The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ns oO a a EE IEETEInEnnEEnEnnnnnnnnnne tren 16 THE FROZEN CREW AND ICE-BOUND SHIP; cline the manikin now to throw off his former apathy. : He endeavoured at first quietly, and without any external effort, to break the cords with which he was secured. ' , His eye was then observed to flash with lurid fire. His muscles and limbs swelled and gathered them- selves up. : His bonds and chain began imperceptibly to stretch. . The struggle was evidently desperate, mighty, pro- digious. . All of a sudden the shackles cracked. ; Ferocity had given the dwarf the power of a giant. The hempen lashings, which had eaten into his flesh, snapped like a piece of whipcord. Taking advantage of the temporary amazement of his persecutors, Hans Hinckman managed to possess himself of the capstan bar, which had been inad- vertently left within reach. Black Bill was the first to recover from surprise, and drawing a huge hanger from his side, made a rapid cut at the offender. The latter had forseen the stroke, and averted it with his ponderous iron weapon. Such was the force of the blow, that the sword- blade, though of the best-tempered steel, was shivered at the hilt. Gnashing his teeth with rage, the vanquished sea- man sought a new weapon, and encouraged, with shouts and cries, his messmates to press in a body on his antagonist. Galled by the fierce 2nd pertinacious assault, Hans Hinckman, with his powerlul instrument of defence, raged among his foe like a wolf in a lamb pasture. Fain would many have taken to their heels, but retreat was impossible. Those behind pushed forward the ranks in front. Shrieks and execrations evinced the devastation of the furious and relentless onslaught. In a few moments the destruction of the pirate crew would have been complete, for they tottered and fell one after the other, from the blows dealt by the heavy capstan bar so skilfully handled by its pos- Bessor. It was at a critical moment, when a cesgation of hostilities took place, by a voice shri¢king out from the hold— “ Fire-arms!” Aware of his danger, the remarkable agility of Hans Hinckman stood him in admirable stead. Disengaging his right arm, he clutched at a rope that hung suspended oyer his head from the fore- mast, Though through his tremendous exertion he could scareely even draw his breath, and his brawny chest heaved like a labouring mountain, he contrived to reach the crosstree with the agility of a startled cat, and here for a moment he was partially outof harm’s way. From this point, the manikin, looking down upon the maimed and wounded sufferers, appeared to their eyes as some avenging fiend, who had hurled a ter- nile and just retribution upon their tormented gouls, _ Hans Hinckman did not long remain in his perilous situation. His quick eye had observed the carbines levelled at him, and instinct revealed to him the deadly aim of those who were poising them. Springing forward without hesitation, he leapt from the dizzy eminence into the sea, A demon laugh—a laugh such as one only who has ceased to be human is capable of, burst from Hans Hinckman as he struggled with the waves. The pirates, with dark and louring faces, gathered A at the bulwarks, and their eager eyes strained them- selves to watch whether their late captive gained or lost by his daring exploit. : For some minutes they gazed intently on him, and conversed in a somewhat low tone. ‘‘ How the lubber sails,” said Hal Harpoon, em- phatically. “For such a queer-looking craft it is wonderful)”’ “No, Hal, there’s nothing ship-shape about him,’’ rejoined Brandy-nose Nick, with a dreamy consci- ousness, after a few hours’ slumber induced by im- moderate intoxication. ‘“‘He’s just such a craft as they make at home by the cord, and cut off in lengths to order,” resumed the tippler, moistening his clay with a swig at the brandy-flask he always carried about. “‘But the devil,’? he continued, ‘“‘ who has fitted him out and signed his papers, could make a wash tub sail, I suppose.” “Ay, and go into the wind’s eye like a flying fish,’ replied Fergus Blake. “If, as we suspect, he’s one of the infernal crew of the Flying Dutch- man, we shan’t leave him hull down until after sun- set.” “Look yonder,” said Hal Harpoon; “there is a black mass on the surface of the waters.’’ At any other time the intimation would have oc- casioned either curiosity or apprehension; now it was forgotten in the danger which menaced the fugitive. In the direction incidated could be seen the dark object sighted by the pirate, whose track, by the white mist wrenched from the ocean, was coming down to him with a wild, rushing sound. All at once it reached Hans Hinckman. The next instant both were losi sight of, and the minute after the sea, to use the terms of our social friend Nick, turned as red as a marine’s jacket, and man and monster appeared again; the former dart- ing away from the latter, like a wild bird loosed from the string. To the surprise of all, Hans Hinckman made once more for the ship from which he had escaped, [ol- lowed by his enemy, who was now distinguished as one of those gigantic animals tradition asserts’ at times frequents the deep. The chase now appeared both awful and excitiny. The ocean became whitened, and resembled its aspect under a fierce hurricane, while boiling foam marked the region of pursuit. The El Malachor, affected by the rolling billows, gave a plunge ever and anon, groaning like some animate being in the throbs of parting soul and body. Hans Hinckman, as if endowed with supernatural power, seemed to increase the distance between himself and antagonist, and eventually succeeded in gaining the ship. With outstretched neck, and eye starting from its socket, he contemplated the faces protruded over the bulwarks above his head. There was, for the moment, something appalling in the silence which now ensued between the two parties. Foaming with rage and undisguised terror, the wretched outcast on the wave became sensible that all else was useless, and mustered all remainine strength for his last and final effort. . Setting both his knees against the side of. the vessel, Hans Hinckman hooked himself into one of her clefts, and, by superhuman exertion, succeeded a Dane his body through one of the open port- oles. Amazement and terror, which had hitherto com- pelled the pirates to maintain silence, now, at the desperpte act, Caused them with one accord tg ex- claim— = — Soo SS Saw comichook COWL A | uf ’