San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-25

In extent.
Suddenly. from the summit of a painfully
climbed iceberg, Yegor saw. hidden, buried
behind enormous icy masses, a stout ribbed
ship, motionless and enclosed in a field Of
ice. He uttered a cry of surprise and point
ed out his discovery to NJ, Lafeur, who at
that moment reioinsd him.
Upon the frozen and greenish white sea,
where the whiteness Of the snow initiated
the foam Of the waves, the black carcass Of
the ship stood out darky, with white net
work spread by the snow over all the parts
in relief, as if to bring out the hues of morn.
ing. But the deck, the masts, the yards
and the cordage, covered with beautiful
star-shaped snow crystals, which shone
with a thousand lustres in the sun, drove
away this first impression, substituting fol-
it the comparison of a gigantic gewgaw Of
spun glass. Il
The first movement of Yegor and M. LAT.
leur was to retreat down the side of the ice
berg, which would hide them, and from
whence they could observe whether they
had to deal with friends or enemies. The
ship bore neither sails nor flag; the thick,
square shape of its ribs was that Of the fish,
ing vessels which face. the dangers of the
navigation Of the polar seas. The dogs
barked. They silenced them.
After half a minutes attention, NJ. Laf-
leur saw moving on board q creature en-
veloped in an animals skin; perhaps, the
lookout of the ship had seen and was watch.
ing them.
"We are Observed I" said M. Lafeur.
''Wait~a little, my friend" answered
Yegor, who saw the dogs with their haii
standing on end; and with the words, aim.
ing his gun, he fired at the so-called Look
out.
"What are you doing" cried M. Lafieur,
alarmed
81 was sure that it was not a manl" said
Yegor, with a laugh. Let go the dogsw
A huge white bear shook itself upon the
deck, perplexed by the hiss of the ball about
its ears.
at is a bear" cried the Partisan, 'and
the first we have met to-day"
The two dogs were already running around
the ship, barking furiously, but keeping al
q prudent distance.
But the shipl" said Yegor, with soms
constraint. 1T is, perhaps, the phantou
ship of the legends"
''ThoSe legends are laughed at on the
banks of the Seine" observed the Paris
ian. For u, this enormous bulk of wood
is nothing else, to all appearances, than the
den of d bear-some ship abandoned by its
crew"
'N cry likely" said Yegor, and in that
case we will, perhaps, find in itsupplies that
will enable us to dispense with pursuing our
Improbable hunt"
"As to the bear" said NJ. Lafleur, sit Is
Upon a territory to which we have a much
better right"
1.-THE least we can do is to dislodge it."
said Yegor.
The bear had disappeared. 1t had, with
out doubt, taken refuge in the between
decks.
The two hunters glided to the base Of the
iceberg, and approached the vessel without
further delay. Yegor quickly recognized it
as a Dutch whaler.
Soon they reached the round sides Of the
ship. They hailed-no one answered.
Evidently there is not a living soul on
board !" said Yegor,
Otherwise, we would have to believe
that the bear was tame! I" observed M. Laf.
leur.
They climbed upon the deck. leaving their
dogs on the ice, and there a horrible specta-
Gle presented itself to their gaze.
Five men-fve skeletons clad in sailors
garments-were stretched upon the deck.
amid objects and wrecks Of all sorts.
"Poor fellows |" cried Yegor,
In their horror, they forgot tho o
Nevertheless, the sound of steps was heard
below.
Attention" cried M. Lafeur. ''Tha
must be the bearl"
The dogs continued to bark as If to keep
them on the lookout.
At this moment the white head Of a bear
appeared at one of the hatchways, with its
pointed muzzle. its open a. lmenacing mouth
and its ferocious looking red eyes.
Yegor, without loss Of time, lodge a ball
in the animals neck. MORALLY wounded,
1t bounded with rage towards its assailant.
M. Laheur fired in his turn; but he hit the
bear on the ear, and the creature paid no
attention to such a triie.
Yegor, on seeing it advance towards him,
endeavored to snatch a Ratchet that lay
within reach of his hand; he seized II, but
the Ratchet was soldered to the deck BY
the ice and resisted every effort to loos'
en- it. All would have been over with
Yegor. If the Partisan, quickly s~pringins
forward, the butt Of his gun in the air, had
not dealt upon the animals head so terrible
a blow that the weapon broke. The animal
a little disconnected only, was hesitating
between NJ. Lafeur and Yegor, when the
latter. who had succeeded in disengagina
the Ratchet, lifted it as high as he could
reach, and, bringing it down with all his
strength. broke the skull Of the terrible
beast. When he saw 1T stretched on the