The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-03

fields OF young ice by which we were sur
rounded. Now and then we came to spots
In which the heavier ice had overrun the
lighter, adding an extra thickness and an
incredible amount of touRhnoss. In order
TO go through this, IL was necessary to run
astern and then head on with all the force
Of the engines. Half a dozen such ram
mings usually advanced us a ships length
and made the work very discouraging
Nearly all day wo were bucking the ice in
this manner, now and then varying the
process by running line out ahead, an
choring 1t TO the ice and hauling in with
the steam winch. This helped a little
Then we tried TO do as the whaler used 10
do in such emergencies-drop heavy tim
bers down from the bowsprit first on one
side and then the other, in an effort TO
break up the ice But the CONCEALED mass
was too soft to break in blocks, and the
most we could do was to punch holes
through tho gelatinous but tough surface
without helping the ship at all.
Our men also got out on the Ice, which
was scarcely strong enough to support
their weight, and used axes in cutting
channels ahead of the ship While engaged
In this work Mr. Juell fell through into
the icy waters and would have drowned
had he not taken the precaution TO tie q
rope about his body before going over
board. We hauled him In, and in two or
three minutes he was out on the ico again
as If nothing had happened. Our four
Norwegian gentlemen from Christiania
prove TO be capital hands in ice work,
afraid OF nothing glorying in exposure
and as strong as young giants.
About in the afternoon the Jarl stall
ed completely, and finding no way 10 get
on we stopped the engines in order To save
our precious coal and took to eating and
smoking. In the arctics one can always
eat and smoke IL he has enough meat and
tobacco, and as yet we have plentiful
supply of both After dinner Captain Bot
telfsen thought he saw a new opportunity
TO break through and reach the open water
which glittered In the sunlight between
the ship and Table island provokingly near
us and yet very difficult TO reach. So we
made steam again and renewed the process
of backing and ramming. Here we en-
ployed still another device known TO the
whalers-that of calling all hands on deck
and ordering them to run TO and fro from
gunwale to gunwale, thus giving the
vessel n slight rocking motion and greatly
helping ii to worm it's way through the
ice, on the same principle that man
twists himself about when trying to
squeeze through an opening much too
small for him. After four hours of hard
work we were pleased to feel tho Jarl give
n quick start and run away at full speed
in open water, with Table island dead
ahead.
Curiosities of Young Ice.
While In the young ice we were inter
ested in observing Some Of the curious
effects produced by nature. All over the
surface of this ice were crystalline forma-
tions OF pure white, resembling rosettes,
caused by snow being caught In the water
during the process of freezing. For the
most part these crystals were irreguarly
aligned, but here and there the wind had
played curious pranks, now forming an
gular characters greatly resembling Eng
lish capital letters and again producing
figures very like Turkish or Armenian
script. In many places the rosettes were
aligned In good imitation of the names Of
persons, and one was seen which formed
almost perfectly the letters of the name of
The writer's little daughter, Rita.
All over the surface of the sea the sheets
of young ice were coming into collision.
Ordinarily when two sheets of ice meet
ihc stronger conquers the weaker and com
pels IL to take the under side. But in |
,hese instances there was no stronger
Both were formed at the same instant, |
we're Of the same thickness and toughness. |
They had therefore apparently concluded |
% split even-to give and take. The re. |
iult was that for n space of perhaps go |
eet foe No. ran under No. 2. Then for
What appeared TO be precisely the same |
distance the latter courteously ducked un-
Ter the first, and after literally taking /
water its allotted distance rose to the top |
gain. This was continued In some places
or milo or more, or rs far as the eye
ould reach No carpenter in Chrsten.
om could do more perfect Joiner work,
With moro accurate measurements, than
hese mortisings and lemons matched to-
ether by the hand Of Dame Nature.
A few minutes before 10 this evening
1e arrived at Table island, one OF the Sew
n islands group, and ran tho PROV Of the
arl into the most beautiful pressed up
'e, full of ultramarine tints and the most
uggcd and fantastic shapes. Here the
ack, I'm grinding by with terrific force, had
rcsscd its own debris high on shore, pro
ucing mass OF indescribable confusion,
opeless as road, hut attractive as spec.
lclc. Here we decided TO make our cache
lstead of upon Little Table island, four
liles To the northwest, as was originally
ltended. The advantage Of Table island
yer Little Table island as site for n de
ot Is that the former Is larger, and stand
lg very near 10 Phipps' island also. II n
)at party were TO come from tho north
thick or stormy weather, It would have
better chance TO pick up tho larger land,
nd also have larger lee shore 90 run
ndor
Caching Food and Supplies.
We Immediately ssnt n boat containing
veral boxes Of timed meats, n case of
scuits and two cases OF armebis, the lat
T concentrated food comprising both
lur and meat or enough for party of
men for 10 or H. days The cache was
ade on n ledge at the northern point ~
e Island about 100 feet above the wa
RS edge. a hole ia the rocks was clear
Of snow. Che provisions, all well boxed.
10 in, and then a sort of roof OF boards
iilt over them. Upon the boards large
imber OF heavy stones were placed an
pcs Of keeping the meat away from the
isos of the bears which here abound In