Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-08-04
LETTER Nv.
TO MRS. SAVILLE, ENGLAND.
AUGUST 5th, IL.

=
; TO MRS. sAVILLE, ENGLAND.
AUGUST 5th, IL.
So strange an accident has hap
pened to US, that cannot forbea
recording it, although it is yer.
probable that you will see me befor
these papers can come into you
possession.
Last Monday July 3lst, } we wer,
nearly surrounded by ice, which
closed in the ship on all sides, scar
cely leaving her the sea-room il
which she fioated. Our situation
was somewhat dangerous, especially
as we were compassed round by =
very thick fog. We accordingly
lay to, hoping that some change
would take place in the atmosphere
and weather.
About two O'Clock the mis-
cleared away, and we beheld
stretched out in every direction
vast and irregular plains of ice
which seemed to have no end
Some of my comrades groaned, and
my own mind began to grow
watchful with anxious thoughts,
when a strange sight suddenly at
tracted our attention, and diverted
our solicitude from our situation.
We perceived a low carriage, fixed
on a sledge and drawn by dogs,
pass on toward the north, at the
distance of half a mile; a being
which had the shape of a man, but
apparently of gigantic stature, sat
In the sledge, and guided the dogs.
We watched the rapid progress of
the traveller with our telescopes,
until he was lost among the distant
inequalities of the ice.
This appearance excited our un-
qualified wonder. We were, as we
Believed, many hundred miles from
any land but this apparItion SEEM
ed to denote that it was not, in re-
| ality, SO distant as we had sup
posed. Shut in, however, by ice,
it was impossible to follow his
| track, which we had observed with
| the greatest attention.
| About two hours after this occur
renee, we heard the ground sea !;
and before night the ice broke, and
freed our ship. We, however, lay
to until the morning, fearing to en-
counter i'm the dark those large
loose masses which float about after
the breaking up of the Ice. l prof
tied of this time to rest for few
hours. s.|
In the. morning, however, as
soon as it was light, I went upon
deck, and found all the sailors busy
on one side of the vessel, apparent
ly talking to some one in the sea.
1t was, in fact, a sledge, like that
we had. seen before, which had
drifted toward us in,the night, on
large fragment, OF. ice Only one
dog remained alive; but there was
d human being within it, whom
the sailors were persuading to enter
the vessel. - He. was not, as the
other traveller seemed to be. a saw
age inhabitant of some undiScOv-
cred island, but a European. When
/ appeared on deck, the master
said, 'tHere is our captain, and he
will not allow you to perish on the
open sea"
On perceiving me, the stranger
addressed me in English, although
with a foreign accent. "Before L
come on board your vessel" said
he, twill you have the kindess to
inform me WhitheryOu are bound?"
You may cOpceiye my astOnish-
inent on hearing such a question
addressed to me from a man on the
brink of destructi0p. :. and to whom
should haye supposed that my
vessel would have been a resource
which .he would not have eXchang-
ed for the most precious wealth the
earth can afford. | replied, how
ever, that we were on a voyage of
discovery toward the northern pole.
Upon hearing this he appeared
satisfied, and consented to come On
board. Good God! Margaret, if
you had seen the man who had
thus capituIated for his safety, your
surprise would have been bound
less. His limbs were nearly fro
zen, and his body dreadfully ema-
ciated by fatigue and suffering.
never saw man in so Wretched a
condition. We attempted TO carry
him into the cabin, but as soon as
he quilted the fresh air, he tainted.
We accordingly brought him back
to the deck, and restored him to
animation by rubbing him with
brandy, and forcing him to swallow
a small quantity. AS soon as he
showed signs of life, we wrapped
him up in blankets, and placed him
near the chimney OF the kitchen
stove. BY slow degrees he recov-
cred, and ate a little soup, which
restored him wonderfully. i
Two days passed in this manner
before he was able to speak and L
often feared that his sufferings had
deprived him of his understanding.
When he had in some measure re-
covered, / removed him to my own
cabin, and attended on him as much
as my duty would permit. never
saw Il more interesting creature
his eyes have generally an express
sion of wildness, and even madness;
but there are moments when, il any
one performs an act OF kindeSs to-
ward him, or does him any the
most trifling service, his whole
countenance is lighted up, as 1t
were, with beam OF benevOlence
and sweetness that | never saw
equaled. But he is generally mel
ancholy and despairing and some
times he gnashes his teeth, as il
impatient of the weight Of woes
that Oppress him. 4
When my guest was little re-
covered, / had great trouble to keep
off the men, who wished tOask him
a thousand questions butt would
not allow him to be tormented by
their idle curiosity, in state of
body and mind whose restoration
evidently depended upon entire re-
pose. Once, however, the .lieuten-
ant asked, Why he had come so far
upon the ice insso strange a vehicle?
His cOuntenance instantly assum-
cd an aspect OF the'deepest gloom !;
and he replied, "To seek one who
fed from me-" . @.s.& d.
"And did the man whom you
pursued travel in the same fashion p
fs' Yes"
ssThen / fancy we have seen him;
for the day before we picked you
up, we saw some dogs drawing a
sledge, with a man in it, across the
ice. '-.,'s'
This aroused the strangers atten-
tion; and he asked multitude OF
questions concerning the route
which the demon, as he called him,
had pursued. Soon afters'when he
was alone with me, he said. 81
have, doubtless, excited your Curl
osity, as well as that of these good
people; but you are too eonsiderate
tn make inauiriesD '..t: