The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-03
hold, caused by the swinging Of tho ice upon

nOth, fauhcd by inc bWfhGihK OF the leo upon
the swell was very uneasy; dreaded q
gale Il was impossible but that the vessel
must quickly 20 10 pieces in q heavy sea upon
the ice IL she did not liberate herself. But
though this excited depression melancholy
enough, nothing clio that | can recollcct
contributed to it, When | reviewed the ap
prehcnson the Frenchman had raised, and
reflected how insupportable a burden he
must have become, | was very well satisfied
TO bo alone. Time had fortified me; had
passed through experiences SO surprising,
I encountered wonders SO preterna;ural, that
superstition lay asleep in my soul, and
found nothing TO occasion in me the least
unoasiness in thinking Of the lfeles, shriv-
elei figure OF what was just now a fierce.
cowardIy, untamed villain lying in the fore
castle
made good supper, built up large fire,
and mixed myself a hearty bowl Of punch,
not with the view of drowning my anxieties
Cod forbid ! was too grateful for the
past, too cxIectant Of the future, TO be capa-
bic of so british a folly-but that | might
keep myself in a cheerful posture Of mind,
when | was terrified 10y an extraordinary
loud explosion, that burst 50 near and rang
with such prodlgious clear note OF thunder
through the schooner that | VOW - God |
/ believed the gunpovder beior! had blown np
! And in this suspicion | honestly supposed
| myself right for IA momont-for on running
/ into the cabin | was dazzled 10y crimson
| flame that clothed the whole interior with a
wOndrous gush of fire but this being in
stantly followed by su'h another clap as the
| A hgr I,.l
/ broken over the schooner
1t was exactly overhead, aud that ac-
/ counted for tho violence Of tho crashes.
which were indeed 50 extreme that they
sounded rather like the splitting of enormous
| bodies of ice close TO than the flight Of cleo
tric bolts The hatch lay open. | ran on
deck; bat scarce had passed my head through
the companion when down came a storm Of
hail, every stone as big AS pigeons egg,
and IN all my time | never heard q more hell
ish elamor. There was not breath Of air
The hail fell IN straight lines, which the
fierce near lightning flashed up into the app
pcarance OF giant harpStrngs, on which the
black hand Of the night was playing those
heavy notes ot thunder | sat in the shelter
of the companion, very anxious and alarmed,
for there was powder enough in the hold 70
blow the ship into atoms and the lightning
played SO continuously aud pierciugly that 1t
was like hundred darts Of fire, violet, Grim
SOD, and sun colored, in the grasp Of spirits
who thrust at the sea all over its face, with
swift movement Of the arms. as though
searching for the schooner 10 spear her
The hail storm ceased as suddenly as il had
burst | stepped on TO the deck. and observed
that tho storm was settling into the north
east, whence | concluded that what draught
that might 10 up there sat In the southwest.
Nor was ] mistaken for half an hour after
the first OF the outburst, by which time the
lightning played weak and at long intervals
low down, and the thunder had ceased / felt
crawling of air coming ont Of the south
west. which presently briskcned into o small.
steady blowing, but not for long ltncsh-
eaed so and yet, the wrinkles crisged INTO
whiteuess on the black heaynSs. they grew
into small surgc5. with sharp cubbish slarl-
mgs, pr-udious OF the lions voice and by I'D
O'Clock IL was blowing in strong squalls. the
sea rlsu-, and the clouds sailing swiftly in
smCke c,lorcI rags under the stars.
Tue posture of the ice inclined the schoon-
e.'s starbOarl bow 70 the pillows, and ia a
very short time She vas trembling IN every
bone 10 the blows Of the surges which rolled
boiling over the ice there and struck her,
aingng dim clouds Of spume IN the air. which
soon set the scuppers gushing My ease was
that Of a tranded ship. with this difference
only: that n vessel ashore lies solid 10 the
beating Of the waves, whereas tho ice was
buoyaut it rose and fell, sluggishly, it is true
lt.t
the shocks Of water But, spite Of this ! was
perfectly sure that unless the bed broke uu-
der her or She slipped OF il, she would be- in
pieces before the morning twas not any
huh put together by human hands % resist
the pounding OF those seas The weight OF
the might ocean, along whose breast they
raced, was in them, and though the wind was
no NOR than brisk gale. each buow by itf
stature showed itself the child of a giant.
The ice bel was ike u whirlpool with tne
leap and flash and piay of the froth upon .t
The black air of the nigAr was whitcncd by
the stornsCf foam flakes which i.ew over the
vessel Tho roaring Of tho broken waters in-
creased the horrors OF the scene / firmly
believed my time was come. God had been
merciful but | was 90 die now. A. 90 max
ing any SHIFT 10 keep myself alive after thc'l
ship should bo broken up, the thought never
entered my head What could dol There !
was no boat ] might have contryed some /
arrangement Of booms and casks to serve as n /
raft. but TO what purposaf How long would /
IL take the wind aud sea b freeze me-
crouched ~ the compnion way, hearken- I
ing 10 the uproar around, feeling the conyul- |
sions Of the schooner, fully prepared tor
death, logged and hopeless.
On a sudden-is a breath felt the vessel
rise. She was swung ~ with the giddy |
velocity Of hunter clearing tall gate; she
sank again, and there was a mighty concus-
sion forward, then a pause o. steadIuess while
vou might have counted Gy". then "a wild up
ward hoaye. a sort of sharp floating fall,
hash graf us along her keel and sides, as
though she was being smart!y warped over
.o.ks, followed hy an ulmistaSabic free
pitching AID rolling motion
aad swun, 20 my feet am stoo waiting
but IL. instant gathered by tic r,,eweut,