The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region — page 55: what you’re looking at

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

\ pa aa a aa ait THE FROZEN OREW AND ICE-BOUND SHIP. — 45 SS CHAPTER XVII. TWO HUMAN HEARTS DIFFERENTLY CONSTITUTED.— GOOD AND EVIL. None pursuing, Sumach followed more closely in her wake than either of her rejected suitors, the brothers Yeni and Miamas. So rapid had love, hate or jealousy urged their flight through the waters of the lake, that their canoes had reached the place of refuge almost as soon as the fugitives had entered it. Yeni rushed into the surf and fastened on the canoe, which Sumach had driven on the bank, with the tenacity of a hound seizing his prey. Shattering it against the rocks with his utmost strength, he cast the remnants of the slight vessel one by one upon the waters. With malice he exclaimed— “They must be adroit swimmers who could venture across the Salt Lake.” ** Hscape for them now is impossible,” said Mia- mas, surveying his brother, “ since their boat is swamped in the current.” “They would have had no use of their canoe had I not destroyed it,” returned Yeni, who, touching his quiver, continued, ‘‘ Here is something that will do more than shoot sea-fowl.” ** What do you intend ?” “To kill? a Sumach ?” interrupted Miamas, recoiling at the idea. “No, the pale-face who bears her company. As to the faithless one who speaks our tongue, let him who is slighted send his arrow where he listeth.” ‘Doubt not; Miamas will do himself and people justice.’’ With such determinations, the warriors com- menced the ascent of the path already taken by Fergus Blake and his companion. Miamas and Yeni had not proceeded far, when they encountered the same mysterious individual who had accosted the fugitives. j ‘‘Rash mortals,’ he exclaimed, “know you not you are treading on ground forbidden to the foot of man ? “JT am VWanderdecken, the Flying Dutchman,” continued the speaker, ‘‘ and the region wooed by the northern wind and tempest tossed billow is my domain.”’ “The Great Spirit,’ replied Miamas, haughtily, ‘* gave the lands around the great fresh waters to the Yengese, and to his red children, and these did he fashion for myself as well as thee.” / “ Madman !” exclaimed Vanderdecken, ‘‘ dost thou not fear to beard me upon this spot, where my power is uncontrolled and upon which, should I see fit, I could punish thy timerity with instant death.” “T fear you not,” arswered the Indian. ‘“ You will not make me, a warrior of the tribe of the White Beaver, bend in adoration to one I deemed an arrant imposter! Keep your threats to terrifiy old squaws! Miamas scorns and defies them !” ‘Chief, thy scepticism amounts to fool-hardiness and [ would ask the a question.”’ “‘ Let it not tire my patience.” “To you forget the sea dragon, whose fierce tavages well nigh desolated thy native land ?” “The country was rid of the scourge,” said Miamas. “ By my power alone,” interrupted Vanderdecken, ‘a mighty spell lured the pestilential creature into the mighty fastnesses with which this jagged shores abound.” ‘‘The monster disappeared from the hunting | * | grounds of our fathers, but by what means I do not pretend to say,” observed the Indian, “ however you got the credit of it, and a tribute of three elks has ever since been paid to you by our tribe on the first day of every new moon.” “And if that tribute should ever be neglected,” shouted the Flying Dutchman, “ the dragon will again visit the wigwams of the White Beaver, and the horrors which its presence brought will be re- doubled.’’ “The red-skin fears not the subtle reptile,” re- torted Miamas, “his eyes have beheld the monster swept into the depths of the mighty waters.” ‘Whether he perished will be proved, ere many hours roll over thy head,’ said Vanderdecken, with a malicious smile. “This is the day of the new moon,”’ headded; “ at present the tribute of thy people has not been paid. Should they fail, the truth of Vanderdecken’s words will be made manifest.” “Till the danger come, Miamas will have no ap- prehension,’ he answered, “ as he has already told you, he is no believer in thy assumed power, and therefore can have no dread of any evil that menaces him withal.” ““Come, brother,” continued the Indian, “the panther may get into snares set by those whose face is the colour of snow, but he is strong, and knows how to break through them; follow me, the voice of Sumach should call us to her side. Miamas, at a bound, leaped a chasm at his feet, anc bounded in the direction taken by his faithless bride, and her companion, Fergus Blake. Vanderdecken, whose resentment was wound up to the highest pitch by the impenetrability of the young Indian chief, watched him for some time with a look of deadly hate. While he was engaged in thoughts of how he could most readily take a deep and ample revenge, he was accosted by his remaining companion, whose feelings suddenly became of a similar nature. During the late discourse he had uttered not a word, but his passions were obviously irritated. “Yeni would speak with the wizard,’’ he ex- claimed. Vanderdecken turned as the voice fell upon his ears. ‘‘ He would ask advice on a subject nearest to his heart.” “And should I deign to give it,’’? replied the Flying Dutchman, muttering a curse betwixt his teeth, “you would reject my counsel, even as thy hated brother has done just now. “ Away!” he continued, ‘‘and urge me not toa punishment of thy presumption, even on the spot on which you stand.” “ Miamas and myself, though brothers, have but little of that love which cements relationship,” was Yeni’s answer. ‘‘ Wizard, he derides thy power, and 44 \ ‘© And you are——” ‘“‘ Willing to become thy slave!” “ Ha!’ exclaimed Vanderdecken, ‘‘isitso? But ere I can enlist you in my unholy league, you must say what favour thou dost zrave of the Flying Dutchman.” ‘“‘ The wizard probably may know that the brother of Yeni doats on the fair Sumach, whom he has sought in vain so long.” The Indian paused, His countenance was flushed, His eye angry. : And his swelling figure would have produced a sensation of awe in any other but the one who now observed his actions. ; “The thought,’’ continued Yeni, “is madness, for OMmlGodOOKSAGO