Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-26
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CHAPTER VII.
IAN STARTLED NJ A DISCOVERY,


In this uneasy posture, despite the intense
cold, continued to sleep soundly during tho
greater part of the night. I was awakened
by a horrid dream of some giant shape stalk
ing down the slope of ice so seize and devour
me, and sat up trembling with horror that
was not little increased by my inability to
recollect myself, and by my therefore con-
ceiving the canvas that covered me to be tho
groping Of the ogrcs hand over my face.
pushed the sail away and stood up, but
had instantly to sit again, my legs being ter.
ribly crampcd. A drink OF spirits helped
me; my blood presently flowed with brisk
ness.
Tho moon was in the west: she hung large,
red and distorted, and shed no light save her
reflection, that waved IN the sea under her
like several lengths Of undulating, red hot
wire.
had no mind to lie down again. The
cold indeed was cruelty sharp, and the smoke
sped from my mouth at every breath, as
though held a tobacco pipe bctwixt my
teeth. got upon the ice and stepped about
it quickly, darting searching glances into
the gloom to left and right of the setting
moon; but all lay bare, bleak and black
1t seemed as il the night had only just de-
scended, so tardy was the dawn Outside
the santing wall Of ice that made my haven,
the swell swept past in gurgling, bubbiing,
drowning sound, dismal and ghastly, as
though in truth some such ogre as the mon
ster had dreamed Of lay suffocating there.
welcomed the cold coloring Of the east as il
1t had been ship, and watched the stars dy-
ing and the frozen shore darkening to the
dim and sitting dawn behind It, against
which the outline of the cliffs ran in broken
streak of ink. The rising of the sun gave
me fresh life
made up my mind to climb as high as I
could, taking the oar with me to serve as O
pole, that might view the ice and the ocean
round about, and form O judgment Of tho
weather by the aspect Of the sky, of which
only the western part was visible from my
low strand. But first must break iny fast.
remember bitterly iamenting the lack of
means to make a fire, that might obtain a
warm meal and hot drink, and dry my
gloves, coat and breeches, to which tho damp
OF the salt clung tenaciously. Had this ice
been land, though the most desolate, gloomy,
repulsive spot in the world, had surely
found something that would burn.
l sat in the boat to cat my slender repast,
and when it was ended pulled the oar out of
the crevice, and found 1t would make me a
good pole to probe my way with and support
myself by up the slope. The boat was now
held by the mast which shook and found
very firm. Iput an empty beer bottle in my
pocket, meaning to sec if l could fill it. IL
the snow up above was sweet enough to be
well tasted, and then with final look at the
boat l started ...
The slope was extremely craggy. Blocks
OF ice lay about, some on top of the others,
and had sometimes to warily walk fifty or
sixty PAGES round these blocks to come at q
part of the slope that was smooth.
1 had como to q stand to fetch breath,
and was moving on afresh, when, having
taken not half dozen steps, i spied the figure
OF man. He was in a sitting posture, his
back against rock that had concealed him.
His head was bowed, and his knees drawn
up to a level with his chin, and his naked
hands were clasped upon his legs His atti-
tude was that of person lost in thought
very easy and calm.
stopped as IL had been shot through the
heart. Had it been bear or a sea lion, or
any creature which my mind could instantly
have associated with this white and stirless
desolation, l might have been startled indeed;
but no such amazement could have possessed
me as now felt 1t never entered into my
head to doubt that he was alive so natural
was his attitude, as of oIe lost in a mood Of
tender melancholy.
stood staring at him, myself motionless,
for some minutes, too greatly astonished and
thunderstruck to note more than that he was
n man. Then l looked about me to sec il
he had companions or for some signs Of q
habitation, but the ice was everywhere
naked. i fixed my eyes on him again. His
hair was above foot long, black as ink,
and the blacker may be for tho contrast of
the snow. His beard and mustache, which