The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-11-25

mile seemed lost, and the headland of
Parry island began to grow faint in
distance and gathering twilight.
l now felt myself to be at the mercy
of the wind. There was no abatement
in its violence az night drew on. 1t
blew inexorably with a steady, great
pressure, bringing few grains of dry
snow, that slid swiftly like sand along
the ice. So long as l remained on
my feet l was borne farther and far
ther from shore, in spite of every effort.
1t was bitter cold, the flying grains of
snow cut when l faced them, and sat
| down once more, with my back to the
weather, and tried to think of plan for
| saving my life.
The prospect was terrifying. l had
proved unable to make head against the
storm. The ice was SO smooth that
l could not walk on it with my skates
off. l could not sit still and wait for
the weather to moderate, lest l be
! frozen solid in few hours. The one
active thing l could do was to run
straight before the wind
| This was not SO insane proceeding as
it might appear. Wharton, Owen sound
and Meadford all lay opposite me across
the bay, and I might find ice on which
to skate the whole distance of about 50
miles. thus converting the wind from a
foe into an ally. Tit there might be
open water in the middle was true, but
l believed the bay to be frozen over.
At any rate there was left to me no
course but that of speeding before the
gale; so struck out across the ice at
swinging pace, which was rapidly ac-
tolerated. l now felt the winds force
only, inasmuch as I was conscious of
the very slight effort with which l
moved at extraordinary velocity. l
was literally borne upon the wings of
the wind.
l had never dreamed of skating at
such speed. 1t was wonderfully ex-
hilarating, and yet flew on through
the darkness in full knowledge that l
should probably be knocked senseless
or killed outright if thrown by any
ridge or other such obstruction as |
was likely to encounter.
But no obstacle was in my way. For
quite an hour l was blown along in this
fashion, and l think that l had trav-
ersed more than Is miles when heard
small roaring sound ahead that sent
a shiver to my very backbone. At the
same time the ice grew rougher and
serrated with wave-like ridges. tried
to check my speed; l wheeled; l was
flung down and slid far before stopped.
Looking forward, l saw the dark hori-
Zon much closer, for the white plain
was cut sharply at point not far in
cred from the skies. From behind this
curtain came the roar.
had instantly OWNED the truth. The
bay was not wholly frozen. l lad ar
rived at the edge of the ice-belt, and the
dark water of Lake Huron was heaving
and foaming right before me.
The moon, though hidden by dim
clouds, gave faint sort of half light
that showed me the whole scene-the
vast frozen plain to right and left, and
in front, the appalling, inky, furious
expanse. White-capped billows were
running high before the gale; and !
heard an astonishing roar of wind and
water. And 1 had come within ten rods
of the brink. Not only SO, but
seemed to be out on point or peninsula
of ice, with open water to the west as
we'll as to the south of me. Such near.
ness to the open water scared me.
must try to get farther away. 1t was
; conceivable that the rough ice edge
, under me might break up under the
force of the gale.
I dropped on my hands and knees
and started to run on all fours, the
:, points of my skates rasping into the ice
, The horrible roaring behind inspired
me with sort of panic. For couple
, of hundred yards l scrambled on, ant
, then the effect of eXertion and excite
ment began to tell. I was seized by
! sudden exhaustion, and collapsed.
1t was showing faster now; noticed
, that the front of my pilot skatingcoa
was thickly covered with white. The
, flakes drove through the air with The
+ speed and sting of arrows, but turned
, my back on them, and stretched out OF
the ice-to die, as l imagained. l die
not feel that l had energy enough t,
, get to my feet, even to save my life.
8 1t did not seem so cold now. l begar
e to feel drowsily comfortable, and sus
t pected that l was freezing to death
v and didn't much care.
l.. l could for awhile feel the snow beat
t ing incessantly on my face and shoul
= ders, for was in sort of doze, but no
e wholly unconscious. Presently tn
f snow ceased falling. I lost count of tn
t lapse of time, but I was suddenl,
t awakened by heavy blow, as if planl
lad fallen across my body. I came t
: myself in an instant,and on raising m,
q head found myself completely imbed
n ded in snow.
r 1 was not particularly cold now. an,
O the queer, numb feeling in my legs wa
d gone. I could hear the roaring of tn
t storm outside, and began to realize tha
n the thin, flying snow had needed onl
t such an obstacle as my body to form
| }ah Ia III %