The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-12-04
WRECKED UPON ICE.

Some twenty years ago, in consequence
OF the encroachment Of the fishermen
upon the fishing grounds on the coast OF
Newfoundland, the commandments
OF the North American station hired and
equipped number Of small fast-sailing
schooners and dispatched them from
Halifax, Nova Scotia, to cruise on the
banks for the double purpose of stopping
encroachment and also to prevent the
Newfoundland fishermen from snug
Cling capelin "a small fish used for bait
for cod 10 the French island Of St.
Pierre, on whose rOck-bound coast it is
not TO be caught. Of one Of these
7chOoners I was put in charge, and it was
while running Trough the straits OF
Belleiale that the adventure | am about
to relate occurred to me.
l had been visiting the stations on the
coast of Labrador, and was returning to
st. Johns, Newfoundland, through the
straits, when one evening / was caught
III heavy DOrtherly gale. As night
closed in | reduced our sail to treble
reefs, and knowing that ice was knocking
about placed extra lookouts on. and re-
manned on deck in charge Of the vessel
myself.
To say the night was dark would give
no idea Of the lnkv obscurity in which
We appeared TO be sailing. One could
scarcely sec an arm s length. and as for
discerning anything ahead that appeared
Impossible. [ Say appeared. because
there is much difference In having some
thing to look at and nothing: because,
in the latter case, you fancy that nothing
could be seen, even # anything were
there to be seen.
Meantime, the breeze kept increasing,
and [ had the close reefs taken in. At
midnight we were heading we'll out of
the straits, and / thought | would 90
below and endeavor to snatch an hours
sleep, and was III the act Of giving nv
orders to the officer OF the watch. when
4 lookout men Of, "a sail ahead, stand
ing right for us, sir!' startled me.
Rushing forward / saw the heavy. indis-
tinct form of what | thought to be 3
large vessel under a press Of canvas.
within a cables length of us.
Lutf, huff all you can ?" [ beloved
TO the man at the helm; but he, either
misunderstanding my order. or else hav-
ing caught sight OF the object we were
approaching, was too terrified TO carry it
out, and instead Of putting the helm
down, put It hard aweather. The
schooner fell off, felt the full force OF the
gale and flew with redoubled speed
through the water.
In almost less time than It has taken
me to write the above half-dozen lines, |
saw that it was no sail, but gigantic
iaala,,fr Hold 4I,1 haTt,ac-7,,a,, Inf, I
might perchance have weathered it; but
ii was now too late, and. with loud and
fearful crash, which threw myself and
all near me on the deck, the schooner
struck full upon it, her foremost going
short of by the board, but fortunately
inluring no one.
Cries of horror and distress arose from
all parts of the vessel. The watch below
rushed up on deck, many OF them with
out their clothes All was for a moment
dismay and confusion, and MS the schoOn-
er rose and fell with the heave of the
sea, the crashing forward showed that
her bows We're stove IN, and [ at Ouce
saw that, unless she fixed herself upon
the ice, she must, if she backed off it. 60
down. Most fortunately, she showed no
sign of doing this, and, rs the force of
the wind, aided by every heaye of the
sea. forced her still further on the berg,
| began to entertain some slight hopes
OF saving my crew.
Collecting AL hands, | told them that
the only chance we had of escape was by
their regaining their GOODNESS and strictly
obeying nv orders, and that could we
but land on the berg. We should be com
peratIvely safe.
/ then directed one watch 10 get up
provisions, while with the others / got
the mainmast safely cut away This
done, | secured the end Of the deep sea
lead-ine around my body and. laying
out along the bowsprit, ] lowered my
self by rope-end, and landed on part
IF the ice which the waves did not reach,
ana with some difficulty succeeded in
scrambhng up perfectly clear Of the
spray. Here | found a tolerablv level
space The schooner had struck on the
least precipitous side OF the berg. and
having run nearly half her length up
ont Of the water. had become firmly
fixed; hUt this. of course. | did not dis
cover until the day broke
Returning cautiously. | hailed for a
stronger rope, and regained the deck. |
found that during my absence quantity
of provisions and clothing had been got
on deck, which [ directed to be made
into bundles. and. having directed each
person 10 secure one to his body, |
caused the men to land on the berg IL
the manner | had done myself Had
known how firmly fixed the schooner
WAS. We might have been spared that
nights discomfort; but. not knowing. ]
deemed it advisable to abandon her at
once. fearing she might glide off in
winch case no mortal power could have
rescued rs,
Leaving the vessel the last, / Joined
NV men on the ice, and then. in q few
hut fervent words. ve thanked the Al
mighty for our escape, and implored His
protection.
] can scarcely picture the horrors OF
that night, | would fam. indeed. forget
them: but that is impossible We had
preserved our lives for the present mo-
ment. bat We knew not al what moment
the schooner might break up or glide OF
the ice. and then what could We expect
but starvation mi worst form Strange
10 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