Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-12-01

but fervent words, we thanked the AL
mighty for our escape, and implored His
protection.
1 can scarcely picture the horrors of
that night. would fain, indeed, forget
them; but that is impossible. We had
preserved our lives for the present mo-
ment, but we knew not at what moment
the schooner might break up or glide off
the ice, aud then what could we expect
but starvation In it's worst form? Strange
to say, we did not suffer as much from
the cold as might have been expected;
probably the sense of our greater dan
ger rendered us less susceptible to the
lesser one.
We had many hours to wait for day
light, but as several Of the men had their
pipes and tobacco in their pockets, and
1 had box of lights, we smoked, and,
by keeping closely huddled together we
got through the night better than might
have been expected. To favor us still
further. the wind fell very much, and,
veering round to the southwark, made it
much warmer.
Morning dawned at last, and what
change from the previous day! Then we
had good staunch vessel under our feet;
now we were adrift on an iceberg, our
poor little schooner half in, half out, of
water, with a hole in her bows big enough
to drive wagon through; but the storm
had ceased and the sea was rapidly going
down. A thick fog came on, but that
we cared little about.
Our first act was to again offer our
thanks to that Benefcent Power which
had so mercifully spared us. This done
we descended to the wreck, and then saw
that she was so firmly fixed that. unless
heavy weather again came on, we might
yet make her our home for some time to
come, although it would be quite out of
power to make her seaworthy again, even
If it had been possible for us to launch
her, which 1t most decidedly was not.
Climbing on board, the cook at once
set to light the galley fire and prepared
breakfast, and then / cast about for
means of securing her in her position,
and this determined to do by laying the
bower anchors out on the ice and heav-
ing in taut on the cables.
Breakfast over we rugged pair of
sheers, and dismounting one of our two
guns, got its carriage over the bows, and
lowering the starboard anchor into it,
contrlved by the aid of deck tackle to
drag it up to the level space we had
spent the night on.
This done, we served the port anchor
the same, and then dragged the ends of
the cables to them and reshackled them.
We then, by the aid of pickaxes, buried
the anchors securely in the ice, and
bringing the cables to the windlass hove
them taut. Doing this occupied us
nearly the whole day.
Again night approached, and again we
assembled-but this time on board the
schooner-to offer up our prayers for de-
hverance; and then, having set a watch,
turned in and slept the sleep of the
tired.
Another dawn brought no change in
the weather, the fog hanging like pail
around us, and the sea continuing smooth
and calm; but toward night the wind
sprang up again from the north, and
clearing the fog off gave us hopes of be-
ing able on the morrow to determine
our position, which [ had every reason
to believe was not very far from fire.
quented fishing grounds; but we were
again disappointed, for before daybreak
the fog came down again, and another
day was passed in uncertainty and doubt.
During the afternoon [ endeavored to
form some idea of the size of the berg,
but was unable to do so. The highest
point we could see appeared to be about
one hundred and fifty feet in altitude;
but it rose up SO precipitiously from the
little plain on which we spent our first
night that we could not ascend it, so we
were unable to form any conjecture as to
Its shape or size. Onefear alone haunted
me, and that was that it might capsize,
and could not help remembering that [
had on previous occasions seen icebergs
do so without giving any warning, save
a premonitory rocking; but this was not
destined to be our fate, ard our third
night passed unmarked by any accident.
About noon of the fourth day the
glorious sun shone out and q uickly dis
PEELED the fog, and our eyes were glad
ened by the sight Of the distant shores of
Newfoundland.
AnXiously was the horizon scanned for
fishing vessels, but none were seen; and
then I remembered it was Sunday, and
that most of the boats would have made
their ports the night before. Our own
boats were stove and useless, so all we
could do was to hold the usual Sunday
OCA NiCOs I1uu PfaUAOht1y avail Vic 6SouG VI
another day.
Next morning we were up betimes;
but hour after hour passed, and still no
welcome sail hove in sight, and we felt
the full truth of "hope deferred maketh
the heart sick;" but just before sunset,
the welcome cry of "Sail, oh!'' sent a
food Of JOY 10 our bosoms, and couple
of fishing boats were seems heading well
up for us.
To charge our remaining mounted gun
and fire it was but the work of moment,
and before the smoke had cleared away,
we had the Joy of seeing them steer direct
| for us.
All was now happiness and Joy, and [
thought no better time could be chosen
for sending up our thanks for our almost
miraculous preservation.
Soon after was done the boats hove to
close under the schooner's stern, and
heaving lines to us were brought along