The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-06
Ice Bound.
By w. CLARK RUSSELL.
.Author of"The Wreck Of the dro''en"r'
"Jacks Courtship," MY Wdfch N-
Io,e," "7He Lazy Maud rte.
CHAPTER XII.
A LONELY MIG II 7.


had pipe Of my own in my pocket;
fetched a small block Of the black tobacco
that was in the pantry, and with some
trouble. for it was as hard and dry as glass,
ehipped off bowlful and fell a-pufng with
all the satisfaction Of u Hardened lover Of
tobacco who has lcng Deen denied his favorits
relish.
Nv pipe being emptied, threw some more
Goals into the furnace. and putting candle
i'm the lantern went aft TO take another view
of the little cabins, in one of which re-
solved 10 sleep: for though the cook room
wouId bavo served me best while the ire
burned, ] reckoned upon it making n colder
habitation when the furnace was black than
those small compartments iii the stern Inc
cold on deck gushed down so bitingly through
the omen companion hatch that | was fam 10
close il. mounted the steps, and with much
ado shipped the cover and shut the door, by
which of course the great cabin, as call the
room in which the two men were, was
MINCED in darkness: but the cold was not
tolerabe, and the parcels Of candles In the
larder rendered me indifferent 70 tho gloom
On entering the passage in which we're the
had before escaped my observation-l mean
small trap hatch no bigger than man
hole, with ring for lifting it, midway down
the lane suspected this TO he the entrance
70 the lazarcttc, and putting both hands 10
the ring pulled the hatch up. ! smiled eau
tiously, fearing foul air, and then SINKING
the lantern by the length of my arm peered
down, and observed the outlines OF casks,
bales, cases Of white wood. chests, ana so
forth dropped through the hole on to
cask, which left my head and shoulders
above the deck, and then with the utmost
caution stopped and threw the lantern light
around me But the casks were not powder
barrels, which perhaps a little reflection
might have led me TO suspect, since 1t was
not TO he supposed that any man would stow
his powder in the lazarette.
As | was in the way Of settling my mis-
giyings touching the stock of food IN the
schooner. | resolved 20 push through with
this business at once, and fetching the chop
per went TO work upon these barrels and
chests; and very briefly will tell you what
found First, ! dealt with a tierce that
proved full Of salt beef There was n whole
row of these tierces, and one sufiiced 10 ex-
press the nature of the rest there were up
ward of thirty barrels of pork: one canvas
bale / ripped open was full of hams, and OF
these bales counted half a score. The white
cases held biscuit There were several sacks
Of peas. a number Of barrels of -four cases
Of candles, cheeses, a quantity of tobacco,
not to mention a variety of jars of several
shapes, some of which | afterward found TO
contain marmalade and succadoes of differ
ont binds I'm lnocliDp tho head off ono
cask found it held frozen body that by
the light Of the lantern looked as black as
ink; Clipped off bit, sucked it, and found
it wine.
Twas SO transported by the sight of this |
wonderful plenty that fell upon my knees
In an outburst of gratitude, and gave hearty |
thanks TO God for his mercy. There was no
further need for me to dismally wonder |
whether was To starve or no; supposing the |
provisions sweet, here was food enough 70 |
last me three or four years. ] was so over !
joyed and withal curious that ! forgot all |
about the time and ilourishing the chopper |
made the round Of the lazarette, sampling its 4
freight by individual instances, so that by |
the time was tired had enlarged the list | |
have given by discoveries Of brandy, beer, |
oatmeal, oil, lemons, tongues, vinegar, rum |
and eight or ten other matters, all slowed |
very bunglingly, and in 50 many different |
kinds of casks, cases, jars and other vessels |
as disposed me TO believe that several pratt |
cal rummagings must have gone TO the crca |
ton of this handsome and plentiful stock OF |
good things.
Well, thought ], even if there be no more |
coal in the ship than what lies in the cook |
house, enough fuel is here i'll the shape Of |
casks, boxes and the like to thaw me pro |
visions for six months, besides what | may |
come across in the hold, along with the ham
mocks bedding, boxes and so forth, in the |
forecastle, all which would be good to feed |
nv fire with This was q most comforting |
reflection and i recOllect of sprnging out !
through the lazarette hatch with as spirited |
caper as ever had cut at any time of my |
life.
replaced the hatch cover, and having nc
solved upon the aftmost OF the four cabins |
as my bedroom, entered it to see what kind |
of accommodation it would yield me. ! hung |
up the lantern, and looked into the cot that |
was slung athwartships, and spied a couple |
of rugs or blankets which pulled out, hay !
ing no fancy TO lie under them. The deck |
was like an old clothes shop or the wardrobe |
VI Il lltNclii7 bp'p VI dNt'lo rum llif /
confusion in this and the adjoining cabins / |
concluded that there had been rush al the |
laSt-a wild oyerhauling and Ainging about !
of clothes for articles of more value hidden |
among them. But Just as likely as not She /
disorder merely indicated the sloyculy indif /
ference of plunderers to the fruits Of 4 pillagc I
that had overstocked them.
The first garment picked up was a cloak /
of a sort of silk material, richly furred and /
lined all the buttons but one had been cut /
of, and that which remained was silver /
spread it in the cot, as it was a soft thing 10
lie upon. Then | picked up a coat of the /
fashion you will seq in Hogarth's engravings |
the coat collar broad fold, and the cuffs |
to the elbow. This was as good as a rug, and |
put it into the cot with the other
swept the huddlc of things with my foot |
into corner, and lifting the lids Of the boxes |
saw more clothes, some books, collection of |
small arms, couple of quadrants and |
sundry rolls of paper, which proved to be /
charts of the islands of the Antilles and tho |
western South American coast very ill di |