Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-04-13
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CHAPTER XXI,
WI EXPLODE THE MINES

WI EXPLODE THE MINES.
i don't design to weary you with a close
account OF our proceedings. How we opened
the main deck hatch, rugged up tackles,
ciapping purchases on the falls, as the cap
stan was hard frozen and immovable; how
we hoisted the powder barrels on deck, and
then by tackles on the foreyard lowered them
over the side; how we filed number Of bags
which we found in the forecastle with pow
der; how we measured the cracks In the Ice,
and sawed a couple OF spare studdingsail
booms into lengths to serve as beams whereby
to poise the barrels and bags-would mako
but sailors talk, half of which would be un-
ineligible and the rest wearisome.
The Frenchman worked hard, and we
snatchcd only half an hour for our dinner.
The split that had happened In the ice during
the night showed by daylight as a gulf be.
twixt eight and ten feet wide at the seaward
end, thinning to a width of three feet, never
less, to where it ended, ahead Of the ship, In
a hundred cracks in the ice that showed as IL
thunderbolt had fallen just there looked
into this rent, but it was as black as a well
past certain depth and there was no CLEAN
Of water. When we went over the side to
roll our first barrel of powder to the spot
where we meant to lower it, the Frenchman
marched up to the figure Of Trentanove, and,
with no more reverence than boy would
show in throwing a stone at jackass, tum-
bled him into the chasm. He then stepped
up to the body of the Portuguese boatswain,
dragged him to the same fissure and rolled
him into it.
"There!' cried he; "now they are properly
buried"
And with this ho went coolly on with his
work.
Il Ca,l I,,t
disguised with this brutal disposal of his
miserable shipmates' remains. However, 1t
was his doing, not mine and confess the
removal of those silent witnesses was very
great relief to me, albeit when considered
how Tassard had been awakened, and how
both the mate and the boatswain might have
been brought to by treatment, felt as though
after a manner the Frenchman had COM
mitted murder by burying them SO.
We got our supper and sat smoking and
discussing our situation and chances. Tas-
sard was tired, and this and our contempla-
ton OF the probabilities Of the morrow So
bered his mind, and he talked with certain
gravity. He drank sparely and forbore the
hideous recollections or inventions he was
used to bestow on me, and indeed could find
nothing to talk about but the explosion and
what it was to do for US. was very glad
he did not again refer to his project to bury
the treasure and carry the schooner to tho
Tortugas. The subject fired his blood, and
1t was such nonsense that the mere naming
Of it was nauseous to mo- Eight and forty
years had passed since his ship fell in with
thu ice, and not tenfold the treasure in the
hold might have purchased for him the sight
Of so much as q single bone Of the youngest
Of those associates whom he idly dreamed Of
seeking and shipping and sailing in command
Of. Yet imbecile as was his scheme, having
regard TO the half century that had elapsed,
! clearly witnessed the menace to me that 1t
implied. His views were to be read as plainly
as if he had delivered them. First and fore
most, he meant that should help him to sail
the schooner to an island and bury the plate
and money-which done he would take the
first opportunity to murder me. His chance
Of meeting with ship that would lend him
assistance to navigate the schooner would bo
as good if he were alone in her as il were
on board too. There would be nothing then,
In this consideration to hinder him from cut
ting my throat after we had buried the
treasure and were got north. Two motives
would imperatively urge him to make away
with me: first that should not be able to
serve as a witness to his being pirate; ami,
next, that he alone should possess the secret
Of the treasure.
He little knew what was passing in my
mind as he surveyed me through the curls Of
smoke spouting up from his deaths head
pipe. talked easily and confldentially; but
saw in his gaze the eyes Of my murderer,
and was so sure of his intentions that had
shot him in self defense rs he sat there, am
certain my conscience would have acquitted
me of his blood.
Ipassed two most uneasy hours in my cot
before closing my eyes. l could think Of
nothing but how to secure myself against tho
Frenchman's treachery. You would suppose
that my mind must have been engrossed with
considerations Of the several possibilities Of
the morrow; but that was not SO. My re-
hections ran wholly to the bald headed, evil
eyed pirate whom in an evil hour / had
thawed into being, and who was like to dis
charge the debt Of his own life by taking
mine The truth is, I had been too hard at
work all day--too full Of the business Of
planning, cutting, testing and contriving-
to find leisure to dwell upon what lie had said
at breakfast; and now that lay alone In
darkness, it was the only subject could set.
tie my thoughts to.
However, next morning l found myself
less gloomy, thanks to several hours Of solid
sleep ] thought What is the good OF an
ticipatingi Suppose the schooner is crushed
by the ice, or becomes jammcd in conse-
quence of the explosioni Until we are under
way-nay, until the treasure is buried-l
have nothing to fear, for the rogue cannot do
without me. And, reassuring myself in this
fashion, went to the cook room and lighted
the fire; my companion presently arrived,
and we sat down to our morning meal.
We breakfasted in silence, and then rose,
saying: "Let us now see what the gunpowder
is going to do for u.s."
The wind, as before, was in the southwest,
blowing without much weight, but the sky
was overcast with great masses of white
clouds, with tint of rainbows in their
shoulders and skirts, amid which tho sky
showed a clear liquid blue. Those clouds
seemed to promise wind, and perhaps snow,
anon; but there was nothing to hinder our
operations. We got upon the ice and went
to work to fix matches TO the barrels and
bags, and to sling them by the beams we had
contrived, ready for lowering when the
matches were fired, and this occupied us the
best part Of two hours. When all was ready
fired the first match, and we lowered the
barrel smartly to the scope Of line we had
settled upon; so with the others. You may
reckon we worked with all imaginable wari
ness, for the stuff we handled was mighty
deadly; and il barrel should fall and burst
with the match alight, we might be blown in
an instant into rags, it being impossible tc
tell how deep the rents went.
The bags being lighter, there was less tc
fear; and presently all the barrels and bags
with the matches burning, were poised in the
places and hanging at the depth we had fixed
upon, and we then returned TO the schooner
the Frenchman breaking into a run, and
tumbling over the rail, in his alarm, with the
dexterity Of a monkey.
Each match was supposed TO burn an hour
so that when the several explosions happened
they might all occur as nearly as possible al
once, and we had therefore a long time tc
wait. The margin may look unreasonable
In the face Of our dispatch; but you will moi