The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-06-07
IN THE ICE.
Thrilling Experience on Beard a
Sealing Vessel.
HOW THE SHIP WENT DOWN.

Smashed In Amidships and Pe~srisss
to Escape. She Was Swallowed In the
Icy 0ssp-rhs Wild Rush Of the
Grew to Escape on the Fles.
Constant peril menaces the hardy
srews that fearlessly sail into the Icy
northern seas and risk their lives In
the dangerous work Of bunting the
seal. In Harper's Magazine George
Harding. the author. writes dramatic
ally Of the sinking Of the ship on
which be sailed with the Newfound-
land sealing neec His experience was
uniquely perilous. The ship was
crushed like an egg in the ice.
ION the bridge were the captain and
watch anxiously awaiting the chance
to head the ship out Of the moving
Ice into the stationary pack Of which
the big sheet was part. The bowline
lay on the barricade. ready for heav-
ing when the crew should be ordered
on the doe to haul the ships head
around Aloft. the spyman searched
the gloom for signs Of hull In the
confused and tremendous waste.
Then there came q terrific crush.
The vessel. caught In the trench Be-
tween the raftering sheets. was pow.
erless to escape. The smash Of break
great corner Of Ice crushed the ves-
sel's side amidships. The captain and
watch rushed to the engine room. It
was 6lled with steam. the indowing
water having already reached the dres.
A glance showed that nothing could
stop the thrush OF water. The 0remen
were retreating. The 6rst OF them.
like q creature from another world.
coal besrimsd. undershirt clad. reached
the ice sheathsd deck. spreading panic
In his path Above the hailiug Of
questions and shouts that no man
could understand came the voice Of
the skipper; he knew the situation ~
no other man.
"'Men.: he shouted. the ship II COL
Pack your cIothes-save the grubr
Then 1t was confusion everywhere.
The crew poured mp the hatchway.
hauling clothes boxes and bags. crowd.
ing over the side. eolliding In midair
a. they half tumbled and half slid
down the ropes. then back Tor food.
Laboriously the heavy pork barrels
were hauled BY hand from the after
hold. where men bravely totlsd. 9th
ers fought their way aloft whsrs thu
sails were slowed. The canvas eul
loose. bellying out In the force Of thu
gale. was dropped to the deck. Punt
were slipped from the davits. Soms
hitting the Ice with q crash. Wes<
slowed IN. Throughout IL all the cap
tain ehouted:
Haul them punts and grub farthe
on! Farther yeti Fartherr
The water. rapidly rising. drove tht
men from the lower hold They -
treated to the deck. Then the inflow
level with the ocean. ceased The *
for the time held the ship IN tn grfp
Second BY second passed. bringing .,
change. In that brief interval eaci
man suddenly thought 70 save tn
thing be most desired. A Wild rusl
was made 70 Wheelhouse, to cabin. q
the ships storeroom-eveEy man 10
himself-a seume to get the thing mos
coveted and escape to the ice. Wit
one it was a ride from the ships a.
mory to replace the antiquaeed muzxl
loader at home: with another. tn
ships compass or the barometer: witt
the after galley cook It was the eabil
dishes. In the cabin Q crowd surge,
to the medicine chest. scrambling 70
liniments and pills. smashing anything
that was an obstacle In their way
Such was the scene when the CRY aroo
on deck. repeated BY afty men an,
echoing throughout the vessel '"Ti
time TO take to the icef Then Q Grea
rush to b clear Of the doomed SHIP q
the mass Of men. some empty handed
others laden. defending their spoil iron
the unsuccessful plunged on to tn
| ice.
The ship was sinking fast. II wa
but q short leap for the last man frou
her deck to the loosening Ice. Tn
men stood on the doe. looking the shi,
! over from the bow. lifted high. to tn
stern. now below water.
"a pity to lose the vessel the.
said. Wonderful hard to lose the tri
o fat
Then came the dnai plunge. tn
mainmast. reaching over the doe. brok
a the weight Of the vessel pulled
under. The great anchors aiding fror
| the bow added to the tumuit. ~ every
thing not frozen solid to the dec
crashed into the hocse and galley. Fo
q second q nash Of fame shot from th
overturned stoves: then nothing saw
4 few seal peits and broken oars Ia,
on the surface Of the troubled hole 4
the doe where the Grand Lake had dil
appeared"