Death On The Ice : The Great Newfoundland Sealing Disaster Of 1914

Each year, for generations, poor, ill-clad Newfoundland fisherman sailed out 'to the ice' to hunt seals in the hope of a few penniew in wages from the prosperous merchants of St. John's. The year 1914 witnessed the worst in the long line of tragedies that were part of their harsh way of life. For two long, freezing days and nights a party of seal hunters--one hundred thirty-two men--were left stranded on an icefield floating in the North Atlantic in winter. They were thinly dressed, with almost no food, and with no hope of shelter on the ice against the snow or the constant, bitter winds. To survive they had to keep moving, always moving. Those who lay down to rest died. Heroes emerged--one man froze his lips badly, biting off the icicles that were blinding his comrades. Other men froze in their tracks, or went mad with pain and walked off the edge of the icefield. All the while, ships steamed about nearby, unnoticing. And by the time help arrived, two thirds of the men were dead. This is an incredible story of bungling and greed, of suffering and heroism. The disaster is carefully traced, step by step. With the aid of compelling, contemporary photographs the book paints an unforgettable portrait of the bloody trade of seal hunting among the icefields when ships--and men--were expendable. From the Trade Paperback edition ***Each year, for generations, poor, ill-clad Newfoundland fisherman sailed out 'to the ice' to hunt seals in the hope of a few pennies in wages from the prosperous merchants of St. John's.*** The year ***1914 witnessed*** the worst in the long line of tragedies that were part of their harsh way of life. For two long, freezing days and nights a party of seal hunters--***one hundred thirty-two men--were left stranded on an ice-field floating in the North Atlantic in winter.*** ***They were thinly dressed, with almost no food, and with no hope of shelter*** on the ice against the snow or the constant, bitter winds. To survive they had to keep moving, always moving. ***Those who lay down to rest, died.*** Heroes emerged--one man froze his lips badly, biting off the icicles that were blinding his comrades. Other ***men froze in their tracks, or went mad with pain and walked off the edge of the ice-fiel***d. **All the while, ships steamed about nearby, unnoticing. And by the time help arrived, two thirds of the men were dead.** This is an incredible story of bungling and greed, of suffering and heroism. The disaster is carefully traced, step by step. ***With the aid of compelling, contemporary photographs the book paints an unforgettable portrait of the bloody trade of seal hunting among the ice-fields when ships--and men--were expendable.*--goodreads** "Each year, for generations, poor, ill-clad Newfoundland fishermen sailed out to the ice to hunt seals in the hope of a few pennies in wages from the prosperous merchants of St. Johns. The year 1914 witnessed the worst in the long line of tragedies that were part of their harsh way of life. For two long days and nights a party of seal hunters 132 men were left stranded on an icefield floating in the North Atlantic in winter. They were thinly dressed, with almost no food, and with no hope of shelter against the snow or the constant, bitter winds. To survive they had to keep moving, always moving. Those who lay down to rest died. This is an incredible story of bungling and greed, of suffering and heroism. With the aid of compelling, contemporary photographs, the book paints an unforgettable portrait of the bloody trade of seal hunting among the icefields when ships and men were expendable."--Publisher information An account of the bungling and greed that caused 120 men to be stranded for two days and two nights on an icefield drifting in the Atlantic. Describes the harsh, bloody trade of seal hunting among the icefields - where ships and men are expendable