Year: 1876

coming up the harbor with sails spread
and think there Is no life Ike saiior's
lts natural enough. too. used 70 hays
the same feelings. fancied when ] wa'
a boy that when vessels lefl lhe hsrb0I
they went where they liked, sailing
along tbe oeast aud among the Islands
aud that the sailors could 60 ashore
when they pleased, aud were happy 8.
happy could be. Boys have queer no.
tons Thcy never think Of The danger
aud suffering snd cruelty on board shjI
I Of which any sailor, II be chooses, can
tell them. can remember jast bow
things used to look TO me Ia those days.
The water seemed 50 smooth aud pleas
ant; just a. II FL was made 70 sail on
used 10 play round The wharyes and get
into the boats and imagine myself quite
a sailor I've had my day since then on
ship.bosrd, and could tell You stories
that would cure you Of wanting to go
10 sea, II boys could ever be cured by
stories. But they can't, and perhaps
the best way, after all, Is 10 let every.
body learn by experience.


I've never told you about my first
voyage Il was a short one and came
very near being my last. was twelve
years old then, and il is nigh forty years
ago, but remember il as we'll as If il
was this forenoon.


Y II 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 week Of warm
weather, with slight rain, aud the ica
had got considerably broken. Every
I 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 Wilson's and little Benny
was playing in the yard with his Sled
When he found out where we were go.
4 ing be was wild TO 90 with us. He
didn't have TO ask leave as his mother
was away; SO he followed us along in
great glee, dragging his sled with him,
although the ground was nearly bare.
! When we got TO the head of the barbor,
/ the tide was just beginning 10 ebb, and
the ice was in motion. We stood on one
OF the wharves for long time watching
the great blocks heaying and crushing
and sailing slowly along toward the
channel and so out 10 sea. About sun
set it began TO rain, and the wind came
up. II was a long distance round 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 a short time to reach our
wharf,


We might get on the ice said your
father.


The idea had never struck me, ! no
ticed that every block struck the shore
just below our house, and then eddied
Off into the channel again. 1t would be
capital We could have such nice ride,
and have ii to tell of afterwards. There
was ladder reaching down the side Of
the wharf and we climbed down and
stood on timber waiting for a biz
piece. Pretty soon one came. The end
just touched the wharf and swung round
sideways, where we were, Just as if il
had been done on purpose, and we
jumped on. 1t was about twenty feet
long, and little more than half as wide
and Just in the middle was a stout pole,
standing up like a mast, which had been
frozen in. Ii seemed like a ship, and we
PLAYED we were sailors, aud shouted and
sang, aud had a splendid time. We
didn't get along as fast as we had thought
lowey5r, aud before we reached the
place where we intended TO land, ii was
dark, and the rain was falling IN torrents.
We could lust see the shore, and the
lights as they began 10 come ont in the
village; aud we could see, too, that Tor
two or three rods from the shore, the
water was filled with small pieces of ice
TOO small TO bear our weight, yet large
enough to prevent our raft from coming
close in For minute or two we re-
msincd stationary, 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
shoutcA but no answer came back. Then
your fisher aud Benny began 10 cry but
although | was afraid we should be car
ried out to sea, tried TO keep my heart
up. was in hopes we could make them
hear 10 the cove, or that the lighthouse
keeper st the Cape might see Us. did
not realize the fall danger We were in.
knew il was rough off the Cape, and
knew, too, the ice might break; but
had such strong faith that we shonld be
rescued that il didn't affect me much.


When we got opposite the light we
could zee the keeper trimming the lamp
lie heard as aud shouted back. We
were not a dozen rods apart. called
ous our names, and begged him 10 helf
us. lie iried 70 launch BIS boat, but lbt
ice was piled 10 heaps by the landing
aud 81 bis endeAvors we're 10 vain
Then be shouted that be would raise az
alarm and send boats; but ! knew ihaN
be bad four long miles 70 go On foot be-
fore that could be done, aud By that tim,
We might be out Of sight. They could
never End as In the darkness, and tbs
waves would wash Us OF the momen
we got Into the open bay did no.