The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-02-16

"DangerP Well. my lad, 1 should say
sol I've been plunging about through the
sea all my life, and have seen plenty of
danger, but there's nothing like being
crushed up in the ice, with nothing but
jagged mountains of crushing, groaning
and grinding ice about you," said Cap
tain Pike, of the Proteus, as he ''wal-
ked the deck" back and forth, with a
rocking motion, in front of the hotel
recently. "Danger, my ladl" And
he spread his short legs, and, throwing
his head on one side until his jolly, fat
cheeks almost rested on his shoulder, he
stood squarely in front of the reporter.
Changer, my ladl I've stood at the
wheel when the wind blew great guns,
and the waves pounded the ship until
she groaned with agony and threatened
to go to pieces at any moment. I've
had my masts and rigging blown away,
and the decks swept as clean as whis-
tie; but blast my buttons il there's any
thing as bad as the ice. You can be
knocked about in a storm; you may
float three or four days on a spar in the
open sea, and you stand some chance in
the end of being picked up, but when
you get nipped in Smiths sound there's
no use blowing your fog-horn. I've
been 'nipped' twice, and know what
it is"
"Was there much confusion when
the Proteus was nippedP" asked the
reporter. "Was there anything like a
panic?"
mo; there was no time for panick-
ing. The men had to look out for
themselves and their provisions, and
they had hard work before 'em."
"What do you think the chances are
for Lieut.. Greely's safety"
"Good, if he don't freeze to death, p
was the laconic reply.
"Where do you think the party il
now?" asked the reporter.
cat Littleton's island, if they obeyed
ORDERS" replied the captain with ;
twinkle in his eye, which seemed o say
that orders here and facts in the ict
were very different things.
Suppose they are at Llttleton's Is
land; what them"
''What is there at Littleton's island
for Temp" was the reply, the curious
expression again:taking possession Of
the captains eye. "They had better
stay at Lady Franklin bay. Lieuts
nant Greedy knows that. He is an abls
man and will take care of his men, or
ders or no orders. Ordersp Lieutenant
Greedy, as said, is an able commander
and he has good men under him; tn,
best set of men l ever saw; and WHAT
more they have confidence in him
However, he continued, elf they have
started they will not suffer from hun
ger. There are over twenty depots o
provisions between Littleton's islanC
and Lady Franklin bay, which Lieute
nant Greedy knows of, so they won
suffer from hunger. Cold, cold i
what'll catch them. They will hav
nothing to shelter them if they hav
moved from their station in the north
Elbow about the relief party2"
SIT should start from Newfoundlan,
early in July. They must have tw
ships aud move cautiously. The eS
] petition should be placed in the hand
of mariners not soldiers A man ma
/ be good and daring soldier, but tina
, won'thelphim at sea. You might as we
, give me gun and tell me to go out o
S the plains and run after Indians" II
: eyes sparkled again with amusement {
4 the idea Of his ever being able to run {
1 all, and walked deck, " his bulky for
{, taking up almost the entire space in I'll
r portico as he swayed to and fro.