Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-07-19

taken the chances and lost. Next morn
ing we were lying frozen in. The ice
stretched away as far as we could see,
and was strong enough to bear a mans
weight A smart sea would have broken
it up in no time, but for the next twenty
hours there was hardly a puff of wind.
When it did come it headed us off again,
and 1t was no surprise to the men to be
told one morning that the ship would
have to winter in the ice. We drifted
slowly toward the Greenland coast with
q great mass of ice, and when the shore
ice was reached we cut slip, warped the
ship into it, and had then done all we
could toward making her safe. Look in
any direction you might, the sight was
the same--ice in heaps and ridges and
hummocks, with never a sight of water
or a level spot.
Next day after getting the ship into
her dock we got out landing plank on
each side, hoisted out a lot of square lum-
Der from the hold, and proceeded to
build a rude, stout roof over most of the
decks. Everything aloft was made Sc
cure, and every crevice and Granny which
could be stopped against the cold was
made secure. In those days Arctic
whalers went provided for such mis-
chance as this. We had lots of lumber,
false doors and window sashes, plenty of
fuel aud provisions, and there was no
reason to believe that we should suffer
either mentally or physically. On the
fifth day went off with Mr.. Lampson,
the first mate, on hunting expedition.
Foxes had already been seen, and the
sight of something we believed to be a
bear was what started u.s. Daylight now
lasted but few brief hours, but the
weather was calm and the cold had re-
Taxed several degrees within few hours.
We did not intend to go over mile or
two, and we slipped away 50 quietly that
only few knew of ous departure.
We shot fox within half mile of the
ship, and soon after that reused up a
half-grown bear, which fled before us.
don't think we were over two miles from
the ship in straight line, and we had
not been absent over two hours when we
heard her signal for us to return. This
was done by discharging three muskets
in rapid succession. We knew there
must be grave reason for giving this sig
nal, and we at once pushed for the ship.
We we're leaping and scrambling over
the hummocks when got a bad fall,
striking on my head and shoulder, and
lying unconscious for perhaps half an
hour When l came to night had set in;
there was a great grinding and crashing
among the ice, sho wing that it was in
motion, and had no idea which way to
60 If the mate had seen Inc fall he had
not stopped to ascertain whether l was
hurt or not. made guess as to which
way the ship lay, and started out, but |
soon found lane of water to cut me off.
l tried another direction with the same
result, Then knew for certain was
afoat on a foe.
About this time the weather cha lged
and began to grow cold and pretty soon
there was furry of snow. While | was
terribly scared did not lose all sense. l
piled up number of ice cakes to make
a shelter, and hanging fast to the dead
fox crept under them and found the
place quite comfortable. l felt that I was
helpless, and could only hope that the
cold would set the ice again, stop my
drift, and that might recover the ship
before cold and hunger had finished me.
l slept bit after getting out of the wind,
but was awake when daylight came. The
ice had ceased grinding, the air was still
and frosty, and [ knew that was frozen
in again. Climbing to the top of great
hummock of ice looked to the south to
find the ship within quarter of mile of
me, and in half an hour | had come up
with her. She rested on an even keel,
fast frozen in, with great blocks of ice all
around her. l fired off my gun and
shouted. but got no answer, and even
before stood on her decks | knew that
she had been abandoned. The davit falls
were down and the boats gone, while
box Of bread, a fur cap, musket, and
some other things were left on large
block OF ice. When | got aboard the
evidences of a great scare and hasty
departure were more numerous. soon
concluded that squeeze of the ice HAD
hove the ship out of her slip and had
given her such a cant that her crew
feared she was doomed. The field in
which she was frozen had at the same
time split up, and while the men had
drifted away on one foe, the abandoned
ship had gone with another.
There was reason to believe that the
entire crew would return. They could
not have drifted many miles and would
at once take advantage of the new ice to
reach the ship. Holding to this view
[ replenished the fires, which were not
yet out, filled the cooks copperS with
meat to boil, and then fired my musket
at intervals of five minutes as a signal
When daylight faded away | ran green
light to the masthead as night beacon,
and turned in, feeling positive that 1
would see the whole ships company by
morning. 1t was noon next day before
l would give up that l was to be left
alone, and two days later, when the fact
became morally certain, l was strongly
tempted to commit suicide. Indeed, /
had written letter to be left behind me,
aud had a gun loaded to blow my brains
out, when circumstance occurred to
rouse up the man in me. had gone on
deck by the davit falls, though I could
have mounted by her forechains On
her port quarter was great mass of ice,
four feet higher than her rail. This was
part of the bed she had rested in. As |
went on deck to take a last look around
got an awful fright. Two big polar
bears were preparing to board the ship
by way of this mass, and their fierce
growls and sullen retreat set me in
tremble. The idea of those beasts eat
ing my body, even after death, was so
repugnant as to at once Danish all further
thoughts of suicide.
When night came the bears still lin
gerei. l locked myself in the cabin,
and heard them rumnaging about in the
deck gangways and making persistent
efforts to break into the deck house. 1t
was after midnight before they went
away, and next day | made preparations
to repel boarders. 1t was not dav now,
but the season had brought continual
twilight. / set to work to cut the ham,
mock away from the port quarter, but
after working for two hours with an ak
l decided to try powder. With the tools
at hand l sunk a shaft down seven OF
eight feet, filed a gallon jug with blast
ing powder, and then arranged slow
match and was really. | expected the