The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

Uy THE FROZEN It’s tongue was lolling out. White tusks glared from a blood-stained mouth. A greenish foam scattered itself like flowing lava over a breast, broad, scaled and slimy. - Yeni at once knew that his enemy was the odious kracken, the dragon of the Northern seas. In a moment his polished axe was seen to glisten, as he whirled it above his head. A bright gleam shot from his hand, Jt was the tomahawk in its passage. The quick and ready aim of the Indian was not too ate. His keen weapon was buried in the throat of his noxious adversary. ‘The scream that rent the air resembled that ofa body of martyrs, to whose flesh had been applied red hot pinchers. Yeni beheld his triumph with a grateful heart, which, while it leapt in his throat for joy, swelled with resolution to follow up his advantage. 7 Though tottering and weak, from the loss of blood, the dragon again advanced to the attack. ue eyes resembled a sheet of glowing and fiery coal. . His hiss, the tempestuous fury of the maelstrom. The Indian watched his enemy with features that seemed superior to every emotion. Marble could not be colder, calmer, or steadier than the countenance he put on, as he placed his body entirely on the defensive, but prepared, if the oppor- tunity offered, to act again as the aggressor. There was something appalling in the silence which ensued between the combatants, as they watched each other, waiting, as it were, for death. The scared steed of Yeni at length made a -head- long plunge, while he himself aimed a tremendous blow at the startled monster, who suddenly drawing back avoided it. ia Stumbling the horse threw its rider, and swept away at a tremendous pace. The Indian was now alone and prostrate. The dragon spread its wings to dart upon his enemy, who, appeared at this moment entirely at his mercy. In doing this he exposed the only vulnerable part of his body. A mortal wound from the upraised poignard of the Indian forced his foe to seek retreatin his cave. Yeni was about to follow, when a well known voice called upon him to desist. f The next moment an explosion shook the sur- rounding region from one end to the other. The place sank as into a gulph. The vaulted roof of the kracken’s haunt fell. Its pillars bowed down, its destruction was ac- complished, and the dreaded dragon destroyed. Miamas, who had witnessed the issue of the con- test, had possessed himself of a pine torch, which he lighted as he observed the monster enter his abode; this he then hurled into its confined air, and thus caused the desolution that has been above described, ome CHAPTER XXI, TIDINGS OF PAUL JONES. Fortune, who seems at times to own a conscience, owed the brave Paul Jones some amends, and, gecordingly, we find him located in a solitary snow hut, surrounded by vast white deserts of the Polar SOA. tien The floating mass on which they had been cast was drifted by the tide to the dreary, snow-clad, and not inhospitable shore that now gave them shelter, comfort and food. ee CPL I OO I OE Pete ec ele CREW AND ICE-BOUND SHIP. 55 “Let us peep for a moment at the territory, contin- gents, and dwelling of the outcasts, situated beneath a remarkable iceberg, little less than two hundred feet in height, surmounted py two white cupola- shaped hummocks. Temporary openings in the water, surrounded on all sides by ice are filled with fish, and flocks of wild fowl hovering in the air, provide daily a lux- urlous meal to the otherwise forlorn mariners. The further discovery of the wreck of a large vessel supplied, in a measure, their every actual want. The singular way in which this unlooked-for assistance arrived, will be best described by the © words of Brandy-nosed Nick, when he informed Paul Jones of his day’s adventure. ** Here I am,” said he, ‘‘ returned to port safe and oe and a rare voyage of discovery I have had of it. “Something told me,’ he continued, ‘‘ when I started out this morning, to hunt out old bruin, that paid us a visit yesterday, that I should meet with luck.” ‘‘What have you run foul of ?” asked his com- panion. ‘‘May I never see old England again, but I’ve captured a whole mine of Spanish gold! Here— here’s enough to pay .off all the drowned ship’s crew for a whole voyage.” by As he spoke, Brandy-nosed Nick put down the gun he carried over his shoulder, and opened a wallet at his side, which appeared full. ‘‘ Where did you find this?” said Paul Jones, eagerly examining the contents of the bag. ‘Steering through an ice-pass, some two miles distant, [came upon what appeared to me an old wreck. , ‘“‘T was right in my ‘ wreckoning,’ ” continued Nick, enjoying his attemptata pun. ‘It was a Spanish vessel that has been lost in this infernal climate about atwelemonth ago.’ | ““ How do you know that?” ‘¢ Why, baving boarded the ship, I overhauled the log, and found observations and reckonings up to Within this year.” “Did you discover any provisions ?” “ Lots, and a cask or two of real Jamaica; I’ve filled my flask with a sample of the liquor ; it’s quite tomy liking. That reminds me I haven't taking a draught since I've been speaking to you, and talking you know is dry work. Brandy-nosed Nick here produced the flash he had spoken of, and, to make up for his»late omission, absorbed a larger quantity of moisture than usual. ‘‘Then the unfortunate crew——” ‘‘ Have most likely gone to Davy Jones,’’ inter- rupted the previous speaker. “I didn’t meet witha centipede or even alilliputian rat on or between decks.” “Then you came upon nothing that would lead you to suppose that man had once trod the vessel’s planks ?” ~ Yes, I did,” replied Nick. ‘(There was plenty of gold in the lockers and chests, and where that metal exists you may depend upon it human beings of some kind have been in the neighbourhood. “ That which is contained in my wallet,’ he con- tinued, ‘‘is a part of the spoil.”’ “That which buys men and life,’ returned Paul Jones, “ is as useless as dross in the arctic regions.” “Y¥es,”’ said Nick, ‘“‘there’s no banks here for depositing money, or slopsellers one can spend it at.” “There are no vestiges then of the brave hearts that perished in this ice-bound ship ?” asked Paul Jones, musing. 3) OT ee a ll ee Bn a