The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region — page 63: what you’re looking at

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THE FROZEN CREW AND ICE BOUND SHIP. 53 Neither Miamas nor Yeni made any reply. They listened, as if expecting the cry would be repeated, and with a manner that expressed their own astonishment. After a lengthened pause, Miamas spoke— “ What it was, or what it was not, none here can teil, I have ranged, from boyhood, the wilds and these desolate shores, and believed that there was no cry I had not heard; but this has proved that Miamas is only a vain and conceited mortal. “What see you?” asked Yeni, observing a restless movement in his brother. The answer was short, and given in the Indian tongue, ‘** There is some one emerging with a light from the dark abyss.” ‘Can you distinguish the features ?” “No; be it a friend or enemy, for the present our hiding place must still be in the darkness.” While Miamas was yet uttering these words, the form of a man was revealed to his view. And,as he had asserted, bearing a torch in his hand. ; A wild burst of unearthly laughter on the part of this individual filled the Indian with new dread. ‘¢Tt is Hans Hinckman,”’ exclaimed Sumach, “ our worst enemy or our best friend.” “You are in no danger from me,” replied the dwarf, who had overheard the remark ; “I have already told youl owe him who calls me his slave a grudge.” ©Ts this. man to be trusted,” thought Miamas, “he has some mischievous design in appearing thus before us.’ ‘So far from bearing enmity to the wizard it was he I believe who assisted him last night,’’ continued Yeni. The Indians had now come up with Hans Hinck- man. ‘*‘ What is your purpose here?’ they asked of the dwarf. * To lead you from this place to one ofsafety,’’ he answered. “‘Ts it not to sacrifice us at thine own impious rites ?” rejoined Sumach. ““When I hav2 saved you, you will have a better opinion of me,” said Hans Hinckman. ‘‘Your escape,” he continued, will partially gratify my vengeance on Vanderdecken, the Flyin Dutchman, as the children of clay choose to ca him.’ ‘¢ Have you no fear of this terrible being ¢” The dwarf made no reply to this question, which he evaded by remarking— “I will get you out of his clutches, be the conse- quence what it may to myself.” The dwarf, having in a measure overcome the scruples of his companions, now descended the deep escapement at his feet, apparently with perfect ease and security. Arrived at the bottom, he beckoned to those he had left at the summit to follow him. The summons was tacitly and not without diffi- culty obeyed. Having proceeded for some distance, Hans Hinck- man abruptly stopped in the pathway, and com- manded those he was guiding to remain where they were or retrace their footsteps. Plunging his torch with force into the ground, he suddenly, and somewhat mysteriously, disap- peared. The minute after a dull booming sound was heard, then the roar of heayen’s artillery. The sides of the chasm were rent in a thousand places, and from the yawning cliffs issued a resist- less torrent of the neighbouring ocean. a TI a a “nn ill SI ec lk OE — The water, rising breast high, fell upon the devoted Sumach and her companions, who, like herself, were petrified and speechless with fear. An appalling sight was it now, to behold the struggling victims battle with the sombre waves, whose dark tinge, stained by the ruddy glare of the blazing brand, gave the sea a hue of blood. The wild despairing cry of the Indian maid, the crashing burst of the furious sea, is outvied by a scream of triumph. It is the voice of Fergus Blake that brings help where help was deemed impossible. With a firm hand and steady resolution, the bold sear was soon observed guiding a ponderous raft of ice. Plunging fearlessly into the boiling flood, he grasped the drowning wretches, and dragged them, one by one, from their peril, to the frozen block. In this way they were borne to the mouth of the cave with the speed of lightning, and cast upon the bosom of the open ocean. A prayer of thanksgiving was offered up; but those who knelt to pray had scarcely finished their orisons, when a new calamity assailed them. The brave Miamas was no longer on the raft, while the form of Hans Hinckman presented itself upon the spot upon which the Indian had been standing. Flashes of fire glanced in the dwarf’s eye, and the malice of a demon was imprinted on his counte- nance, as he shouted, in a voice that seemed to burst the ears— “If you would learn the fate of your missing companion, go seek to learn it in the Dragon’s Haunt!” Let us now pass to the Indians’ encampment. The warriors are arranging themselves in an ex-~ tended circle, while the most distinguished of their chiefs have placed themselves on the earth a little . in advance. A long deep silence succeeds the ultimate forma- tion of the gathering. At length, one whose hair was beginning to be sprinkled with a robe of grey, but whose sinewy limbs and firm tread announced that he was still equal to the arduous duties of manhood, advanced from out the gloom of a corner, and spoke. ‘‘ Warriors !’’ exclaimed Manitto, for he it was, “let the Great Spirit hear our prayer! let the red- man acknowledge that this terrible visitation is brought upon the land by the wickedness of its people, and like the doom of the Yengese of old, they had mocked the messenger of God, and des- pised his word!” The speaker paused; every eye was bent on his person, as if toinquire into the result of the annun- ciation. : ‘‘ Let them acknowledge this,” continued Manitto, ‘and success may attend him who has the courage to sacrifice himself, or achieve the utter extirpation of the monster who threatens the general destruc- tion.”’ The exhortation produced a powerful effect upon the hearers. : They arose, some with wondering, others with terrified looks. Before proceeding further, it may be desirable to show how far the ravages of the terrible Kracken had extended, and how the destroyer environed the arctic lands, like the besieging army of a be leaguered city. Neither the hunter or huntress dare venture abroad in search of game. The wigwams of the Indians, and the council~