diff options
Diffstat (limited to '23383.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 23383.txt | 3056 |
1 files changed, 3056 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/23383.txt b/23383.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e01e5d3 --- /dev/null +++ b/23383.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3056 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Archibald Hughson, by W.H.G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Archibald Hughson + An Arctic Story + +Author: W.H.G. Kingston + +Release Date: November 6, 2007 [EBook #23383] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARCHIBALD HUGHSON *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Archibald Hughson, the Young Shetlander--An Arctic Story, by W.H.G. +Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ +Archibald is a teenager living in Shetland, that group of islands to the +north of Scotland. His father is dead, and his mother not very well. +He longs to go to sea, and a seaman he knows aids him to stow away in a +whaling ship, the "Kate", just parting for Greenland, where there is an +abundance of whales. + +The Captain is very kind, and accepts the situation. But one day when +the boats are sent out in search of whales Archy stows away again, to +see the fun. This does not work out too well, as the boat they are in +is stove in, and its occupants have to jump helpless onto the ice. They +are rescued by another whaling ship, the "Laplander", but this in turn +is beset by the ice and broken to splinters. + +Some of the people, including Archy, after walking a long way over the +ice, make it back to the "Kate", now herself beset by ice. However, in +spite of illness among the crew, they eventually get free, and manage to +get the vessel, in a not very seaworthy condition, back to Shetland. + +________________________________________________________________________ +ARCHIBALD HUGHSON, THE YOUNG SHETLANDER--AN ARCTIC STORY, BY W.H.G. +KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +ARCHIBALD HUGHSON, A YOUNG SHETLAND LAD, HAVING A STRONG DESIRE TO GO TO +SEA, AND HIS MOTHER WITHHOLDING HER CONSENT, DETERMINES TO RUN FROM +HOME.--HE IS TREACHEROUSLY ASSISTED BY MAX INKSTER, A WICKED SAILOR, WHO +SUCCEEDS IN GETTING HIM STOWED AWAY ON BOARD THE "KATE," A GREENLAND +WHALER. + +"Where are you going, Archy?" asked Maggie Hughson, as she ran after her +brother, who was stealing away from the house, evidently not wishing to +be intercepted. + +The young Hughson's home stood high up on the slope of a hill on the +small island of Bressay, one of the Shetland group. Hence the eye +ranged over the northern ocean, while to the eastward appeared the isle +of Noss, with the rocky Holm of Noss beyond, the abode of numberless +sea-fowl, and to be reached by a rope-way cradle over a broad chasm of +fearful depth. The house, roofed with stone, and strongly-built, as it +needed to be to withstand the fierce gales blowing over that wild sea, +was surrounded by patches of cultivated ground, without trench or bank, +or a tree to be seen far or near. + +Archy stopped when he heard his sister's voice; for, though headstrong +and obstinate, he loved her more than any other human being. + +"I am going over to Lerwick to see Max Inkster," he answered, looking +back at her. "The `Kate' sails to-morrow, and I promised him a visit +before he goes." + +"Oh, surely you don't forget that our mother told you she wished you +would not have anything to say to that man!" exclaimed Maggie. "He is +bad in many ways, and he can only do you harm." + +"I am not going to be led by any one," answered Archy. "I like to hear +his tales of the sea, and his adventures when chasing the whale, or +hunting white bears, and those sort of things away in Greenland, and +perhaps some day I may go to sea myself, and I want to know what sort of +a life I am likely to lead. I am not going to be kept digging potatoes, +and tending cattle and sheep all my life." + +"Oh Archy! don't think of it," said Maggie. "It would break our +mother's heart to have you go. You know that our father was lost at +sea, and so was uncle Magnus, and many other relations and friends. God +will bless you, and you will be far happier, if, in obedience to her, +you give up your wild notions and stay at home." + +"I am not going to be dictated to, Maggie, by mother or you," exclaimed +Archy. "Max is a fine fellow, notwithstanding what you say. He is +expecting me, and I am not going to break my engagement; so, good-bye, +Maggie. Go back home, and look after mother--that's your duty, which +you are so fond of talking about." + +Maggie, finding that her arguments were of no avail, returned home, as +she could not venture longer to leave her mother, who was ill in bed. + +Archy took his way till he was out of sight of the house, and then from +beneath a large stone, he pulled out a bundle, which he slung at the end +of a stick over his shoulder, and proceeded across the island till he +came to the shore of the sound which divides it from the mainland. +Several large black high-sided ships lay at anchor, with numerous boats +hanging to the davits, and mostly barque-rigged. They were whalers, +belonging to Hull and other English and Scotch ports, on their way to +Baffin Bay, or the shores of Greenland. + +Archy found a boat just about to cross the sound to Lerwick, and, asking +for a passage, he jumped in. On landing, he made his way to the house +where Max Inkster lodged. The door was open. Archy walked in. Max was +alone in a little room on one side of the passage; he was smoking, and a +bottle and glass were on the table. + +"Glad to see you, lad," he said. "Sit down. I doubted that you would +come." + +"Why?" asked Archy. + +"I thought your mother and sister would advise you to keep away from a +fellow like me," answered Max, looking hard at his young guest. He was +a strongly-built broad-shouldered man, with an unpleasant expression in +his weather-beaten countenance. + +"My mother is ill, and did not know I was coming, and I am not going to +be dictated to by Maggie," said Archy. + +"That's the right spirit, boy," said Max. "If they suspect what you +intend doing, they will take good care to prevent you." + +"I don't intend to let them know," replied Archy. "But I wish mother +was not ill. I am half inclined to stop at home till next season, and +then I'll do what I choose, whatever they may say." + +"I see how it is," observed Max, with a sneer on his lips. "You are +beginning to think we lead too hard a life for you, and you would rather +be looking after the cows, and being at the beck and call of mistress +Maggie. I thought you had more spirit. You are afraid--that's the +truth of it." + +"No one shall say I am afraid," exclaimed Archy. "I have asked several +captains to take me, but they refused without my mother's leave, and +that she won't give, just because my father and uncle Magnus were lost +at sea, and so she has taken it into her head that I shall be lost also. +If you can help me to go in the `Kate,' I am ready. There's my bundle +of clothes." + +"No great stock for a voyage to the Arctic Seas; but we must rig you out +when you get on board," observed Max, taking up Archy's bundle, and +stowing it away in a large seaman's bag which stood in the corner of the +room. "You will have to keep pretty close till we are well clear of the +land, or the captain will be for putting you on shore again. Here, take +a glass of grog, it will help to keep up your courage." Max mixed a +strong glass of whisky and water, and pushed it across the table to +Archy. + +Archy's scruples soon vanished. He now only thought of the adventures +he hoped to meet with among the icebergs. + +Max had gained his object. From a quarrel which had occurred years +before, he had long harboured an ill-feeling towards the Hughson's; and, +for the purpose of thwarting and annoying Mrs Hughson, he was ready to +encourage Archy in his disobedience to her. When once a person yields +to the suggestions of Satan, he knows not into what crimes he may be +hurried. Those who associate with unprincipled people run a fearful +risk of being led astray by them. Archy, notwithstanding his mother's +warnings, had persisted in visiting Max Inkster, for the sake of hearing +his long yarns of nautical adventure, and he would at first have been +excessively indignant had he been told that he was likely, in +consequence, to be led into any further act of disobedience. + +"Did any one see you come in here?" asked Max. "No; Nanny Clousta was +out, and no one was passing at the time," answered Archy. + +"Well, then, stay quiet here till dark, and I'll take you on board, and +stow you away in the hold," said Max. "You must remain there till I +give you a signal to come out; but, remember, that you are not to tell +the captain or any one else that I had a hand in helping you. Just say +that you slipped on board in a shore boat, and hid yourself of your own +accord. You will promise me that?" + +Archy had not been in the habit of telling falsehoods; but he had +already made one step in the downward course, and though he hesitated, +he at last said, "I promise. I needn't tell that I knew who took me on +board, and I can find my own way below, so there's no necessity to +mention your name." + +"That's it," said Max. "You will want some food, though. Here, just +fill your pockets with this bread and cheese." He took some from a +cupboard. "And here is a flask of whisky and water. You may have to +lie hid for a couple of days, or more, may be; so you must manage your +provisions accordingly." + +Max went out, and Archy fell asleep, with his head on the table. It was +late at night before his evil councillor returned. + +"Rouse up, boy," he whispered. "It's time we were aboard. I have got a +man to take us off, and he will think you belong to the ship. Here, +shoulder my bag, and come along." + +Max placed his heavy sea-bag on his young companion's shoulder. Archy +staggered on under it till he reached the boat. The boatman, who had +been paid before, pulled away, and they were soon alongside the whaler. +Max clambered up the side, and hoisted his bag by a rope after him. +Archy followed. The officer of the watch was aft, and as the crew and +their friends were constantly coming and going, no notice was taken of +them. Max took up his bag, and as he passed up the main hatchway, which +was open, having ascertained that there was no one below, he made a sign +to Archy to slip down the ladder. + +"I'll be with you in a few minutes," he whispered. "No one is likely to +go there at this hour." + +Archy did as he was bid, and felt his way in the dark, till he found +himself among the empty casks in the hold, which were stowed ready for +use. There were certain spaces between the tiers which would afford him +room to hide himself away. Into one of these he crept, and lay down +waiting for Max. He fancied that where he was he should not be seen by +anyone moving about the hold, unless expressly looking for him. He +thought that Max was a long time in coming, and perhaps would not come +at all. On the return of daylight, which would stream down through the +open hatchway, should he not be discovered? he thought. The crew would +certainly be at work at an early hour, and he might not have time to +find a more secure hiding-place. Then he would have to undergo the +annoyance and disgrace of being put on shore, and severely reprimanded +by the captain, a very severe man, he had been told. At last he heard +some one moving, and presently a light fell on his eyes. He was afraid +to stir, almost to breathe, lest he should be discovered. + +"Well, if I had not come you would have been hauled out to a certainty +in the morning," said Max, who had only just then been able to pay him +his promised visit. "You must come down lower than this. Here, keep +after me. Now crawl in there, and don't come out till you hear three +blows, which I'll give on the casks above your head. You will know by +the movement of the ship when we have been at sea a couple of days or +so. There; now you have got your will. Here's your bundle; it will +serve as a pillow, and, remember, don't take any notice of me. I am +your friend, but I am not a man who chooses to be trifled with." Saying +this, Max, putting out the lantern, crept away, and Archy was left in +solitude and total darkness. The liquor his evil councillor had given +him made him sleepy, so he could not think. Otherwise his conscience +might have been aroused, and he might have recollected his poor mother +lying on a bed of sickness, and his affectionate sister watching for his +return. Satan knows that he has his victims secure when they are in +that condition. + +Archy Hughson was at length awakened by the loud tramp of the crew on +deck, the boats being hoisted in, the anchor hove up. He could hear the +ripple of the water against the sides of the ship. The "Kate" was under +way, but she was not yet even out of Bressay Sound. The hours passed +by. He began to grow very weary of his imprisonment, and to long for +the expected signal from Max, even though he should soon afterwards have +to face the captain, and perhaps be punished for having concealed +himself on board. As he thought of this, he began to wish he had waited +till he had overcome his mother's objections, and been able to go sea, +like other lads, with a proper outfit. Now and then a better feeling, +akin to remorse, stole over him, when he thought of the sorrow and +anxiety his absence must cause his mother, who, though over-indulgent, +had ever been affectionate and kind to him. Still he did not perceive +the wickedness of his own heart, or the cruel ingratitude of which he +had been guilty. "She should have let me go, it's her own fault," he +repeated, hardening himself. "It's too late now to draw back. I should +look very foolish if I was to be set on shore on Unst, and have to find +my way home by myself." + +Unst is the most northern of the Shetland Islands, and Archy guessed +that by that time the "Kate" was not far off it. + +He had little appetite to eat the food he had brought, but he soon drank +up the contents of the flask. The mixture was somewhat strong, and sent +him off to sleep again. Once more Satan had him at an advantage, for +even then, had he gone to the captain, he would have been sent on shore, +and retrieved his fault by returning home and relieving his mother's +anxiety. Undo it he could not; for a sin, once committed, can never by +man's power be undone, never forgiven. All sin is committed against +God--the slightest evil thought, the slightest departure from truth, is +sin against God's pure and holy law, and He alone can forgive sin. He +forgives it only according to the one way He has appointed. He blots it +out altogether from remembrance. That way is through faith in the +perfect and complete atonement of Jesus Christ, whose blood, shed for +man, "cleanseth from all sin." There is no other way. He accepts no +other recompense for sin. There is no undoing a sin, no making amends. +All sins, from such as those which men call the smallest to the +greatest, are registered, to be brought up in judgment against the +sinner, and the all-cleansing blood of Jesus can alone blot them out. +Man, as a proof of his living faith in Christ's atonement,--of his +sorrow for sins committed,--of his hatred of sin, of his repentance,-- +will, of necessity, do all he can to make amends to his fellow-man for +the wrong he has done him; he will restore what he has taken; he will +explain the truth where he has spoken falsely; he will be kind and +gentle to those he has treated harshly; he will give to those of his +substance, or forward their interests whom he has injured in any way. +But all this cannot blot out one letter in the eternal register of +accusations to be brought against him at the day of judgment. Oh! that +people did but know this, and would remember that when they sin they sin +not only against their fellow-man, but against the all-pure, all-holy +God, who can by no means overlook iniquity; in whose sight even the +heavens are unclean, without whose knowledge not a sparrow falls to the +ground, and by whom the very hairs of our head are numbered. