The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-03-18
HDluck and
n Adventure
CAUGHT IN THE ICE

CAUGHT IN THE ICE.
We often read stories of Arctic ex-
plorers caught in the ice up in the
polar regions, and how their ships
are surrounded, held fast, ard in
some cases cracked like eggshells.
But to have a great steamer, with
500 passengers aboard, hemmed in
by ice fields in well known harbor,
is a novel happening which made the
spring voyage of the transatlantic
liner Monaghan famous this last year.
The Monaghan, late in May, 1909,
was sailing into the harbor of st.
Johns, Newfoundland, on the way to
Halifax, when a mighty ice field bore
down on her, hemming her in on
every side. For twenty or thirty
miles the ice stretched out to sea,
varied by bergs and hummocks. 1t
wedged into the harbor, blocking it
entirely; and the Monaghan, entirely
surrounded, was soon tight in the ice
pack.
Since the Monaghan was not built
for Arctic voyaging, this was very
dangerous position. A sudden in
crease of pressure might crush the
steamer in moment. At once, from
the narrow harbor opening left un-
choked by ice, two small but stout
vessels came out to the rescue. The
sealing steamer Diana pushed into
the ice, ramming and opening it with
all her might, to make lane for free
water. The coastal steamer Prospero
also did her best to reach the ice
bound .Mongolian. But the ice
Knocked their efforts. The field
seemed to grow as they attacked it.
By night the Prospero herself was
surrounded and caught. The Diana
had come within mile of the Mon
golian, and was stopped there, help
less; and still the ice pack was gath
ering, and not only st. Johns, but
every bay, harbor and inlet to the
southwest was now choked with ice,
some of the icebergs being fifteen
hundred feet high, with many lesser
peaks. Seals and one polar bear were
seen on ice floes-a true polar scene.
Five of the passengers, unable to
stand the strain of anxiety, undertook
to reach the land over the ice field.
The captain assured them there was
no immediate danger. Many of the
brave fishermen of st. Johns were
now on the ice field, journeying
toward the steamer, bringing mes
sages and advice from the land, and
they treasured the other passengers.
But these five men and women deter
hand they mounted tie hummocks
and picked their way over the broken
ice, sliding like children on the
smooth places. Watched anxiously,
both from the Mongolan and the
shore, they struggled to the border of
the ice field at the harbor mouth,
where only strip of water lay be-
tween them and the town. There
tug, which had been awaiting them,
took them ashore
Their safety encouraged the others
to remain on the ship until the last,
since it was now evident that even if
the Mongolian were crushed, all
houOo Coulo easily ldhe W luG lCS
field and be rescued from it's shore
ward edge. The Diana and the Pros
pero. free again, were still not able
to get any nearer. Another night
came on, but now the pack was NOV
ing, under a change of wind, and
breaking up slowly but surely. The
steamer rose and fell with the swells;
she became little by little more free;
and at the dawn of the third day,
with all steam up, she began to nose
about through the ice field, and slow
ly, painfully, thread her way between
the broken masses. The great ice
jam was over, and the Monaghan left
her involuntary Arctic experience be-
hind-not to be forgotten, however,
but to remain in the memory of every
passenger, and to pass into The stories
of the shermen.-Forward.