Year: 1876

peculiar tremor OF nerve which is no
doubt a. survival of the. .overpowering
superstitious fears of our ancestors.
This feeling gained strength from pe-
culiar, though gentle, motion of the
water. The surface was not entirely
smooth, though there was not wind
enough to cause the smoke from the
steamer to drift aside in any direction.
1t was soon observed that, the little
wavelets moved outward, from several
centers met, kissed each other, and
turned again toward the place Of their
origin. This at least is the way the
first mate, who had something of turn
for poetry, described it in his diary that
night. Captain Cannon described it
quito as accurately though less poetic
ally in sentence which he, apparently
addressed to an ancient Israelite, spoken
Of as "Gad," remarking that he
guessd they were bilin their pot Of
salmon for o hyoo breakfast" The
motion was exactly that of boiling pot
of water. 1t was impossibly to anchor
for the sounding showed no bottom.
1t was decided that it was best to wait
for the stronger light of the morning
sun, before attempting again the pas
sage of the narrow canyon. t.i


The delay was fatal One wall of
the narrow gateway, being melted
away beneath, was precipitated direct
ly into the channel, completely filing
it and thus blocking the way and cut
ting off all hopo of return forever.


But hope dies slowly At first the
accident was laughed at as good joke,
for all believed that as the water had
melted the ice and made The channel
in the first instance, it would in few
days clear away this obstruction. But
when q month had passed and no open
ing had been found in the walls of their
prison, all but the stoutest hearts be-
gan to give way. Then began the dis,
NAL business of counting time against
provisions and coal, the little mean
nesses of hiding things for future nec-
essity and weighing gold against prices
of bread. 81.


But our hero, Thomas, seldom lost
heart. Why should he? He had a
theory. The tide rose and fell in this
basin wherein the Clata,ca was imprisi
oned. Twice in twenty four hours the
current came in through the crevices
of the ruined gateway. IL must
have an outlet on the other side, lie ar
gued. Captain Cannon said it was
mo use arguin' agin stone wall, !"
yet be seemed to have sufficient faith
in Thomas's theories to make with him
a tour of examination entirely around
the 10y wall that shut them in. Moth
ing was found; there was 10 hope yet
the next day the same two We're out ex-
ploring again. This time, they found
o whirlpool that almost cost them
their lives, so they said. i and in proof
of it told how their oars were snatched
away from them as,by an unseen hand
beneath che water, and how everything
thrown near to the wallin that par
ticular spot had Immediately disap-
peared. But of escape for, the ship
and crew there was no hope. How
they longed for powers of fight such
as the geese possessed, which with
wings bathed in sunlight two thousand
feet above them, cut the clear cold air
in their northward journeying.e Th ey
thought of balloons, but d trial by
their most skilled men resulted only
in diminishing their scanty supply of
fuel. All that is known Of the ulti-
mate fate OF the Clata,ta and her pre-
cious freight Of human lives and scien-
tifc instruments remains to be told in
the events Of single day. Early one
morning, as the sunshine was slowly
creeping down the. western rim Of the
huge ice-bowl. wherein the iron steam
er lay, q small but strange object be-.
came visible at a distance Of a hundred
yards or more, lying upon the surface
of the water. A sailor was sent to Sc
cure it, and il proved to be o small
Uuited States fag. What q commotion
that little object produesdi Strong
men wept over il; not one aboard but
took it in his hands and handled ten
derly. Whence il came none could
tell. No one couldremember that such
Q flag had been taken aboard Of, either
vessel at any time. At noon, Arthur
Il n q -