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +APPEARING ON DECK, ARCHY IS SEVERELY REPRIMANDED BY THE CAPTAIN, A +STRICT, YET A KIND AND RELIGIOUS MAN--HIS FIRST SUNDAY AT SEA--AMONG THE +ICEBERGS AND ICE--CAPTURE OF A WHALE. + +Archy Hughson felt very weak and very wretched. The ship had for some +hours been tumbling fearfully about, so it seemed to him, now pitching +into the seas, which struck her stout bows with heavy blows, now rolling +from side to side. He knew that a strong gale was blowing, and he could +not help dreading that the casks might break loose, and come down upon +him. He longed to escape from his prison, and began to think that Max +must have forgotten him altogether. At length he again fell asleep. He +was awakened by three heavy knocks above his head, Max's promised +signal. He waited the time agreed on, and then began to crawl out, and +grope his way upwards. At last he saw daylight above him, and +scrambling along, he reached the foot of a ladder. Climbing up with +uncomfortable feelings at his heart as to the reception he might meet +with, he gained the upper deck. + +The first person he encountered was an old man with weather-beaten +features, but a kind expression of countenance, Andrew Scollay by name, +a boat-steerer, who was at that moment about to descend. + +"Why, lad, where do you come from?" asked old Andrew, putting his hand +on the boy's shoulder. + +"I wanted to come to sea; so I hid myself away," answered Archy. "I +hope I have not done wrong." + +"You have not done right, boy, or you would not have needed to hide +yourself away," said Andrew, scanning his features. "I think I have +seen you before. What is your name?" + +Archy told him. + +"What, widow Hughson's son? Oh, boy, boy, you have acted a cruel part +towards your poor mother. Anyhow, I would we had found you out two days +ago. However, come along with me to the captain--you'll hear what he +has to say." + +Andrew led Archy aft, where Captain Irvine was standing, and explained +in a few words what he knew of him. Captain Irvine, looking sternly at +him, inquired how he had managed to conceal himself so long on board? +On that point Archy gave a truthful reply. + +"How did you know you could find a place where you could hide yourself?" +asked the captain. + +"I have often before been on board whalers, and knew how the casks were +stowed," answered Archy, hoping that he should avoid further questions +which might implicate Max Inkster. + +"You are deserving of severe punishment for coming on board without my +leave," said the captain. "I must consider how I shall treat you. If +we fall in with a homeward-bound ship, I shall put you on board. If +not, see how you behave yourself. Had your mother asked me to take you +I would have done so, and you would have come in for a share of profits; +but you have done more wrong to her than you have to me; and though I +might flog you, as you deserve, I shall let your own conscience punish +you. I hope you have got one, which will make you mourn for your fault. +Now go for'ard. You must not eat the bread of idleness, and Mr +Scollay will put you to some work or other. I must speak to you again +about this, and let me see, as you have chosen to come on board, that +you do your best to learn your duty." + +Archy's conscience was not aroused. He went forward, well pleased at +having, as he thought, got off so cheaply; yet he did not feel at his +ease. He looked, indeed, very pale and sick, and miserable. Old +Andrew's kind heart was touched, as he remarked his woe-begone +appearance. He took him below, and got the steward to give him some +food. He then sent him to wash himself. + +"I must see about rigging you out," he said. "The clothes you have on +are not fit for the work you will have to do." + +Archy felt grateful to old Andrew, and thanked him warmly. + +"Don't speak about that, boy," remarked Andrew. "It's not that you +deserve what I may do for you; but you are poor, and helpless, and +wretched, and that's just the state man was in when Christ came down +from heaven to help him; and so I have a notion that it becomes His +disciples, who desire to be like Him, to assist the helpless and +miserable." + +The crew generally did not treat Archy as kindly as old Andrew had done. +They attacked him, as soon as he got among them, with all sorts of +questions, laughing and jeering at his folly. No one laughed at him +more than Max Inkster. Archy felt inclined to retort, but he remembered +his promise to Max, and gave him no sign of recognition, he was treated +as one of the ship's boys, and was put to do all sorts of drudgery and +dirty work. Often and often he wished that he had remained at home, to +look after his mother's farm, and help Maggie in attending to her. + +Several days passed by--Archy was beginning to find himself at home +among the crew--Max at length spoke to him as if to a stranger. + +"We must make a sailor of you, boy, as you have chosen to come to sea," +he said, when the order had just been given to reef topsails. "Lay out +on the yard with me, and I'll show you what to do." + +Archy had several times been aloft, but had never assisted in reefing. +He now followed Max up the rigging. There was a heavy sea running, and +the ship was pitching violently. + +"Now, don't be afraid--come out on the yard," said Max. "There--lean +over, and catch hold of those reef points. Cling tight though, with +your knees and elbows, or you will pitch down on deck, and have your +brains dashed out." + +Archy did as he was bid. He felt very nervous, though, and was thankful +when he was safe off the yard. It was coming on to blow harder and +harder, and the canvas was still further reduced. Max did not again +invite him to go aloft--none but practised seamen could have ventured on +the yards. At length, all the canvas was taken off the ship, except a +close-reefed main-topsail, when the helm was put down, and she was +hove-to. The wind whistled shrilly through the bare poles and rigging. +It was blowing a perfect hurricane. All around appeared mountains of +heaving water, each succeeding sea threatening to swallow up the +labouring ship. Archy was surprised at the calmness of the officers and +crew, when he expected every moment that one of those tremendous seas +would come on board, and send the ship to the bottom. He wished that he +could pray, as his mother had taught him to do, but he dared not; yet he +trembled at the thought of what would happen. + +Night came on--the gale seemed to increase. He, with all except the +watch on deck, had gone below. + +"What, lad, art afraid?" asked Max, who observed his pale countenance. +"You thought a life at sea was all sunshine and calm." + +"I have found out what it is, and I wish that I had not been fool enough +to come," answered Archy, with some bitterness. + +Max laughed. "Many a lad thinks like you," he said. "They get +accustomed to it, and so must you, though the training is not pleasant, +I'll allow." + +While Max was speaking, a tremendous blow was felt, as if the ship had +struck a rock, and then came a sound of rending and crashing timbers, +while the water rushed down the hatchway. + +"The ship's on her beam ends," cried several voices, and all hands +sprang on deck. Archy followed. A scene of wreck and destruction met +his sight. The sea had swept over the ship, carrying away the +staunchions, bulwarks, and rails, the binnacle, and the chief portion of +the wheel. A fearful shriek reached his ears, and he caught sight for +an instant of a man clinging to the binnacle. No help could be afforded +him--the poor fellow knew that too well; still he clung to life; but in +a few seconds a sea washed over him and he disappeared. + +The captain was on deck, calmly issuing his orders,--the crew flew to +obey them, while Archy clung to the main-mast, expecting every moment to +be his last. Things were at length put to rights; spare spars were +lashed to the remaining staunchions--life lines were stretched along the +deck, fore and aft. The names of the crew were then called over--two +did not answer, another, it was found, had unseen been carried to his +dread account. + +The next day was the Sabbath. The gale had moderated, and the ship was +again put on her course. On that day the captain invariably invited all +not on duty to assemble for service in his cabin; Max and a few others +generally made excuses for not attending. The captain took this +occasion to speak of the uncertainty of human life. + +"The fate of our shipmates may be that of any one of us, my lads," he +observed. "I do not ask how they were prepared to meet their God, but +how are you prepared? Even if you are living pure and blameless lives, +have you made peace with Tim according to the only way He has offered to +reconcile you to Himself? Have you a living faith in the atoning blood +of Jesus shed for you? He wishes you to be reconciled to Him, and He +has offered to you the easiest and simplest way, the only way by which +you can be so. Remember, `now is the accepted time,' `now is the day of +salvation.' It is God tells you this. If you put off that day it may +be too late--for He says nothing about to-morrow. Some of you may say +that you lead hard lives, have little enjoyment, and much suffering, and +that that must satisfy God and give you a right to heaven. God does not +tell you that; but He says, `Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou +shalt be saved. He that believeth not is condemned.' Oh lads, if you +knew of the love of Jesus for you, and how He longs for you all to be +saved, you could not stand aloof from Him as you do, and try to keep Him +out of your thoughts, and do nothing to please or serve Him. I speak to +young and old, for He loves the youngest boy on board here as well as +the oldest, and His blood, which cleanseth from all sin, will wash away +the sins of the greatest criminal as completely as it will cleanse the +most harmless youngster, though he, too, needs to be washed as much as +the other." Such was the substance of Captain Irvine's discourse on the +Sunday after the storm. Archy had attended, and the words were +continually haunting him. Max, as usual, had kept away. + +"I wonder you can stand that sort of thing," he said to Archy, when he +next met him. "I have no fancy for those discourses of the skipper; but +if you want to curry favour with him, by all means go, just as old +Andrew and Dr Sinclair, and some others do. They have prayers with him +every morning in his cabin. You will not turn psalm-singer, I hope, +lad." + +"I don't suppose I shall," answered Archy. "But still I should not like +to be washed overboard, as Bill and Ned were the other night." + +"As to that, you must run your chance as others do," answered Max. "I +don't let such things trouble me." + +Archy could not help letting them trouble him, though. + +The next day the whole crew were busily employed in getting the whale +boats ready and the gear fitted. There were seven boats in all--three +slung to the davits on each side, and one over the stern, with a +harpooner to each. The whale lines were spliced and coiled away in the +stern of the boats; the harpoons were spanned, that is, fastened to the +ends of the lines, and various articles were stowed away in the boats, +so that they were all ready to be lowered, and to shove off at a +moment's notice, should a whale appear. The crow's-nest was also got up +to the main topgallant mast-head. It is like a tall cask with a seat in +it, where the officer can take his station and look out far and wide +over the ocean to watch for the spouting of the monsters of the deep. + +Next morning, when Archy went on deck, he saw at no great distance from +the ship a vast white towering mass, glittering like alabaster in the +rays of the sun. At the lower part were projecting points and curious +arches, and a deep cavern, with numberless columns and long icicles +hanging from the roof, while the summit was crowned with pinnacles and +towers of every possible shape. From the higher points, as the ice +melted under the rays of the hot sun, came down two or three tiny +cascades of bright water, leaping from ledge to ledge till they fell +with a splash into the calm ocean. + +Archy had often heard of icebergs, but he had formed little conception +of what they really were. He stood gazing at it for some minutes, lost +in wonder. + +"Well, boy, what do you think of it?" asked Andrew Scollay, who was +passing at the time. + +"It's very wonderful," said Archy. + +"All God's works are wonderful," observed old Andrew. "You will see +thousands of such bergs as this where we are going, all formed by God's +will, just as He forms everything else in the world; and yet if all the +kings of the earth and their people were to try and build up one like +them, they could not succeed. Now, Archy, I put it to you, whether it +is not wise to try and be friends with such a God--to know that you are +under His care and protection, instead of disobeying Him and daring His +power? The time may come before long when you will feel how helpless +you are to take care of yourself, boy. I have seen stout ships crushed +in a moment between masses of ice, as if they had been made of paper, +and once I saw one of those large bergs come down and overwhelm a +passing ship, not a soul on board escaping. Ay, and I have known +numbers of poor fellows, when their ships have gone done, wandering over +the ice till they have been frozen or starved to death. I don't tell +you these things to frighten you, but that you may learn to put your +trust in God. The person who truly trusts Him is never frightened. It +is a blessed thing to know that He cares for us." + +Archy was unable to make any reply; but the old man's words were not +forgotten. + +The next day many more icebergs were seen, and as the ship passed near +some of them, Archy could not help dreading that they might topple over +and carry her and all on board to the bottom. + +In a short time the ship made the ice. As far as the eye could reach, +the whole ocean was covered with broken sheets of ice,--some several +miles in extent, others of smaller size, which the seamen called +floes,--huge icebergs towering up among them. The ship sailed along the +edge of a large floe for some distance, till an opening appearing, her +head was pointed towards it. She entered and sailed onwards for a +considerable distance, the water being as smooth as in the most +sheltered harbour. The captain, or an officer, was continually +stationed in the crow's-nest to look out for the widest openings. Into +these she forced her way, now and then being impeded by pieces of ice, +against which her bow was driven to turn them aside. At length, after +running through a narrow passage, her further progress was stopped by a +sheet of ice through which she could not force her way, while beyond the +water appeared perfectly open. The sails were furled; the ice-saws got +out, and the crew commenced sawing out large blocks, so as to form a +passage towards the open water. The work was very laborious; for, in +addition to the operation of sawing, each block had to be towed out into +the wider channel. At length a canal was formed, and the ship glided +through it. Once more the sails were set and she steered to the +northward. Again, however, she had to encounter similar obstructions. +Still the captain pushed on, eager to get to a part of the bay where +whales were plentiful. Generally there was a breeze, and she made good +progress through the open water, but sometimes she lay becalmed, with +her sails hanging against the masts. All the time a sharp look out was +kept for whales, but hitherto, although a few had been seen, the wary +monsters had escaped the harpoons of their pursuers. + +At that season, in those northern regions, when the sun but just sinks +below the horizon ere it rises again, night and day are much alike. + +Archy, with the watch below, had turned in. He was awakened by a loud +stamping on the deck, and the cry of "a fall, a fall." The men rushed +up on deck, carrying their clothes with them, and dressing as