The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-04-03
Found In the Ice
By M. QUAD ....
Copyright, 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

On the 9TH day Of October, 1852, tho
ship Princess left Australia with a
cargo Of wool and other articles valued
at $25O.OOO. She had in her treasure
room gold in dust, bars and coin aggre-
eating $1.3OO.OOO. She was never heard
from.
In June, 1868. eighteen years after
the loss of the Princess, l wa n OF
the crew Of the Boston whaler Tails
man, which was trying the cruising
ground on the south Of Cape Horn.
We had had a fair run of luck when
we got a gale from the north which
lasted for four days and nights with
out a break. This drove us away south
among the ice. and on a dozen different
occasions the ship was within a hairs
breadth Of being cast away or over
whelmed. After the fourth day Of the
gale there was IL calm lasting thirty
hours. During this interval the Tails
man lay between two monster icebergs,
with her boats down and ready to tow
her out Of the way should they close
in on her. Then we got a strong
breeze from the east.
Sometimes We lay moored t6 a berg
for several houls: again we were
pounding among the great cakes of
ice, which threatened every moment to
crush in her Sides. We had been driv-
ing to the southeast for three days
when the breeze fell and left us on a
heaving sea. with a monster iceberg
about two miles away to the south.
The ship had thus far sustained little
damage, but the crew were exhausted
with the hard work and constant vigi-
lance. The mel were given al all
days rest, and no incident occurred
until late in the afternoon. The mass
Of ice had a front a mile long on our
side, with an average height of 800 feet.
What it's width was we could not say.
We were %astonished to see smoke ris-
ing from the far side of ii. No one
doubted that it came from a fire lighted
by shipwrecked sailors. who had
caught sight of the Talisman and were
making her a signal.
The third mate and three men were
ordered of in one of the whaleboats to
investigate. and l was one of the three
selected. We took with us a breaker
Of fresh water. a bottle of rum, bread.
meat, blankets. a boat compass aud q
lantern, and darkness fell as we pulled
away from the ship.
We pulled to pass the western face
Of the berg and found IL to be about
half a mile long. AS we reached its
southern limit and turned to the east
we caught sight Of a small fire on q
ledge about 100 feet. above the water.
As soon as we got up to it the mate
hailed and was promptly answered
that there were two men on the ledge.
n Of whom had a broken leg. There.
upon l was ordered to remain by the
boat and hold on. while the mate and
the two men landed on the berg and
began making their way up to the
ledge.
Twenty minutes later the l,efg split.
q fog setrled down. and with it came a
breeze. I did not know What to do,
and SO l laid in my oar, wrapped my
self in a blanket and sat down in the
bottom Of the boat. You will think it
queer that l fell asleep under the cir
cumstances. but that is exactly what
happened. nor. did l wake until day
light came again. Then I found N.Y.
self in ar ice foe which was drifting
to the south at the rate of about three
miles an hour.
am not at all sure how long 1 drift
ed, but the general direction was south,
and the time was at least four days
and nights. On the morning Of what
W1ps probably the fifth day I awoke. to
f9d that the doe had ceased drifting,
and a quarter OF q mile. to- the east of
the boat was a mass Of ice.
1t was q mile or more In length and
not over thirty feet high and looked
more like a wall resting on the water.
The ice was yellow and dirty. with
rocks embedded In It here and there.
and I have no doubt that a good por-
ton of It. was the lower part of an
iceberg which had turned turtle. Be-
tween me and the wall was a tumble
Of ice, over which It seemed impossible
to make my way. but as soon as I had
broken my fast. l set out to try It. It
took me q full hour to make that quar-
ter Of =. mile. but at length I reached
the wall and foundsthat"I could easily
get up its rough side. When I reached.
the top It was to discover that. the
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