The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-01-14
The Arctic Prison.

The ship swung neaVlly 10 anu Ho-Chs
long yards creaked and shivered upon the
mastS.
The wind whistled with shrill weird sound
among the shrouds and the shrouds bent in
wards as though unseen bands ofheavy footed
men we're ascending them. 1t was dark
night, vet not so dark but that we could see
the lofty icebergs by which we were surroun-
ded. looming up like spectres through the
gloom. We were tossed about on the waters
of the Arctic Ocean, and-subjected to heavy
sea and gale of wind-our position was a
dangerous one. We had already begun to
prepare RATS, and to hoist our chests On derk
-expectlng every moment that the ship
would be stove by the ice. Heavy masses
were continually crushing against the bows
and laundering unde" the counter, causing
the vessel to shake and culver from stem to
stern, as though every timber was about to
give way. At times the conclusion would be
so violent that all hands would be thrown off
their feet, and tumble on top of each other,
in a manner that was far from agreeable. Sud
denly a white face, with wild glaring eyes and
quvering lips appeared among us, 1t was
that of the captains wife. She had her hand
upon her husbands ARM as she stood near
the bow .-
Lillian Lilian!" she gasped, where is
our Lilian?'
Gillian? Good Heavens! wife, what do
you mean? left her with you in the cab
in =" ga9..
'She is not there now have looked in
all the rooms Oh, God my child my
child" and the mother wrung her hands in
anguish, while her white face grew still
winter
"Wife ife!" exclaimed the captain half
sternly, Lillian was with you when left the
cabin surely you did not let her leave your
side at such time as this !"
eyes! yes!" cried his wife, in accents ofthe
most piercing grief. ''It's all my fault-she
is lost My little Lillian is lost and am
the cause!"
'For Gods sake, explain yourself" gasped
the captain.
81 left her down in the cabin" faltered the
agonized mother, land came on deck, as |
wanted to speak to you | thought you were
in the waist, SO | grouped my way there and
tried to find you. Not seeing you, | started
on my return, fearing to leave Lillian so long
alone. But when | reached the cabin again,
she was not there--gone! gone! God only
knows where!"
Lillian! Lillian! has any one seen Lii
an?"
Fore and aft, from every lip, i'll startling
accents the cry went up amid the storm.
But the loud wind only answered with
deeper howl The long yards creaked upon
their rusty rivets The heavy icebergs groan
ed and shook as they had done before. The
silvery accents of little Lillian's voice came
not to our ears and we felt as If 1t was hush
Al. IF
mother, and the despairing shouts OF the
father-both Of whom could not bear to give
up their child-c continued long after our own
voices had ceased. Then we-rough heart
ed, childless men though we were-torget-
ting our own danger, gathered about the al.
ficted pair, and tried to console them.
don't think we succeeded very well, for our
voices trembled great deal; and the tears
would come to our eyes, though we kept
wping them away with the cuffs Of our heavy
Jackets No one of US but had loved little
Lillian almost as we'll as the parents them
selves She was but seven years OF age; yet
the earnest glance of her large blue eyes would
go straight to our hearts, and make US fee
kind and good towards each other 10 Ut
ter an oath when she was near would have
seemed like sacrilege Like lily, she had
bloomed i'll our midst, shedding heavenly
influence about her.
Strong-ah! strong is the power of limo
cent childhood over sinful heart
| 1t was while we thus stood, clustered neal
the pinnacle, offering what little consolation
we could to the captain and his wife, tina
one of the ships crew-an old tar, by th'
name of Bill Butler-came towards us, hold
ing few little torn shreds Of cloth in hi
hand.
81 found this ere hanging on hook on tn
outside of the bulwark, said Bill in mourn
FIJI voice
at is a part of Lilians dress ~, shrieked tn
captains voice.
The captain buried his face in his hand
with groan and we looked at one and an
other in sad silence. There could no longe
be any doubt about the matter. Lillian ha
fallen overheard.
The few remaining hours of the night wor
away. The gale subsidized. Miraculously, a.
it seemed to us, the ship had escaped bein!
stove and as the sea had gone down wit
the gale there was now no more danger
Overwhelmed with grief yet feeling it his du
tv to try and console his wife, the captain de
seconded into the cabin, leaving the manage
meut of the ships affairs in the hands of tn
mate. Presently the steward came on deck
He wished to know if any of the hands ha
seen Blusco that morning. This was tn
name of large Newfoundland dog, whic
had been great favorite with Lillian, an
she had taken especial delight in feeding him
The dog had grown extremely fond of hi
young mistress, and would show his attach
nent in many ways peculiar to his kind. Nov
that their darling was lost the captain ha
ordered the steward to bring Blusco to ther
thinking that the sight of him might atfor
melancholy consolation to his wife HaN
ing searched the cabin through without bein
able to find the animal, the steward came C
deck, as we have said to inquire if he ha
been noticed by any of the hands. We a
answered in the negative. None Of US ha
seen the dog since the previous night. Their,
upon the ship was ransacked fore and aft, fl
the missing animal; and although we search
ed in every nook and corner, he was not
Z, be fonnd.
While we were all wondering what had b
come of him, the man at the masthead sun
out that there were whales astern. The ma
instantly ordered the boats to be lowered, al