they went. +Instantly running to the boats, they began to lower them. In the +distance was a boat with a flag flying, a signal that a whale had been +struck, and was fast. The boats shoved off, and away they went at a +rapid rate to the assistance of their friends. The monster soon +appeared on the surface. The boats pulled towards it, and numberless +lances were darted at its body. Again it sounded, to reappear shortly +still closer to the ship. Once more the boats dashed on--the water +around the animal was dyed red with blood, mixed with oil, which issued +from its wounds and blow-holes. The boats again drew near, and more +lances were hurled at it. Suddenly the creature reared its tail high in +the air, whirling it round with a loud noise, which reached the ship. +At the same moment the nearest boat was thrown upwards several feet, +while the crew were sent flying on every side into the water, the boat +itself being reduced to a mass of wreck. Their companions went forward +to rescue the drowning men, who were seen to be hauled into the boats; +but whether any had perished could not be discovered by those who, with +Archy, were eagerly watching what was taking place, from the deck of the +ship. Directly afterwards the whale rolled over on its side, and +remained perfectly quiet. The flag was lowered, and the men, standing +up in the boats, gave three loud huzzas, which were echoed by those on +board. Two holes being made in the tail of the whale, ropes were passed +through them, which being made fast to the boats, they towed their prize +in triumph to the ship. The animal now being secured alongside, the +process of flensing or cutting off the blubber commenced. Tackles were +rigged with hooks, which were fixed in the blubber. This was cut by +means of spades, and the tackle being worked by a windlass, as the +blubber was cut off in long strips, it was hoisted on board. Here it +was cut into pieces, and stowed in casks in the hold. Thus, as the +whale was turned round and round, the blubber was stripped off, till the +whole coat was removed. The whalebone, of which the gills are formed, +being then extracted, the carcase was cast adrift, when it was seen to +be surrounded by vast numbers of fish and wild sea-birds, coming from +all directions to banquet on the remaining flesh. The operation, which +lasted five hours, being concluded, the crew were piped to supper. + +"There, Archy, you have seen our first whale killed," observed Max. "I +hope we shall have many more before long, and soon be back home again; +and if you are tired of the life, you can go on shore and look after +your mother's farm." + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +THE "KATE" ENCOUNTERS A FEARFUL GALE AMID ICEBERGS, AND NARROWLY ESCAPES +A FALLING BERG.--CALM AFTER STORM.--THOUGH SCOFFED AT BY HIS SHIPMATES, +ARCHY TRIES, UNSUCCESSFULLY, TO FOLLOW THE ADVICE GIVEN HIM BY CAPTAIN +IRVINE. + +Captain Irvine was anxious to reach the northern point of Baffin Bay, +where whales were said to abound. He used, therefore, every exertion to +force the ship through the ice. Sometimes she threaded her way through +narrow passages, at the risk of being caught and nipped by the floes +pressing together; at others, to avoid this catastrophe, she had to take +shelter in a dock, cut out as rapidly as the crew could use their saws, +in one side of a floe. Scarcely had she been thus secured when another +floe, with a sullen roar, pressed on by an unseen power, would come +grinding and crashing against the first with irresistible force, and the +before level surface, rent and broken asunder, would appear heaved up +into large hillocks, and huge masses, many hundred tons in weight, would +be lifted on to the opposing barrier, threatening to overwhelm the ship. +Suddenly the whole field of ice would be again in motion, the broken +fragments would be thrown back on each other or pressed down beneath the +surface, and a lane of water would appear, edged on each side by a wall +of ice. The boats would then be lowered to tow the ship along, or, +should the wind be favourable, the sails were set, and in spite of the +blows she might receive from the floating fragments, she would force her +way onwards towards the open water. + +Often and often as Archy watched what was taking place, he fully +expected to find the ship crushed to fragments, and wondered that +Captain Irvine could venture into so fearfully dangerous a position. +Still the ship, escaping all dangers, made her way to the north, and by +degrees Archy grew accustomed to the scenes he witnessed, and viewed +them with the same indifference as the rest of the crew. + +For a whole day she had made her way through open water, with a strong +breeze. The weather began to lour--the wind blew stronger and +stronger--numerous icebergs appeared ahead--in a short time the ship was +surrounded by them. Now one was passed by, now another. It seemed +often as if no power could save her from being dashed against their +precipitous sides. Perhaps the captain expected the gale to moderate, +if so, he was mistaken. It soon blew fiercer than ever. At length the +ship got under the lee of a large berg, which towered up a hundred feet +or more above the mast-heads. The sails were furled--the boats carried +out ice anchors and made them fast to the foot of the berg. There the +ship rode, sheltered from the gale, in smooth water, while the wind +howled and roared, and the sea, hissing and foaming, dashed with fury +against the bergs, which were observed at a distance on either side. + +Archy recollected the account Max had given him some time before of +icebergs suddenly overturning, and as he looked up at the frozen +mountain above him, he could not help thinking what their fate might be, +should the gale, which blew on the other side, force the berg over. +Still he had not learned to put his trust in God. Fear made his heart +sink within him, but he dared not contemplate the future. All he could +say to himself was, "I hope it will not. How dreadful it would be. +What would become of us!" He had no one to whom he could go for +consolation. Max, he knew, would only laugh at him and call him a +coward. He wished that Old Andrew would speak to him, but he was on +duty on deck, and had the ship to attend to. + +Several hours passed by, still the gale did not abate. Archy thought +the captain and officers looked more serious than usual. Several of +them turned their eyes ever and anon towards the summit of the berg. At +length the chief mate came forward. He had just reached the forecastle, +when a small piece of ice, the size of a bullet it seemed, fell +splashing into the water just ahead of the ship. Another and another +followed. With a startling cry, the captain shouted, "Cut the hawser, +loose the jib and fore-staysail, hands aloft for your lives lads." The +head sails were hoisted, the fore-topsail sheeted home. The ship, +coming round, shot away from the berg. The after sails were speedily +loosed. In another instant, with a crashing thundering noise, down came +vast masses of ice, falling into the water, with loud splashes, close +astern, while numerous smaller pieces fell with fearful force on deck. +Happily no one was struck, but a piece went right through one of the +quarter boats. The ship, as if aware of her danger, flew on. Downwards +came the vast mountain of ice with a crashing roar, louder than any +thunder, directly on the spot where she had just before floated, sending +the spray in thick sheets flying over her poop. Had she remained a +moment longer she must have been overwhelmed. Many a cheek of the hardy +crew was blanched with horror. Even now it seemed that they had +scarcely escaped the fearful danger, for the berg astern of them rocked +to and fro as if still intent on their destruction. The first mate and +one of the best hands were at the helm; the wind whistled loudly, the +sails appeared as if about to fly from the bolt ropes, as the ship +heeled over to the gale. Numerous other bergs appeared ahead, and as +she rushed onwards, it seemed impossible that she could avoid them. No +sooner was one weathered than another appeared in her course. The yards +were braced sharp up. She dashed by a huge berg, her masts, as she +heeled over, almost touching its sides. Now an opening appeared between +two large ice mountains. The only way to escape was by passing between +them. The ship dashed into the passage, now she glided onward in +comparatively smooth water. The bergs were moving. Nearer and nearer +they drew to each other. In a short time they might meet and crush the +hapless vessel into a thousand fragments. To escape by the way she had +entered the passage was impossible. The wind came aft. The yards were +squared, more sail was set, faster and faster she flew onwards, yet fast +as she went, it seemed as if the masses of ice would catch her ere she +could escape them in their deadly embrace. Every man and boy was at his +station, ready to clew up and haul down directly the ship should be +free, and again exposed to the fury of the gale. No one could tell but +that other bergs might be ahead, or in what direction it might be +necessary to steer. Archy, as he held on to a rope he had been ordered +to tend, looked up at the vast ice-cliffs with horror in his eyes, +expecting every moment to see them falling over upon the ship. He +glanced aft, and saw the captain standing calm and undismayed, ready to +issue whatever orders might be necessary. The channel seemed +interminable, for, fast as the vessel glided on, still those terrible +cliffs frowned down upon her. At length the open water appeared ahead, +with fewer bergs than had before been seen floating on it. The ship +glided out into the heaving ocean; and as she heeled over, Archy thought +the masts would go over the side; but sail (though not without +difficulty) was rapidly shortened, and the masts stood firm. Onwards, +as before, she flew in her course; several other bergs were weathered, +till at length all present dangers were passed, and she was now hove-to +to await the termination of the storm. In a few hours the gale ceased, +and once more she proceeded on her course. + +A calm succeeded the storm. The ship floated on the smooth water. It +was the Sabbath-day; the captain as usual had summoned the crew to +prayers, the greater number went willingly, for they were well aware of +the imminent danger they had escaped, and were glad to express their +gratitude to Him who had preserved them. Max Inkster, with a few +others, made excuses for staying away. + +"What, lad, are you going to hear the old man preach?" he asked, with a +sneer, as he saw Archy making his way aft. "For my part, I think we +have too much of that sort of thing aboard here. I have made up my mind +to cut and run from the ship if I could find a few brave fellows to +accompany me. We should have more liberty and a larger allowance of +grog, with less psalm-singing, on board other vessels I know of, and +reach home sooner again into the bargain. But don't you go and tell +others what I say; I only ask you, if we go, will you join us?" + +"I'll think about it, Max," answered Archy, "but I promised old Andrew +that I would attend prayers." + +"Much good may your prayers do you," sneered Max. "You are the fellow +who sneaked off from his dying mother, and now you talk of praying." + +"I did, I did," groaned Archy, "and I feel how wicked I was to do so." + +As all the other men had by this time collected in the cabin, Archy +could stay no longer, and hurried off, the words last spoken by Max +ringing in his ears. He thought of them all the time the captain was +offering up prayer, and returning thanks to God for having mercifully +preserved him and his crew from the danger to which they had been +exposed, and humbly petitioning for protection for the future. + +When the service was over, as Archy was leaving the cabin, Captain +Irvine called him back. + +The old captain had been ill for some days. Archy was struck with his +peculiarly grave and solemn manner. He kindly took the young boy's +hand. + +"I have a few words to say to you, lad," he said. "I knew your father; +he was a God-fearing man, and I believe he is in heaven. Your mother, +too, is a Christian woman, and she, when she leaves this world, will +join him there. Now lad, I have to ask you what is your hope? There is +but one way to go there, remember that. Have you sought that way?" + +Archy hung down his head. "I know I was very wicked to leave my mother +as I did," he answered, "and I could not help thinking the other day, +when the iceberg was about to come down upon us, where I should go to." + +"Ah, lad, it's a great thing to see your sin, but God wants you to do +more than that. You must acknowledge it to Him and seek His way for +blotting it out. Do you know that way, laddie, which only a God of +infinite love and mercy could have devised for saving weak fallen man +from the consequences of sin? Have you sought the Saviour? Sorrow will +not wash away sin. The blood of the Saviour, which He shed when He +suffered instead of man on Calvary, can alone do it. Only those who +seek Him and trust in Him can benefit by that blood. Have you earnestly +sought him, laddie? I am sure if you do seek Him, desiring to turn away +from your sins, that you will find Him." + +Archy could only repeat, "I am very sorry I ran away from mother and hid +myself aboard the ship, and I thought when we were so near being +destroyed the other day, what would become of me." + +Archy exactly described his state, and the captain knew he spoke truly. +There are too many like him, who only think of their sins at the +approach of danger. + +"Ah, laddie! I should be thankful if you could honestly tell me that +you mourn for your sins, because you have grievously offended our loving +Father in heaven, and that you have sought forgiveness from Him, through +the all-cleansing blood of His dear Son, shed for you on Calvary," said +Captain Irvine. "Do you ever pray?" + +"Not since I came aboard here," answered Archy. + +"And I am afraid not for some time before, either," observed the +captain. "For if you had prayed that God's Holy Spirit would guide and +direct you, and keep you out of temptation, you would not have ran away +from home as you did. Now, laddie, what I want you to understand is, +that you are weak and helpless in yourself, that you can neither walk +aright nor do any good thing by yourself; but that if you seek the aid +of the Holy Spirit you will walk aright, you will be able to withstand +temptation, and to do God's will. If you do not pray and seek His aid, +you cannot expect to find it; yet if you do seek it, you will assuredly +find it, for He hath said, `Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye +shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.'" + +Archy listened attentively to what the captain said, and tried to +understand it, but the danger which had alarmed his conscience had +passed away, and when he went forward and mixed again with his careless +shipmates, he forgot much that had been said. Still, when he turned +into his bunk, he did try to pray; but he dared not bravely kneel down +in the sight of others lest they should laugh at him, and he had been so +long unaccustomed to offer up prayer, that he could not even think of +what words to say. Captain Irvine, however, did not forget him, and day +after day he called him into the cabin, or spoke to him on deck. He +gave him a Bible also, and marked many passages in it, which Archy +promised to read. The captain had also a library of books on board, +which were lent to the men, and two or three of these he put into +Archy's hands as likely to be useful to him. Old Andrew also frequently +took an opportunity of speaking to him, but his work occupied most of +the day, and when he went below he was generally too sleepy to sit long +over a book. Max and others also did their utmost to interrupt him, and +he made but little progress either in reading the Bible or any other of +the books which had been lent him. Still, in some respects, he was +trying to follow the good advice which the captain had given him. Weak, +however, are all our efforts when we trust to our own strength. Archy +did not seek assistance from the only source which can give it, and, +consequently, his good resolutions were soon scattered to the wind. