My First Ride on an Ice Boat. 



snapped, and occasionally we would strike a patch of white 

 shell-ice, through which we would plough our way with a 

 roar the runners throwing a shower of broken ice into our 

 faces with a force that was terrifying to a greenhorn. Sud- 

 denly I noticed a ribbonlike strip of open water winding across 

 the lake, directly in our path. The crack was a long one ; it 

 was impossible to dodge it, the way we were flying, and 

 equally impossible to stop; it seemed to me that certain 

 death stared us in the face. If I was frightened before, I was 

 horrified now. I thought our time had surely come, and, 

 glancing up into George's calm face, I pointed to the crack 

 ahead of us. His eyes were fixed on the danger, but he did 

 not appear to be frightened. As we neared the open water, 

 he threw the boat up into the full force of the wind, and, as 

 the great white wings caught the gale, she fairly leaped from 

 the ice. In an instant she cleared the chasm landing us 

 safely on the other side. I drew a sigh of relief and mentally 

 resolved to walk home but I did not. Although nearly frozen 

 and badly scared when we reached the south side of the lake, 

 I was so enraptured with the sport that I was just as ready 

 for the return trip as my friend was, and never again expe- 

 rienced the fear I did on this initial trip. With me it was a 

 case of love at first sight, and my only regret is that business 

 has compelled me to live the greater part of my life where 

 I could not enjoy this grand winter sport. I often visit lake 

 towns, where there are the finest of opportunities for ice boat- 

 ing, and, on inquiry, cannot find a boat in the place no in- 

 terest whatever being taken in this, the grandest of sports on 

 our northern lakes and rivers. Flying along at a speed more 

 rapid than a fast express train, cutting through the keen 

 winter air often leaping clear of the ice and skipping fifteen 

 or twenty feet is a delight that entrances while it frightens 

 the novice, and he is sure to enjoy it again at the first oppor- 

 tunity. 



[56] 



