St. Paul daily globe., 1891-02-23
A FROZEN SHIP.
She Was Found in the Arctic Seas
by q British Whaler.

by a British Whaler.
One evening in the middle of August,
1775, says the Sheffield (Eng.) Telegraph
Capt. Warren, the master of Green
land whaler, found himself hecalmed
among an immense number of icebergS
in about II deg. north latitude. They
were of immense height and wedged
together, and a succession OF SnOW-cOV-
cred peaks appeared behind them as far
as the eve could reach. showing that
the ocean was completely blocked up in
that quarter.
Capt. W arren did not feel altogether
satisfied with his situation. but there
being no wind he could not move, and
he therefore kept a strict watch, know
ing that be would be safe as long as the
bergS kept their situation. One night,
after a violent storm, the captain
found that his ship had sustained no
serious injury, and that the accumu-
lated icebergs had become diSarraDged
and separated, and that kind Of canal
had been formed through which the
ship could pass. After he had pro-
ceeded a few miles ship made its ap-
pearance about midday. The sun shOne
brightly at the time.
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 WEIGH her sails were
disposed and with the dismantled as
pect of her yard and rigging. She con-
tinued to get 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-5eaten,
and not a soul appeared on deck. which
was covered with snow to a consider
able depth. He then hailed her crew
several times, but no answer was re-
turned. Previous to stepping on board
an open portfolio caught his eye, and on
looking into it he perceived man re-
clned back in chair, with writing ma
terialS OH a table before him, but the
feebleness of the light made everything
indiStnct.
The party went upon deck. and, hav-
ing removed the hatchway, after a few
moments pause they descended to the
cabin. They first came to the apart
ment which Capt. Warren had viewed
through the portfolio. A tremor seized
him as he entered it. Its inmate still
retained the same position and was in
sensible to the entrance of strangers.
He was found to be a corpse, and a
green, damp mold had covered his
cheeks and forehead and yelled his open
eyeballS. He had pen in his hand and
the log-book lay in front of him. The
last sentence III its unfinished page ran
thus:
NOV. IA, 1762.-We have now been
inclosed in the Ice seven years. The
fire went out yeSterday9 and the master
has been many hours trying to re-
kindle it, but without success. His
wife died this morning. There is no re-
lief"
Capt. Warren hurried from the spot
without utterlng word. On entering
the principal cabin the first object that
attracted his attention was the dead
body of woman reclining on bed in
an attitude of deep interest and
attention. Her face retained the
freshness of life, but the contraction of
her limbs showed that her form was in
animate. Seated on the floor was the
corpse Of young man holding a steel
iniOne hand and flint in the Other,as il
in the act of striking fire upon some
tinder which lay beside him. In the
forward part of the ship some sailors
were found dead in their berths, and
the body of boy crouched at the bot.
tom of the gangway stairs.
Neither fuel nor food could be found
anywhere, and the captain was pre-.
vented by the superstitlous prejudices
of his seamen from examining the YES
sci as minutely as he would wish, He,
therefore, carried away the log-book,
returned to his own ship, and steered to
the southwark, deeply impressed with
the awful example which he had just
witnessed of the dangers of navigating
the Polar seas.
On returning to England he made in
quiries respecting vessels that had dis.
appeared, and by comparing results
with the documents he ascertained the
name and history Of the frozen ship
and found she had been there thirteen
years previous tothe time of his discov.
ering her.