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +ARCHY WISHING TO BE PRESENT WHEN A WHALE IS STRUCK, AGAINST ORDERS GOES +OFF IN ONE OF THE BOATS.--ATTACK A WHALE AND HER CALF, BUT LOSE BOTH, +AND THE BOAT'S BOWS ARE STOVE AGAINST A FLOE.--THE CREW ESCAPE BY +LANDING ON IT, AND DRAGGING THE BOAT AFTER THEM. PREPARATIONS MADE TO +WAIT FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP IN SEARCH OF THEM. + +The ship had for some time been off the western shore of the bay, and +several whales had been taken--every one was actively engaged, for when +the operation of flensing was not going on, the boats were generally +away in chase of their prey. + +Archy had hitherto always remained on board. He had long wished, +however, to be present at one of the exciting scenes he had only +witnessed from a distance. How to manage it was the difficulty. He +knew that it would be of no use asking leave from the captain, or any of +the boat-steerers, for idlers were not allowed in the boats. He had +thought that he should at once engage in all the adventures described by +Max, and was one day expressing his disappointment in his presence. + +"They will come time enough," observed Max. "But if you have a fancy to +see some sport, and may be to get tossed in the air, or drowned, or have +to spend a night on a floe, and be well nigh frozen, as I have more than +once, I'll give you a chance. You know that I am your friend, or I +would not do it. Now, the next time a fall is called, do you tumble +into my boat; I'll rail away if old Andrew sees you, but pretend you +have hurt your leg and lie still, and depend upon it he will be in too +great a hurry to shove off to put you on board again, and as the captain +did not punish you for hiding away, he will not say much to you on that +account." + +Archy knew very well that he ought to have suspected Max's advice, but +he was so eager to see a whale struck, that he forgot all other +considerations. Hoping therefore that he might soon have the +opportunity he desired, he turned into his bunk with his clothes on, +ready to slip into the boat at a moment's notice. The ship was standing +some distance off the land, and though the sea was generally open, here +and there masses of ice were to be seen floating about from enormous +icebergs down to small pieces of a few feet in diameter. Archy hoped +that before long the boats would be lowered to go in chase of a whale. +He tried to keep awake, but sleep soon overpowered him. He was aroused +by hearing the sound of stamping overhead, and the looked for cry of "a +fall, a fall." He sprang on deck, and without waiting to see whether he +was observed, slipped into old Andrew's boat, in which Max pulled one of +the oars, and throwing himself down in the bottom, remained perfectly +still. The rest of the crew followed. Old Andrew was the last, having +been detained longer than usual. The boat shoved off, and only then Max +pretended to have discovered him. Andrew, on seeing the lad, was about +to put back, but at that moment the spout of another whale was observed +at no great distance. The crew, bending to their oars, pulled towards +it; and Andrew, in the excitement of the moment, forgot all about Archy. +The boat dashed on. A sucking whale was seen playing near the old one. + +"We shall have her boys, we shall have her," shouted Andrew. + +The whale discerned the approach of her foes, and diving down with her +calf, disappeared. + +"Give way lads, give way," cried Andrew, "she will not desert the young +one." + +He was right, though had the old whale been alone, she would soon have +been miles away. The boat continued in the direction the whale had been +seen to take, and in a short time the small animal again came to the +surface to breathe. The boat was soon up to the animal, when its +faithful mother rose also to afford it protection. The boat dashed up +to it, and Andrew, going forward, plunged his unerring harpoon deep into +its side. No sooner did the monster feel the wound than away she +darted, towing the boat, the young whale keeping up with her. The crew +pulled with might and main, hoping to get up alongside again in order to +fix another harpoon, and to pierce her with their lances. They had +nearly succeeded, when up went her tail in the air, and down she dived +into the depths of ocean, her calf following her example. Immediately +the whale line was allowed to run out; and, as the end was approached, +another was fastened on. That too had nearly been drawn out, when the +crew, lifting up their oars, made a signal for assistance from their +companions, but they were already too far off to be seen, indeed the +other boats were engaged with the whale first attacked. + +"Hold on," shouted Andrew. "Though she might not come up by herself, +the young one will, and she will follow." + +He was right; for at the moment that the bow of the boat seemed about to +be drawn under water, and the knife was lifted to cut the line, it +slackened, and the young whale came to the surface some way ahead, +followed immediately afterwards by its mother. Remaining stationary a +short time to breathe, during which a portion of the line was hauled in, +the monster again began to make her way along the surface. + +"Rare fun!" exclaimed Archy, who was sitting near Max. "I would not +have missed this on any account." + +"We shall not be merry long if that bank of clouds to the north brings a +gale with it," growled out Max. + +Archy looked around; the sea, hitherto calm, was already ruffled with +waves, and an icy breeze swept over the surface. Still no whaler, with +a fish fast, would have thought of giving up the pursuit. Already the +monster, wearied by its exertions, was slackening its speed; the crew +began to haul in the line, the first was got in. They were already in +the hopes of again wounding the animal mortally before she could once +more sound, when inspired with a mother's instinct to do her utmost for +the preservation of her young one, she again darted forward. A large +floe appeared ahead, out of which arose several hummocks. The whale +made rapid way towards it. The crew pulled with might and main, still +hoping to reach her before she could dive below the ice. In vain were +all their efforts. Still she went on. She reached the edge of the +floe. It was possible she might turn or make her way along it, rather +than venture with her young one below its surface, where they might be +unable to find an opening for breathing. Again she stopped; as Andrew +had expected. The crew continued to haul in the line, when once more +she moved on, and it was necessary to secure it round the bollard. + +"She is ours," cried Andrew; "she will not venture under the ice." The +crew bent to their oars, hoping in another instant to be up with her, +when, with a sudden start, she dashed forward. With great presence of +mind Andrew cut the line, just in time to prevent the boat from being +dragged under the floe, but not sufficiently soon to save her bows from +being stove. The water came rushing in through the fearful rent that +had been made. The crew leaped out on the ice, old Andrew seizing +Archy, who, bewildered at the occurrence, had sat still. Already the +boat was half full of water, and not without great difficulty she was +hauled up on the ice, against which the sea was beating violently, and +several articles were washed out of her. Archy had instinctively +clutched a bucket by his side, to which he held when he was dragged out. +It contained a tinder-box and powder flask. + +There the whole party stood on the exposed floe by the side of their +shattered boat. They looked around. Neither the ship nor the boats +were to be seen, while the thick mist, which came driving over the +ocean, concealed even some of the nearest icebergs from view. Two or +three of the men loudly expressed their anxiety. Max's countenance +exhibited the alarm he felt. Old Andrew alone preserved his usual +equanimity. + +"My lads," he said, "I'll allow we are in bad case, but don't let us +give way to despair. We must do our best to repair the boat; and if the +ship does not come to look for us, we must set out to look for her." + +The injuries, however, that the boat had received were very severe, and +it was evident that no means they had at their disposal were sufficient +to repair her. Even a piece of canvas would have been of value, but +they had no canvas and no nails. The sea, too, which had rapidly got +up, now dashed furiously against the sides of the floe, threatening to +sweep over it, and break it to pieces beneath their feet. Andrew looked +around, and observing a large hummock at some distance, urged his +companions to drag the boat towards it. + +"Yonder ice hill will afford us some shelter," he said. "And if we make +a signal from the top, it will be more readily seen than one down on the +level." + +The men exerting all their strength dragged the boat along, Archy +helping, till they reached the hummock, she was then turned bottom +uppermost under its lee. An axe having been saved, one of the oars was +cut into lengths, which served to prop her up and afford them some +shelter from the freezing wind. Two oars were also lashed together to +serve as a flagstaff, and all the handkerchiefs that could be mustered +were joined to form a flag. A hole, after much labour, was dug with the +axe in the top of the hummock, and the flagstaff was planted, but the +furious wind threatened every moment to blow it down again. The gale +was increasing, and already they felt almost perished, but their great +want was food. They had come away without breakfast, and no provisions +had been put in the boat. Even should they be able to resist the gale, +and should the floe continue together, they ran a fearful risk of +perishing of hunger. The snow falling heavily formed a bank round the +boat, and assisted to keep out the wind,--here they all collected, +crouching down as close together as possible, for the sake of obtaining +warmth from each other. + +"If we had but a fire we might do pretty well till the ship comes to +take us off," observed Max. "We have got some wood, at all events, and +when that's gone we must burn the boat and form a roof of snow over our +heads instead, after Esquimaux fashion." + +No sooner was the proposal made than the remaining oars, +boat-stretchers, and every piece of wood that could be found was cut up. +Archy produced the tinder-box from the bucket, and in a short time a +fire was blazing up, which served to warm their chilled limbs, and +slightly to raise their spirits. Few of them, however, were disposed to +talk much. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +ANDREW SCOLLAY, A RELIGIOUS OLD MAN, ENCOURAGES HIS SHIPMATES IN THEIR +FEARFUL POSITION, WITHOUT FOOD, FIRE, OR SHELTER.--ARCHY DISTINGUISHES +BETWEEN HIS FALSE AND REAL FRIEND.--HE TAKES A RUN OVER THE ICE WITH +ANDREW, WHEN A SAIL IS SEEN, AND AT LAST A BOAT APPROACHES. + +Hour after hour passed by, and still there was no abatement of the +storm. Loud noises meantime were heard around, denoting the breaking up +of the floe on which they floated, and they could not tell how soon the +portion on which they had taken refuge might be rent from the main body +and floated away. Often did Archy wish that he had remained on board, +and not exposed himself to the fearful danger in which he was placed. +At length old Andrew spoke to him. + +"Are you happy, boy?" he asked. "But you need not tell me--I know you +are not. I am sorry to find you placed in this fearful position, but it +was through your own fault--you chose to come against orders. It is bad +for us, but then we came because it was our duty." + +"I am sure I am very sorry I did come," answered Archy. "But I didn't +think this would happen." + +"People never know what will happen when they do what is wrong," said +Andrew. "Satan tempts them to sin, and then leaves them to take the +consequences. Lads, I speak to you all as I speak to this boy. Are you +prepared to meet your God?" + +"Why do you say that?" said Max, in a husky voice. + +"Because I think, before many hours are over our heads, the summons will +come," said Andrew, solemnly. "Any moment the ice may break up, and the +sea may wash over us, or we may sit here till we die of cold and +hunger." + +"You are croaking," said Max. "Our captain is not the man to desert +us." + +"I am speaking the solemn truth," said Andrew. "The captain will do his +best to search for us, but the gale will have driven the ship miles away +by this time, and before she can get up to us we may be dead. I don't +speak thus to frighten you, lads, but because I wish to see your souls +saved. You may say that you are such sinners that there is no hope of +that. I wish you did know that you are sinners. You heard the captain +read to you the other day the account of the thief on the cross. He +knew that he was a sinner, but he found the Saviour even at the last +moment of his life. He trusted to Jesus, who saved him; and he had the +assurance from the lips of that loving One, that he was saved. Jesus +will say to you what He said to the thief on the cross, if you will even +now turn to Him: `Now is the day of grace, now is the day of salvation.' +Oh, lads, I pray you to throw yourselves on His mercy, to trust to Him. +His blood cleanseth from all sin." + +The seamen listened attentively to what Andrew said: they had often +heard similar words from the lips of the captain, but they were in +safety then on board their stout ship, and they had allowed them to pass +away unheeded. Now, although they still hoped to escape, they could not +help acknowledging that they were in a fearfully perilous position. +Still no one replied. What was passing in their minds Andrew could not +tell. He continued, addressing them in the same strain for some time. +Again and again he told them of the Saviour's love, and how earnestly He +desired them to come to Him and be saved. + +Archy, however, had drunk in every word Andrew had said. + +"But would Jesus pardon me, who has so grievously offended Him?" he +asked at last--"me, who have so often been told of His loving kindness +and mercy?" + +"Yes, lad, that He will," said Andrew, taking Archy's hand, "He has +promised it, and His word is sure. He has sent us this blessed +message:--`The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.' He does +not say from some sins, or from only slight sins, but from all sins." + +"Oh, then, I'll try and give Him my heart," exclaimed Archy. "I'll +trust to Him." + +"Yes, do that, Archy; but give him your heart now--trust to Him now," +said Andrew, earnestly. "We will pray, lad, that the Holy Spirit will +help you, for He alone can carry out the work in your heart;" and the +pious old man, kneeling down on the ice, lifted up his voice in prayer; +and surely that prayer was not uttered in vain. Still, although the +rest of the party made no response to his exhortations, he persevered; +and from the loud crashing roar of the ice, as the broken fragments were +dashed together, it seemed too likely that the day of grace for all +would ere long be past. Hour after hour went by, and yet the portion of +the floe on which they had taken refuge kept together. The storm +continued to rage, and the snow still fell heavily. Piece after piece +of the boat had been cut away its place being supplied with a wall and +roof of snow, which the seamen gradually built up. They were beginning +to feel the pangs of hunger, and they could scarcely get sufficient +warmth from the small fire they were able to maintain to keep themselves +from being frozen. It was near mid-summer. Had it been the winter they +could not thus have existed many hours. Every now and then one of the +party ran to the summit of the hillock in the hopes of seeing the ship. +Still the falling snow shut out all but the nearest objects from view, +and here and there alone a tall iceberg could be seen rising dimly amid +the foaming seas. "No hope, no