The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-02-12

menacingly from behind pile of boxes that
the snow had converted into slope,
ssAttention!n cried Yegor.
Yegor lifted his Ratchet, M. Laheur,
drawing back few steps, unsheathed his
huge hunting knife. But the bear, aston
ished at this reception and these defensive
preparations, made half turn and ran
away, growing, prudently looking behind
it to assure itself that it was not too closely
pursued
The hunters allowed it without opposition
to slide down the side of the ship, pursued
by the barking Of the dogs, which they strove
to restrain by reiterated calls, and when
they saw 1t run over the hummocks to-
wards the ice hills, they experienced great
relief.
"Decidedly." observed M Lafeur, ''this
kind of hunt is too exciting for my tenn
permanent. If we only find here some boxes
Of biscuit, they viii be of great help to US
during the winter"
ssBut suppose the bears have devoured
everything?" said Yegor.
M. Lafeur made a grimace.
"We shall soon know about that" said he.
They went to the hatchway and DESCENDED
to the between-declzs. A spectacle more
horrible still than that on deck awaited them
there-the bones and skulls of ten corpses
transformed this place into a yeritable char
nel-house.
s'Why were not the first who died buried
by the others 2" asked Yegor of M. Lafeur
Because, my friend, " replied the latter,
''the entire crew must have been stricken
with that terrible disease known as the
scurvy. Those who have it are attacked by
an intolerable stiffness of the legs; they
limp; they can neither sleep nor even rest;
they lose all appetite, and their infamed
gums are extremely painful, while general
weakness of the body promptly comes on
it is tho indication of approaching disso-
luton The death of these brave mariners
must have occurred last winter. But what
if, in this between-decks which is carefully
stopped up and in which the air has not
been renewed, we ourselves should take the
scurvyw
cit is easily taken, then?"
eyes; but always under like conditions"
"Such is, happily not the case with u.s.
Let US have some air and go straight to the
provisions"
With his Ratchet which he still retained
possession of, Yegor cut the ropes which
closed the scuttles. Air and light penetrat-
ed into the between decks.
1--WE inherit everything, said M. Lafeur
ION one condition"
s'What is that?"
''That we give sepulture to the remains OF
these .nfortunates."
''Agreed. But look-they possessed an
organ"
1T was. without doubt to abridge the
WEAKNESS of the long winter"
Beside the stove, in company with the
coal-box, a hand-organ stood upon a low la
ble M Lafeur turned the handle, and,
by a sort Of poignant irony, the instrument
gave vent to some strains of a gay dance
air.
Then, Yegor and NJ Lafeur, affected in
the highest degree by the contrast of this
lively music with the heart-rending pic
ture before them, felt tears come ina0 their
eyes.
On the organ was a large book
Yegor glanced at tit was a Dutch Bible.
Upon the margins Of the book could be read,
traced by the falling hand of the captain,
the names of the first sailors who died, fol-
lowed by some sad reflections. Yegor, who
knew English and German, understood
enough Of the Dutch language to obtain
from this record the explanation of this
tragedy of the polar seas The whaler had
been surprised by the ice at the Island of
Barentz, belonging to the Spitzbergen group
NJ. Lafeur had not been wrong in consider
ing the scurvy the active cause of the death
of all the crew.
The name of the captain figured little
further on in these Luxurious pages. His
second in command had taken up the pen
and had passed it, in his turn, to a survivor.
The last marginal note read thus:
'sBut four of US are lefts Molis Stoke, Of
HARLEM, sailor; Dirk Hooft, called the
Spreker, of Medenblik, sailor; Heymann
Jaarsveldt, of Elburg, our ship-boy, and
myself, Alberdingk Huijdecoper, of Rotter-
dam, chief cook We have no longer the
strength to assist each other. Something
horrible may possibly happen-what if the
white bears which are provyling around the
ship should come on board and devour Us
alive?"
Poor men!" thought Yegor, as he closed
the Bible. THAT is probably what took
place!"
Already NJ, Lafeur was searching every
where. From time to time, while Yegor was
running over the margins eff the Bible, he
cried
.Lsr7!- bisouitl rumJ- concentrated
rnilkl-12fty boxes Of 81 Tho preserved
meat has been eaten by the bears! Twenty
pots Of pemmiedn sugar! Oh!-noUrI-
bottles o1 red wine and a box Of candies
intact More biscuit Ia casl7 full +! ApacE-
age OF yolqnicelHl Chooolatel Il twenty
pounds at least! But what havoc! Tho
foxes have ;gi5cI the bears! Green beansil
boxes! Sardines in OIL ~