The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-25


catch the shine Of the sun. And am this
time the great green seas rushed out Of
the mist upon Us. bore us un. and then
rolled away into the darkness astern 1
now saw that there was no hope OF gain
ing the ship before the night closed I'M.
The fog. I knew. was settling deeper
and il struck me. too. that the cold was
becoming more intense. The captains
foreboding also fell upon me with a chill
colder even than that murky atmosphere
The men now sal quite stiu They
had shipped their oars and had given
themselves up 10 that stolid apathv
which is only despair in another guise. 1
heard the teeth chattering i'm their heads
and I knew that We had TO fight for dear
life, as very likely we should have If the
wind sprang up. they would be useless
in their present state
Conc, men," 1 said. as cheerily as my
mouth could pipe the syllables, for 10 saw
the truth / felt more like singing at a
funeral than piping TO dance. DELAY
that downhaul and put stopper on those
rattraps. We're not dead yet: the fog
can't last much longer. and the skipper
won't leave US, be sure OF that"
This seemed to cheer them a bit
"Ay," said the old Scotchman. land
there's a moon the night thank the Lord
for that. There's naethin' like a bit moon
to lift the cap o fog, and kelpies are
a -.
They say they Gamma bidc the twa cen o.
it"
"Ay. lads" 1 bore up. but Murdoch's
right" for / had forgotten the moon: 1.-THE
seaW be bright as a looking-glass by
eight bells. And as for supper. we must
just tighten our belt a Bit
"A canny mons eye 10 the fore" said
Murdoch, "and / jist looked after my
weam afore I jumped INFO the boatie."
And he produced five large ships bis
cults
why" l said. as ] slapped my pocket.
that's capital; Wen not do badly. for
that reminds me there's "a good dram for
each of U.S.
had picked up bottle of whisky from
the saloon table before leaving the ship.
in case there might be need Of il.
The men frightened up visibly al this.
one even ventured a joke al the speerit,
but Murdoch stopped it with round
turn.
may, nay. lad, dnna ye laugh at a
speerit, they're gay uncanny creatures,
and it's eye vehturesome speaking o
them. for they're ewfu sharp at the
hearin'."
Two great shadows at the same moment
shot through the last yellow streak Of the
sun. and he men seemed to take it for
granted these were the specrits that We're
"awfu' sharp at the hearin'," for they
stopped talking and would hardly be pre-
vailed upon even TO whisper.
There was absolute darkness. l don't
think was ever in anything like Il. AZ sea
the night is much lighter than on land, but
now ] couldn' even distinguish the PAIN Of
my hand placed close TO my face. IL was
impossible to steer; the sea around was
like Il black caldron. ] could only tell by
the boats motion that we were now ass
cending, now descending the great roll
ers. t...s.
/ now cast out sea anchor. constructed
of two oars dashed together and patiently
waited for the moon rising. WASH at all
sure. however, If the moon would break
up the fog. / might not tell the men so.
only prayed it might ] must have slept
for remember nothing more till felt my
self rudely shaken, and "A voicc-it was
that Of old Murdoch-shouting something
in my ear.
..Get We mp. Master Norris, Guidness
sakes, sir: but we're awfu' stiff at the wax
enin'."
"What'ssup, Aiurdeeh2" / said, starting
up but suddenly recollertea end cautious
" reseated myself. Has the moon risen?'
NAY. nay, sir; it's Ger EARLY J. the NIGHT
for that, I'm thlnkin' It's jist this There's
nav sac muckle tum'le, and ] Wilma argy
that we're nay IN the lee o. somit'
you're rlghtw cried exoitedly. you're
right. the boats quite steady. And-Mur-
doch it's colder"
Then like a flash the whole phenomena Of
the weather struck me; It's strangeness
was all explained. We were in the lee Of
an iceberg ] had now better hopes OF the
moon breaking up the banks OF Napor
and / ordered the men to set in the sea
anchor and stand ready TO make way,
which they did with alacrity
we hadn't long TO wait. Presently a
Mcneil of pure silver flame shot over our
heads like an electric ray from war ves-
seps searohlight. Then a white misty glm-
mer away over the our stern showed nat
with the plane of the sea. IL gradually
crew larger and whittier. till all Of sud-
den. like the drawing of a stage curtain.
a great rent was made In the fog, split
ting il from top to bottom, and there
bright like a huge pearl, the moon looked
The men gave three wild cheers. and
Murdoch. with quaint gravity, said there
was naethin sac pleasant as list a bit
blipkle O. the moon; 1t was that refreshing
like"
what caught my attention most was n
monster berg floating in the very center
of the opening. It's tall, minaret like PIN
nacles glistened like purest silver under
the light of the moon, and stairs and ter
races and cupolas everywhere glimmered
and sparkled, as though all the mosques
of Islam had been Joined to form one
too It's loom almost fell across us II
awed us, floating there so silently, 50
majestically, with the last swathes Of
breaking mist curling off its bright sides.
Surely there's something upon II" said
/ men. do you see, close by the edge of
yonder cape?'
"oh. ay," said Murdoch, 1T will be a
seal, I'm thinkin,
A few powerful strokes brought us
alongside the berg, and sure enough there
sat seal, blinking at US with his big eyes
as.if nightly surprised at such visitors
He lay close by the edge Of an inlet which
ran right between two immense portals,
for, all the world like those of an Egyp-
tian temple They shone cleaning blue
in the face of the noon
The opening was large enough to admit
Of two boats rowing abreast, and the
water was as calm as a mill-pond. But
the seal bestirred himself as we APP
preached, gave a flap of his tail, opened
his mouth, shut it again with clap, and
then Topped into the water SO near that
the spray he raised came into the boat.
I was grieved; Murdoch had manufac-
tured a spear by tying his sheath knife to
the end of a spare oar. If the worst came
to the worst, and we had TO abid upon
the ice, seals blubber would have kept
us alive for some time.