Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-05-07
DYNAMITE AND ICE.
A Strenuous Day In the Arctic With
Peary on the Rooseselt.

\ Strenuous Day In the Arctic with
Peary on the Rooseselt.
| think that none of the members OF
the Pcary expedition will ever forget
tho 30th Of August. The Roosevelt
had been football. The game began
about O'Clock In the morning ! was
In my cabin trying to get little sleep
with my clothes on. for had not
dared TO remove them for week My
rest was cut short by a shock so vlo-
lent that before realized that any
thing had happened ! found myself on
deck--a deck that inclined TO siarfDoard
some IL TO 10 degrees. ran. or. rather.
climbed. the deck TO the port side aud
saw what hud happened. big Zoe
rushing past with the current had
picked up the grounded berg to which
we were attached by the hawse and
dashed II against the Roosevelt and
clear along her port side as II that
thousand ton berg had been toy.
The berg brought up against another
one Just aft of us. and the Roosevelt
slipped from between the two like
creased pig.
AS soon as the pressure was relaxed
and the ship regained an even keel we
discovered that the cable which had
been attached to the foe berg at the
stern had become entangled with the
propeller II was time for lightning
thought and action. but by attaching
heavier cable 10 the parted one and
taking a hitch around the steam cap
stan we finally dlsentangled It.
This excitement was no sooner over
than great berg that was passing
near us split In two OF its own accord.
a cube OF some twenty-five or thirty
feet just missing our quarter by only
foot or two. "Bergs TO the right Of
them. bergs 10 the left of them. bergs
on top of them" heard somebody
say as we caught our breath at this
miraculous escape. The ship was now
quite at the mercy of the drifting ice.
and with the pressure from the outer
pack the Roosevelt again careened to
starboard. knew that II she were
driven any higher on TO the shore we
would have 10 discharge a large part
OF the coal In order to tighten her suf-
ticiently TO get her off again. so de-
cided to dynamite the fee.
told Bartlett 10 get out his batter
les and dynamite and 10 smash the
Ice between the Roosevelt and the
heavy foes outside. making soft
cushion for the ship to rest on. The
batteries were brought up from the
lazaret. one OF the dynamite boxes lift
ed out with caution. and Bartlett and
I looked for the best places In the ice
for the charges. Several sticks Of
dynamite were wrapped In pieces Of
old bagging and fastened on the end
OF long spruce poles. which we had
brought along specially for this pur-
pose. A wire from the battery had. OF
course. been connected with one Of
the primers buried In the dynamite.
Pole. wire and dynamite were thrust
down through crack in the Ice nj
several places In the adjacent Zoe.
The other end of each wire was then
connected With the battery. every one
got away TO respectful distance on
tho far side OF the deck. and a quick.
sharp push on the plnnger of the bat
terry sent the electric current along the
wires.
Rip! Bang. Boom! The ship shock
like dish of Jelly. and a column Of
water and pieces OF ice went flying
hundred feet into the air. geyser fash.
ion. The pressure of the Ice against
the ship being thus removed. she right
ed herself and lay quietly on her cush-
ion of crushed Ice. waiting for what
ever might happen next.-Commander
Il. Z. Peary in Hampton's Magazine.