The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

a aa 28 I am the lad for going straight forward; so, smite my taffrail, if I didn’t come off, and cut my cable in the handling of a marling-spike. “ Yes.” added the bluff seaman, “I, Nick o’ the Mull, born in the year 1680, sailor, man and boy, eighteen years following my friend Paul Jones like his shadow—snapping my pistol when he snaps his— boarding when he boards y “And disobeying all his orders,” interrupted the addressed. “For his profit,” continued Nick, in retort. ‘‘And though he now scorns my assistance, he’s aright good fellow, and I will stick to him from the top gallant mast to the bottom of the hold; yea, even as thou goest down into the cockpit.” A smile of approbation was the answer Paul Jones gave to the brave seaman’s devotion, while his eye the next moment rested on that of Gonzalvi. “Why, boy,” he asked, “have you joined in this hazardous enterprise? You have already given me sufficient proof of your attachment, without exposing yourself to this present peril.”’ “‘ Captain,” replied the boy, “it is my duty; where You £0, it is ordained that I should follow in your track.”’ ‘‘But do you not know,” said Paul Jones, “ that if the gale does not abait we may be driven to unknown lands, where icy winter ever sternly reigns, and dark- ness, with her scowling brow and robe of jetty hue, eternally holds sway ?” “But still it is for you I dare the dangers of the boundless deep,’ he answered, fixing his dark orbs full upon the pirate’s countenance; “for you the floating iceberg and the roaring winds are all defied, and death, itself, in your service, has no terrors in Gonzalvi’s sight!” Paul Jones, at these words, remained a minute in silence, gazing on him who had uttered them, with a feeling of interest, not unmixed with curiosity. Afier raising his eyes, he let them quickly sink down, as if his mind was engaged in deep medita- tion. “It cannot be,” he muttered to himself; “the grave cannot give up its victim, and yet the likeness: is extraordinary! a Gonzalvi,” he continucd, breaking from his: reverie, “we must be friends—firm, faithful friends ; our destinies are alike, and “You shall know all,” continued the pirate, inter-- rupting his companion, whowas about to speak, ‘ but not now. Like you, I have thrust the cup of happi- ness away, and steeped im bitterness of life, one who: should have solaced it,” Let us now leave this scene, and proceed to one ot” eternal winter: namely, the Frozen Sea, in 40 degrees: of northern latitude. In that vast space is’ encountered only mountains: of ice, covered with snow, a raiment probably worn by them since the framer of the universe first: fashioned the terrestial globe, The plain, arid, incapable of vegetation, and de- serted, thaws not a foot in our hottest day o/f summer,, while holy beams fall on the rock which show, but. cannot melt the desolation which they hallow. But, nevertheless, in the midst of the hoy veless bar- riers of the climate, and wild icebergs, who raise their lofty summits till they are lost in t] 1¢ clouds, the bounteous hand of the infinite is visible. It is here that the Aurora Borealis is fre. quent and majestic, and whose vivid flash presents a spectacle of sublimity, the wonders of which cannot be con- ceived by those dwelling in more snuny Iam ls. It was to such an inhospitable region as we have described, that the adverse gale had driven P, aul Jones and his companions, THE FROZEN CREW AND ICE-BOUND SHIP. “ To add to their misfortune, they had fallen in with a patry of Esquimaux Indians, who, being at variance with a neighbouring tribe, had taken possession of their boats, and were now following the forlorn out- casts with hostile intentions, believing them to be the allies of their enemy, bringing ammunition. — While Paul Jones was yet contending with these savages, he perceived that Gonzalvi, who fought with desperation, had received a wound from a tomahawk, or hatchet, during the affray, and must of necessity perish, unless assistance at once arrived. It came, in the person of an individual who, unseen, had witnessed the encounter, and of whom we shall presently speak more fully. Armed with a boat oar, he quickly cleared a space around Paul Jones and Nick, who was performing prodigies of valour, and allowed the former to dart to the side of the bleeding Gonzalvi, and bear him from the spot. — ‘ The suddenness of this attack so startled and para- lysed the assailed party, that it gave time to the as- sailants to menace them with a pistol in each hand. “Fly!” shouted the stranger, first looking at Paul Jones, and then at the awe-stricken natives, who began to think that they had dealings with one who should be nameless. “Fly, for your life! don’t lose a moment! I have taken greater odds than this, and come off with fly- ing colours! ‘‘Don’t mind me,” he continued; ‘‘monnt yonder rock with the boy, while I defend your passage till you are out of danger!” , Paul Jones, following the directions of his newly- found friend, accompanied by Nick, soon reached the spot indicated, and pursued his way over the dizzy precipice. It was a wild, strange country into which he now advanced, still bearing the fainting Gonzalvi. The brow of the earth. The forehead of the world. The furrowed, jagged coast, stretching from the most northern cape down to the genial soil of wheat- fields and flowers. : Despite its loneliness, it was a beautiful region, with its great bosses of snowfields, steep promon- tories, and endless pine forests. In the months of darkness, and the midsummer nights never-setting sun,may be seen the encamp- ments the wandering Laplander—the bear hunt and savage life of the Esquimaux Indian. All the superstition of the old world linger in the frosted and secluded valleys. The seaman, for such the stranger appeared to be, continued at his post for some time, bearding the Esquimaux leader, who, in a language totally unin- telligible, commanded his comrades to rush upon their enemy. The Indians, having no fire-arms, were so much alarmed at his fierce demeanour, and the murderous weapon he pointed at their heads, that they would not obey the order. Sounding-shells in the valley, pow proclaimed that others were at hand. “Itis time for me to slip my cable, and put off to Paul Jones,” said the seaman, *‘Look here, you piratical swabs,’ he continued, addressing the Indians, who hailed with delight the advance of their comrades; “ don’t oneof you attempt to weigh anchor or give signals. If you do, I’ll blow you and your infernal convoy to the devil; and the first man who attempts to follow me, will havea bullet in his brain, and a yard of cold steel in his hulk. If I don’t, shiver my timbers !” The Indians did not attempt to pursue their enemy, who the next moment was hastening up the rock Paul Jones had ascended. FOMUGHOOKS EOIN