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

our wet trousers, coats, etc.--eyeryt thing
was as full ct water as the night before
but, like q cold bath, IL was all right after
the first plunge. Mr. Alme had had n good
nights rest, thunks 20 the opiates which
DIR Mohun had administered. but it now
psvan 10 dawn upon the brave fellow tina
bo was i'm for q long Siege. We shall have
IN carry him 40 least as far. rs Walden Is
land. but this we arc ell willing TO do, for
oman was stronger or more eager in har-
ness than be,
Captein Pcdcrscn and set out right aft
breakfast 90 explore the road The rain
had ceased, bat still the weather was ex-
ceedlngly raw and disagreeable. We
thouqht of the experiences which Sir Ed
ward Parry and his mon had that cold,
rainy summer OF 1897 when for .67 days
on the polar pack they saw tho sun but an
average Of once a week HI sl we been for
innate enough 90 reach The edge OF tho
pack, as Parry was, we should willingly
have endured The same amount OF disconI-
fort satisfied that with onr superior equip
ment we could have made at least the
oiehty-Gnh degree OF north latitude. AS
the doughty captain and set out our hori-
zon was bounded by bank OF fog which
surrounded us and cut OIL vision at a dis.
tanco Of quarter of mile. This little
world OF ours was "a reeklng mass OF rot
ten ice intcrsparscd by black holes as deep
as the sea itself and by long, waving
crncks more or less nliei with small pieces.
H. was "a most discouraging road, but we
were so anxious to escape the dangers Of
the shifting rotten ice, ,7ihich needed only
a gale 20 involve Us in difficulties from
which we might never be able to extricate
ourselves that we decided 60 start for the
shore Mr. Ame was made as comiorta-
bio as possible IN bed IA the Lockwood,
and with cur loads increased by his weight
as well as the weight Of several hundred
pounds of water and moisture we started
out Bod as the road was at the stare, IL
constantly grew worse. We went from
one rotten piece % another, how it would
be difficult 90 tell. The men worked like
heroes, and it is great pity the fog pre-
vented Mr.. Dodge from getting some good
photographs OF the scenes.
In ten minutes we were all wet again to
our waists, and aitor being once wet the
men grew reckless and actually risked
their lives IN their oagerness TO shove tho
boats along For awhile our work was
somewhat like this Over a solid foe three
or four boat lengths wide, then into pool
OF open water Lalf filled with rotten pieces
too close together TO permit ot'the boats be-
ing pulled i'm the water and making IL nec-
essary for the men TO step upon those
pieces until thcy broke under their weight
and then pull themselves into the boats
hanging a moment 10y the gunwales in
order TO permit some of the water to run
oil into tho sea instead Of into the boats,
then reaching the edvc of rotten piece
which, breaking under the weight of tho
boats, kept Us an wading still farther,
loapng upon the boats when we felt tho
log iluid rising above cur waists and
jumping out again whenever we could SEQ
something TO jump upon, even IL it were
two or three feet below the surface. This
description may not give the reader a very
-t4i----s- idea oi the HatHro OF our work, but
II you think 10 was pleasant experience
come up here some luo summer and try it.
But this was not the worst of it When
within threo-guarters OF "A mile of tho
shore, with line grayelly beach and plen-
ty Of driftwood inviting US 10 renewed cf-
fort, wc managed TO shove the boats
through rotten leo for quite a distance by
dint OF breaking up the margins Of tho
pieces with oars and boat hooks. Then
we entered icc that was neither soup nor
flesh. It was like the water OF the Mis-
souri, river, too thin TO cut with knife
and too thick 10 eat with n spoon. IL
seemed impossible TO advance in any way,
for there was too much ice To admit Of
floating our boats and too little TO afford
surface over which 10 pull them. Hero
Captain Peterson and his crew of gallant
Norwogians came to the rescue in flno
style. Taking the Lockwood ahead, with
the injured man lying in his bed calmly
smoking his pipe and surveying the scene,
they started on with all the speed they
could command, the ice breaking as thoy
went along and letting them into the wa
ter, but holding them just long enough to
permit them 20 keep going, tho men in
front finding footing all the way from one
10 three feet below the surface and those
aft being compelled TO ride half the time.
In this fashion they rushed the Lockwood
from one solid piece to another, carrying
a line with thcm which was attached TO
the Parry and her two sledges. As soon
as the Lockwood S crew were safe upon
good piece Of ice tho four officers drew tho
Parry 10 the edge Of the Zoe upon which
She had been resting, and then the seven
NorwegiGns hauled on their line and drew
tho Parry flying through the channel
which the Lockwood had cut. Thus wo
made our way from foe to foe through
the miserable ice, and al ? several hours
of this clever work on the part of our sail.
or men had the Infinite satisfaction OF
reaching dry land and ample quantities 81
driftwood WALLER WELLMAN.