The Washington herald., 1909-05-17
Big Berg Sighted.


late spring
Big Berg Sighted.
Il was 3 O'Clock on the morning OF
Sunday, May 9. that the watch reported
the loom Of a big berg of 70 the staf
hoard. There was a bit Of fog hanging
about the big white shape, and Capt.
Harrison knocked Of speed a triAe. Hard
y was the berg astern when a second
OF the ghosts Of the North. with its
trailing shroud OF fog. appeared or 10
the bow about a quarter Of a mile
Thence on until daybreak the bergs be-
came more numerous. When the night
lifted Capt Harrison saw that ne was in
for II.
On port and star5oard vas the ice.
ahead and astern- Il was for the most
part in the shape q big. mushy foes.
with here and there a cracking big berg
that topped the masts in height. The
ice field vas fairly open, and though there
was considerable fog the VOIturnO pushed
her cautious way onward through the
tortuous channels CT blue water between
the acre-wtds cakes.
Il was slow going and grew worse all
the time By noon Of Sunday the ice lay
Ike grease cUrds on q Pot CT soup. At
80 o'clock that afternoon Capt. Harri-
son gave the signal 10 stop the propeller
The NOlturno then lay in 4 degrees, %
minutes north and 0Ig west
Ship in n Horseshoe.
The fog lifted about the time that the
snip came 70 stop and those aboard
her could see where they we're. The Vol
tUrnO had been beguiled into a narrow
opening Ike that between the prongs OF q
horseshoe; on each side and ahead the
ice field curved about in an impenerabIe
circle. which was Gradually narrowing.
From horizon to horizon there was moth
ing but the field Of ice with the splintered
cathedral spire OF berg punctuating the
expanse here and there
All Of Sunday night the VoIturno lay
drifting. smotnered in fog and surrounded
by the Ice. Capt Harrison. knowing that
the PROV Of sober ocean-going steamer
Is not designed for rammiag Ice that is
about Only one quarter revealed above
the surface, did not try any marine
heroics.
All night long sounded the 'burng.
bUmgr Of the ice blocks against the
counter OF the NOlturnO. All night the
sickly white glow OF the ice feds light
ened the saTedding mists that rose.
Capt Harrison said to-day that none
OF the five hUndred-odd passengers that
be carried in cabin and steerage took
fright from the steamers predicament
and for that he blessed all the saints
that mariners swear by.
Wind Is Favorable.
There was a bit OF a wind blowing
down on the Volturno from the north
and that kept her fairly free from the
edge Of the encircling ice field to star
board. The opposite side OF the ice cir
Gle did not close IN during the night. else
things might not have gone as well as
they did.
When daybreak On Monday came the
fog was curIed Up with the night. and
ahead OF this Capt. Harrison saw way
out Of the cuI-de-sac which had his
ship A long ribbon Of blue water show
ed through the white OF the field, and
into this the Volturno put her nose. At
quarter speed she went, nudging smaller
ice blocks out Of the way and lodging
the larger ones. Occasionally a berg
piled Up along the side Of the crooked
faiTway, and past this the Britisher
picked her way nicely, with skirts held
aside. icebergs having a way Of shed
ding several tons II rammed.
Before noon Capt Harrison had his
vessel out Of the ice and speeding 1t for
Halifax He reached that port On Thurs
day, dropped most OF his passengers. and
pvt out for New YORK On rha sarne ia-