The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

eo... a eS e——e—_E Se AE ay 1 HES RROZEN DS CREW AND ICES OL AS 3 iu OSA mn aan THE FROZEN name, the chief advanced to her side, and en- countered in her glance one as defiant as his own. He then cast at her features an incredulous look, as if still distrusting their reality. “My friend has found an enemy,” said Manitto, addressing Sumach. “Is he nigh that the red-man may take revenge?” “Let the Yengese, the pale-face, perish,” shouted Yeni, in a voice of thunder. A long and expressive silence, on the part of the Indian maiden; was broken by the same individual. ‘- The adder may bite, but Yeni is on his frail.’’ “Ts he gone?” he demanded, in tones so deep and guttural that they seemed to ‘proceed from his in- most chest. “ An evil spirit has been among us, and the fiend blinded our eyes.”’ « An evil spirit,” echoed Manitto, bitterly. ‘‘ Who would blast the fame of a child of mine? I who have led my people into battle, and seen four warriors of my race live and die.” ‘‘Of whom do you speak?” asked Sumach, sul- enly. “Of the dog that carries the heart and cunning of the accused under a pale-skin,”’ ‘You see he is not here.” ‘‘Ah, daughter,”’ replied the chief, ‘‘ add not false- hood to guilt. Miamas has seen the Yengese enter your abode, which should be held sacred to——” “I pity the warrior who grasps the hoe for the tomahawk,” interrupted the Indian maid, casting an ineffable glance of scorn on the informer, ‘who shrunk beneath it as one suffering a well-merited reproof, “Can you deny the charge ?” asked Manitto. ““Sumach designs not to answer those who doubt her honour, and, most of all, a father who maligns his offspring.” Additional pursuers were now sent on the trail of the supposed fugitive, while Manitto and the rest ap- plied themselves to council. Many expedients were proposed for entrapping Fergus, to all of which the warrior, Yeni, was a silent and respectfui listener, After a pause he deigned to speak— ** Warriors, you are skilful, and yet you know not how to entrap the wary Oiter. ‘‘He who followed in the steps of a flying coward fell into a snare. “The cunning red fox who haunts the northern regions may be caught, and Yeni will deliver the ‘pale-face into the hands of his enemy.” ‘‘ How will he accomplish it 2’ ‘‘ By extorting confession from an accomplice.” A solemn silence succeeded this incoherent burst from the lips of Yeni, and, after a pause, he ad- vanced to the Indian maid. All eyes, which had been curiously studying Yeni, now bent in secret admiration on Sumach, whose erect, fragile, and faultless person, caused no less ex- clusive attention than her undisturbed manner and extraordinary self-possession. “Daughier of Manitto,’’ exclaimed the young chief, “little art thou worthy of thy name. The squaw who dishonours her tribe must die.” “It is not justice, but jealousy which goads the tongue of Yeni,” replied the maid, ‘‘ the malice of the fiend lurks in the heart of the ‘rejected suitor of Sumach, Hate has assumed the majesty of love.” “Accept this hand,’’ he whispered. ‘‘ Deliver up the pale-face you have secreted, and the doom that threatens shall pass as a swmmer cloud which darkens the heayens for a short. moment then is seen no more.” “Never will Sumach wed with Yeni. He has the cunning of the hog, but none of the fox, and shall fall into that snare he hz1s laid for others.’’ “ Red-skins,” he exclaimed,. regarding his mcjam,| ._—_ —— = CC —— —_— — CREW AND ICE-BOUND SHIP, with a look of bitter envy. “A daughter name, the chief advanced tahun. eidal@aud "onal sities alse miCran ieete an eek Gaaectientof oun our tribe has transgressed our laws, and would bargain for our honour. Yeni demands, and you cannot re~ fuse, that the culprit makes atonement or braves the Indian’s ordeal.” “Sumach defies the hound that howls when the Yengese show him a trail.” These words excited a burst of indignation from the lips of the natives, ever jealous of the decrees of their tribe. This was a frightful augury of their fierce and ruthless intentions. In the midst of prolonged and savage yells, Yeni proclaimed, in a high voice, that Sumach be con- demned to endure, for her contumacy, the dreadful trial of torture by fire. “ Must this be?” muttered Manitto. ‘ The eagls loves its young—the bear its young— the father pities the erring child.” ‘Sumach will not suffer the ordeal,” replied the chief. “She will be saved. Yeni still loves.” The circle of the Indians soon broke its order. Bustle, tumult, and wild screams, gave notice for carrying out the brutal sentence. Manitto looked on Sumach with an anxious eye, and an expression of peculiar earnestness. Throughout the whole of these trying moments, ‘her features had assumed the air of melancholy and reflection, and were now overcast. with the pale prestiges of death. Never had innocence displayed before her judges a form so beautiful, a heart so pure, a mien so candid yet so dignified. Sumach, at the tribunal of savage justice, seemed as some angel descended from heaven. Miamas, though remaining silent, had listened at- tentively to all that had passed, and was at a loss in what manner to proceed. Ile loved Sumach. The fire of jealousy at the preference she had shown to another kindled in his bosom, and the laws of the tribe were immutable. Struggling with love, suspicion, and pity, he ad- vanced to his brother— “Yeni, I am more wronged than you, yet I would show mercy.” “Can Miamas plead for Sumach, who rejects his love and smiles upon his rival.’’ ‘*T will give a ransom that shall make thee riche than any of thy people were ever know to be.”’ “Yeni is a red-skin. He wants not the gold of the pale-face.” ‘‘ Miainas appeals for pardon for her who slighted his entreaties,” ‘Yeni speaks not twice.” “Sumach shall not die.’’ \ ““Sumach will not die,’ returned Yeni, addressing his brother in hollow tones that sounded like a voice charged with some prophetic mission. ** She will not die?’’ he continued, the funeral pyre to save her.” A flaring torch, burning in the gloomy region of the retreat, sent its red glare on the dusky forms that were about to take their part in the cruel work of death that seemed at hand. While the Indians had conversed, a large pile of dried brushwood, used for the purpose of sacrifice, had been taken from an enclosed recess by them and Spread in a circle round Sumach, who was then led and fastened to a post set up in the centre. Sumach looked on the preparations with a steady eye, and when the tormentors had bound her, met them with a firm and upright attitude. A frantic yell proclaimex the unresisting victim ready for the stake. The warriors drew their knives, and, flourishing them on high, grouped themselves in a broken line, “Yeni but fires oO ee ComiICbDOOKS OS Se ey, Coy