Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-06-25

ago. He covered his eyes with his
hand, then, looking vacantly at his sex
| tant, went to the rail and seemed to
stare out to sea into the south.
Il was about to question Dickens
afresh when the captain rounded upon
us i'll very flash of white face and
wild, eager manner.
"'Try for her III so! he cried, look
ing at mo just as though he saw some
one beyond me.
"He went i'll sort of q run to the
wheel and brought the schooner's head
to due southerly course, while he
shouted in tones vibrating with the ex-
element that seemed like mania in the
! man then, with the workings of his face.
1 say he shouted for sail to be trimmed
for the course he had brought the schoon-
er to, and the seamen fed about the
decks to my commands, alert and will
ing, but as astonished rs l was. When
sail had been trimmed, the captain call
ed to Mr.. CurZon to keep her steady as
she went and requested me to follow
him below.
d" DO you now guess the meaning of
that dream which was three times
dreamed by mc?'
"Still l was at loss and made no
answer.
{" Try for her in 5Or he exclaimed.
" Come let 5 work out the latitude,
he said, and we'll find that iceberg S
situation. My hearts atire, Oh, he
cried, but softly in n tone that thrilled
through me, my wife is dear to me. l
pray, pray, we may not be too late!
g 1t is at this season, said he, that
the ice breaks away out of the south
and comes i'll fleets of bergs thickly
crowding north. There's been heavy
weather. We'll not allow for q larger
drift than u league day. Try for her
i'll 80! That's it. That will put tho berg
when the Prairie Chief struck it in
about 81,
Il thought now began TO understand
him.
" You mean 81 degrees of south lati-
tude?'
"'Of course do, he answered
Il measured the distance due south
from the place where our ship then
was and made it few hundred miles
l forget the figure.
Its short run, said he, looking
at the chart. The boat did it i'll 10
days, and that's not above thrco knots
an hour. l was silent. L shall strike
the parallel of 80 degrees he con-
tinucd, after Il pause, then run away
east. If | sight nothing, l shall head
back. III find hereunder God, he
added, removing his cap and CHANGING
upward with an expression of rapt de-
votiOn.
Tho crow We're briefly ted that
Captain HuddCrstield's wife had been
aboard the Prairie Chief and that the
schooner was going to seek the survivors
of the wreck.
mot until the fourth day did we
strike the latitude Of so degrees, in
which time We saw no ice. The ocean
was of Il marvellous rich blue, the heav-
ems a deep and thrilling violet with
coasts of swelling white vapor Of n rusty
bronze i'll their brows lying upon the
glassliko line of the horizon. We now
headed duo cast. The sailors thought
our quest was ended. Throughout the
glittcring frosty hours-thc wind blew
with n piercing breath down here
Captain Huddcrsticld kept a lookout.
He was forever crossing the deck to
peer ahead, and again and again, sling
ing a binocular glass over his shoulder,
he would go alOft on II the little fore
royal yard where he staid till the bit
ter cold drove him down.
And now comes the amazing part
of this tale. went on deck ut midnight
to take charge of the schooner On
walking to the side, as my custom was,
and gazing steadily ahead-a corner of
moon nj this time hang in the sky over
the port quartcr-I by!icld II dim faint
ness right ahead, delicate CLEAN like
some mysterious reflection of light in q
looking glass in II darkcned room. A
man came along from the forCcastlo
and sung out i'll n quiet voice that there
was ice ahead. l babe him rout out
Dickens. 1t was his watch below, but
whenever ice was reported we had him
up and stationed him on the forecas-
tie to keep lookout rs the ono and
only man i'll tho vessel who would know
the berg we were in search Of l then
ran to the companion hatch and called
to the captain, who was lying upon n
locker below, and he Immediately ar
rived.
Tho wind was scanty and our speed
through the water scarcely four knots,
but hardly had day hrokcn-tho ice is
land being then about Il mile distant
when Dickens, who had remained on
the forecastlc throughout the dark hours,
shriclcd out:
'' The iceberg, sir!'
cit was fine morning, the sea Quiet,
the wind nippinG air ont of the south
west. The sun shono full upon the ice
berg and flashed 1t into great moon
white floating heap scared with ravines
and gorges. The swell rushed i'll thun-
der into deep Caverns. | saw many
gothic arChways, with birds flying i'll
them. The mass was like city of ala
baster, the home of sea spirits. of ocean
fowl of mighty pinion. The surf boiled
in thunder on the windward points.
observed Il shelf of the dead white crys-
tai sloping very gently like beach into
the wash of the water, and while l was
gazing at it the captain, who was work
ing away at the berg with telescope,
cried out fierccly. Then, growing mar
ticulnte, he put tho glass into my hand,
gaping at tho ice and pointing to it.
II leveled the glass and immediately
distinguished structure, contrived, rs
presently saw, of the galley of a ship
and quantity of wreckage. 1t stood in
great split i'll the ice within musket
shot of the beach, and while looked
smoke rose from it.
" There is life thorcl' cried out.
''Wc hauled in, and then with tho
naked eye clearly perceived several fig
ures making signs to us. When we were
as close rs prudence permitted, the long
boat was got over, and the captain and
five men, one of them being Dickens,
pulled away toward the berg. 1 stood
off to improve my ofling, and being full
of the business of the schooner had lit
tie opportunity to remark what passed