Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-29
ICE BOUND.
BY W. CLARK RUSSELL,
Author Of "7Ac vreck Of the Grosrenor."
lacks Courtship," my Watch Be-
Ioc,r "7he Lady Maud Etc.
(coNTrnUnO.l
CHAPTER x1.
I MAKE ruRrHra DISCOVERIES.


did not feel the cold, but II stood or sat
couple Of minutes felt the nip Of IL in my
very marrow. Yet, hercc a. tho cold was
here, II was impossible Il could be compare
BILE with the rigors Of the parts in which this
schooner had originally got locked up In tho
ice. No doubt II I died on deck my body
would be frozen as stiff a. the figure on the
rocks; but, though IL was very conceivable
that might perish Of cold In the cabin by
sitting still, was sure the temperature bo-
low had not tho severity TO stonify mo to the
granite Of the men at the table.
Still, though a greater degree Of cold
cold as killing as IL the wcrld had fallen sun
lees-did unquestionably exist in those lAti-
tudes, whence this leo with the schooner in
it's hing had 1oated, 1t was so bitterly bleak
In this interior that twas scarce imaginable
IL could be colder elsewhere; and as rose
from tho cask, shuddering to the heart with
the frosty, inotionless atmosphere, my mind
naturally went to the consideration Of fire
by which might sit and toast myself
Iput a bunch Of candles in my pocket
they were as hard as a parcel Of marlne
spikes-and took the lantern into the passage
and inspected the next room. Here was a
cot hung up by hooks, and large black chest
stood in cleats upon the deck; somo clothes
dangled from pins in the bulkhead, and upon
. kind Of tray fixed upon short legs and
serving as shelf were o 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 port which tried to open, but found
it SO hard frozen should need handspko
to start it, There were three cabins besides
this-the last cabin, that is, the one in tho
stern, being the biggest of the lot. Each had
its cot, and each also had its own special
muddle and litter of boxes, clothes, firearms,
swords and the like.
Indeed, by this timo was beginning to
sec how it was. The suspicion that tho
watches and jewelry had discovered on
the bodies Of tho men had excited was now
confirmed, and I was satisfied that this
schooner had been pirate or buccaneer, Of
what nationality l could not yet divine
methought Spanish from the costume Of tho
first figure had encountered; and I was also
convinced, by tho brief glance directed at
the things In the cabin, particularly the wear
ing apparel, and the make and appearance
of tho firearms, that she must have been in
this position for upward of fifty years.
The thought awed me greatly--twenty
years before was born those two men wero
sitting dead in the cabini 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-
plationi
Every cabin had its port, and thero were
ports in the vessels side opposite; but on re-
Election / considered that tho cabin would be
the warmer for their remaining closed, and
SO came away and entered the great cabin
afresh, bent on exploring the forward part.
must tell you that the mainmast, pierre
ing the upper deck, camo down close against
the bulkhsad that formed tho forward wall
Of tho cabin, and on approaching this parti-
tion, the daylight being broad enough now
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 tho way Of direct communication with
oil the fore portion Of the schooner. The ar
rangement indeed was 80 odd that sus-
pected 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 l had to wait bit.
On entering discovered a little compart-
ment with racks ON either hand filed with
small arms. afterward counted lis muskets,
blunderbusses and fusils, all Of an antique
kiNi, while the sides Of tho vessel were hung
with pistols great and little, boarding pixies,
cutlasses, hangers and other sorts of sword.
This armory was O sight to set me walking
very cautiously, for it was not likely that
powder should be wanting In ship thus
equipped; and where was it stowedi
There was another sliding door in the for
ward partitions, 1t stood oren, and passed
through it into what Immediately saw was
the cook house. / turned tho lantern about
and discovered every convenience for dress
ing food. The furnaces were OF brick and
the oven was great one-great, l mean, for
the size of the vessel. There were pots, pans
and kettles in plenty, a dresser with drawers,
dishes of tin and earthenware, a Dutch clock
lin short, such an equipment OF kitchen fur
niture as you would not expect to find In the
galley of an Indiaman built to carry two or
three hundred passengers. About half q
chaldron of small coal lay heaped in a wooden
angular fence fitted to tho ships side, for the
sight Of which thanked God. held the
lantern to the furnace, and observed a
crooked chimney rising to the deck and pass
Ing through it. The mouth or head of 1t was
no doubt covered by the snow, for had not
noticed any such object in the survey had
taken of the vessel above. Strange, thought,
that those men should have frozen to death
with the material in tho ship for keeping a
fire going. But then my whole discovery
regarded as ono Of those secrets Of the deep,
which defy the utmost imagination and ex-
perience Of man to explain them Enough
that hero was schooner which had been in
TERED in O sepulcher Of ice, as might ra-
tionally conclude for near half o century;
that there were dead men in her, who looked
to have been frozen to death; that sho was
apparently stored with miscellaneous booty 7;
that she was powerfully armed for a craft Of
her size, and had manifestly gone crowded
with men. All this was plain, and i say 1t
was enough for me.
Before l could make q fire tho chimney
must be cleared. Among the furniture in the
arms room were a number Of spade headed
spears-the spade as wide as tho length Of a
mans thumb and about foot long, mounted
on light, thin wood. Armed with one Of
these weapons, passed into the cabin to pro-
ceed ON deck.
Ispeedily spied the chimney, which showed
head of two feet above the deck and made
short work of the snow that was frozen in it,
as nothing could have been filter to cut ice
with than the spade shaped weapon carried.
This done, returned to the cook room, and
with a butchers AK that hung against the
bulkhead knocked away one of the boards
that confined the coal, split 1t into small
pieces and in a short time had kindled good
fire, When l was thoroughly warm and com
forted | took the lantern and went aft to the
stewards room and brought thence cheese
o. ham, some biscuit and one of the jars OF
spirits, all Of which / carried to the cool
room and placed the whole of them in the
oven was extremely hungry and thirsty
and the warmth and cheerfulness of the fire
set me yearning for hot meal. But how wa!
TO make me bowl without fresh wateri
went on deck and scratched up some snow
but the salt in it gave it a sickly taste, and
was not only certain it would spoil and make
disgusting whatever l mixed it with OF
cooked in it, but it stood as a drink to dis
order ny. stomach and bring on an illness