Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-04-04
IC E 30 U II D.
Rv ". CLARK RUSSELL,
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 II was twenty minutes after the hour at which the mines had been framed to explode V aen the last parcel burst; but waited another quarter Of an hour to make sure that it was the last, during all which time the growing and roaring noises deep down con- tinued, as if there was Q battle of a thousand lions raging iI the vaults and hollows under heath. The smoke had been settled away by the wind, and the prospect was clear. We ran below to see to the fire and receive five minutes of heat into our chilled bodies, and then returned to view the scene
 looked first over the starboard side, and saw the great split that had happened in the night torn in places into immense yawns and gulfs by the fall of vast masses of rock out Of it's sides, but what most delighted me was the hollow sound of washing water. l lifted my hand and listened.
 '''Tis the swell of the sea flowing into the opening!" 1 exclaimed.
 That means" said Tassard, '9that this side of the block is dislocated from the main"
 ''Ncs,' cried !; ''and if the powder ahead of the bows has done it's work, the heave of the ocean will do the rest.''
 We made our way on to the forecastle over g deep bed of splinters of ice, lying like wood slaVinGs upon the deck; and 1 took notice as l walked that every glorious crystal pendant that had before adorned the yards, rigging and spars had been shaken off. ] had expected to see 2 wonderful spectacle of havoc in the ice where the barrels of gun powder had been poised; but saving many scores of cracks where none was before, and vast ragged gashes in the mouths of the crevices down which the barrels had been lowered, the scene was much as heretofore
 The Frenchman stared, and exclaimed, "What has the powder done?. l see only few cracI,s.''
 What it may have done I don't know,'' I answered; but depend it such heavy charges of powder must have burst to some purpose. The dislocation will be below, and so much the better, for 'tis there the ice must come asunder if this block is to go free"
 He gazed about him, and then rapping out a string of oaths-English, Italian, and French, for he sEore in all the languages he spoke, which, he once told me, were five--he declared that for his part he considered the powder wasted, that we'd have done as well to fling 6 hand grenade into a Assure; that a thousand barrels Of powder would be but as @ popgun for rcnding the schooner's bed from the main; and, in short with several insult ing looks and a face black with rage and dis appointment, gave me very plainly to know that had not only played the fool myself, but had made a fool of him, and that he was heartily sorry he had ever given himself any trouble to cOutrive the cursed mines or to as- sist mo in a ridiculous project that might have resulted in blowing the schooner to pieces and ourselves with it.
 l glanced at him Wi5h 9 sheer, but took no furt her notice of his insolence. It was not only that he was so conten1ptible in all re spects-a liar, a rogue, 6 thief, a poltroon, hoary in twenty walks of vice-there was something so unearthly about creature that had been as good as dead for eight and forty years that it was impossible anything he could say could affect me as the rancorous tongue of another man would. l feared and hated him, because I knew that in intent he was already my assassin; but the mere in- science of so incredible 0 creature could not but find me imperturbable.
 ''Ihere is nothing to be seen by staring" he exclaimed presently, speaking very sul- lenly. II am hungry and freezing, and shall go belown And with that be turned his back and made off, growing in his throat as he went.
 I got upon the ice and stepped very care fully to the starboard side, and looked down the vast split there The sea in consequence of the slope did not come so far, but I could hear the wash of the water very plain It was certain that the valley in which we lay was wholly disconnected from the main ice on this side. passed to the larboard quar- ter, and here too were cracks wide and deep enough to satisfy me that it's hold was weak. It was forward of the bows, where the barrels had been exploded, that the ice was thickest and had the firmcst grasp; but it's surface was violently and heavily cracked by the ex- plosions, and I thought to myself if the ifs sures below are as numerous, then certainly the swell of the sea ought to fetch the whole mass away But I was now half frozen my self and pining for warmth. It was after 1 o'clock. The wind was piping freshly, and the great heavy clouds i'll swarms drove stately across the sky.
 ''It may blow to-night,' thought I, land if the wind hangs it is just such sea as may do our business will be set running' And thus Inusing, I entered the ship and went below.