The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-04-01
A FROZEN SHIP.
She Was Found in the Arctic Seas by a
British Whaler.


One evening in the middle of Aug
ust, 1775, says the Sheffield (Eng.)
Telegraph, Capt. Warren, the master
of Greenland whaler, found himself
becalmed among an immense number
of icebergs in about II degrees north
latitude. They were of immense
height and wedged together. and a
succession of snow-covered peaks ap-
peared behind them as far as the eye
could reach, showing that the ocean
was completely blocked up in that
quarter.
Capt. Warren did not feel altogether
satisfied with his situation, but there
being no wind he could not move, and
he therefore kept strict watch, know
ing that he would be safe as long as
the bergs kept their situation. One
night, after a violent storm, the cap
tain found that his ship had sustained
no serious injury, and that the accu-
mulated icebergs had become disar-
ranged and separated, and that kind
of canal had been formed through
which the ship could pass. After he
had proceeded few miles ship made
its appearance about midday. The
sui SuOHG UIISuGly DIT bH0 IluuG.
At first the bergs prevented the cap
tain from seeing much of her but the
masts, but he was struck with the
strange manner in which her sails
were disposed and with the dismantled
aspect of her yards and rigging. She
continued to go before the wind. and
then grounded and remained motion
less. The captains curiosity was so
much excited that he Immediately
jumped into boat with several of the
crew and rowed toward her.
On approaching her he observed
that she was considerably weather.
beaten. and not a soul appeared on
deck, which was covered with snow to
a considerable depth. He then hailed
her crew several times, but no answer
was returned. Previous to stepping
on board an open portfolio caught hi:
eye, and on looking into it he perceived
a man reclining back in chair, with
writing materials on a table before
him, but the feebleness of the iigh
made everything indistinct.
The party went upon deck, and
having removed the hatchway, after {
few moments pause they descended tt
the cabin. They first came to the
apartment which Capt. Warren haG
viewed through the port-hole.
tremor seized him as he entered it. 1t
inmate still retained the same position
and was insensible to the entrance o
strangers. He was found to be +:
corpse, and a green, damp mold hat
covered his cheeks and forehead ant
yelled his open eye-balls. He had
pen in his hand, and the log-book lay
in front of him. The last sentence il
its unfinished page ran thus:
NOV. IA, 1862. We have now beel
inclosed in the ice seven years. Th
fire went out yesterday, and the mas
ter has been many hours trying to re
kindle it, but without success. Hi
wife died this morning. There is NJ
relief"
Capt. Warren hurried from the spo
without uttering a word. On enterin
the principal cabin the first object tina
attracted his attention was the dea
body of a woman reclining on be-
in an attitude of deep interest and al
tention. Her face retained the fresh
| ness of life, but the contraction of he
limbs showed that her form was imam
mate. Seated on the floor was tn
corpse of young man holding stee
in one hand and a flint in the other, a
if in the act of striking fire upon som
tinder which lay beside him. In tn
forward part of the ship some sailor
were found dead in their berths, an
the body of a boy crouched at tn
bottom of the gangway stairs.
Neither fuel nor food could be foun
anywhere, and the captain was pre-
vented by the superstitious prejudice
of his seamen from examining the YES
sci as minutely as he could wish. He
therefore, carried away the log g-booE
returned to his own ship. and steere
| to the southwark deeply impresse
with the awful example which he ha
just witnessed of the dangers of navi
| eating the Polar seas.
On returning to England he mad
inquiries respecting vessels that hat
disappeared, and by comparing result
with the documents he ascertaineC
the name and history of the trozel
ship, and found she had been ther
thirteen years previous to the time o
his discovering her.