Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1881-05-14

credit for the summer cod-fishery.
The return of the expedition was an
event of the most tremendous import
ance. "One by one," writes Lieutenant
McCrea, call through that great day of
all others in the year, they come gliding
through the Narrows, until, just as the
sun tips the crest of Signal Hill with a
farewell crimson kiss, the last laggard
of the fleet anchors in the channel to
wait until the little, busy, bewildered
tug shall have leisure to haul them in
side. But in truth it matters little
whether the ships anchor or not; for,
surely as the sun sinks, out go the boats,
and, leaving the Captain to take care of
the ship as best he can, in few min
utes the greasy hunters jump on shore,
and are hauled off by friends and WON.
en- as mad with joy as they are, In
streets, in lanes, in cottages of the poor
as well as in mansions of the rich, the
night is prolonged in one great, univer-
sal orgy" 1t was on one of these occa-
sons that an officer of rank, sent up
from Halifax on an official commission,
said, in answer to a question Us to what
sort of place it was, "Well, sir, l Twas
only there three days, and they appeared
to me to be all drunk e
In April of last year curious event
took place off New Foundland. There
was visitation of seals such as would
have been deemed extraordinary even
in the palmy days of the fishery. For
many years the hardy fishers of the
southern coasts have scarcely hoped for
apaying harvest of seal, even after fit
ting out their rough boats, and proceed
ING to the ice-felds of the North. On
this occasion the valuable creatures
came floating downward on great sheets
of ice, within easy reach of the hunters,
and but for the loss of life that took
place it might have been regarded as a
special providence to all concerned.
1t was during the first days of the
month of April that the news began to
spread that the seals were coming, and
within a short time the hunters who had
staid behind when the regular fleet left
for the North began to congratulate
themselves on having remained. They
were ready for the unanticipated har-
vest, and as the ice gathered around,
squads of them might be seen hurrying
from the harbor of st. Johns out through
the Narrows and into the broad Atlantic
Ocean. Far away, north, south and
east, extended the interminable ice
sheets, with here and there a watery
breakage. From Signal Hill, which
rises 600 feet above the sea-level, an al
most unbroken view might be obtained
extending nearly forty miles seward.
The rich spoils presented to the hunt
ers excited them to recklessncss. The
women, too. who seem in this Northern
latitude to be in complete sympathy
with the tolls of the husbands and broth
ers, shared in the general craze. 1t was
not uncommon even for wind-and-sun-
Drowned damsels, daughters of the
hardy fishermen, TO grid on the seal
hunters armor and enter the lists with
their brothers in competition for the
treasures of the oil fields. The distance
trayersed away from the land over
the ice sheets varied from one to eight
or ninemiles, according to the position
of the seal patches or the good fortune
of the hunter. One gang of men, more
fortunate than another, would alight on
an abundant patch within a mile or two
of the shore, from which spectators,
without the aid of telescope, might
witness all their operations. Others,
less lucky, would have to wander over
rough and broken ice for many a weary
mile before coming up with the objects
of their eager search. When found,
even at the end of long and tiresome
ramble, the seal-killer felt himself am,
ply repaid for his toll. Thus all went
well for several days. Men came and
went, and no record of disaster reached
the shore. Thousands of dollars worth
of seals were daily captured, were
brought on shore and rapidly consigned
to the oil vats on the south side of the
City of st. Johns. nm
From three to four days the hunters
had been at work, venturing further and
further upon the ice, when suddenly the
wind fell. The great masses, held in
place by strong northeastern, began tC
yield, and the "hunting-grounds " tC
give way beneath the feet of the unhap
py fishermen. So sudden was the
change that it seemed almost instantane
Gus. At one momeLt the men seemed
to be quietly at work; at the next the
panic had spread in every direction
The ice had moved from the shore, and
except at Il very few points of contact
the water began to flow between it anC
the main laud. Hundreds of men saw
before them the prospect of being car
riGd out to sea upon the melting mass
Those who were most cool headed raj
for the ice-bridges yet remaining anC
succeeded in reaching the shore. Others
less rapid in their movements, or com
ing up too late to avail themselves o.
these pathways, plunged into the water
and, swimming across, were hauled w
on the crags by comrades waiting to re
ceive them. Within the harbor small
boats also were sent to the rescue, anC
these brought off many who had sue
ceeded in reaching the edge of the ice
fields.
1t was at first reported that some two
hundred and fifty men were alloat upoi
the ice, and the CONSERVATION and agon,
on shore were frightful. Hundreds o
families were mourning for some miss
ing member, and the scenes enacted, a
one man after another arrived, are be
yond description. Finally, however, i
became apparent that the number o
missing had been greatly exaggerated
Before night fell the joyful tiding
reached st. Johns that several men hat
gained the shore safely at the villages o
Quidi, Vidi, and Logy Bay, where tn
ice, in careering out of ST. Johns Bay
had for brief time impinged and hum
j IL, .----....l i =. IL.