The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-19


upon the fast ice il looked as IL / had
merely exchanged large foe for n much
smaller one and was fatcd TO be swept into
the maelstrom of heavy, grinding, crush
ing masses IN the middle of the strait. It
did not take me a second 10 realize that il
this occurred my life would not be worth
kroner note, and that IL anything were
20 be done it would have 20 be done quick.
ly What l most needed, 10 was easy TO
see, was an oar or paddle. and as necessity
has oft before mothered invention so peril
sharpened my wits. Pulling from my foot
one of the large boots which / wore, L
pushed the bamboo stick through its
straps, plunged it into the water and soon
found. 10 my great delight, that the inn
provised paddle worked most admirably
BY using the wide open mouth OF the boot
against the stroke / was able TO make fair
headway, and after ten minutes of hard
work managed TO reach the stationary ice
and make good my escape. Five minutes
later the little piece on which had been
fioatiTE was ground TO pieces between the
heavy masses that were revolving one
against another in the center of the tidal
current.
The turning OF the tide gave us n chance
TO get across the strait, and l reused the
men and prepared for the journey. After
crossing belt of rotten ice where we
were often compelled to wade 70 our knees,
we emerged into lake left by the reced
ing masses. The bottom was covered with
white rocks. and seal, walrus and two
"white fish, F" or white whales, now ex-
ceedingly rare, were disporting in the clear
waters. One great iceberg stood on the
ground in this lake, and we could see its
massive feet, worn and wasted by the
tides and fashioned into the most pictur-
esque shapes, reaching out for many feet
In every direction. Beautiful as it was, we
gave it wide berth for fear Of its over
turning. Sometimes these huge bergs arc
so wasted away underneath that the slight
est motion OF the water or gust of wind
will throw them off their balance and
cause Them to oyerturn. Tho ripp1Ing OF
an oar has been known TO overturn IA mass
Weighing many thousands OF tons, over
whelming boat and boatmen, but 1t Is
hard TO believe tho story which Sailor
Boervig tells of having once seen
mighty berg capsize because sea gull had
allghted upon one OF its edges.
We were now Joined by DIR. Mohun and
his three men with the Parry and set out
to recross Dove bay 1t was n most diff
cult crossing, and at one time IL looked as
if we should not be able 10 get through at
ALL The surface was not so very rough,
for now the ice is fast wasting away by
thawing and evaporation, and all tho
sharp corners arc worn round and soft.
The tidal action which opened up the lake
for us between the islands has also cut up
the ice In Dove bay, producing innumera-
bic cracks and much rotten ice. For three
days we floundored about in this discour.
aging mess, and for an idea of our strug.
giles, labors and dangers l refer you to the
following extracts from my journal:
A Test OF tho Equipment.
July I've had not been out an hour
this morning before every man in the
party was wet to his middle, and these who
took the trouble to change their wet cloth.
ing for dry had their pains for nothing,
for i'm few minutes they were wet again.
For my part, did not bother to change.
but piodded along oil day with one half Of
the person soaking and did not find il
very uncomfortable. lt Is nothing whom
you get accustomed to it, and by this time
we know too well what IL is At times u
was almost comical to see ono of the boats
plowing through the rotten ice and wa
poor devils jumping from one submerged
foe TO another up to our hips i'm water and
compelled partly TO ride upon the boat and
partly TO leap from piece To piece in order
To keep from going In up to our nocks.
Once in awhile man would go right
through rotten hole that had every ap
pearance Of BEING solid and strong. BY
hanging 10 the boat he was pulled out,
and The mon, always good natured, laughed
and jokod at their own accidents.
We had today a splendid chance TO test
the merits Of our equipment. Just as ID
has wthstood the shocks of work in hard,
rough ice, SO it has endured tho water
holes and tidal channels We have never
had TO stop or TO change our method OF
operations on account Of fear OF wetting
our provisions The sledges take TO the
water as kindly as the boats, and you
would be astonished TO see how our alu
minium slodgos are banged and knocked
about, trailing after the boats, over rough
places, diving headlong into cracks and
plowing through rotten ice or debris with.
out injury TO themselves or contents. We
have found that while we can usc the to-
boggan or hat bottomed slodges Ina oil
kinds of work our runner slodges have 20
be put In the boats while trayersing such
a surface as this Without the water tight
aluminium eases 60 store our provisions In
We tNulu 40 nbluluk AZ uii.
july s After this we shall with some
timidlty see the eighth day Of month
approaching Two months ago today we
were tied 10 the shore ice at Danes island
and In the midst of a heavy storm from
the northwest. a month ago today we
nearly lost the lives Of the officers and half
u dozen of the hest men in the expedition
by having the Parry and kanc thrown
broadside upon the ice IN a raging surf.
Today we passed tho most miserable bcGrs
we have rs yet experienced and finished
the day with the most serious accident
which has set hefallcn IA. The road grow
wotrc as we advanced Half the time the
boats were iutcticn ice. breaking through,
and the men puliag alongside as best they
could, with their icoaER crumhling ba
meath them Ur sinking AWAY entirely. aui
with onc oi tACla going down 60 his sholl
ders every few muincnts, saving himself
only by hanging 60 thI boGt Ia the early
part OF the dgy TIE men tried 20 make
themselves more comfortable by taking ufi
their boots and wFingipQ some of the wa