San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-04-02

oOner marked or noteworthy cnange did de-
tect from the deck; but on stepping to tho
larboard side to peer over I spied split in
the ice that reached from the very margin Of
the ravine-I mean to that end of it where it
terminated in a cliff-to and past the bows Of
the schooner by at least four times her own
length.
returned to the cook room and went about
the old business of lighting the fire and pre-
pairing the breakfast-this job, by an under
standing between the Frenchman and me,
falling to him who was first out of bed-and
in about twenty minutes Tassard arrived.
1.-The wind is gone" said he.
Eyes" replied; sit is bright, still morn
ing. have been on deck. There has been
great fall of ice close to-"
docs it block usl'
"No; on the contrary, it clears the way to
the sea; the ocean is now visible from the
deck Not that it mends our case" added
"But there is great rent in the ice that puts
fancy into my head; I'll speak Of is later,
after a closer look"
The breakfast was ready, and we fell to in
hurry, the Frenchman gobbling like hog
in his eagerness to make an end. When we
were finished he wrapped himself up in three
or four coats and cloaks, warming the under
ones before folding them about him, and
completing his preparations for the excur-
sion by swallowing half pint of raw brandy.
l bade him arm himself with short headed
spear to save his neck, and thus equipped we
went on deck.
He stood stock still with his eyes shut on
emerging through the hatch, crying out with
a number of French oaths that he had been
struck blind. This l did not believe, though
readily supposed that the glare made his
eyeballs smart so as to cause him good deal
of agony. Indeed, all along had been sur
prised that he should have found his sight so
easily after having sat in blindness for forty
eight years, and it was not wonderful that
the amazing brillance on deck, shifting his
sight on a sudden, should have caused him to
cry out as if he had lost the use of his eyes
forever.
l waited patiently, and in about ten min
uteS he was able to look about Ian, and then
it was not long before he could see without
pain. He stood minute gazing at the glo-
ries upon the rigging, and in that piercing
light noticed the unwholesome color of his
face. His cap hid the scar, and nothing Of
his countenance was to be seen but the
cheeks, eyes and nose. He was much more
wrinkled than 1 had supposed, and me-
thought the spirit of cruelty lay visible in
every line. had never seen eyes so full OF
cunning and treachery- expressive, 1
should say, of these qualities; yet they were
no bigger than mere punctures. was sem
sible of a momentary fear of the man-not,
let me say, an emotion of cowardice, but
sort of mixture of alarm and awe, such as a
ghost might inspire. This I put down to
the searching light in which watched him
for moment or two-an irradiation subtle
enough to give the sharpest form to express
sion, to exquisitely define every meaning
that was distinguishable in his graveyard
physiognomy. left him to stare and judge
for himself of the posture in which the long,
hard gale had put the schooner, and stepped
over to the two bodies. They were shrouded
in ice from head to foot, as though they had
each man been packed in glass case cum
ningly wrought to their shapes. Their faces
were hid by the crystal masks. Tassard
joined me.
Small chance for your friends now," said
I, ''even if you were agreeable to my pro-
posal to attempt to revive them
''So~ cried he, touching the body of the
mate with his foot; land this is the end of
the irresistible Trentanovel for what con-
quests has Death robed him so bravelyi
See, the colors shine in him like fifty differ
ent kinds of ribbons. Poor fellowl he could
not curl his mustaches now, though the
loveliest eyes in Europe were fixed in pas
sionate admiration on him. He'll never slit
another throat, nor hiccough Petrarch over
gobletful, nor demonstrate with me for my
humanity. Shall we toss the bodies over
the sideg'
"They are your friends" said L ''do as
you please"
'But we must empty their pockets first.
Business before sentiment, Mr.. Rodney"
He stirred the figure again with his foot.
swell, presently" said he, this armor
will want the Ratchet. Now, my friend, to
view the work of the gale.n
The increased heel of the ship brought the
larboard fore channel low, and we stepped
without difficulty from it on to the ice. The
rent or fiSsure that have before spoken of
went very deep-it was nearly two feet wide
in places; but, though the light poured bril-
iantly upon it, 1 could see no bottom.
''lf only such another split as this would
happen t'other side" said the Frenchman,
II believe this block would go adrift.n
"Well, b" said after musing little while, as
ran my eye over the hollows, ''I'D tell you
what was in my mind just now. There is a
great quantity of gunpowder in the hold
ten OF dozen barrels. By dropping large
parcels Of it into the crevices on the right
| there, and firipGsit yyith slow matchasn-