The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-06-27


other floating fragment There was
really nothing in this to inspire me
with hope, yet strangely at that in
slant hope did dart through me.
was ready to clutch desperately at
anything. The shock at all events
was beneficial, in that it partly re-
stored me to my senses. Another
effort, and was fully awake. There
was some ground for hope too. l
must have come into contact with
some large mass of ice, for felt that
my little float was no longer being
borne along by the current.
My mind was soon made up to
cross to this new ice. If, as l hoped,
its surface should prove large enough
to admit of my moving about, there
was chance of escape from imme-
date death, for such must be my
fate if l remained in my present re-
stricted position. There was not the
same danger of being carried out to
sea on the larger mass either.
How long time had elapsed since
my plunge into the harbor l had no
correct idea. Possibly not more than
a few minutes, though it then seemed
to me much longer. When the sudden
Jar had reused me from that drowsi-
ness that would soon have been fatal,
| had ceased to move and was sitting
on the ice.
Feeling my way cautiously to the
edge of my insecure raft, / sought its
point of contact with the new ice
My hands were so thoroughly be-
numbed that could do no more than
guess the relative position of the two
blocks. Satisfied, however, that /
had really met a larger and therefore
safer mass, mustered my energies
and resolved to cross the chasm.
Ny little block would not allow of
my leaping from it. l could not have
done so anyway, for l was almost too
weak even to rise to my feet. Irath-
er sprawled across to the point 1
sought, and then not without dip
ping my legs once more in the water.
More dead than alive, lay for a
moment helpless. could feel never
theless that the ice on which l rest
ed was more stable than that which
l had left. With great effort gained
my feet. The muscles of my body
had begun to contract, and the blood
seemed frozen in my veins.
In almost any circumstances a man
dies hard, but when cold and exhaus-
ton, like an anesthetic, have dead
ened his senses and energies the
struggle for life becomes very feeble.
Consciously l endeavored to shake
off my stupor. Violently beating my
limbs and body, l succeeded in par
tally restoring circulation-a natural
and easy thing to do, one would think,
but / remember the effort of those
moments as the most painful of my
life.
Vitality gradually came back, and
with it despairing anxiety to know
wi ere was. The stability of the ice
uIder my tread assured me of tempo
rary security, ard longed for day
light.
l tried to move, bu. it was with
pain. My knees sank under me.
Hardly realizing what 1 die, CROPPED
and stumbled forward for perhaps fifty
yards. Then suddenly it struck me
that must be again on solid ice.
There could be no doubt of it. The
mystery of my position was clear at
once. I had broken through the ice,
not near the mouth of the harbor
but at the edge of the narrow chan
mel cut by the steamer, which ran
like cash right up the frozen har-
Dor to Pictou town. ! had hoated
down this passage for some little dis
lance and across it till my course
was stopped by cake of ice project
ing from the Pictou side.
All this appeared as plain as day
light to my brain, now quickened to
action by the assurance of deliver
ance. But how was it possible for
me, who knew the way so well, to
miscalculate so strangely my true
course for homer ! certainly had
made due allowance for the channel.
The solution of this problem was
not revealed until / reached land and
found myself more than half mile
below where had expected to be.
Then all was perfectly clear. Since
my setting out the wind had shifted
from northwest to due northeast.
Consequently my course, instead Of
taking me where l had wished, car
ried me far down the harbor. 1t was
indeed fortunate that had not found
myself at the harbor's mouth, far be-
low town.
All peril of water was now past It
only remained to drag myself home.
My hair did not, as you may see,
turn white, but my ears and face
were of that complexion for awhile,
for face, hands and feet were badly
frost bitten AS was young and Wig
orous the shock to my nerves from
fright, cold and exhaustion lasted but
a few days. But I didn't skate any
more that winter. I have not by any
means lost my fondness for the