hope," was the mournful cry of one after +the other, as they returned to the hut. + +"Don't say there's no hope," observed old Andrew. "God can send us +help, though we can't help ourselves. Oh, lads, I again say, and it may +be for the last time, put your trust in Him. I don't tell you that He +will send us relief. It may be His will that our bodies should perish +on the spot where we are sitting; but I do tell you, that He offers to +rescue your souls, and will certainly, if you put your trust in Him, not +allow them to perish." + +Archy sat close to old Andrew, listening attentively to what he said, he +had now learned to distinguish between his real and false friend. How +earnestly he wished that he had not been led astray by the evil counsel +of the latter. The rest of the party sat silent, their countenances +exhibiting the despair which had taken possession of their hearts. +Their fuel was well nigh exhausted, and suffering from hunger they knew +that they could not hold out long against the cold. Andrew proposed +that they should let the fire out for a time, and warm themselves by +exercise. + +"We will then light it again, and it will enable us to lie down and rest +without fear of being frozen," he observed. + +To this wise advice the men would not agree. + +"If die we must, we will keep warm while we can," growled out Max. + +"Then, Archy, you and I will try and keep our blood flowing by using our +limbs," said Andrew. "See, the snow has ceased falling, and there's +less wind than there was." + +This was said after they had spent many hours on the ice. How many they +could scarcely tell, for no sun appeared to mark the progress of the +day. + +Andrew, taking his young companion's hand, rose, and together they went +to the top of the hummock, and gazed around for a minute, though they +could now see much further than before. No sail appeared to cheer their +sight. They quickly descended, and Andrew, with the activity of a young +man, ran backwards and forwards under the lee of the hummock. Archy +felt the benefit of the exercise; but though his hunger had increased, +his blood circulating freely, made him feel better able to endure the +cold than before. + +When at length they returned to the hut, they found the remaining pieces +of wood burning, and that in a short time they would be left without any +fire. + +"If you had followed my advice it would have been better for us all," +observed Andrew. + +The men made no reply; they all appeared to have fallen into a state of +stupor, and to have become indifferent to their fate. Andrew and Archy +sat down to rest, and to enjoy the warmth of the fire, anxiously +watching the last few pieces of wood as they were gradually consumed. +The embers which they scraped together afforded them heat for some time +longer--then, by degrees, those died out. + +"It is our duty to hold out while we can, boy," said Andrew, when the +last spark of the fire was extinguished. "Come and take another run." + +Archy felt very weak and faint from want of food, still he endeavoured +to exert himself. Again they visited the top of the hummock, but still +no sail was to be seen. The sea tumbled and foamed, and the surrounding +masses of ice ground and crashed against each other, and the floe on +which they were appeared to have decreased in size, while huge blocks, +thrown up by the waves, rested on its weather side. Even Andrew was +unable to run backwards and forwards as fast as before, and again they +sought shelter within the hut. No questions were asked them; indeed +most of their companions appeared to be asleep. Andrew in vain tried to +arouse them. Archy felt that he, too, should like to lie down and go to +sleep; but from doing this Andrew used every effort to prevent him, and +in a short time proposed that they should take another ran to the top of +the hummock. With difficulty Archy followed him. + +For some time the old man stood looking round in every direction, then +his eyes rested on a particular spot to the northward, and Archy saw him +raise his hands as if in prayer. + +"Lad," he said suddenly, "look between those two icebergs. What do you +see?" + +Archy gazed with beating heart. "A sail! a sail!" he exclaimed. + +"Yes--of that there's no doubt," said Andrew, calmly, "and may God +direct her course towards us. She is at present standing this way; but +should a whale be seen, she may steer in a different direction." They +anxiously watched the approaching ship for some minutes. + +"We will tell our companions," said Andrew--"the news will rouse them if +they are not too far gone." + +Archy forgetting his hunger, and no longer feeling his weakness, rushed +back to the hut, shouting, "a sail! a sail!" Max, and two of the other +men, started as the sound reached their ears, but before they had gained +their feet they again sank down on the ice. After making several +efforts, they were at length able to walk, having in the meantime +aroused their companions, who, sitting up, looked around with bewildered +glances, as if not comprehending the news they heard. Archy again ran +back, Max and the rest, with tottering steps, trying to follow him. +They succeeded at length, and as they saw the ship, almost frantic with +joy, they shook each other's hands, and shouted and danced like mad +people, their sufferings, their fears of death, were in a moment +forgotten, and so probably also were any good resolutions they might +have formed. How different was their behaviour to that of Andrew. +Archy remarked it. + +The ship came on with a strong breeze, threading her way amid the masses +of ice in her course. She had got within a couple of miles. Still, +unless the eyes of those on board were directed in their direction, the +flag flying from the hummock might not be seen. She came nearer and +nearer. + +"She will not pass us now," cried Max. + +"We will pray to God that she may not," said Andrew; but at that moment +the vessel was seen to haul her wind, and to stand to the westward. A +loud groan of bitter disappointment was uttered by Max and the other +men. + +"God's will be done," said Andrew. "See, mates, she has hove-to, she is +lowering her boat. They are after a fish." + +With what eagerness did the eyes of the starving seamen watch the ship. +It was impossible to say in what direction she might next steer. They +no longer felt cold or hunger. + +"See, see, what is that?" cried one of the men, as a dark object was +discovered darting out from behind the nearest iceberg. + +Directly afterwards a boat was seen fast to a whale, and following in +its wake. The whale approached the floe, but while still at some +distance its flukes were seen to rise in the air, and down it shot into +the ocean. Although those on the ice knew that they were too far off to +be heard, they shouted again and again, their voices sounding strangely +hollow in each other's ears. The first line had apparently been run out +from the boat; a second had been bent on; that, too, came to an end. +They could see the four oars lifted up as a signal for assistance from +the ship. Once more the boat approached them at a rapid rate, dragged +on by the whale. It was evident she was in great distress, and that her +crew dreaded the fate they themselves had suffered. Suddenly she +stopped--the line had been cut. Would they turn away? No, the crew +bend to their oars--the boat-steerer stands up and waves. They are +seen--help will come to them. Again the cheer. + +"Let us thank God, for He has sent yonder boat to our assistance," said +Andrew. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +RESCUED!--ON BOARD THE "LAPLANDER" WHALER, WHICH IS NEARLY FULL, AND +EXPECTS SOON TO RETURN HOME.--MAX INKSTER TRIES TO UNDERMINE ARCHY'S +GOOD RESOLUTIONS, BUT THE LATTER REMEMBERS THAT "A FRIEND IN NEED IS A +FRIEND INDEED."--SAIL FOR HOME.--A TEMPTING CHANNEL APPEARING, IT IS +ENTERED, BUT THE SHIP IS NIPPED, AND THE "LAPLANDER" IS ABANDONED.-- +ESCAPE TO THE FLOE WITH ONLY A FEW CLOTHES AND PROVISIONS, WHEN A PLAN +IS FORMED FOR REACHING THE COAST OF GREENLAND. + +The boat had some distance to pull before a spot could be found where +she could safely approach the ice on the lee side of the floe. + +Max and the two other men, regardless of their almost dead companions in +the hut, were hurrying down towards her, when Andrew called them back. +"Shame on you," he exclaimed. "Would you leave the poor fellows to +perish for the sake of sooner putting food into your own mouths? Come, +help them along, they want it more than we do." + +The men thus summoned, returned and assisted Andrew and Archy, who were +dragging their nearly insensible shipmates over the ice. At length they +reached the edge, and were cordially welcomed by the crew of the boat, +who made all speed to return to their ship the "Laplander." She was +almost full, they said, and they hoped soon to return home. + +The rescued men, on being lifted on board, were at once put under the +doctor's care,--for even Andrew and Archy, who had hitherto held out so +bravely, felt all their strength leave them directly they reached the +boat. They, however, in a couple of days were sufficiently recovered to +go on deck and mix with the crew. + +Archy found the "Laplander" a very different vessel to the "Kate." The +captain was a bold brave seaman, but he was nothing else. There were no +Sunday services, no prayer-meetings, no lending library of religious +books, but there was much swearing and ungodliness among the crew. + +Max, who quickly forgot the fearful danger in which he had been placed, +and his providential preservation, did his utmost to laugh Archy out of +his good resolutions. + +"I wonder a lad of spirit like you can listen to the long sermons of old +Andrew," he said to him one day while Andrew was out of hearing. "I +never could stand those preaching fellows." + +"But Andrew kept his courage up, and did his best to preserve my life, +while you and the rest gave way to despair," answered Archy. "You +cannot say that he is not a brave man, though he does preach long +sermons." + +"Yes, he is brave, I'll allow," said Max. + +"Then tell me, what do you think makes him brave?" asked Archy. + +"He is naturally brave, I suppose," replied Max. + +"Now, I think that it is because he trusts in God, and believes that God +will take care of him," said Archy firmly. "And he knows that if he +should lose his life that he will go to heaven. That's my opinion of +the matter." + +"Your opinion, indeed," exclaimed Max scornfully. "I should like to +know what business a fellow like you has to form an opinion," and Max +turned away, unable further to answer the boy, whom he had hitherto so +easily led. He took every opportunity after this of annoying Archy, and +incited his godless companions to do the same. + +Archy often wished that he was on board the "Kate" again, and anxiously +looked out in the hopes of falling in with her. The captain had been +much put out by the loss of the whale and two lines when they had been +rescued, and seemed to associate them in some way with the circumstance. +A few days afterwards the watch below were aroused with the welcome cry +of "a fall! a fall!" a whale was fast. The remaining boats pulled away, +and in a few hours the captain's good humour was restored by having the +whale alongside. All hands were now in high spirits. "One fish more, +and hurrah for old England," was the cry. + +Several days passed away without any further success. In vain Andrew +and Archy looked out for the "Kate." The season was advancing, still +the captain of the "Laplander," anxious to get a full ship, cruised +backwards and forwards in the hopes of killing one fish more. At length +that object was attained, but one of the boats was knocked to pieces, +and two of her crew drowned. The huge monster was secured alongside +with all haste, the blubber was got on board, and the instant the +carcase was cut adrift, the crew giving three shouts of joy at being +full, sail was made, and the ship stood to the southward. + +The ice, as she proceeded, gathered thickly around her. Boldly, +however, she pushed on through the passages which appeared between the +floes. Now she was threading a narrow lane of water, now sailing across +an open lake, but still on every side appeared those threatening fields +of ice, which might at any moment enclose her in their deadly embrace. +The captain, or one of the mates, was constantly in the crow's-nest, +looking out for the most open passages ahead, through which the ship +might be steered. + +They had sailed on for some distance, when the ice on either side was +seen to be moving. A tempting channel, however, appeared before them. +The "Laplander" sailed into it. She had scarcely entered when the +opposite floes began to approach each other. Still the breeze was +strong and fair, and the captain hoped that he might be able to push +through into an open space beyond before they could close. Nearer and +nearer they came to each other, till the broad passage assumed the +appearance of a narrow canal. It was at length seen that escape was +impossible. The sails were furled, the ship was secured to the floe on +one side, and an attempt was made to cut a dock in which she might +remain while the inevitable concussion took place. Almost before the +ice-saws could be got out and set to work, a loud crashing roaring sound +was heard. The floes meeting with terrific force, vast masses rose up +in the air, huge fragments being thrown upon each other, till in one +instant a ridge, reaching almost to the height of the ship's tops, was +formed. The seamen, not waiting for the captain's orders, seized their +bags and bedding, and whatever they could lay hands on, and leaped out +on the ice. + +"Follow me, Archy," cried Andrew, seizing a bag of biscuits, and +throwing a couple of blankets over his shoulder. "In another minute the +ship may be crushed to fragments." + +Archy lowered himself down with Andrew on to the ice, and with the rest +of the crew they hurried away from the ship. Scarcely had they left her +when the floes closed in, and vast masses of ice were seen rising up +around her, the rending and crashing sound of her stout timbers telling +them too plainly of her fate. Not till they had got some distance did +the fugitives venture to stop and watch what was going forward. The +masts were seen to totter, and large fragments of wreck were thrown on +either side over the surface. The captain, as he saw the destruction of +his vessel, wrung his hands with despair, while dismay was depicted on +the countenances of his crew. So sudden had been the nip, that except +the clothes on their backs and the bedding they carried under their +arms, nothing had been saved. As yet too, the danger of approaching the +wreck was too great to allow of the attempt being made, for the ice, +pressing closer and closer, continued to throw up vast slabs, beneath +which any one going near the spot might in an instant have been crushed. +Suddenly the tall masts fell with a crash, and the whole upper part of +the ship was cast in fragments on to the ice. For several minutes the +seamen stood aghast, till the floes having accomplished their work, +remained at rest. Andrew was the first to speak. + +"Lads," he said, "I have seen this sort of thing occur before, and I and +all with me reached home in safety, so may we now if we exert ourselves; +may be the boats have escaped, and the provisions and stores may have +been thrown up on the ice. I for one am ready to go back to the wreck +and see what has been saved." + +Several of the men agreed to accompany Andrew, and they made their way +among the masses of ice which strewed the surface. Their search was in +part satisfactory. Two of the boats had escaped injury, while their +chests and a large portion of the provisions and stores which had been +on the upper deck, were found scattered about. The officers, arousing +themselves, now followed the example which Andrew had set. While one +party were employed in collecting provisions, another cut the sails from +the yards, which had been thrown on the ice, and erected tents in which +they might shelter themselves from the piercing wind. Others chopped up +wood, and fires were lighted. Some time was thus occupied, and at +length an encampment was formed, with all the stores and provisions +which had been collected piled up around, and the weary seamen were able +to rest from their labours. A consultation was now held as to the means +to be taken for preserving their lives. The boats could only carry a +portion of their number, even should the ice again open and allow them +to escape. As far as could be seen, it had closed in on every side, and +probably they would have to drag them many long leagues before the open +water could be gained. The land, by the captain's calculation, was +upwards of fifty miles away, but the Danish settlements, where they +could obtain assistance, were much further off. At the same time, it +was possible that they might find another vessel fast in the ice nearer +at hand, which might afford them shelter. One thing only was certain, +that they must lose no time in making preparations for their journey. +Unhappily, the captain, disheartened by the destruction of his ship, was +incapable of exerting himself. Although a good seaman, he was destitute +of that higher courage which a confidence in God's superintending care +can alone give. He sat in his tent, with his head resting on his hands, +for many hours, gazing toward the wreck, without issuing any orders. +The officers differed from each other as to what was best to be done, +while many of the crew exhibited a mutinous disposition, and assembled +altogether in a tent which they had erected for themselves. Collecting +a quantity of the smaller fragments of the wreck, they made up a large +fire within, around which they sat, cooking some of the provisions which +they had appropriated from the common store. + +Archy, from the time of leaving the ship, had kept close to Andrew, and +assisted him in whatever work he was engaged on. While, however, he was +collecting wood at a short distance from the camp, Max came up to him. + +"Well, Archy," he said, "I see old Andrew intends to make you work for +him; that's his reason for keeping you by his side. Now, boy, if I were +you I would not be led by the nose. Come and join us. I'll own I had a +hand in getting you into this scrape, and I wish to help you out of it. +I and some of the other men have formed a plan to make our escape, and +it's my opinion that those who remain here will lose their lives. That +can't be helped, you see, for it's impossible that all should be saved, +and as I am your friend I don't wish to leave you behind. Come along +now, we have got a roaring fire inside there, and the fellows will let +you join them if I ask them." Max pointed to the tent of the mutineers. + +"I promised to stay by Andrew," said Archy. "Unless he goes I can't +join you." + +"I'll see about asking him by-and-bye," said Max. + +"What do you propose doing, then?" asked Archy. + +"Making off with the boats," answered Max. "It's the only chance we +have of saving our lives, and we shall be sure to reach one of the +Danish places on the coast." + +"What, you would not desert old Andrew?" exclaimed Archy. + +"Oh, of course not," answered Max, in a tone which made Archy suspect +him, especially when he added, "Mark me, my lad, if you let old Andrew +or any of the rest know of what I have been saying to you, there are +some among us who would not scruple a moment to knock you on the head. +Remember my words. I ask you again, will you come with us?" + +"No," answered Archy firmly. "I promised to stick by Andrew, and I am +not going to desert him." + +"Then take the consequences," exclaimed Max angrily, "and remember, hold +your tongue, or it will be the worse for you." + +Archy saw him return to the tent; but the men who crowded round the fire +seemed very unwilling to allow him a place among them, and Archy +suspected that had he listened to Max he should have had very little +chance of getting near it either. + +On rejoining Andrew, Archy refrained from mentioning what Max had said, +as there were several other persons within hearing, and, indeed, not +till some time afterwards did he find his friend alone. Andrew, with +some of the better disposed men, and a few of the officers, had taken up +their quarters in a tent, and were now collected round a fire in the +centre of it, though a much smaller one than that formed by the men. +Andrew made room for Archy by his side. While they were discussing +their supper, they agreed that they would form a number of sledges with +runners for the boats, and placing the provisions and tents, with guns +and ammunition on them, and such other stores as they might require, set +off without further delay for the land. No one seemed to suspect the +treachery meditated by Max and his party. The carpenter's chest had +fortunately been saved, and while one party assisted him in collecting +wood and forming the sledges and runners, others were engaged in doing +up the provisions and stores in packages of a size suitable for being +carried on the sledges. The mutineers even assisted, and were +especially busy in fitting runners to the boats. + +Some progress had been made in the work, when night coming on compelled +them to desist from their labours, and take shelter in their respective +tents. Archy, as he lay down to sleep, began to think that in spite of +the threats of Max he ought to have told Andrew what he had said. + +"To-morrow morning will be time enough," he thought, and he was soon +asleep. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +MUTINY! MOST OF THE CREW CARRYING THE GREATER PART OF THE PROVISIONS, +SET OFF WITHOUT THE OTHERS.--PROPOSALS FOR PURSUIT, BUT NOT CARRIED OUT, +AND AT LAST THE REMAINDER COMMENCE THEIR JOURNEY ACROSS THE ICE, MEETING +WITH GREAT DIFFICULTIES.--THE CAPTAIN BECOMES ILL, BUT IS CHEERED BY +ANDREW.--HE AT LENGTH DIES, AFTER ANDREW HAS PLACED BEFORE HIM THE +TRUTH, WHICH HE ACCEPTS.--HE IS BURIED IN A SNOW TOMB. + +Archy was awakened by hearing one of the officers, who had gone out of +the tent, exclaim, "Why, what have become of the boats?" The rest of +the inmates of the tents were quickly on foot. They looked around. Far +away in the distance two dark spots could be seen on the ice. Andrew +and several others ran to the tent of the mutineers--it was empty. The +fire had burnt a hole in the ice and disappeared. Had it not been for +those objects far off they might have supposed that the sleepers had +gone in with it and been drowned. The provisions were next examined-- +the packages prepared for travelling had greatly diminished. Several, +indignant at being thus deserted, proposed setting off in pursuit of the +fugitives. + +"They have fire-arms with them, and you will not get them to come back, +lads," said the captain, who had come out of his tent. + +In spite of his warnings, and the advice of Andrew, who urged that it +was better to let them go, a number of men, and two of the officers, +started away, vowing that they would bring back the mutineers, and +punish them for their treachery. + +At first, the party thus deserted seemed inclined to give way to +despair, and Archy more than ever regretted that he had not warned his +friends of the intended treachery. + +"Come along, lads, to the wreck," exclaimed Andrew. "Perhaps we may +find another boat, which we may be able to repair, and some more +provisions to replace those carried off." + +Thus appealed to, the carpenter, with several men, set off with Andrew +to the wreck, Archy accompanying his friend. After climbing over a +number of huge masses of ice, they made their way to the opposite floe, +which was now firmly united to the one it had struck. Here they found a +quantity of the wreck scattered about, as well as several casks of meat +and biscuits, and wedged between two slabs, the smallest boat, which had +hung at the stern. The carpenter, on examining her, expressed his hopes +that by fastening canvas round her, he could make her float sufficiently +to enable them to pass from one floe to another, should they meet any +open channels in their course. This discovery raised their spirits. +The party immediately hastened back to their companions with the news. +It was agreed that they should at once move across to the floe, with the +tents and provisions, and forming a new encampment, go on with the work +of preparing the sledges. Frequently as they went backwards and +forwards, they looked out for the return of the party who had gone in +pursuit of the mutineers. The latter had got far out of sight before +they could have been overtaken. What had become of the pursuers no one +could say. Some supposed that the two parties had united and gone on +together, while others fancied that they had fought, and that those who +had been defeated had been left alone on the ice, while the victors had +pushed on with the boats. + +The whole day was occupied in moving to the new encampment, and it was +nearly dark before their tents were erected and other preparations made +for passing the night. The wind had latterly increased greatly, and +clouds had been collecting to the north. Scarcely had they got under +shelter when the snow began to fall heavily, and the sharp wind swept +across the icy plain with terrific force. + +"Archy, we may be thankful that we are not with those poor fellows who +deserted us," observed Andrew as they sat together round the fire in +their tent. "It will be a mercy if any of them escape even if they +reached the open water before nightfall, and it's my opinion that they +will not have done that." + +"They deserve their fate, whatever it may be," growled out one of the +men. + +"Ah, friend, we all deserve far more than we receive," said Andrew. "If +God was to treat us according to our merits, the best of us could only +look for punishment. Let us pray that He will have mercy on them as +well as on us. Oh, mates, I wish you could all understand the great +love which God has for us poor sinners. We exposed ourselves of our own +free choice to the danger and hardship we have to endure, but He in His +mercy offers us free salvation and eternal happiness for our souls. He +gave Jesus Christ to suffer instead of us, and it's our own fault if we +do not accept His precious gift. All He asks us to do is to trust to +His love, and believe that Jesus died for us and that His blood washes +away all our sins." + +Several of Andrew's companions listened with deep earnestness to his +words, and on that bleak floe, and amid those arctic snows, believed to +the salvation of their souls. + +All night long the wind swept by them, the snow fell faster and faster, +but they heeded not the tempest. A bright light had burst upon them, +and they could look forward with hope to the future, trusting to that +God of love and mercy whom they had hitherto only known as a stern and +severe judge. + +When morning broke all hands set to work to clear away the snow, which +had covered up the boat and everything left outside the tents. The +wind, however, had ceased, and they were able to go on with their +labours, and by the evening the sledges were completed and the boat +prepared and placed on runners. They were then loaded, that the party +might be ready to start the following morning on their journey. Twice +during the day, Andrew with several of the other men had gone over to +the old encampment to ascertain if any of those who had deserted them +had come back. They cast their eyes in vain over the wide snow-covered +plain,--not a trace of a human being could be seen. It was too probable +that all had perished. More than half the ship's company had thus been +lost. + +The night was passed in comparative comfort. They had well-formed +tents, abundance of bedding, and ample fires. All knew that in future +the case would be very different. The sledges were chiefly loaded with +provisions. They were obliged to reduce their tents to the smallest +possible size, and they could carry but a limited supply of fuel. There +were five sledges in all, each drawn by four men, while six men were +harnessed to the boat, in which the old captain, who was unable to walk, +was placed. Andrew joined the latter party, and Archy, on account of +his youth, was excused from dragging a sledge,--he, however, carried his +blankets and some provisions on his back, each man being also loaded in +the same way. The snow having partially melted under the still hot rays +of the sun, had again frozen, and had filled up all inequalities in the +ice. This enabled the party to drag the sledges along during the first +day without difficulty. They had, however, to make frequent circuits to +avoid the hummocks, which in some places were very numerous. They +calculated by nightfall that they had advanced nearly twelve miles on +their journey towards the coast. The uneven appearance of the ice +beyond them, interspersed in many places with huge icebergs, warned them +that in future they could not hope to advance so rapidly. + +Hitherto they had not suffered much from cold, but that night, as they +lay in their tents with the small fires which their limited supply of +fuel allowed them to keep up, they were nearly frozen. Andrew several +times remembering the advantage he had before gained from taking +exercise, got up and ran about to warm himself. Those who followed his +example awoke refreshed and fit for work, whereas those who had remained +quiet all the night, found their limbs stiff and their feet and hands +frozen, and it was not till after, with the help of their companions, +they had moved about and undergone great pain, that they were able to +proceed. Some, indeed, had suffered so much, that they entreated to be +left to die rather than undergo the hardships they would have to endure. +Andrew urged them to arouse themselves. + +"It is our duty, lads, to straggle on as long as we can. God may think +fit to try us, but let us trust in Him and He may find a way for us at +last to escape, though we are too blind to see it," he observed. + +His exhortations produced a good effect, and once more they proceeded on +their journey. The old captain had suffered the most, and it seemed +very probable that he would be unable to hold out many days longer. +Andrew seeing his condition, frequently spoke to him, and though +hitherto he had turned scornfully away, he now willingly listened to the +words the faithful Christian uttered. + +"Oh!" he exclaimed at length, "I wish that I had heard you before. It +is too late now, I have been a terrible sinner, God can never pardon so +bad a man as I am." + +"Oh, sir!" exclaimed Andrew, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save +sinners. He saved the thief on the cross, He saved the jailor at +Philippi. