Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-04-10
ICE BOUN D.
BY W. CLARK RUSSELL.
Author Of "The Wreck Of the Grosrenoy.a -
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In his eagerness TO mako an end When we
were finished lfe 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.
bade him arm himself with a 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
q number Of French oaths that he had been
struck blind. This did not believe, though
readily supposed that the glare made bis
eyeballs smart so as to cause him a good deal
OF agony. Indeed, all along had been sur
prised that he should have found his sight %
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 sudden, should have caused him ia
cry out as il he had lost the use Of his ewes
forever
1weited patiently, and in about ton min.
utes he was able to look about him, and then
1t was not long before he could sec 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 moro
wrinkled than had supposed, and me-
thought tho spirit Of cruelty lay visible in
every line. I had never seen eyes 10 full Of
cunning and treachery-so expressive, I
should say, Of these qualities; yet they were
no bigger than mere punctures. was sem
sible of momentary fear Of the man-not,
let me say, an emotion Of cowardice, but q
sort of mixture Of alarm and awe, such as q
ghost might inspire. This 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. TdSsard
joined me.
Small chance for your friends now" said
l, "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; ''and this Is the end Of
the irresistible Trentanovei for what con-
quests has Death robed him 20 brayelyl
See, the colors shine in him like fifty differ
ent kinds Of ribbons. Poor feliowl 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 sidei'
"They arc your friends" said I; "do as
you please"
but we must empty their pockets first.
Business before sentiment, Mr.. Rodney"
he stirred the figure again with his foot.
"Well, presently" said he, "this armor
will want the hatchet Now, my friend, to
view the work Of the gale"
The increased heel Of the ship brought tho
larboard fore channel low, and we stepped
without difficulty from it ON to tho ice. The
rent or fssure that have before spoken Of
went very deep7it was nearly two feet wido
In places; but Js6ough the light poured bril-
iantly upon it, I could SEQ no bottom.
III only such another split as this would
happen tother side" said the Frenchman,
II believe this block would so adrift."
"Well, said !, after musing little while, as
ran my eye over the hollows, "I'n tell you
'Aee "esS ~ AhAtAu Juoe INV. AucI0 ~ u
great quantity Of gunpowder in the hold
ten or dozen barrels. BY dropping large
parcels Of it into the crevices on the right
there, and firing it with slow matches'--
He interrupted me with a cry: by st.
Paul, you have it! What crevices have your,
We walked briskly round the vessel; and
all about her beam and staIboard quarter
found, in addition to the seams had before
noticed, many great cracks and fissures
caused no doubt by the fall Of the shoulder
of the slope. Ipushed on farther yet, going
down the ravine, as have called it, until
came to the edge; and here l looked down
from height of some twelve or fourteen
feet-so greatly had the ice sunk or been
changed by the weather--upon the ocean I
called to Tassard. He approached warily /
firmly believe he feared might be tempted
to give him a friendly shove over the edge.
"Observe this hollow" said /; 'the. split
there goes down to tho water, and you may
take it that the block is wholly disconnected
on that side. Now look at the face of tho
ice" said l, pointing to the starboard or right
hand side; that crack goes as far as the
vessels quarter, and the weakness is carried
on to past the bows by the other rents. Mr..
Tassard, if we could burst this body Of leo
by an explosion from its moorings ahead Of
the bowsprit, where it is all too compact, this
cradle with the schooner in it will go free Of
the parent body"
He answered promptly, "Yes, it Is the one
and only plan. That crack to starboard is like
telling us what to do. 1t is well you came
here. We should not have seen it from the
top. This valley runs steep. You must expect
no more than the surface to be liberated, for
the foot of the cliff will 60 deep"
81 desire no more"
"Will the ship stand such launch, suppos-
ing we bring it about" said he.
responded with one Of his own shrugs,
and said, Nothing is certain. We have
one Of two courses to choose; to venture
this launch, or stay till the ice breaks up,
and take our chance Of floating or Of being
smashed"
"You are right" he exclaimed "Here Is
an opportunity. II We wait, bergs may
gather about this point and build us in. As
to this island dissolying, We are yet to know
which way it's heading, Suppose it should
be travelling south, heyf'
He struck the ice with his spear, and we
toiled up tho slippery rocks with difficulty to
the ship We walked past tho bows to the
distance Of the vessels length. Here were
many deep holes and cracks, and, as II we
were to DO taught how these came about,
even while We were viewing them, an ear
splitting crash Of noise happened within
twenty fathoms Of US, rock many tons in
weight rolled over and left black gulf be-
hind it.
The Frenchman started, muttered and
crossed himself. Holy Virginn he cried,
rolling his eyes. "Let US return. The pow
der barrel must have tho first chance.n And
he made for the schooner savagely striking
the ice with his spear, and growing curses to
himself as he plowed and climbed and jumped
his way along.
CHAPTER Xxx.