Year: 1876

A Voyage on an 1ce-Cake


You boys imagine that going to SCI


is a very nice thing. You sit will


your legs dangling off the wharf warn


afternoons and smell the pine-apples


and oranges, and watch the vessel!


coming up the harbor with sails spread


and think there is no life like a sailors


It's natural enough, too. I used te


have the same feelings. fancied when


I was boy that when vessels left the


harbor they went where they liked,


sailing along the coast and among the


islands, and that the sailors could go


ashore when they pleased, and were as


happy as happy could be. Boys have


queer notions. They never think Of


the dangers and sufferings and cruelty


on board of ship, of which any sailor.


if he chooses, can tell them. I can


remember just how things used to


look to me in those days. The water


seemed SO smooth and pleasant; just as


if it was made to sail on. I used to


play around the wharves and get into


the boats and imagine myself quite a


sailor. I've had my days since then on


ship-board, and could tell you stories
that would cure you of wanting to 60 to
sea, if boys could ever be cured by stories


Bat they can't, and perhaps the best
way, after all, is to let everybody learn
by experience.


I've never told you about my first
voyage. 1t was short one, and came
very near being my last. I was only
twelve years old then, and it is nigh
forty years ago, but I remember it as
we'll as if it was this forenoon.


It was in the spring Of the year, and
Yarmouth Harbor had been frozen
over, for the winter had been colder
than usual There had been a week of
warm weather, with slight rain, and
the ice had got considerably broken.
Every tide great cakes were carried
down the channel and out to sea One
afternoon your father, who was two
years younger, started with me to see
the breakup in the upper harbor. On
the way we went past the widow Will
sons and little Benny was playing in
the yard with his sled. When be found
out where we were going he was wild
to 20 with us. He didn't have to ask
leave, as his mother was away; so be
followed us along in great glee, drag
ging his sled with him, although the
ground was nearly bare. When we got
to the head of the harbor the tide was
just beginning to ebb, and the ice was
in motion. We stood on one of the
wharves for long time watching the
great blocks heaving and crushing
and sailing slowly along toward the
channel, and SO on out to sea. About
sunset it began to rain. and the wind
came up. It was a long distance home
around the bend Of the harbor, though
our house was in plain view. If it had
only been clear water, and we had had
our boat, it would have taken but
short time to reach our wharf.


"We might get on the ice," said
your father.


The idea had never struck me. I /
noticed that every block struck the
shore just below our house, and then
eddied off into the channel again. It
would be capital. We could have such |
a nice ride, and have it to tell of after
ward. There was ladder reaching
down to the side of the whalf, and |
we climbed down and stood on
timber waiting for a big piece.
Pretty soon one came. The end just
touched the wharf and swung around
sideways, where we were, just as if it
had been done on purpose, ,and wejumped |
on. 1t was about twenty feet long.
and little more than half as wide, and
just in the middle was a stout pole,
standing like mast which had been
frozen in. It seemed almost like ship,
and we played we were sailors. and
shouted and sang, and had splendid
time. We didn't get along as fast as
we had thought, however, and before
we reached the place where we intended
to land it was dark, and the rain was
falling in torrents. We could just see
the shore and the lights, as they began
to come out in the village; and we could
see, too. that for two or three rods
away from the shore the water was
filled with smaller pieces Of ice-too
small to bear our weight, yet large
enough to prevent our raft from coming
in. For minute or two we remained
and we were in hopes that
your grandfather would see us and
bring something to help us ashore. Then
the huge cake began to drift again. We
shouted, but no answer came back.
Then your father and Benny began
crying; but, although I was afraid we
should be carried out to sea, I tried to
keep my heart up. I was in hopes we
could make them hear at the cove, or
that the lighthouse-keeper at the Cape
might see US. I did not realize the full
danger we were in. I knew it was
rough off the Cape, and knew, too,
the ice might break but l had such
strong faith that we should be rescued
that it didn't affect me much. |