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin. He says, +`Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow, though +they be red like crimson they shall be as wool.'" + +This was said while they were stopping to take their mid-day meal. + +The old captain raised himself up and grasped Andrew's hand. + +"Do you really speak the truth to me?" he exclaimed. + +"I repeat what God says, sir, and He cannot lie," answered Andrew. +"Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." + +"I do, I do," cried the old man. "But oh! what would I now give had I +known this in my youth. What years of wickedness and misery it would +have saved me." + +"Ah, sir! there are thousands upon thousands who may say that," replied +Andrew. "Archy, you hear the captain's words. Don't forget them, boy. +If God in His mercy allows you to return home in safety, repeat them to +your young companions, and urge them to `seek the Lord while He may be +found.' You may thus render them a service for which they will have +cause to thank you through eternity." + +"I will try," said Archy humbly, "but it is difficult to speak to +others." + +"Pray for the aid of God's Holy Spirit, and He will enable you to do +it," said Andrew. + +"I will try," repeated Archy, for he had discovered his own weakness. +Through that discovery alone can strength be obtained. + +The shipwrecked party again pushed on, the party keeping ahead. Some of +the men had begun to complain that the boat detained them. They +supposed that the ice was attached throughout to the mainland, and +believed that they could do without her. The captain tried to persuade +them that they were mistaken, but they had lost their respect for him, +and declared that they knew better. Andrew thought the captain was +right, and entreated them to listen to his advice. Their replies showed +that they were bent on pushing on. The worthy carpenter, James +Foubister by name, also a Shetlander, sided with Andrew, and promised +not to desert the old captain. Their example influenced most of the +other men attached to the boat, who agreed, should the rest of the party +do as they proposed, to remain with them. By exerting themselves to the +utmost they overtook the sledge parties soon after they had encamped. +Andrew again spoke earnestly to his companions, pointing out to them the +danger they would ran by separating, and he hoped at length that they +had abandoned their design. + +The next day they went on as before. The cold was increasing, and +except when they were in active exercise, they felt it severely. The +old captain especially, from being unable to move, suffered greatly, and +was rapidly sinking. Andrew, whenever the party stopped, acted the part +of a true Christian, and was by his side, endeavouring to console and +cheer him with the blessed promises of the gospel. What other comfort +could he have afforded? The old man felt its unspeakable value, and +after his voice had lost the power of utterance, holding Andrew's hand, +he signed to him to stoop down and speak them in his ear, and so he +died,--with a peaceful expression in his countenance, which told of the +sure and certain hope he had gone to realise. Andrew and the carpenter +proposed carrying on the captain's body to bury it on shore, but the +rest objected, as causing them unnecessary labour. A snow tomb was +therefore built, in which the old man's body was placed, and there they +left him, out on that wild frozen ocean, where many of England's bravest +sons rest from their toils. Happy are those who have died as he died, +trusting in the Lord. The men were too much engrossed with their own +sufferings to mourn his loss, but few failed, when the next morning they +started on their journey, to cast a glance at the tomb. "Poor old man, +he is better off than we are," was the expression uttered by most of +them. + +The fatigue of dragging the sledges over the rough ice was now so great, +that some of the men purposed leaving their tents and the remainder of +their fuel behind, and the officers had much difficulty in making them +see the folly of such a proceeding. As they advanced, not only large +hummocks, but vast icebergs became numerous, among which they were +frequently enveloped, and many a circuit had to be made to avoid them. + +The day after the captain's death it began to snow heavily. The sledges +were as usual ahead, still Andrew and his party managed to proceed with +the boat. The snow-storm increasing in density, they at length lost +sight of their companions. For some time they followed up their tracks, +but these were gradually obliterated by the falling snow. Still they +went on, till they found themselves at the base of an iceberg, but not a +trace was visible to show whether the party ahead had made their way +round by the north or south end. As any delay would have increased the +difficulty of overtaking them, they pushed on, taking a southerly +direction. + +Having doubled the berg, they saw a clear space before them, but though +the snow had ceased, the sledge parties were nowhere visible. + +The captain's rifle had been saved. Andrew fired it in the hopes that +the signal might be heard, but no reply came to their listening ears. +Once more they went on, but their progress was slow and tedious. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +PROCEEDING ON AGAINST MANY DIFFICULTIES.--ARCHY AND HIS COMPANIONS AT +LAST DISCOVER LAND AHEAD, AND CAMP IN A SNOW-HUT.--AT DAYBREAK, SEEING +NO TRACES OF THE MUTINEERS, THEY PUSH ON, AND ARRIVE AT THE EDGE OF THE +FLOE. CROSS A CHANNEL AND GETTING ON AN OPPOSITE FLOE, BUILD A +SNOW-HUT; BUT THE WATER RISING, LEAVE IT, AND BUILD ANOTHER, WHICH ALSO +IS WASHED AWAY. BUILD A THIRD, AND ARE AWOKE BY A BEAR.--TWO MEN FROST +BITTEN ARE LEFT BEHIND. + +As the sun was about to set, a shout escaped Archy's lips. "Land, +land!" he cried out. All gazed eagerly in the direction to which he +pointed. There appeared a range of snowy mountains far higher than any +icebergs. They were clear and well defined, and Andrew and Foubister +declared that they could not be, as some of the rest supposed, a bank of +clouds. They remained visible till the sun sunk beneath the horizon. +The discovery somewhat cheered their spirits, but still many days must +elapse before they could reach the shore, and even when there, no +inhabitants might be found to assist them, or food to enable them to +exist during the coming winter. Their present condition indeed was very +trying. The tents were on the sledges, and they had only sufficient +fuel in the boat to keep a fire alight for one night; while their +provisions, with the utmost economy, would last them but a fortnight or +three weeks at the furthest. + +"If the cold goes on increasing, we shall be frozen to death before the +morning," exclaimed several of the men. + +"Not so, mates," said Andrew. "I have seen the natives build a snow-hut +in the course of an hour, and have been as warm as I could wish within +it during the hardest frost. They call it an igloo, and they fashion it +much after the way the seals make their houses, so that it is well +suited to the climate. We may depend on that, as God himself taught the +seals. Now turn to and clear a space down to the ice, while the +carpenter and I saw out some blocks of snow." His companions followed +Andrew's directions; and while Foubister sawed out the blocks, which +were about three feet long, and half as wide, he placed them in a circle +on the space which had been cleared. He then put on another tier, +gradually sloping inwards till a dome was formed, and lastly the +keystone of the arch was dropped into its place. Archy, who was helping +Andrew, remained with him inside, and were thus completely walled in. +The carpenter, with his saw, then cut a hole to serve as a doorway, on +the lee side of the hut. + +"We have yet got to form a bed and fire-places. Hand in more blocks, +mates," said Andrew. + +With these he and Archy quickly built up a raised place on either side +of the hut, with a circular one in the centre. Some of the provisions, +with a portion of the fuel, and all the bedding and blankets, were then +brought inside, when Andrew stopped up the doorway with some blocks of +snow, which he had retained for the purpose. + +"Now, mates," he said, "you will soon see that we can be warm enough, +but we must keep up as small a fire as can be made to burn. Look here +now; this log will last us all night if we chop it into chips, and just +put on three or four at a time." + +Andrew's plan was found to answer perfectly. The fire was sufficient to +melt the snow in a saucepan, and to enable them to enjoy some hot tea, +and the hut soon became so warm that they were glad to throw off their +great coats. Their only regret was that Andrew had not thought before +of building a snow-hut. + +"Better late than never. It will not be the last by many that we shall +have to build," he answered. + +They were all so comfortable that Andrew had great difficulty in rousing +them in the morning to encounter the biting wind blowing across the +floe. Having enjoyed a warm breakfast, and put on their outer clothing, +they cut their way out of their burrow, and once more proceeded +eastward. They did not fail to look out for their companions, but not a +moving object was to be discerned in any direction across the wide +ice-field. + +After travelling all day, they were convinced that they saw the land +ahead, though it appeared no nearer than before. + +"May be it will not appear nearer to-morrow or next day," said Andrew. +"But that must not disappoint us. It will be nearer notwithstanding. +That we know for a certainty, and if we persevere we shall reach it at +last." + +As they advanced, several cracks and broad fissures were found in the +ice, and in one place there was a wide pool or lake only thinly covered +over, to avoid which they had to make a circuit. + +"We are not far off the open water, mates," said Andrew, "and we may be +thankful that we have the boat, though I fear our poor shipmates will be +in a sad plight." + +Making their way onwards, the ice being tolerably smooth, they arrived +sooner than Andrew had expected at the edge of the floe. The channel +which divided it from the opposite floe was upwards of a couple of miles +wide, a long distance to traverse in their battered boat. The wind had +gone down, and the sea was tolerably calm, it was therefore important to +cross while it remained so. Andrew, however, was very unwilling to +cross without waiting for their missing shipmates. + +"Just think, mates, how we should feel if we had been with the sledges +had they crossed and left us to our fate on the floe?" + +"But they deserted us, and we may lose our lives if we wait for them," +argued the other men. + +At last Andrew persuaded them to remain, while he and Archy set off to +climb to the top of a small iceberg, a little way to the north, from +whence they hoped to obtain a view over a considerable portion of the +floe. They lost no time in starting, but the distance was much greater +than they had expected. + +"It seems to me as if the iceberg were moving away from us," exclaimed +Archy. "We have been walking on for the last half hour, and appear no +nearer." + +"The berg is a good deal larger than I had fancied," answered Andrew. +"But never fear, we shall get up to it at last, and if we can manage to +climb to the top, we shall have a wider view over the plain, and a +better chance of seeing the poor fellows. It goes to my heart to leave +them to perish, and yet perish they must if they do not soon reach the +mainland. We must forget that they intended to desert us, and even if +they did, it is our duty to return good for evil, so come along Archy." + +The iceberg was at length gained. Then came the difficulty of climbing +to the top. After walking nearly round it, they found a portion melted +and broken by the summer sun which afforded them footing. With the aid +of a boat-hook, and a coil of rope which Andrew had brought, they at +last reached one of the highest points. Hence they could see the edge +of the floe extending for a considerable way to the north, while their +eyes ranged over a wide extent of level ice, but all was one white +waste. Not the smallest dark spot could be seen upon it. + +"I am afraid, Archy, we must give them up," sighed Andrew. "We should +risk the loss of our own lives if we were longer to wait for them." + +Descending the iceberg, Andrew and Archy made their way back to the +boat. The boat was at once launched, and though she leaked slightly, +one hand bailing could keep her free. They all therefore, embarked, and +towing the runners, they made their way across to the floe. As they +found themselves once more gliding smoothly over the water, their +spirits rose, and some were anxious to try and make their way south in +the boat. Andrew and the carpenter, however, strongly objected to doing +this. + +"The ice may close upon us, and we may run short of provisions long +before we can reach the Danish settlements," he observed. "Let us get +hold of the land first." + +It was nearly dark by the time they reached the edge of the opposite +ice, and having unloaded their boat, they hauled her up, and proceeded +on to a hummock at a little distance. Here, without loss of time, they +build an igloo in which to shelter themselves for the night. + +The first part passed quietly away, but about midnight Archy was awoke +by the sound of the crashing of ice, and a loud dashing of waves. He +aroused his companions, they listened for a few seconds. + +"The sea is breaking up the ice close to us," exclaimed Andrew. "Put on +your clothes, lads, or we may be drowned in our den." + +In another minute the whole party made their way out of the hut, +carrying their bedding under their arms. The sea was already close up +to the stern of the boat. Fortunately she had been placed on the +runners. They had just time to seize her, and drag her along, before +the ice, on which she had been resting, gave way. On they went as fast +as they could drag the boat, but even then it seemed doubtful whether +they could escape from the fast following sea. Their hut and the +hummock, near which it had been built, quickly disappeared. The wind +blew with fearful violence; the ice beneath their feet rose and fell as +they passed over it. Whenever they halted, the crashing ice behind them +warned them to push on again. At last a berg in the floe appeared +ahead, they made their way towards it, hoping that they might obtain +shelter under its lee till the gale had ceased. The men were so +fatigued that they would have thrown themselves down under shelter of +the boat to rest had not Andrew persuaded them to build another igloo. +Here they once more sought shelter, hoping to remain undisturbed for the +remainder of the night. Andrew and Foubister, however, agreed to keep +watch and watch, and Archy begged to take his turn. + +"No, no," said Andrew, "you were the means of saving our lives. You +want sleep more than we do." + +Two hours passed away, when, as Andrew listened, he heard again the same +terrific sound which had before awakened them. Once more all were +aroused, and hastening out as before, they found the sea still +encroaching on them. Complaining bitterly of their hard fate, the men +dragged on their boat, still the sea pursued them. Scarcely had they +got a hundred yards from the berg beneath which they had taken shelter, +when it crashed away through the broken ice. No one now felt inclined +to stop. The raging sea tore up the ice behind them, the vast slabs +crashing together with a terrific sound, urging them to greater speed. + +On they went till day dawned, when they found themselves near a low +iceberg. They now declared that they could go no further, and Andrew +and Foubister agreed, that even should the ice overtake them, they might +find refuge on the slope of the berg, up which they could without +difficulty haul the boat. Having placed her, as they hoped, in safety, +they built another snow-hut, where they proposed remaining till the +storm had ceased. As they had now become expert architects, they were +not long in constructing the igloo, and all thankfully crept in to +recruit their strength. Even Andrew felt that he could not have held +out much longer. + +The crashing sounds of the breaking ice had ceased, and no longer +fearing having again to take to flight, the whole party fell asleep. +They had not closed the doorway, as was their custom at night, on +account of the heat which was soon generated in so confined a space. +Archy was the first to awake, as he did so he heard a scraping sound, +and directly afterwards he caught sight of the white snout of a huge +animal poked in at the opening. A few smouldering chips alone remained +of the fire in the centre of the hut. His first impulse was to seize +one and throw it at the intruder, shouting out to his companions at the +same time. They quickly sprung to their feet. The carpenter seized an +axe. + +"A bear, a bear," he cried out, as he made a blow at the nose of the +animal, who, uttering fierce growls, quickly beat a retreat. + +They all rushed out, when the bear was seen at a short distance sitting +on his haunches examining its wounded nose. Andrew hurried to the boat. +Happily the bear had not attacked their provisions. The rifle was +loaded, his only fear was that the bear would make off before he could +get near enough to wound it mortally. The creature was, however, +evidently meditating an attack. It advanced, he fired, and it rolled +over on the snow. His companions uttered a shout of joy, as they had no +longer any fear of suffering for want of food for some