoundland, on the 4th inst,
he described what appeared to be q
dismantled vessel apparently about two
miles off his lee bow. The vessel was
also ice-bound. On the folio wing morn
ing he proposed to walk to the vessel,
more for the sake Of satisfying his
curiosity than anything else. The ice
was frozen solid, and he experienced no
difficulty in obtaining the company of
number Of the sailors aboard his
schooner. Preparatory to starting
the party were provided with
axes and other articles necessary
on exploring trips. After tiresome
Journey, throughout which climbing
over and sliding over immense. irregu-
lar masses Of ice were the most notice
able features. the vessel was reached
and discovered to be the hull of large
brig careened over on the port side and
imbedded solidly in the ice Of the
two masts only jagged stumps remained
On the stern post was painted ssAdel-
aide Folquet, Dieppe."'
With the aid of the axes, Capt. Kane
says the men assembled the starboard
side of the vessel, and upon gaining the
deck a terrible sight met their GAGE
Near the gallery door lay the body of q
man, face downward, imbedded in the
| ice SO firmly that recognition was inn
| possible Until after the corpse had been
| thoroughly thawed The steps. leading
down to the forecastie were completely
blocked up by the frozen sea, water
| The exes were called into requsition
and the passageway soon cleared. Be
low there was horrifying sight to be-
hold. DlagOnally across the floor of
the once cosy forcastle another body
lay stretched. The appearance of the
eyes, mouth and neck gave assurance
that decomposition had been arrested
in its course by the atmosphere of
the improved ice-box in which it lay.
Another corpse was found in the fore
castle, with its back nearly upright
against, and firmly frozen to, an old
sea-chest. The head and face of the
corpse also presented the appearance
of a skull from which every particle of
flesh had faded away, and such 1t would
literally have been but for the frail and
tightly-drawn covering of withered
skin which concealed the bone. ...I ii.
Both of the bodies found in the fore
castle were dug out Of their temporary
resting-place, to which they had been
tightly frozen, and conveyed on deck
and laid beside the body found in the
galley. The entrance to the cabin was
next examined and found almost frozen
over, except small aperture through
which nothing but darkness was visible
The axes soon removed the icy obstruc-
ton, AMI an entrance into the cabin
was affected. An opening was cut
through two of the cabin windows. and
the light which entered revealed an
other sickening spectacle, a sadder one
by far than the others, for the body of a
woman was found lying PROSTATE in the
captains stateroom. A few feet away
protruding boots led to the discovery
Of another body, the upper portion of
which was deeply imbedded in the
thick ice which covered the cabin floor
from the entrance to the opposite side
All the bodies were arranged on deck
as neatly as the circumstances allowed
The interior of the captains stateroom
contained no ice, and the exploring
party found In a locket on the dead
woman's neck the miniatures of a
handsome man, about 50 years of age,
and a pleasing looking woman of about
30-evidently the captain and his wife.
On the floor of the staterOom was an
ebony crucifx, with the figure of the
Redeemer in ivory. The stateroOm
contained two religious pictures, writ
ing desk, a medicine chest, two fine
trunks, valises, and satchels, which the
explorers would not touch until the au-
thorities had been consulted. The men
gloomily made their fatiguing journey
back to Placentia harbor, where they
laid all the particulars Of their sadden-
dening adventure before the magistrate
who at once took steps to have the bo-
dies brought ashore, together with the
ships papers and other effects secured
until full Identification had been made.
A telegram from St. Pierre announced
that the Adeloide Foiqu4t, French brig,
had last been seen when she left that
port on Nov. Is, with load of Goldfish,
herring, and dried caplin, bound for the
port of Marseilles in France.
ScraggineSS and Obesity