The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-07-24

Greenland, and there was every sign OF
q change of seasons. Once more the
men were called aft, and it was voted to
hang on for four days longer and then
square away for home. In less than two
hours gale brcezed up from the north
east, the air was filled with snowilakes,
and we were lying to and drifting up the
Arctic Ocean. 1t was twenty y-four hours
before the gale broke and then the mer-
curry went down below freezing point,
and we had to get out our winter cloth
ing. We still had plenty of time, pro-
vid;ng everything worked we'll, but
everything seemed to work against US.
The weather came off thick and squally,
contrary winds prevailed, and when we
had worked down almost to Upernavik
we got a rousing old tempest, which
lost us al! we had gained. On the after
noon on the twenty fifth day of Septcm-
Der the wind died entirely away, the mer-
curry begun to fall, and that night as the
ship drifted about we felt that we bad
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 mans
weight. A smart sea would have broken
it up in no time, but for the nexttwenty
hours there was hardly q puff of wind.
When it did come it headed US off again,
and it 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
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 sight of water
or level spot.
Next day after getting the ship into
her dock we got out landing plank on
each side, hoisted out lot Of square lum-
Der from the hold, and proceeded to
build O 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 and provisions, and there was no
reason to believe that we should suffer
either mentally or physically. On the
fifth day went off with MIR. LampSon,
the first mate, on hunting expedition.
Foxes had already been seen, and the
sight of something we believed to be
bear was what started us. Daylight now
lasted but few brief hours, but the
weather was calm and the cold had re-
laxed several degrees within : few hours.
We did not intend to go over mile or
two, and we slipped away so quietly that
only few knew of our departure.
We shot Il fox within half a mile of the
ship, and soon after that reused up
half-grown bear, which fled before us. 1
don't think we were over two miles from
the ship ia q 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 musEets
in rapid succession. We knew there
must be grave reason for giving this sig
nal, and we at once pushed for the ship.
We were leaping and scrambling over
the hummocks when got bad fall,
striking on my head and shoulder, and
lying unconscious for perhaps half an
hour. When 1 came to night had set in;
there was great grinding and crashing
among the ice, showing that it was in
motion, and I had no idea which way to
90. If the mate had seen me fall he had
not stopped to ascertain whether was
hurt or not. made n guess as to which
way the ship lay, and started out, but 1
soon found lane of water to cut me off.
I tried another direction with the same
result. Then knew for certain I was
ah0at on 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 l did not lose all sense. l
piled up a number of ice cakes to make
Il shelter, and hanging fast to the dead
fox crept under them and found the
place quite comfortable. l felt that l was
helpless, and could only hope that the
cold would sat the ice again, stop my
drift, and that l might recover the ship
before cold and hunger had finished me.
1 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 1 knew that was frozen
in again. Climbing to the top Of a great
hummock of ice I looked to the south to
find the ship within a quarter ola mile of
me, and in half an hour l 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 l stood on her decks knew that
she had been abandoned. The davit falls
were down and the boats gone, while
box of bread, fur cap, musket, and
some other things were left on a large
block of ice. When I got aboard the
evidences of great scare and hasty
departure were more numerous. l soon
concluded that.a squeeze of the ice had
hove the ship out of her slip and had
given her such = cant that her crew
feared she was doomed. The field in
which shc was frozen had at the same
time split up, and while the men had
drifted away on one floe, the abandoned
ship had gone with another.
There was reason to believe that the
nntirn crnw wnnll rntiIItn Tnnu could