The morning times., 1896-04-26
PANORAMA ALL In ICE
1870 MILES JdF4bERSs
And FlOeS Like a Frozen City Adrift.
Steamships Run Through
Them.
Neac York Sun.

No liner ever had a more spectacular voy-
age than the twiD-screw Atlantic trans
port steamship Mobile, which arrived yes
terday from London. The Mobile car
ried thirty-four saloon passengers, among
whom were many children.
When she struck the latitude of the south
easterly edge OF the Banks, on Friday last
the temperature took a tumble OF 80 de-
grees, and the passengers who had been
on deck for several days sought comfort in
the saloon. At O'Clock chat morning the
mercury had fallen TO the freezing point.
Capt. Layland had observed at dawn an
immense ice field bo the southwest OF the
ship. He changed hts course TO the west
ward TO avoid danger in the masses of
drifting ice. Rut he couldn't escape the
crystalline panorama. and the children,
who peeped through the ports at the gor-
geous arctic show. were glad be Couldn't.
There was stiff wind blo wing from the
ice caverns of the north, and it was hustIing
the big bergs down across the westward
steamship track. There were fleets and
fleets Of them, so many that Capt La yiand
couldn't count them, and sn fantastic that
the children couldn't be persuaded TO leave
the ports for fear af missing any part OF the
spectacle. The captain says that the sea to
the south Of him for miles and miles looked
i'll the clear atmosphere like a frozen city
adrift The bergs We're from 20 to zee fe ct
high. Some of them We're green and shim-
mered like green Ioltage after a shower.
These were bergs recently dispatched from
the great glaciers Of Labrador; Others of the
gigantic fleet we're snowy white. and under
the glare of the sun and the warm Influence
! of the Gulf stream they were fast going to
pieces. Cataracts and riyulets poured do wn
their hone ycnmbed sides into the sea with a
gurgle heard aboard the ship. For four
| hours the Mobile threaded her way among
the big and little bergs and noes. She was
| forced toschange her course five times to
avoid collision or Imprisonment. Every now
/ and then one of the houe yconbea ice mount
aims would turn turtle with rush and
| roar that filled the hearts of tie little ones
| atthe ports with wonder and delight.
| It was so cold when the ship was in the
| middle of the great ack that only a few
! of the hardest passengers ventured -on
| deck. They wore their oyercoats. and Capt.
| Layiand says that officers found pea Jack
| cts s'confortable. The biggest berg seen
was about 200 feet high and nearly a
! quarter of mile long. 1t was decorated
! with rhinarets. pinnacles, and all sorts 'ot
/ architectural ice frills: The ship steamed
so close to several ofthe big bergs that,a
good ballplayer might have easily tossed a
! balltothem. Some of ofthebergs were almost
| circular and so white that they looked like
mammoth snowballs. Capt. Layland says
that he does1l t believe that the ice extend
&C. to the southern Steamship lane. Near
| Iy all of the ice was melting rapidly as II
approached the edge:-of the Gulf stream
| There was very little of it to tie north
ward of him. but, as far as the vision ex.
| tended. it stretched to;the south and ca st
! There was a3xoSagood deal OF it to thu
west. "a
Thebrand IR5R mship Gleniochy, from
| Glasgow. wlISsSSom pleted her maiden trip
to this ports Ssstsrday, also had an ex
perienee ,witiSaKe 8ergs on the same day
One looked fetNkea difmantled steam
ship-carveti in cfSxtals. IT was awash amid
ships. 1t had vii defined how and stern
The water pouring over the side was from
the melting or-tbe berg. but it had the ap
pearance of being sea that had swep
athwart eshfpfFe phantom.
| q