Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-04-11


sky were cnveloped in clouds Of snow, in the
heart of which drove our frozen schooner.
We were none of us OF a nationality fit to en-
counter these regions; we carried most Of us
the curly hair of the sun, the chocolate cheek
of the burning zone, and the ice chained the
crew, crouching like Lascars, below, We
swept past many vast icebergs, which would
leap ON a sudden out Of the white whirl of
thickness often so close aboard that the re-
coil of the surge striking against the mass
would flood our decks At all moments of
the day and night we were prepared to feel
the shock of the vessel crushing her bows
against one of those stupendous hills. The
cabin resounded with Salves and AYES, with
invocations to the saints, promises, curses,
and litanies The cold does not make men
of the Spaniards, who are but Indifferent sea
men in temperate climes, and we We're chiefly
Spaniards, with consciences as red as your
English flag
He grinned, emptied the pannikin, and
stretched his hands 10 the fire to warm them.
zone morning, the weather having cleared
somewhat, we found ourselves surrounded by
ice. A great chain hoated ahead Of us, ex-
tending far into the south. The gale blew
dead on to this coast; we burst not haul the
schooner to the wind and our only chance
lay in discovering some bay where we might
find shelter. Such a bay it was my good
luck to spy, lying directly in line with the
ships head. 1t was formed of n great steep
of ice juttiRg a long way slantingly into the
sea, the width between the point and the
main being about third Of a mile. ] seized
the helm, and shouted to the men to hoist
the head Of the mainsail that she might round
to when put the helm down But the fell
lows were in panic terror, and stood gaping
at what they regarded as their doom, calling
81, 1,n coipt= for hnlT
and mercy Into this bay did We rush ON
top of "A huge sea, Trentanove and the cap
tain and | swinging, with set teeth, at the
tiller that was hard alec. She came round,
but with such way upon her that she took a
| long shelving beach of ice, and ran up it to
the distance of half her own length, and there
she lay, with her rudder within touch of the
wash of the water The men, regarding the
schooner as lost, and concluding that if she
went to pieces her boats would be destroyed,
and with them their only chance to escape
from the ice, fell frantic, and lost their wits
altogether They roared, To the boatsi to
the boatsr The captain endeavorcd to bring
them back to their senses; he and and the
mate, and joan BaITos the hoatswain-a
Portuguese among them pistols in
hand, entreatng, cursing, threatening,
think of the p,under in this hold Will
Won abandon it without an effort to save IL
What tlhnk you are your chances for life in
open boats in this sea- The schooner lies
protected here the weather will moderate
presently, and we may then be able to slide
her Off But reason as we would, the cow
ardly dogs refused to listen. They had
preached a spirit cask aft, and passed the
LIQUOR along the decks while they hoisted the
pinnace out of the hold and got the other
boats over. The drink maddened, yet left
hos, a boo ThatF nt
wait to come at tho treasure in the run-the
fools believed the ship would tumble to pieces
as she stood-but entered the foreoastle and
the officers cabins, and routed about for what
ever money and trinkets they might stuff
into their pockets without loss of time; and
then provisioning the boats, they called to
us to join them, but we said, Moon which
they ran the boats down to the water, tum-
bled into them, and pulled away round the
point of ice. We lost sight of them then,
and / have little doubt that they all per-
ished shortly afterwardn
He ceased. | was anxious to hear more.
"You had been six months on the ice when
the stupor fell upon youg'
GAY, fbout six months. The ice gathered
about us and built us in. | recollect it was
three days after we stranded that, going on
deck, / saw the bay (as | term it, filled with
ice We drew up several plans to escape, |
but none satisfied us Besides, sir, we had a
treasure on board which we had risked our
neclls to get, and we were prepared to go on
imperiling our lives to save it. Twas natu- |
raj. We had a great store of coal forward |
and amidshps, for we had faced the Horn in |
coming and knew what we had to expect in |
returning. We were also richly stocked with |
provisions and drink of all sorts There were |
but four of us, and dealt with what we |
had as if we designed it should last us fifty |
years. But the cold was frightful; it was |
not in flesh and blood to stand it. Ono day |
we had been locked up about five months |
Mendoza said he would get upon the rocks |
and take a view of the sea He did not re- |
turn. The others were too weak to seek him, |
and they were half blind besides; / went, but |
the ice was full of caves and hollows, and |
the like, and could not find him, nor could |
| look for him long, the cold being the hand |
of death itself up there. The time went by; |
Trentanove went stone blind, and l had to |
put food and drink into his hands that he |
might live. A week before the stuDor came /
upon me | went ON deck and saw joan Bar
ros leaning at the rail. | called to him. but |
he made no reply. l approached and looked |
at him, and found him frozen Then hap
pened what | have told you We were in
the cabin, the mate seated at the table, wait
ing for me to lead and support him to the
COOK room, Tor he was SO weak lie could
scarce carry his weight A sudden faintness
seized me, and sank down upon the bench
opposite him, letting my head fall upon my
arms. His cry startled mel looked up
saw him, as have said; but the cabin then
turned black, my head sank again, and l re-
member no more.n
He paused, and then cried in French,
That is ALL They are dead-Jules Tassard
livesi The devil is loyal to his ownl" and
with that he lay back and burst into laugh
ter.
"And this said |, "was in 1853"
YES he answered, "and this is 1901
eight and forty years afterward, heyN and
he laughed out again. Give talked so
much" said he, "that, dye know, 1 think an
other nap will do me good What Goals
have you found in the shipr
l told him
Good" he cried; Eve can keep ourselves
warm for some time to come, anyhow"
And, so saying, he pulled rug up to his
nose and shut his eyes
ITO BE CONTINUED
worth Knowing,