The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-06
CAUGHT BY AN ICE FLOE.
NIT. SEARBE's ora ExPERI-
ENCE IN GREAT SOUTH Bar.

Rowed Across with HI. sister-in.Law ana
III. Dauehtcr and Was Hair the Night
Gctting Back Because of the Fog and
lee Landed Six Miles from Home.
BABYLON. L. l., Jan. 5.-Charles Senrle, "a resi-.
dent OF this place. started yesterday afternoon
for Oak Island, In the Great South Bay, In q
rowboat. He was accompanied by his daughter.
Miss Fannie Searle, and by Miss May Barto. his
sister-in-lsw. II was the intention of the party
to row over to tho island and. after inspecting
Mr.. Searle's summer cottage there. to return In
timo to entertain tho members OF the Babylon
lodge OF Free Masons. Mr.. Searle is Master OF
tho lodge. and the members were to gather ut
his house In the evening.
The party started from n boat landing In
Carll's River about . o'clock In tho afternoon.
They reached Oak Island in good time, and
while roaming about the cottage and island did
not pay much attention to tho gathering mist
until it commenced 10 rain quite hard. Mr.. Searle
Is an experienced ynchtsman and hc realized Mt
once that an immediate start was necessary II
they hoped to reach the mainland that night.
Hastily wrapping q piecc OF canvas around Miss
Barto and his daughter, he placed II com pass In
the rowboat where no could command a view
OF tho needle, and started of.
In good weather IL takes two hours TO row
across the bay Mt this point. 1t being four miles
wide. After rowing for some time Mr.. Searle
saw that 1t was going to DO II difficult matter
for him to reach shore. the fog was so thick.
lie kept his fears to himself. not wishing un-
necessarily TO alarm his daughter and Miss
Bsrto. and kept at the oars. After owing for
at least two hours ho rested and tried TO make
out where he was. Failing to do so hc re-
sumed rowing. and It was some time before
he stopped again. still there was no sign
OF land, and he communicated his fears
to Miss Barto and his daughter. They
were greatly alarmed at the danger OF their
posNion. but Mr.. searle managed to keep M
their courage by saying that In n short time
they would be on land again. While cndeavur-
INK to make out his position by aid Of the cum
pass the boat ran into an immense foe Of ice.
Before the party realized IL their boat was SUR
rounded by big cake, and = new danger menaced
Noe. md Mr.. searic worked Els way alongside
OF u big cake, ana. stepping, out on II. managed
Ia draw the boat pretty well up Oh the ice. In
doing So he got wet through.
Mr.. Searie got back Into the boat and spread
the canvas over himself and his companions.
and they kept close together waiting aud hop
Inc for rescue. Frequently Mr. Srarle shouted
at tho top Of his voice, hoping to attrac; the at
tention OF somc other boat. or perhaps persons
OH shore should his boat happen to be close In
toward the lsud. No responding cry was heard.
and they were fast becoming numb from the
eN pOsurs when their boat ana the big cake on
which II rested tioated into IA clear space. Mr..
Searle pushed or from the, cake. and getting
out the oars he rowed for all no was worth, in
the direction he thought the land lay. Ills
daughter and Miss BArto took a tusn at the onrs
TO warm them up, Tor the wind was blowing
when tho party saw a light and rsdouhleu Their
efforts at the oars. When their boat groundei
on the beach they lost not a moment In leaving
IL. They quickly learned that they had landed
about four miles wet Of Carils River. ana a. "
was too late to obtain n CONVEYANCE they DECIDED
To walk home. n distance OF six miles. MIR.
Searle set the pacc, and after half the distance
had been travsrsed their blood began TO circu-
late freely, and when they arrived home At mid
night all three were warm and comfortable. =,
Their appearance NJ the house was the Slgilal
for n joyous outburst. The members OF the
lodge had arrived there IN due season, anu
learning that Mt. Searlc was at Oak Island, NJ
once tciegraphed Capt. Charles +. Arnold OF tho
Oak Island life saving station to learn. II Nr.
searle was safe. They were astnundeh wheh
an answering message came saying that Mr..
alter 4 o'clock Ia row to the mainland.
The dense fog and danger from the foatunv
ice wa instantly realized BY tho lodge mem
bets. and they at once formed themselves INTO
u committee on rescue. They d ,stributcd them
selves along shore and shouted until they were
hnarse. but no answering sound came from the
m'st-co,creL wA'crs. Even long toot, on i4i
horns failed Tn { .ng n responsive shout. wa
bOstinen said II would be useless for n boating
party 20 start out In such "A fog. a. II woulu be
one chance in a Thousand that they would over
take the other boat. There was nothing to do
but wal, for tho fog Ia lift. IL was u long and
anxious wait, and the lodge membrrs were fast
giving I'D hope when the news nf tho safe ar
rival of the party was communicated To them.
Miss Iiarto and Miss ScRrle we're somewhat
fatiyned to-day after their terrible experience.
| Mr.. Sear.r showed very little eject Of 1t. lo
said their escape was n most miraculous ono
and that IT would be some time before ho VEN
Searlr owns tho aloop yacht twilight. ana Is an
rnthus. astic follower OF aquatic sports. In
winter lie sails about the hay in \ brns--hnund
sharpe, and has had many encounters with fogs
| and ice Hoes.