The Saint Paul globe., 1904-05-22

ISIS, saul.
1t began to snow; not in feathery
flakes, silent and soft, but the whizzing
dust of flakes, which eddied and ran
with the wind in blasts that stung.
Most of the crew went below to get
warm while there was yet time-that
they might be warm, warm and supple
IN the crisis. Also they ate their fill Of
pork and biscuit and drank their fill Of
water; being wise in the ways of ice,
each stuffed his stomach, which they
call, in such times, with grim humor,
the long pocket. Some took off their
Jackets to give their arms freer play in
the coming fight; some tightened their
belts; some filled their pockets with
the things they loved most; all made
ready. Then they sat down to wait
and the waiting, in that sweltering,
pitching hole, with it's shadows and
flckering light, was voiceless and
fidgety. 1t was the brewing time Of
panic.
In the words of the Newfoundlander.
1t would soon be every man for his life
that dread hour when, by the accept
ed creed of that coast. earth is in
mercy curtained from heaven and the
impassive angels book Is closed. At
such times escape is for the strong;
the weak ask for no help; they are
thrust aside; they find no hand
stretched out. Compassion, and all the
other kin of love, being overborne in
the tumult, fee the hearts Of men;
there remains but the brute greed Of
lIfe-more life. Every man for his own
lffe-for his life. Each watched the
other as though that other sought to
wrest some advantage from him. Such
was the temper of the men then that
when the skipper roared for all hands
there was a rush for the ladder and a
scuffie for place at the foot of it.
Men," the skipper bawled, when the
crew had huddled amidshipS, covering
from the wind, "the ship'l strike the
Blueblack inside of thirty minutes. 'Tis
every man for his life
The old man was up on the port rail
with the snow curling about him. He
had grip of the mainmaSt shrouds to
stay himself against the wind and the
lunging Of the ship. The thud and
swish of waves falling back and the
din of grinding ice broke from the
depths of the snow over the bow-from
some place near and hidden-and the
gale was roaring past. The men
crowded closer to hear him.
"'Tis time t take t. the ice!" he
"Iss, skipper!"
Sure, sir"
Young John Nash was in the shelter
of Sauls great body; he was touching
the skirt of the mans greatcoat-like
child in a crowd.
rs you all here?" the skipper went
on He ran his eyes over them to
count them. No man looked around
for his friends. Thirty three. All
right Men, you'll follow Saul Nash.
When you gets hundred yards off
the ship you'll drift clear O. the shoal.
Now, over the side, all hands!" In a
lull of the wind the shoal seemed sud-
denly very near. Lively, men! Live
ly!"
u,ba soboo,,o, 49, -, ,4,
weight of seal fat. It was but a short
leap to the pack in which she was
caught-at most but a swinging drop
from the rail. That was all; even So
as the crew went over the side the
shadow of great terror fell-felI as
from cloud approaching. There was
rush to be clear of this doomed thing
Of wood-to be first III the way of ess
cape, though the end of the untrayeled
pain was shadow; SO there was a
croWding at the rail- an outcry. a snarl.
and the sound Of blow.
save upon the scattered pans, which
had resisted the grinding Of the pack.
put We're even then lifting themselves
out or the press and falling back in
pieces; save upon these few pans. there
was no place where a man could rest
ms loot, for where he set it down
there 1t sank. He must leap-leap-
from one sinking fragment to another.
choosing in a flash where next to
al1ght, CHANGING his weight where If
might be sustained for the moment Of
gathering to leap again-he must leap
without pause; he must lean or the
pack would let him through and close
over his head. Moreover, the wind
swept over the pack with full force and
a sunging touch, and it was filed
with the dust of snow; a wind which
froze and choked and blinded where IT
could. But in the lead of Saul Nash.
who was like swaying shadow in the
snow ahead, thirty men made the hum
dred yards and dispersed to the pans
to wait-thirty of thirty three, not
counting the skipper, who had fingered
far back to see the last of the work
of his hands.
Leave s-wait-here," said Saul.
between convulsive pants, when with
John and OF Bill Anderson he had
come to rest on a small pan. He
turned his back to the wind to catch
his breath. "UsW clear-tha shoal-
here" he added.
OF Bill fell, exhausted. He shielded
his mouth with his arm. "'Tis SO good
as any place." he gasped.
TIs big enough for seven men,"
said John
Bill was an old hand-an old hand;
and he had been in the thick of the
pltiless slaughter of seals for FIVE days.
"Us'll let noa moare aboard, by" he
cried. He started to his elbow and
looked around; but he saw no one
making for the pan, so he said to Saul,
' T1s too small for three. Leave the
young feller look out for hisself some
Bill" said Saul, "the lad bides
here"
Bill was an old hand. He laughed In
scorn. Maybe" said he, eff the sea