Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-06-20
STAUNTON, VA, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1894.

end OF his story, Huddersfeld said in a
slow, level voice:
Was your commander Captain
Smalley?'
yes, sir.
"'Was one Of the female passengers
Mrs. Huddersfeld?'
1t was her name, SIR
''The captain turned his eyes upon
me and cried, with sudden wild toss
OF his hands that somehow gave an ex.
traordinary pathos to his words and
looks, She is my wifeP
had hoped, he said, speaking in
short breathings and broken sentences,
to find her safe at Sydney on my ar.
rival there. She went home last year
on visit to her mother. 1t was ar
ranged that Captain Smalley, an old
friend, should bring her out Ten days
ago, he muttered to himself, ten days
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.
II was about to question Dickens
afresh when the captain rounded upon
us in very flash of white face and
wild, eager manner
Try for her in 50!' he cried, look
ing at me just as though he saw some
one beyond me.
HE went in a sort of a run to the
wheel and brought the schooner's head
to due southerly course, while he
shouted in tones vibrating with the ex-
citement that seemed like mania in the
man then, with the workings of his face
say he shouted for sail to be trimmed
for the course he had brought the schoon-
er to, and the seamen fled about the
decks to my commands, alert and will
ing, but as astonished as 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.
DO you now guess the meaning of
that dream which was three times
dreamed by me?'
"Still was at loss and made no
answer.
Try for her in 50p he exclaimed.
Come, let's work out the latitude
he said, and we'll. find that iceberg's
situation. My hearts afire. Oh, he
cried, but softly in tone that thrilled
through me, my wife is dear to me. I
pray, I pray, we may not be too lateP
I" 1T is at this season, said he, that
the ice breaks away out of the south
and comes in fleets of bergs thickly
crowding north. There's been heavy
weather. Well not allow for larger
drift than league day. Try for her
in SO! That's it. That will put the berg
when the Prairie Chief struck it in
about 81.
''I thought now began to understand
him.
you mean 81 degrees of south lati-
tude?'
"'Of course do, he answered.
81 measured the distance due south
from the place where our ship then
was and made it few hundred miles
I forget the figure.
It's short run, said he, looking
at the chart. The boat did it in 10
days, and that's not above three knots
an hour was silent I shall strike
the parallel Of so degrees he con-
tinued, after a pause, then run away
east. If I sight nothing, I shall head
back. III nnu ho,-uudcr Cod hn
added, removing his cap and glancing
upward with an expression Of rapt de-
votion.
''The crew were briefly told that
Captain Huddersfelds wife had been
aboard the Prairie Chief and that the
schooner was going to seek the survivors
Of the wreck.
''Not until the fourth day did we
strike the latitude of so degrees, in
which time we saw no ice The ocean
was of a marvellous rich blue, the heav-
ems a deep and thrilling violet, with
coasts of swelling white vapor of a rusty
bronze in their brows lying upon the
glasslike line Of the horizon. We now
headed due east. The sailors thought
our quest was ended. Throughout the
glittering frosty hours-the wind blew
with piercing breath down here
Captain Huddersield kept lookout.
He was forever crossing the deck to
peer ahead, and again and again, sling
ing binocular glass over his shoulder,
he would go aloft on to 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 at midnight
to take charge Of the schooner. On
walking to the side, as my custom was,
and gazing steadily ahead-a corner Of
moon at this time hung in the sky over
the port quarter-I beheld dim faint
ness right ahead, delicate CLEAN like
some mysterious reflection of light in a
looking glass in a darkened room. A
man came along from the forecastle
and sung out in quiet voice that there
was ice ahead. bade 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 as the one and
only man in the vessel who would know
the berg we were in search Of. I then
ran to the companion hatch and called
to the captain, who was lying upon
locker below, and he Immediately ar
rived.
''The wind was scanty and our speed
through the water scarcely four knots,
but hardly had day broken-the ice is
land being then about mile distant
when Dickens, who had remained on
the forecastle throughout the dark hours,
shrieked out:
&c The iceberg, sirp
''It was fine morning, the sea quiet,
the wind nipping air out of the south
west The sun shone full upon the ice-
berg and flashed it into great moon
white floating heap, scared with ravines
and gorges. The swell rushed in thun-
der into deep caverns. I saw many
gothic archways, with birds flying in
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. l
observed shelf Of the dead white crys-
tai sloping very gently like beach into
the wash Of the water, and while was
gazing at it the captain, who was work
ing away at the berg with a telescope,
cried out fiercely. Then, growing inar-
ticulate, he put the glass into my hand,
gaping at the ice and pointing to it.