The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-06
orsr,rng,c, .oooror tho companion nmcn ,

ness OF the cabin il was like looking at thu
sun himself, and had to stand a full thres
minutes with my hand upon my eyes before
could accustom my sight to tho dazzling
glare. II was fine weather again; the sky
over the glass like masts Of the schooner wa.
clear, dark blue, with few light cloud.
blowing over it from the southwark. The
wind had shifted at last; but, pure as tn,
heavens were, the breeze was piping briskly
with the weight and song OF a small gale
| and its fangs of frost, even in the compara
tive quiet Of the sheltered deck bit with a
Gerceness that had not been observable yes
terday.
The moment had the body of the vesse
in my sight perceived that she had changed
ncr position since my last view Of her. Her
bows were more raised, and she lay over far
ther by the depth of a plank. ! stared ear
nestly at the rocky slopes on either hand, but
could not have sworn their figuration was
changed. An eager hope shot into my mind,
but IT quickly faded into an emotion # APP
prehension 1t was conceivable, indeed, that
on "a sudden some early day | might find the
schooner liberated and ahoat, and this was
the first inspiritng flush; but then came the
Of the ice might crush her-a fear rational
enough when saw the height she lay above
the sea and how by pressure those slopes
which formed her cradle might bo jammed
aud welded together. The change Of her
posture then fell upon me with a kind Of
shock, and determined mo, when | had
broken my fast, TO search her hold for boat
or for materials for constructing some ark
| by which might float out to sea, should the
| ice grow menacing and force me from the
schooner.
made plentiful meal, feeling the need Of
abundance of food in such a temperature as
this, and heartily grateful that there was no
need why should stint myself.
| While ate my mind was 50 busy with
considerations Of the change i'll the ships
posture during the night, that it ended in de
termining me 10 take "A survey Of her from
the outside, and then climb the cliffs and
look around before fell to any other work.
Aiming myself with boarding pike 10 serve
as pole, ] dropped into the fore chains and
thence stepped on TO the ice. and very slowly
and carefully walked round the schooner,
examining her closely and boring into the
snow upon her side with my pike wherever |
suspected a hole or indent | could find
nothing wrong with her in this way, though
what a thaw might reveal | could not know
Her rudder hung frozen upon its pintles, and
looked as i, should Some little distance
abaft her rudler, where the hollow or chasm
sOped TO the sea, was "A great split three or
four feet wide. this had certainly happened
in the night, and must have slep, as sound
as the dead not TO hear the noise of it, Such
o rent as this suiiiced 10 account for the sub
sdence OF the after paro Of the schooner AMI
her farther inclination b larbclrd. Indeed
the hollow was now coming to resemble the
ways on which ships are launched, and
you would have conceived by the appear
ance Of it that if il should slope a It'll. more
yet, off would slide the schooner for the 81,
and in the right posture, too-that is, stern
on But ! prayed wit. all my might ana
main for anything but this. /. T0Ild hayo
been very well had the hollow gone IN gen
tie decliyity TO the wash of the sea-to the
water itself, in short, but it terminated at
the edge OF a cliff, not very high, indeed. but
high enough 10 warrant the prompt founder
ing of any vessel that should launch herself
of it. Happily tho keel was TOO soidly
frozen into the ice 10 render passage OF this
description possible, and the conclusion ar
rived at, after careful inspection, was that
the sole chance that could offer for tho de
livery Of the vessel 10 her proper element lay
in the cracking up and disruption OF the bed
on which she lay
Satisfied as 10 the state of the ice and the
posture Of the schooner, viewed from with
out ] sent a slow and piercing gaze along tn
ocean line, and then returned 70 thc ship.
The strong wind, the dance Of the sea. the
grandeur OF the great tract of wh.tcaess,
vitali4ed by thu flying OF violet cloud shal-
oN5 along it, had fortified my spirits. and
being free tor q while OF all supcrst,ious
dread, determined - begin by exploring
tho fOrccIstle and u.ccrtliuug If more U4iie,
were in the schooner than those tWJ ia the
cabin and the giant form on deck threw
some coal on the fire aui placed a. OK
tongue along with the ch,e-e and lump ri
the frozen wine in pInnikiu into the oven
for bad a mind 10 taste the ossel's stores,
and thought the tongue would malca an agree
able change, and then, putting candle into
the lantern, walked very braycly 70 the fore
castle and entered il.
was prepared for the scene Of confusion,
but must say 1t staggered me afresh with
something of the force OF tn first impression.
Sailors chests lay open IN all directions, and
their contents covered the decks. Tnerc was
the clearest evidence here that tho ma jorlty
OF the crew had quilted the vessel IN a vio-
lent hurry, turning OUT their boxes 20 cram
their money and jewelry into their pockets
and heedlcs,ly hiusing down their own and
tine clothes which had fallen % their share