The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-12-15

which would enable me to haul myself
up. Everything l touched was ice, so
thick as to render objects shapeless.
Give me a lift, Kelly; easy, now,
until l get a handhold. There, that
will do, my lad"
1t was a slippery, dangerous perch,
the vessel plunging somewhat, but the
upper ice was slightly powdered with
snow, yielding little purchase. and l
finally discovered a brace for my feet
which enabled me to reach down and
assist Johnson to scramble up beside
me. Fortunately the bulwarks were
not so high proportionately as wide,
and we succeeded in sliding over
them, coming down rather heavily on
the solid deck Here the snow made
walking possible, although underneath
the ice was thick and smooth, COM
pelling caution. All forward was a ter
rible raflle of wreckage, a jumbled
mass of tangled spars, with the great
topmast and all it's hamper right
where it had fallen, a portion of the
port bulwark smashed fat. A hum
mock of ice rose like a great hill from
abaft the butt Of the foremast, which
stuck up maybe 80 feet, clear over the
forecastle deck, leaving everything
shapeless and grotesque. Where the
slope was steepest, the wind had swept
away the snow leaving the ice beneath
clear; and there, frozen completely
in, like painted picture, was the fully
revealed body of a man. l never saw
any sight more grewsome than that
ice-shrouded figure the arms out
stretched, the short, black beard rem
dering more CHASTITY the white, dead
face. gripped my hands onto John
sons shoulder, and he was shaking
like an aspen, his own face colorless
in the moonshine. l wheeled him
about savagely.
Don't lose your nerve, man. You've
seen dead men before. Come, there's
nothing to do here; Wen try how she
looks aft"
He followed me like a dog, casting
uneasy glances backward over his
shoulder The deck was clearer OF
rattle beyond the foremast, a great
gap in the port-bulwarks amidships
showing where the wreckage had
probably been swept overheard. The
mainmast had been ripped out, leav-
ing a great, ugly cash in the deck
plank, and in falling had so smashed !
fiat one corner of the cooks galley that
we could look in through the jagged |
opening thus left. All the front por-
tion was snow and ice, but the further |
extremity appeared dry enough, re-
vealing brick oven, a table screwed |
to the wall, and an overturned scuttle |
of Goals littering the deck. 1t was not |
a desirable spot, yet would afford pro-
lection from the frosty night wind,
and be much better than the open
boat Besides, realized how those
others must feel down there, bobbing
up and down against those ice-caked
sides.
Johnson" I said, my eyes wander
ing toward the dimly revealed front of
the after-cabin, which appeared utter
ly shapeless under It's mantle. We've
got quite a job ahead of us to break
through this wreckage. I'm for hav-
ing the rest Of the crew up to help
us. Climb over into the main-chains
and cut out some steps with your
knife Wen have them drop back
there and unload. Then the women
won't be obliged to see that dead man
lor'ard"
He was some minutes at the task,
and occupied the time in kicking
aside some of the litter in the galley
and making the dreary interior bit
more decent, having the men pass up
some spare blankets, and spreading
hem out on deck. Finally Kelly and
he negro scrambled up, and between
Is we succeeded in lifting Lady Dar-
ington and Celeste over the Icy bull
Rarks. The latter olung sobbing to
De Nova, but my lady gazed about her
Wonderingly, her eyes full Of ques-