Page:The Wireless Operator with the U.S. Coast Guard.djvu/297

 of a huge berg that came wallowing down from the frozen north and went ploughing straight along toward the tropics. Apparently neither wind nor sea nor any other agency could turn this menacing mountain of ice aside from its path. Down to the northern steamship lane it went, and the Iroquois went with it, warning all shipping of its presence. It was enormous. It towered more than two hundred feet in air, and was hundreds of feet long and huge in width. It did not break up into growlers when it reached the warmer parts of the sea, as most of the bergs did, but kept on, implacable, menacing, terrible.

Through the northern steamer lane and on to the southern lane, the huge block of ice steadily made its way. Thus it endangered ships going both to and from European ports. But the Iroquois stayed by the giant berg and warned all ships of the danger. When it reached a point farther south than the Iroquois’ own port, and still did not disintegrate, the commander of the cutter took steps to break it up by artificial means.

A small boat was lowered, and two mines, each containing fifty-two pounds of TNT, were loaded aboard, with firing batteries and other necessary equipment. Then Lieutenant Hill, with a picked crew of oarsmen, manned the boat, towing behind it a float with a sail attached.