The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-17
AFLOAT ON A FLOE
BRITISH OFFICERS AWFUI. tx
PERIENCE IN AIANCHURIA,
CHINA
ADRIFT ON A SHEET OF ICE
with His Companions for Many
Hours Death Constantly
Threatened Them on Every Side
Final Rescue Came When All
Had Given Up Hope of Life-A
Desperate Undertaking.


From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
or the many stories OF the perils of the
frozen north and the perils of that region al
the time OF year when the ice in the rivers
beings to break Col. Alexander Mann. of the
British army. relates one of the MIST thrill
Ing. 1t is best told in the language of the
colonel:
1t was back in the '70s that | found myself
! in Yingtze, the port of Manchuria On D S.
Ing the bar of the Sira Muren on the way
to Yingt2e, one is impressed by the solitude
that reigns on every hand 1t IS not until
the steamer has steered north for about an
hour to point where the stream alter MAX
Ing quite sharp bend westward, returns on
an eastern course and then starts a, mCst du =
south again-it is not | saw until one
reaches ths spot that one sees any h ng de-
noting the presence of human hfe-saye per
haps stretch of nets or the NJ O a fisher
! family standing on the beacn O. perched on
some Knoll overlooking the RIVER But the
scene changes suddenly. Acr SIS ,ha hors >
shoe marked cut by the cours. of the river
there looms a forest OF mas s. cores OF
Junks and torches ranged four aud Ave deeo
of the rough wharves. Beyord lie the Euro.
pean crafts in double tiers, wi tuck ysrd,
and in-riggsd booms. AS the shio is brought
! uP into the berth left vacant for ner near
the imperial custom house one tu MS natur-
ally from the setting sun and G ances toward
one has reached this little kaown country.
| which stretches away for 1000 mi es-moun
tain and valley: lake and desert, until it
touches the mighty Amur face to face with
the grim frontier of Siberia.
4lngtze, referred to contemptuously BY the
spanish people as "bean-cake paradise is
certainly not imposing. Il is kind of scratch
collection of fat-roofed, somt e:-colored sim
gie-storied buildings, and yet it ntai IS
banks, shops and warehouses of far more ag
greSate value than many more pretcntious
settlements seen on the way out.
NO HEED TO THE WARNING.
1t happened one day that a government con-
s1gnment Of specie had to be dispatched west
ward and as there were rumors of brigands
on the watch the responsible official suggested
that an escort of military police should ac-
company the party. Accordingly at daybrea X
Que morning a quartet Of open carts left
nnlngtse, having, in addition to couple of
Manchurfan troopers perched on each and a
small contingent of their comrades riding
alongside two files Of smart auxiliaries sittine
on the shafts An hour later the cavalcade
was followed by the commandment accompa-
MED by a European subordinate and good
specimen OF the native non-commissioned
omcer. Being well mounted they overlook
the carts before they had gone very far but
not until the government consignment had
crossed the river and its protectors were ap-
preaching village, said to be the probable
location or the reported ambuscade. Nothing
hoN5Ver was seen of the bandits; on the con-
trary, the road was declared perfectly safe by
an advance runner, and we started on our
return journey. In less than hour patrol
weather there is a ferry but where during
winter is found the necessary paraphernalia
of crossing. Half way down we heard an
excited cry, and the ferryman came rushine
to intercept US.
Your excellency cannot proceed! Long be-
fore you are across the ice will break up and
you Will be overwhelmed. Turn back sir
Turn back. My humble abode can accommo-
date the soldiers and cattle, as we'll as your
honor's, and tomorrow 1 may be able to get
you over in one Of the punts."
These words were accompanied by much
gesticulation, and were uttered in a tone
which admitted of no doubt as to the speakers
earnestness On this occasion, however those
ne addressed were in no mood to be baked
II any chance remained of seeing the inside
of their own comfortable quarters that night.
For what was the alternative? 1t was to sit
during the long, cold hours Of the night in a
room packed to overlooking with 1.-The great
unwashed"-many, as likely as not, from the
widest parts of the country, and as evil
smelling as only the sheepskin-clad Tartars
can be. At any rate l turned deaf ear to
the veteran ferryman's counsel, and that, not
withstanding that his warning was respect
fully repeated at the last moment by my own
trusty sergeant. I committed myself and
those with me to a cruel and unjustifable
risk. Our cart was restored to it's owner and
our three horses intrusted to the ferryman.
PRISONERS ON AN ICE FLoE.
Not ten minutes elapsed from the time we
left land before a dull roar, like the firing of
heavy cannon. announced that the peasants
prophecy amply verified. The Ice had
broken up! The great platform of ice on
which we stood, and which stretched from
one bank to the other, split and riven
from end to end and from side to side and
became in a few moments mere collection
of enormous foes, dashed hither and thither
by the tide, and left struggling in a turmoil
in which the smaller foes were ground to
pieces by the larger ones. 1t was fearful
sight. The extraordinary width of the river
must be borne in mind also the immense
thickness of the ice and the irresistible force
Of the newly awakened river. l remember
seeing the great foes bearing down upon
with the most appalling and deafenfne
sounds. Almost before we realized our DO
sition we found ourselves prisoners what,
by Gods grace, proved to be the strongest
foe in our immediate neighborhood. This
great foe was some hundred feet square, and
by virtue OF Its size and weight it asserted
its superiority as 1t charged. irressistibly for
ward to take its place amidst the whirling
contending masses.
Seeing how matters stood, leaped to the
highest point of the foe, where snow and
rubbish had been heaped up beside the Ice
roadway. From this point of vantage sur
veyed the awful prospect that surrounded
means of deliverance. At first, remember,
the men ran excitedly to and fro, with
smothered cries and a little slackening Of
outward discipline.
A few sharp words in their own tongue,
however, were at once needed and from this
time forward nothing could exceed the steadi-
All this time we were whirling down the
river toward the settlement, and our only
hope lay in being able to make ourselves
heard as we were swept past 1t. Night was
fast coming on, however, and 1t seemed in
the last degree unlikely that we should be
observed. Only too we'll knew that, should
our great island of ice be carried below the
harbor we must inevitably be carried out
to sea, where death assuredly awaited us.
You may, then. judge for yourselves the
inexpressible relief I felt when, Just as we
approached the northernmost building Of
Yinztze. heard the voice of my Scandina-
Wan officer above the deafening din of the
stoppage and rocking and rumphng Of the
foes ahead Of us and few moments later
the mad career Of the one which we our
selves were was checked, and it took in
stead round and round course which
caused 1t TO remain practically stationary.
SALVATION CAME AT LAST
AS we were but cables length from the
customs station. we felt our chance was now
or never. Together we fired round after
round and shouted Justify In unison But
the wind had risen as the sun went down and
the terrifying roar and crash of the giant
foes as they were ground together by the
swirling tide defeated our puny efforts Just
as we were beginning to fear the worst and
had actually recommended s)our CHASTITY voy-
age our salvation came ~ The irresistible
force behind the ice had evidently broken UP
the jam ahead. Suddenly our corporal cried
out that he saw signals | sprang on to the
ND CHI with