Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-04-04
CHAPTER XII
MAKE FURTHER DISCOVERIES.

couple of minutes felt the nip Of it in my
very marrow. Yet, fierce as the cold was
here, it was impossible it could be compare
BILE with the rigurs Of the parts in which this
schooner had originally got locked up in the
ice. No doubt II died on deck my body
would be frozen as stiff as the figure ON the
rocks; but, though it was very conceivable
that might perish of cold in the cabin by
sitting still, / was sure the temperature be-
low had not the severity TO stonify me 10 the
granite of the men at the table.
Still, though a greater degree of cold
cold as killing as II the world had fallen sun
less-dd unquestionably exist in those lati-
tudes, whence this ice with the schooner in
its hug had floated, it was so bitterly bleak
in this interior that twas scarce imaginable
il could be colder elsewhere; and as | rose
from the caslS, shuddering TO the heart with
the frosty motionless atmosphere, my mind
naturally went to the consideration Of fire
by which | might sit and toast myself.
| put bunch of candles in my pocket
they were us hard as parcel of marline
spikes-and took the lantern into the passage
and inspected the next room. Here was u
cot hung up 10y hooks, and a large black chest
stood in cleats upon the deck; some clothes
danglcd from pins in the bulkhead, and upon
kind of tray fixed upon short legs and
serving as IA shelf were miscellaneous
bundle Of boots, laced waistcoats, three
corner hats, couple of swords, three or four
pistols, and other objects not very readily
distinguishable by the candle light. There
was a port which l tried to open, but found
IL SO hard frozen should need "A handspike
to start it, There were three cabins besides
this-the last cabin that is, the one in the
stern, being the biggest of the lot, Each had
its cot, and each also had its own special
muddIc and litter of boxes, clothes, firearms,
swords and the like.
Indeed, by this time | was beginning to
see how it was. The suspicion that the
watches and jewelry | had discovered on
the bodies of the men had excited was now
confirmed, and l was satisfied that this
schooner had been pirate or buccaneer, of
what nationality | could not yet divine
methought Spanish from the costume of the
first figure had encountered; and | was also
convinced, by the brief glance l directed at
the things in the cabin, particularly the wear
ing apparel, and the make and appearance
of the firearms, that she must have been in
this position for upward of fifty years.
The thought awed me greatly-twenty
years before l was born those two men were
sitting dead III the cabinl He ON deck was
keeping his blind and silent lookout; he on
the rocks, with his hands locked upon his
knees, sat sunk in blank and frozen contem-
platiOnl
Every cabin had its port, and there were
ports in the vessels side opposite; but on re-
Election considered that the cabin would be
the warmer for their remaining closed, and
so l came away and entered the great cabin
afresh, bent ON exploring the forward part.
| must tell you that the maipmast, pierre |
ing the upper deck, came down close against |
the bulkhead that formed the forward wall |
of the cabin, and on approaching this parti- |
Al -, 4
that the hatch lay open on top, remarked |
sliding door ON the larboard side of the mast |
put my shoulder to it and very easily ran |
it along its grooves, and then found myself |
in the way Of a direct communication with |
all the fore portion of the schooner. The ar.
rangement indeed was SO odd that | sus.
pected u piratical device IN this uncommon
method of opening out at will the whole
range of deck. The air here was as vile as
in the cabins, and had to wait bit.
On entering discovered little compart-
ment with racks on either hand filled with |
small arms. | afterward counted lis musliets,
kind, while the sides of the vessel were hung
with pistols great and little, boarding pixies,
cutlasses hangers and other sorts of sword.
This armory was a sight to set me walking |
very cautiously, for it was not likely that
powder should be wanting in a ship thus
equipped, and where was it stoweds
There was another sliding door in the for
ward partition; it stood open, and | passed
tit 49,. h,,,ea I,,,,.na tha $500 S 80
,,,, 1io,,d I,o,.,, ,'ar,iaa Co.. dooss
;.Ir. go m r,,,,,,os ,,,on, ~ i.;o,, o,,,
,ho ,r,.aat an, ,r,oo+ ga, far
~. ~ 49, $50, tr,i= - - - 80
- ,,';tt -
- 80 ~ ~, i',,,-,,,, ~ a,aa1
T., -. rat ~ i,,,,,+ 90 l;tel,o,, 81,
,,it,,,. A., ,,,, Ill ~ ,,,,oot 20 er,d In tho
ii, - -, I,,I;.,a,, tie -. -, 49,, - |
r. h,,,,,I,oI ,,ns,a,,cra,,, Ahn,,t holf |
1T L., - 49,, n - T. I,,I l., = ,,,a,,, |
on[,,Io,. fonoa tittod to tho obi,,s sido for tho
sirI,t - ,,hiI ,Lo,,l,ol Cod 7 bold a. |
Ia7,,, g., +h frr,,,,a o,,I oLso,rroa - |
-, - -; ~ .t,I 80, -. |
- ~. - -, So
-e ~ - ~ ~, ~ " go y, ~ We"
A'o co'''' wv .' ~ INC ioi ia" nv
.iT'iceo any SUN oDJoCU ~ tuo uiTey nau
o'Neit Va '"' ''''Ii 49, o. ''i a,sV' .h'usnS'
'na. tno'o ''ieh 9uouii nav iio1e,i W uee''n
WIN INC maternal III 'le snip ior keepihs d
nle SoihsS' puo 'neh my ""oio oiscoFeiy
regarded as one Oh those secrets OF Ihe deep'
"hlch dely the utmost Inauguration ana ex-
perlence OF man TO explain them. Enough
That here was schooner whlch mad been IN
TERED IN sepulcher OF ice as might ra-
tlonally conclude Tor near halt a century;
Ihat there were dead men IN her, VINO looked
70 nave been frozen 10 deabh tnat Sne was
apparently stored WIN miscellaneous pooty; |
hat she was powerfully armed Tor a craft or |
Ter size, and had manlfeStly gone crowded | I
With men, All this was plain, and L say it
vas enough for me. ,
Before l could make fire the chimney ,