_Crossing the Delaware_ The men, divided into small squads, marched down to the boats,--large unwieldy scows, which had been hauled up against the shore,--and each boat was speedily filled to its utmost capacity.

The most experienced seized the oars; three or four Marblehead fishermen armed with long poles took their stations forward and aft along the upper side of the boat, with one to steer and one to command; and then, seizing a favorable opportunity, the boat was pushed off from the shore, and threading its way in and out between the enormous ice-cakes grinding down upon her, the difficult and dangerous passage began.

Should the heavily laden boat be overturned, very few of its occupants would be able to reach the shore.

Once on the other side, the fishermen took the boat back, and the weary process was gone over again.

Fortunately it was yet bright moonlight, though ominous clouds were banking up in the northeast, and everything could be clearly seen; each boat was perfectly visible all the way across to the eager watchers on the shore, and a sigh of relief went up after each fortunate passage.