The mountain Democrat., 1864-07-23
THE ARCTIC PRISON.

y
were ascending them. 1t was a darl
night, yet not so dark but that we coulC
see the lofty icebergs by which we wer
surrounded looming up like specter
through the gloom. We were tossin,
about on the waters of the Arctic Ocean
and-subjected to heavy sea and gal,
of wind-our position was a dangerous
one.
We had already begun to prepare raft
and to hoist our chests on deck-expect
ing every moment that the ship would b,
stove by the ice. Heavy masses wer'
continually crushing against the bows
and laundering under the counter, caus
ing the vessel to shake and culver from
stem TO stern, as though every timber wa
about to give way. At times the concus
sion would be so violent that all hand
would be thrown off their feet, and tum
BILE on top of each other, in a manner tina
was far from agreeable. Suddenly whit
face with wild glaring eyes and quiverinl
lips, appeared among US. 1t was that o
the captains wife. She had her hand up
on her husbands arm, as he stood nea
the bow.
Lillian Lilian! she gasped, where il
our Lillian 2
Lillian? Good heavens wife, what dc
I you mean? | left her with you in tn,
cabin =
She is not there now-I have looked ir
/ all the rooms. Oh, God my child! my
child = and the mother wrung her hand.
in anguish, while her white face grew
still whittier.
Wife! wife y exclaimed the captain
half sternly. Lillian was with you when
| left the cabin; surely, surely you did
not let her leave your side at such time
as this =
Yes, yes' cried his wife, in accents ol
the most piercing grief 1t is all my fault
--sne is lost My little one is los! ! and
| am the cause
For Gods sake, explain yourself, gasp
cd the captain.
i left her down in the cabin, faltrred
the asonized mother, and came on deck,
as | wanted to speak to you. thought
you were in the waist, so groped my way
there and tried TO lind you. Not seeing
You, | started on my return, fearing t.
leave Lin so long alone. But when |
reached tae cabin again, she was not there
she 'as gone, gone! God only knows
w!1rre -
Lillian, Lillian has any one seen Lii
lan =
But Tie loud wind only answered with
a deeper howl The long yards still crrak.
II upon their ruStv rivetS. The heavy
lceberg> crashed upon the bows; and the
tlmbers groaued and shook as they had
done before. The silvery accents of little
Ii ian ) voice came not to our cars, and We
f,t as if it was hu>hed forever But the
WaI,iug tones Of the poor mpthcr, and the
despalring shouts Of the father both OF
whom could not hear 10 give up their
child continued long after our Voices had
ceased. Then we, rough hearted, child.
less men though We were forgetting our
own dagger, gathered about the afflicted
pair aud tried TO console them. den I
think We succeeIei very well, for our
Voices trcmhOeu great deal; and the tears
would come to our eyes. though We kept
wiping them away with the cuffs Of our
heavy jackets.
No one OF US but had loved Lillian al
most as well As the parents them selves. -
She was but seven years Of age but the
earnest g'ancc Of her large blue eyes would
20 Strai .ht to our hearts and make US feel
kind and good towards each other. To
utter an oath when she was near would
have seemed like Sacrilege. Like lily,
size had tloomcd in oar midst, shedding u
heavenly influence about her.
Strong strong is the power Of in
nocent childhnod over a sinful heart
1t was while we thus stood, clustering
near the bnLqce, offering what little con-
ISOLATION we could to the captain and his
wife, that one Of the. ships crew-an old
tar, by the name Of BIZ Butler-came to-
ward US, holding a fe~ little torn Shreds
Of cloth in his hand.
Il found these ere hanging on hook
on the outside Of the bulwark,' said Bill
in mounful voice.
1t is part of Lilan'S dress shriekcd
the captains voice.
The captain buried his face in his hands
with a groan, and we looked at one aud
another in sad silence. There could no
longer be any doubt about the matter
Lillian had fallen overheard.
The few remaining hours Of the night
wore away. The gale subsidcd. Mirac-
ulously, as it seemed to US, the sea had
gone down with the gale, there was now
no more danger. Overwhelmed with grief,
vet feeling it his duty to try and console
his wife, the captain descended into the
cabin, leaving the management of the
ships affairs in the hands of the mate
Presently the steward came on deck. lie
wished to know if any of the hands had
Seen Blusco that morning. This was the
name of large Newfoundland dog, which
had been a great favorite with Lillian, and
she had especial delight in feeding him.
The dog had grown extremely fond of his
young mistress, and would show his at
tachlnent in many ways peculiar to his
kind.
Now that their darling was lost, the
captain had ordered the steward to bring
Blusco to thinking that the sight
of him might afford melancholy conso-
lation to his wife. Having searched the
cabin through without being able to find
the animal, the steward came Oh deck, as
we have. said, to inquire if be had been
noticed by any of the hands. We all an.
swered in the negative. None of us had
seen the dog since the previous night. -
Thereupon the ship was ransacked fore
and aft for the missing animal; and al
though we searched in every nook and
corner, he was not to be found.
While we were all wondering what had
become of him, the man at the mast sung
out that there were whales astern. The
mate Instantly ordered the boats to be
lowered, and before we had scarcely time
to divest ourselves of the idea that we
were still looking for the dog, we were
padding swiftly in the wake Of great fat