Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-03-22

danger, while the wind and sea held, of the
berg df l may SO term it being thrown upon
the island. That the ice under the schooner
was moving, and if SO at what rate it was
too dark to enable me to know by observing
the marks on the coast. There was to be no
sleep for me that night, and, knowing this, |
stepped below and built up a good fire, and
then went with the lantern TO see how Tas-
sard did and to give him the news but he
was in so deep sleep that after pulling him
little without awakening him | let him lie,
nothing but the sound of his breathing per-
suading me that he had not lapsed into his
old frozen state again.
OF all long nights this was the longest I
ever pas through. l did truly believe
that the day WIS never to break again over
the ocean.
All night l kept the fire going, and on sew
eral occasions visited the Frenchman, but
found him motonloss in sleep
At last the day broke, | went on deck and
found the dawn Frightening into morning.
The wind had fallen, and with it tho sea: but
.herc still ran middling strong surge, and
the breeze was such as, in sailors language,
you would have shown your topgalantsails
to- | could now take measure of our situa-
ton, and was not little astonshcd and de-
lighted to observe the island TO be at least IL
mile distant from us, and the northeast end
lying very plain, the ocean showing beyond
il, though in the southwest the ice died out
upon the sea line. That we had been set
away from the main 10y some current was
very certain. There was westerly ton
dency in all the berSs which broke from the
island the small ones moving more quickly
than the large; for the sea in the north aud
west was dotted with at least fifty of these
white masses, great and little. On the other
hand, the wind and seas were answerable fot
the progress we had made to the north.
The wall of ice, as | call it, that had stood
over against the larboard bow, was gone,
and the seas tumbled, with much heaviness
of froth and much noise, over the ice past
the bows, and washed past the bends on
either side in froth rising as high as tho
channels. / noticed a great quantity Of
broken ice sinking and iiGing in the dark
green curls of the billows and big blocks
would be hurled on to the schooner's bed and
then be swept off, sometimes fetching the
bilge such thump as seemed to swing bel
low through her frame. It was only at in,
tervas, however, that water fell upon the
decks, for the ice broke the beat of the mod
Grating surge, and forced it to expend its
weight in spume, which there not
strength of wind enough to raise and hcave.
Since the vessel continued to lie head to sea,
my passionate hope was that these repeated
washings of the waves would in time loosen
the ice about her keel, in which case it would
not need much of a billow, shifting
her full bows fair, to slide her clean
down and off her bed, and so launch
her. There were many clouds in the
heavens, but the blue was very pure between.
The morning Frightening with the rising of
The sun, l directed an earnest gaze along the
horizon, but there was nothing to see but ice.
Soma NJ ba barCs nd
ticularly the distant one, stole out of the blue
atmosphere to the sunshine with so complete
u resemblance to the lifting canvas of ships
that would catch myself staring fiXedlv, my
heart beating fast But there was no de-
lection in these disappontments; the ecstasy
that filled me on beholding the terrible island
the hideous frozen prison, whose crystal
bars had again and again believed We're
never to be broken-now lying at a distance
with its northern cape imperceptibly open
ing to our subtle movement, was so violent
that | could not have found my voice for the
tears in my heart.
This then, was the result of my scheme; it
was no failure, as Tassard had said; as he
owed his life to me, SO now did he owe me
his liberty. Nay, my transports were so
great that | would not suffer myself to feel
an instant'S anxiety touching the condition
OF the schooner mean whether she would
leak or provo sound when She fiOated-and
how we two men We're to manage to navigate
SO large a craft, that was still as much spell
bound aloft in her frozen canvas and tackle
as ever she had been III the sepulcher in which
discovered her.
went below, and put the provisions we
needed for breakfast into the oven, and
entered TasSard's cabin. On bringing the
lantern to his face as he lay under half
.xf 30
he was awake, and my heart being full
cried out cheerily, "Good news! good news
the gunpowder did its work! The ice is
ruptured, and we are alloat, Mr.. Tassard-
afoat, and progressing north!'
He looked at me vacantly, and giving his
head shake, exclaimed, 'How can | crawl
from this moundi My strength is gone"
If | was amazed that the joyful Intelligence
had delivered produced no other response
than this querulous inquiry, was far more
astonished by tho sound of his voice 1t was
the most cracked and venerable pipe that
ever ticliled the throat of old age-a min
Cling of wailing falsettos and of hollow, gasp
ing growls, the whole very weak / threw
the clothes off him, and said "Do YOU wish
to risel ! will bring you your breakfast hero
if you wish"
He looked at me, but made no answer
bawled again, and observed, by the dim Ian
tern light, that he watched my lips with an
air of attention; and while | waited for IS
reply he said, 81 don't hear youn
Anxious to ascertain TO what extent his
hearing was impaired kneeled on the deck,
and putting my lips to his ear, said, not very
loud, "Win you come to the cook houseN
which he did not hear and then louder,
evil you come to the cook houseM which he
did not hear either. believed him stone deaf
ill., on roaring With all the power of my
dungs, he answered, "Ycsn
[ took him by the hands and hauled him
gently on to his feet, and had to continue
holding him, or he must have fallen. Time
was beginning with him when he had gone to
bed, and the remorseless old soldier had COM
pletey finished his worl, while his victim
slept. ! viewed the Frenchman while |
grasped his hands, and there stood before me
shrunk, lettering deaf, bowed, feeble old
man. What was yesterday polished head
was now a shriveled pate-as though the