Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-18
FROZEN TO AN ICEBERG
The Body of o Man Seen High Up On the
Ice.
A Cannon shot Dfslodges It and
Rends the Huge Mass In
Twin.

From the st. Louis Globe Democret.
While the Peary expedition steamer
Hope was lying in Boston harbor recently
the writer had lorg chat with a young
Newfoundland scientist. who had already
made several trips to the northern re-
gions. Among ether interesting expert
ences no related to me the following:
Ion the coast Of Labrador two years
ago. We sighted one of the largest icebergs
l had ever seen. 1t was, in fact, perfect
Island of ice, With bays ard promontories.
tremendously high cliffs and caves and
grottoes tnnumerable. The Ice island was
divided into almost equal parts by a great
valley running through its center, and this
valley was half filled with snow. Near the
top of the berg-it must have been 100 feet
up-there was a vast, smooth, CLASSY plane,
inclining rather steeply toward the sea
end terminating abruptly in great over
hanging precipice. AS we gazed at the
plane we observed upon its surface small
black spot. The captain turned his tele-
scope to the object and presently excla1m-
ed: Good heavens, 1t is a mani
instantly all was excitement Orders
were given &c approach the iceberg as
near as possible, and all eyes were strain
ed to catch any motion that might be made
by the solitary figure. Going as near as
we could to the iceberg without having our
view OF the plateau shut off by the over
hanging cliff. we hove to. The man was
now plainly visible. He lay on his back,
with one arm folded in an unusual man.
rer under his head his attitude being one
of easy repose. Except for the marbly look
ON his face and hands, as seen through the
telescope, We could have fancied he was
simply taking a quiet nap. He was dress
ed like one of the better class of seamen.
in rough blue pilot cloth, with large horn
buttons. He had no hat, and by his side
q Cnoan no IN wi W a
strip of red wooden stuff. apparently
piece of the same that he wore around his
neck. This, no doubt. he had intended to
plant on the heights as signal. In the
thin, clear atmosphere, the glass showed
the mans features distinctly, and We could
even see his iron-gray hair moving in the
wind. Our second mate stoutly declared
that he recognized the man as an old chum
and shipmate of his. He was quite sure Of
it, he said, because of the peculiar manner
in which the dead mans arm was slowed
away under his head-his shipmate always
slept so, even In his hammock.
I'VE turned our eyes to the base Of the
iceberg. looking for landing place, but
quickly saw that the idea of landing was
cut of the question. The thing would have
heen difficult enough in calm; in heavy
sea, which was now on, 1t was impossible.
We saw no sign Of boat or spar or wreck
of any kind. 1t was a picture Of utter
desoiation.
Turning our gaze once more to the soli-
tary figure v'e asked ourselves: Who and
What is he? How long has he been there,
and how did he get there? The general
conclusion was that he was one OF the
crew OF some vessel which had dashed inlo
the iceberg in the dark and gone down
like stone.
Perhaps suggested one. 'he was aloft
when she struck and got pitched up where
he is now
LAS like to be pitched into the NOON
rejoined another contemptuously. Why,
that precipice Is three times as high as
the loftiest mast ever rigged'
-" Maybe, now. said third. its some
awful cruel skipper. who's been ll-usinS
bis crew till they couldn't stand 1t no
longer, and was drove to mutiny, and put
him ashore all alone to die
But the speaker whose opinion COM
manded the most respect was the old boat
swain. He said: III tell ye! That there
ice island warn't launched yesterday, nor
Yet last year, nor the year before, per-
haps, and by the looks of him. he's been
last summer, maybe-and then come back
home for the winter. If you look away
this side OF that high
point like church steeple, only lower
rest. Now. it's just there 1 expect that a
great piece has broken off and drifted
away; and l calculate twas lower ana
more shelving off-not so steep and rocky
like a. it is now. Twas there that poor
chap was cast ashore from snip or boat.
He was trying to make his way up to the
heights to look around and hoist signal,
when he lay down and went asleep, and
rever woke UP again; only, where he is
now, you see, must have been covered
with snow then, or he couldn't have kept
his footing
Having said this the old boatSwain
walked forward.
There was no earthly use in lingering
round and yet the captain seemed loath
to start away: If the poor fellow had a
spark of life in him l suppose he would
have moved before this he said, but sup
posing he did move, it would only be to
slide down over the precipice, unless his
clothes are frozen fast to the ice. l don't
see any more of EN-, and we couldn't get
'em off If we did. Then thought struck
him, and he gave orders to get the forward
sun ready: When it was loaded he said,
resounded from the icy wall. For an in
slant afterward ell was still. and then
came noise like rafting Of loud thun-
der. proceeding from the center of the
berg.
1.-THE danger of our proximity to this vast
object now became more and more APP
parent, and the captain put on full speed
fer good offing. We had barely proceeded
quarter of mile when the same noise
was heard again. only louder, more pro-
longed, and accompanied by a rendng,
crushing sound. The huge ice island was
parting in the middle, down the course OF
the deep valley l have already mentioned.
Slowly and majestically the eastern half
rolled over into the sea, upheav:ng what
had been it's base, In which were imbedded
great masses of rock covered with sea-
weed. The other part of the berg still re-
main erect, but was swayng to and fro
as If it also must capsiZe. The CONFUSION
caused less foam and tossing than might
have been supposed, but raised wave
of such tremendous magnitude that when
Il reached our steamer she seemed about
to be overwhelmed by a rolling mountain
Of water. But our good ship rose upon it's
crest, and before sgain sinking into the
hollow we saw the man upon the iceberg
still in the same posture-glide swiftly
down the slippery incline, shoot over the
edge Of the precipice and plunge into the
raging surf.
"A sensation of inexpressible relief was
experienced by all Of u.s. 1t had seemed so
dreadful to steam away and leave him
there unburied and alone, but now, at any
rate. the poor sailor had been given
grave in the sea, the sepulcher of so many
of his fellows -