The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-12

s.t.A . .-.A ca Ike ice was rot
ton ana was .n process OF disintogration
under tho enormous pressure To which IL
was being subjected We avelcd rod aft
or rod OF this road, which under ordinary
circumstances we should not have at
tempted a. all. Ia an emergency like this
we could not afford Co be too particular
At every other s6ep We felt the ice giving
way underneath us. 1t was necessary to
stop as lightly and quickly rs possible.
Even while The margins OF thin Hoes were
cracking and sGDnsrging us the terrible
pack bore down upon them and overrode
them We Bad 20 PICK our way through the
quivering, sliding mass. Many time
there were channels OF open water to cross.
Some OF thcse vo were able 10 leap over,
and Others we ferried across by means OF
small pieces Of the foe which served us as
boat Once while making ferriage OF
this sort the piece on which'we were rid
ing, being OF irregular shape, overturned
with our weight too near it's edge, but
fortunately spilled us upon the solid ice
near by instead of into the sea. still
larger piece, one that looked as solid as
the rocks Of the island near by, rising
some Is feet above the level, toppled over
as we mounted it.
The pressure under its windward edge,
being SO great, precipitated us into the
bank OF snow aud debris, which it had it
self ground and cut out of the pack and
piled before 10 as it swept along. Now and
then we had TO wade up To our knees, our
feet upon quiyering floor that was sub
merged by heavier onos resting upon Its
margin. This was not so bad when the
ice under US felt thick and solid, but tic
klish work IL was when the footing consist
ed OF nothing but -porpendicular columns
OF ice perhaps foot high, the honeycomb
left by the wearing away of the ice in the
tide rip OF tho strait This surface was SO
frightfuily rough that Captain Pedersen
several times slipped and lost his balance,
sprawlng full length in the icy pool and
getting up with many another slip and
tumble backward into the Icy pool. In
crossing these pieces OF submerged honey
comb ice there was the additional sensa-
ton, most unwelcome, OF crumbling un-
der tho feet, and we never knew at what
instant we would go down into the depths.
To sink through in such place meant
death, for one's feet would be sure 10 SO
entanglo themselves that he could not ex-
tricate himself, and his companion in en-
deayoring to rescue hiHa would be sure 10
become involved IN the same danger.
Pedersen's feet, ard he sank to his middle,
falling backward toward the frmer ice
and endeavoring to save himself from sink
ing by throw ,ng out his arms. The writ
er, fortunately for the doughty captain,
was close behind him and pulled him out
lust as the substance under his body and
arms was giving way n little later Cep-
tain Petersen effected difficult crossing
by means OF leaping from one small piece
to another, but these pieces broke under
him and made it impossible for the writer
to follow. Tnis loft tho captain on one
side of a wide channel and myself on tho
other, an UNPLEASANT pll, cament Tor US
both, for in this hazardous work two men
should always be together, so that one
may help the other in case OF need, but
there was no other way now than to go IL
alone and trust TO luck and the exercise OF
extra precsution.
PcriIous Situation.
The writer made a long detour 10 order
to find n safer crossing and presently yfound
himself completely surrounded by screw
ing, tumbfing leo. The most likely avenue
of escape was already breaking up, the
margins Of two foes crumbling of as they
jammod together and the fragments shoot
ing upward. After standing few mo
mont watching this display of the mighty
forces OF nature belt eight or ten feet
wide at the margin of the moving foo
broho OF and was completely overturned,
It's bottom side, icy white and fun OF large
holes whvro tha sea had worn IL away,
resting upward Those heavy pieces
bridced the Chasm, and, though they were
still in motion and might at any moment
break into SMALL bits or turn with their
narrow edges upward, standing perpendic-
ular it seemed TO be our only chance.
With "a run and jump the shaking bridge
was crossed in few seconds, a most dan
gerous crossing, Captain Pedersen said,
for in casc OF fall the closing chasm
would imprison the legs ~ its victim and
crush him to death. After on hours work
and many similar experiences and escapes
Captain Peterson and l, the captain wet
TO the skin, hut the writer fortunately dry
above tho knees, reached the fast ice and
made our way rs rapidly as possible back
to Cape Scott whittier our men had al
ready drawn the slodgos and the Lock
wood They had mGdo camp and got
ready an extra good Fourth Of July supper,
and right glad were we To sit down by n
blazing 6riitwood Gre and change our wet
wear for dry ones and nil ourselves with
,rlch soup, bacun, biscuit, cooked apples aud
tea.
After our big supper we celeLrnted Inde-
pendonce day by hoisting the American
flag on Cape scout and serving the men a
round of brandy. WALTEIs WELLAAK.