The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-02-26
AN ADVENTURE Oh THE ICE.

George Penn, one of the survivors OF
the party caught on breaking ice on the
St. Lawrence River while crossing from
Gananoque to Grindstone Island. last
week, tells the following story of the
nights adventures:
"At half-past three p. m. I started
from Gananoque for WATERFOWL, by
way of Grindstone Island, with the fol-
lowing party of farmers, who came over
in the forenoon on the ice with team
and sleigh, and made the crossing with
out difficulty: Eli StetsOn and Charles
Kendall, George Cummings, William
Rusho, Ben and Elmer Calhoun, David
HARDWOOD, Lewis Kittie and Willard
Robinson. We had grist in the sleigh,
and had no trouble until we reached the
middle of the channel, where we found
the ice shaky, and de;achipg the horses
we led them separately and pushed tue
sleigh by hand. Soon one Of the horses
went through, and in his struggles
broke up the ice for about a hundred
feet before we got him landed. Seeing
that our weight was too great for the ice
| we separated. and also soon found we had
lost our course and were heading above
the island toward open water. Cum
ming, Robinson and myself stayed to-
gether and pushed the sleigh, which
we had unloaded, and which soon went
through, and we abandoned it. The
wind blew a hurricane, and it was be-
coming pitch dark. Suddenly we ali
broke through at once, and then each
tried to save himself. l found 8
cake big enough to sustain me in a
kneeling position, and Cummings and
Robinson got on another. We consult
ed, and told Robinson should 60 no
| further. He said he would try to get
ashore and get boat, and he stripped
off his coat and boots and plunged into
the open water. He swan about a hum
bred feet, crawled out on the ice and
we lost sight of him. should think ]
remained on my knees about two hours,
when the ice broke to pieces under me,
and again was in the water and chilled
to the marrow. The moon come out.
and l padded to the cake on WHICH
Cummings stood, anil which found to
be about twenty feet square and
some five inches thick. found
the poor fellow was losing his
mind and perishing. He was
off and wrapped it around him and got
on the windward siGe to protect him
from the gale. TO add to my distress
and terror, the motion of the ice, as it
rose and fell with the waves and ground
against other piece, made me sick,
and I began to fear that should have
to give up. Cummings was growing
weaker, and strove to arouse him. /
asked him about his family, and how
many children he had. He said five,
and | begged him for their sakes to
bear up. About this time we saw
lights. on the shore, apparently about
mile distant. / told him to look, help
was coming! He turned his eyes and
excaimed: .'See! see! There is one,
two, three, eleven boats coming for
| usr' He was insane. l told him to
cheer up. they would be here shortly.
He became manageable, broke away
from me, said ne was going ashore. and
walked of the ed gre Of the ice. I
caught him by the leg. but my hands
were numb, and before l could raise
him he gave violent kick, broke
my hold and went down. ! was
lying fiat on the ice. and watched for
| w SouAV up: OAV A1oti'hs, Wv " ~"
bubbles arose. was now alone, and
supposed the whole party had persisted,
and that such would be my fate. too.
The lights had disappeared, but /
found my cake had dr!iied against
silorc-ice and was not moving much.
bat those around ME were crushing
and breaking, and feared to trust my
self upon them. thought l would
CALL in hopes might be heard. l did
SO several times. After waiting 1t
seemed to me an age, saw light
moving on the shore, and l called
again. l was answered by William
Rusho, who had landed and was going
TO the barn to take care of his horses.
He got boat and some men, and they
pushed through the ice ont to me. l
was rescued at half-past twelve, having
been on the ice nine hours, six and q
half of it on floating ice. Robinson
reached the shore SO weak he could
scarcely crawl. He was unable to give
any account of what had happened.
The rest Of the party, who took diff
ferent course, got ashore without diff
Guilty, and saved the team besides. "
Cor. N. Y. Sun.