The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

—— —————— ~ \ 54 THE FROZEN CREW A fire of their chiefs, had to be guarded night and day. The crew of the El Malachor shared a similar fate to their red brethren, and were compelled to use similar means, to prevent any outbreak upon them by the ferocious dragon of the Northern seas. This monster added desolation to terror; his pre- sence was so poisonous and contagious, that a plague raged with other horrors among the panic- stricken victims, leaving the dead fo outnumber the living. The impressive address of Manitto was followed bv a sound in the adjacent region, and Yeni, with firm and piercing eyes, burst in upon the startled Indians. wi fi Breathless, and heavily oppressed with the critical position of his brother, he spoke not of the escape of himself and companions from Hans Hinckman, but forced his way to the chief, who was still stand- ing in the midst of the tribe. ’ Horror and resolution struggled fearfully in the lineaments of his face as he gasped out— ‘Bring me the Narraganset! my speed must leave the winds behind me! The horse, I say: swift as speech, or as my heart is beating! “Miamas is slain!’ he continued, in seeming agony. “If I hasten not to his rescue, his blood is on my soul! Yeni lured him to danger, it must be Yeni to perish with or save him!” ‘“‘ Where would he go?”’ was the general excla- mation. “ To the eternal river of the dead—to the yawn- ing gulf of Tartarus! Two hours since I left Miamas exposed to the fierce attacks of the direful dragon of the Northern seas!” “ Warrior,’ returned Manitto, “I fear you will fall a prey to the fierce monster against whom you are about to try your prowess.” “It may be so,’’ replied Yeni. “ But, though his poisoning fangs eat into my heart, Iwill seek him ‘in big murky den, and, with the aid of the Great Spirit, will abide the issue of a contest that ends in my destruction or the deliverance of my captive brother!” The Narraganset, or war-horse of the White Beavers, was now brought forward, and merited the eulogium of his rider as he vaulted into the saddle. Despite the remonstrances of the by-standers, who deemed Yeni’s challenge to the dread monster an impious act, he seized the bridle, and commenced his. route by plunging forward in the direction of the Dragon’s Haunt. He soon disappeared like a vanishing phantom from those who witnessed his departure, hurrying onwards with surprising speed, notwithstanding the difficulties the path presented. The one-armed heel of Yeni goaded not the flanks of the faithful beast, whom by instinct seemed to discover that a portentous sequel hung upon his uncurbed flight. A few miles hard riding brought Yeni to his journey’s end. The rapid motion had a tendency to revive the dormant faculties of the over-exhausted Indian. Gaining the flattened surface of a dizzy preci- pice, Yeni at once recognised the inauspicious abode of the Kracken, __ Curiosity, which seemed inseparable from disgust, induced him to gaze at the sickening sight which met his gaze. The monster’s cruel work was still unchecked. On every side were bones and flesh, torn from the bodies of the victims of the relentless perse- eutor. Streaming rivulets of blood, and gory blocks of a OE Li EE CT ET ia ete - = : sOMLCD:OO: ND ICE-BOUND SHIP, ice presented themselves at whatever point the eye turned. noes Mangled forms—nay, very corpses, without the usual cerements, were discovered in uncovered graves, or lying with festering pestilence in ghastly heaps. ‘Amidst these accumulating horrors, appalled, yet partly restored to himself, Yeni dismounted, and, by an unaccountable fascination, was drawn farther into the charnel-house. Here a new terror burst upon him, while cold drops of sweat hung on his brows at the fearful spectacle of which he was the sole witness. Fastened to a basaltic column, the Indian found his unfortunate brother Miamas. He was loaded with chains, whose rusty links had bared in several places his bones, which seemed to protude through the open wounds. A glimmering light passed through the entrance, and gave this terrible object the appearance of some marble figure. It was the well known form of Miamas. Yeni paused for a moment, knelt then clasped the icy hand outstreched towards him. ‘‘ He lives,’’ cried Yeni, in a voice which made him who listened shake with greater terror. ‘ Even in the very crisis tohave come. Had J arrived an hour before, I should not have felt this agony of joy.” ‘Brother, I fear you have come too ldte,” mur- mured Miamas faintly, ‘‘ the arrow of death is piere- ing my brain, and rushing to my heart.’’ “Courage. Iam resolved to save you.” Yeni spoke these words, and the next minute had released his brother from the fetters that bound him. “You are a prisoner no longer,’ he continued, “your safety—my happiness—demands your instant freedom, and I have formed a scheme for our liberty which boldly executed, cannot fail.’’ “T have not strength to move a limb,” said Miamas, ‘‘The Narraganset shall bear you, like a fallow deer, through the intricacies of this terrible cave, which we must quit instartly.” . As Yeni turned to loosenethe tether of his horse, a large black ball which at first seemed stationary, now began to move in a manner that was inex- plicable. Its restless, sideling attitudes at once convinced its observer that it was some beast of prey. i Though this creature growled loudly and fiercely, and there were instants when its glistening eye- balls might be seen, it gave no other indication of hostillty. Yeni, regarding it for some moments, at length seemed assured that the intentions of this intruder were peaceble, and, without hesitation, leaped on the back of the Narraganset. The horse’s eye glared round on his master as he leant forward and called the anima! cheerfully by its name, It knew the kind voice, and raised its ears which, till now, were laid flat back. The Indian placed his hand upon the back of the beast, and withdrew it suddenly, wet with per- spiration, “The instinct of the brute, excels’ the reason of the man,” he exclaimed, asif struck with a startling conviction ; “ there is danger near that I have not anticipated.” These words had scarcely left the lips of the horse- man, when he perceived the object he had noticed rolling along his path. The next momeat it became fully revealed, and the sombre mass changed to a monstrous and most forbidding reptile. -