time to come. +The bear was cut up, and returning to their hut, they were soon employed +in cooking steaks over their rekindled fire. + +"I suspect those fellows never venture far from land," observed Andrew; +"so we may now feel pretty sure, mates, that we shall be able to reach +it without having another channel to cross." + +The whole party were, however, too much knocked up to make another move +during that day, and even Andrew and Foubister, who were most anxious to +proceed on their journey, consented to remain till the following +morning. The day and night were passed between sleeping and eating, for +as soon as the men woke up, they relighted their fire and cooked more +bear's steaks, in spite of Andrew's warnings that they would soon +exhaust all their fuel. + +"Never fear, old man," was the answer, "we shall get enough when we +reach the shore, and let us enjoy ourselves while we can. The natives +manage to live, why should not we?" + +"The natives know how to catch the seal and the walrus, and unless we +can prove ourselves as good hunters as they are, we may chance to +starve," answered Andrew. + +His warnings, however, had no effect, and when the next morning they +came to examine the contents of the boat, they found they had only +sufficient fuel to last them another night. + +Once more they were on their journey. The carcase of the bear added +considerably to their load, the ice too was rough and broken, and they +made but slow progress. The land was seen clearly ahead, but after +toiling all day it seemed almost as far off as when they started. The +days too were becoming shorter and shorter, while the cold rapidly +increased, and once more they were compelled to encamp on the open floe. +That night the remainder of their fuel was consumed. Two of the men +had been complaining during the day of pains in their feet, and when +they pulled off their boots, to their dismay they discovered that they +were perfectly black. In vain their companions rubbed them to restore +the circulation. Their groans were piteous to hear, and when the +morning came they were utterly unable to rise. Andrew proposed to place +them in the boat, and to drag them along to the shore. When, however, +morning came, the ice ahead appeared even rougher than that which they +had passed over on the previous day, and in spite of his desire to +preserve their lives, it was found that with their diminished strength +this would be impossible. It was therefore agreed that the poor fellows +should be left in the hut, and that should any Esquimaux be met with, +they should be sent with their sledges and dogs to their relief. With +sad hearts the rest of the party closed the hut, which they felt would +too probably prove the tomb of their companions. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +ARCHY HAS A MASK TO PROTECT HIS EYES FROM SNOW-BLINDNESS, FROM WHICH ALL +THE REST SUFFER.--HE LEADS THEM BY A STRING, WHEN AN ESQUIMAUX IS +DISCOVERED SEARCHING FOR SEALS, WHO BUILDS AN IGLOO, AND MELTING SOME +SNOW, BATHES THE BLIND MEN'S EYES, AND PROVIDES FOR THEM. + +Four human beings with heavy packs on their backs were making their +toilsome way over the snow-covered surface of the frozen sea. One by +one their companions had dropped. They had reached the wished for +shore, but lofty ice-cliffs rose before them on which they had found it +hopeless to seek for shelter of subsistence, and again they were +attempting to make their way to the southward. First the boat which +they had dragged over so many leagues had been consumed for fuel, and +then the sledge was piece by piece burned to give them warmth in their +snow-hut during the night. Archy had held out bravely; Andrew had +wonderfully been supported, ever with confidence seeking for aid from +above, he felt that his own life and that of his companions depended on +his exertions. Foubister and David Saunders, one of the crew of the +"Kate," encouraged by him had hitherto kept up their spirits, yet as +they looked ahead and saw the icy plain stretched out before them they +might well have given way to despair. They had just set out from the +snow-hut which had sheltered them during the night, and in which the +last chip of the sledge had been consumed. As the embers of their fire +died out, Foubister, brave and determined man as he was, had exclaimed, +"Why need we go further? It will only be to perish in a few hours of +cold, as the rest have done." + +"Because it is our duty to trust to God and struggle to the last," +answered Andrew. "He may send us help when we least expect it. Let us +go on while life and strength remain." + +Kneeling down, Andrew offered up an earnest prayer for protection, and +the whole party then strapping on their packs, with renewed strength set +forward on their journey. Archy would probably have sunk under the +hardships he was enduring had not his old friend supported and cheered +him throughout. His other companions were also constant in their +kindness. They gave him a larger supply of food than they took +themselves, and chafed his feet and dried his socks at the end of each +day's journey. They had also made him a mask to protect his face, of a +piece of canvas lined with woollen stuff, having breathing places in it +for the nostrils and mouth, and two holes as small as possible for the +eyes. He was surprised to find when he put it on how well he could see +through those small holes. Neither he nor his friends were aware at the +time of their importance. + +They had started before daylight, for the sky was clear and the moon and +stars afforded them ample light to see their way. The sun at length +rose above the horizon, and cast his brilliant rays over the sheet of +snow. All the three men had, on the previous day, complained of a +peculiar smarting of the eyes, but little did they think at the time of +what it portended. As they proceeded the smarting sensation increased, +till at length David Saunders began to stumble, and exclaimed that all +was dark. His words struck dismay into the hearts of his companions, +for both Andrew and Foubister had for some time found a difficulty in +seeing objects before them, and in a short time the latter cried out +that he too was blind. It would have been certain death to stop, so, +although Andrew himself was suffering intense pain, he urged his +companions to proceed, hoping still that they might discover some +Esquimaux' huts on the shore, or find other means of preserving their +lives. + +"And how do your eyes feel, Archy?" asked Andrew, in a voice which +showed his anxiety. + +"I have no pain, and can see as well as ever," answered Archy. + +"Thank God," replied Andrew. "You must then be our guide, for I too +have lost my sight." Archy on hearing this felt ready to burst into +tears. + +"Oh! what can I do? How can I lead you?" he exclaimed. + +"Trust in God and go straight on, lad. Here, take this line and we will +hold on to it," he added uncoiling a short length of rope which he +carried at his side, and he put the end into Archy's hands. He and +Foubister and Saunders then took hold of it, following each other in +line. + +"Now move on, Archy," said Andrew, "and keep a bright look out ahead, as +well as on the right hand and on the left. If you see anything like +smoke or little round hillocks near the shore, we may be certain that +natives are there, or may be you will catch sight of the masts of a ship +in the horizon, no fear of her getting away from us, for she will be +fast frozen in." + +Thus cheered by the confiding faith of old Andrew and his dauntless +courage, the party proceeded onwards over the ice-field, Archy's eyes +alone, protected by his mask, escaping the snow-blindness. Every now +and then, with anxious voices, one or the other would cry out, "Do you +see anything ahead, Archy, any sign of Esquimauxs on the shore,--any +vessel in the distance?" + +"No, I only see tall ice-cliffs on the left, and icebergs rising up here +and there out of the frozen sea," he answered. Several times on hearing +this Saunders declared it was useless to go on, and even Foubister once +proposed building a snow-hut as well as their blindness would allow +them, and then lying down within it to die. + +"What! and let the poor lad who has still got his eyesight perish with +us?" exclaimed Andrew. "Shame on you, mate. I did not think to hear +such words come from your lips. No, no, while we have life its our duty +to go on, and if its God's will that we should die, let us die doing our +duty. If He pleases He can send us help and restore our eyesight, and +He has shown us pretty clearly that we must lean on Him and Him alone." + +Thus rebuked, the honest carpenter did not allow another repining word +to escape him. + +There was but little wind, and the air felt warm and pleasant. Reaching +a small iceberg they all sat down, placed by Archy on a ledge under its +shelter to rest. He unpacked their wallets, and helped them to their +food. By Andrew's direction, also with the carpenter's axe, he chopped +off a thin layer of ice from the berg. From this, when held up in the +direct rays of the sun, water dropped into their saucepan sufficiently +fast to quench the thirst from which they had before been suffering. +They were not aware that they might greatly have relieved the pain in +their eyes by bathing them with the cold water. Revived by their meal +they again proceeded as before, yet what could they expect at the end of +their day's journey? Could they hope to live through the night in an +ill-built snow-hut without fire, might it not too probably become their +tomb? Mile after mile was passed over, and still came the same answer +from Archy to their constant inquiries. Night was approaching,--Andrew +urged them to push on rather than stop, as long as they had strength to +move. + +"If you wish, I will go on," said Archy, "or, I think, with your help I +could build a snow-hut and we could keep warm enough inside it without a +fire, I hope." + +"No, no, on, on," said Andrew. "We will stop in time to build a hut +before dark." So on again they went. + +Suddenly Andrew felt the rope by which he was led slacken, when Archy +cried out, "Stop, I see something dark moving ahead." + +"What is it, what is it, boy?" exclaimed the three men together. + +"It seems to me like a seal," answered Archy. "But no--I don't think a +seal would move in that way,--Hurrah! it is a man,--he has risen to his +feet,--he sees us,--he is coming this way." + +Archy hurried on, leading his companions. The stranger advanced towards +them. When he was still at some distance he stopped and seemed to be +examining them, doubtful of their character. Archy raised his hands and +beckoning, the stranger once more drew near. From his dress and skins +and harpoon in his hand and a coil of line and spears hung to his +shoulders, Archy guessed that he was an Esquimaux engaged in searching +for seals. He was accompanied by two dogs, who rushed forward barking, +but retreated when called by their master. The native having apparently +satisfied himself that the approaching party could do him no harm, came +up to them, and looked with an inquiring glance at their eyes. He at +once seemed to understand that they had been struck with snow-blindness, +and he made signs to Archy that he could cure them. Archy inquired +where he lived, when he pointed to the south-east, and beckoning to him, +led the way onwards. In a short time they reached a large seal which +the hunter had apparently just killed; he pointed to it, and signified +that they were welcome to eat some of its flesh. Archy intimated that +they were weary rather than hungry. The Esquimaux appeared quickly to +make up his mind what was best to be done. Clearing a space in the snow +he called Archy to assist him, and at once began to build an igloo. He +was greatly delighted when Archy produced the carpenter's saw, and +apparently well accustomed to its use, he set to work to shape out the +required blocks. In a short time a hut was completed, into which he +dragged a considerable portion of the seal. From his capacious pocket +he took a shallow bowl, in which he placed some moss wicks, and filled +it with seal oil, produced by his chewing the blubber. A light was +quickly struck, and the much valued lamp soon shed a genial warmth +through the snow-formed habitation. A large lump of blubber hung over +the lamp, continued to feed it as the oil supplied by the first process +was exhausted. He now melted some snow in the seamen's saucepan, and +explained to Archy that if his blind friends would bathe their eyes in +the water their sight would be restored. They followed his advice, and +at length the pain from which they were suffering gradually subsided. + +The Esquimaux seemed greatly surprised at their preferring their own +dried food to the raw blubber on which he and his dogs regaled +themselves. Yielding, however, to their prejudices, he heated some +steaks over the lamp, of which he hospitably pressed Archy to partake. +Hunger induced him to follow his new friend's advice, and finding the +steaks far more palatable than he expected, he persuaded the rest of the +party to join in the repast. + +"I don't know what it may look like," observed David Saunders, gulping +down a huge lump. "But its not such bad eating after all, and I am much +obliged to you, friend Esquimaux, for your kindness." + +"Friends," said Andrew, before they lay down to rest on their snow +couches, "let us thank God for His mercy in sending this kind native to +our help. Oh! 'tis a blessed thing to know that He will never desert +those who trust in Him." + +The Esquimaux seemed fully to understand what they were about, and knelt +down with them. Though they did not understand each other's language, +yet their hearts were lifted up together to the same merciful Being, the +God alike of the dark-skinned Esquimaux and the civilised Englishman. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +THE ESQUIMAUX LEAVES, AND DOES NOT RETURN.--ALL ARE ABLE TO SEE, AND +PROCEED.--FIND BEARS BEFORE THEM, AND AT THE SAME TIME THE MASTS OF A +SHIP ARE DISCOVERED.--PUSH ON, AND AT LAST ASSISTANCE ARRIVING, THE +BEARS ARE KILLED, AND CAPTAIN IRVINE TAKES ARCHY ON BOARD THE "KATE," +THE REST FOLLOWING.--ADVENTURES OF THE "KATE"--SHUT UP IN THE ICE--SHORT +PROVISIONS.--CAPTAIN DIES.--ICE OPENS, WHEN SAIL IS SET, AND THE CREW, +ENDURING MUCH SUFFERING, THE "KATE" ARRIVES OFF UNST, AN ISLAND OF +SHETLAND.--ARCHY, NOW TRULY REPENTANT, WRITES TO HIS MOTHER, AND WHEN +ALL ON BOARD HAVE RECOVERED, STARTS FOR HOME.--HIS ARRIVAL AND +RECEPTION. + +When Archy awoke he was somewhat alarmed on finding that the hunter and +his dogs had left the hut. The lamp was still burning, and a large +piece of seal's flesh lay on the floor. Archy hoped, therefore, that +the Esquimaux's intentions were friendly, and that he did not purpose to +desert them altogether. Andrew, when he awoke, expressed his opinion +that the hunter would certainly return. His and his companions' eyes +were still so painful, that having the means of procuring water they +resolved to wait in the hut till their sight was restored, and then to +try and make their way to the village of their new friend. That their +confidence in his honesty was not misplaced, was proved by his return in +the afternoon, when he and his dogs arrived, dragging another seal after +them on a small sleigh, which he had probably before left at a distance. + +He now intimated that his people at the village were in want of food, +and that after eating and resting, he must go away to them; but he +signified that he would soon again return; and as a proof of his good +intentions, left them a large portion of the first seal that he had +killed. + +Long before dawn the next morning the hunter set off. That day, though +one of suffering, was passed in thankfulness by the shipwrecked seamen. +Their lives had been preserved, food had been supplied to them, and they +might now hope, even if they could not reach the Danish settlements, to +pass the winter in safety in the camp of the friendly natives. + +Two days passed by, and the hunter did not return. The eyes of the +three men were free from pain, and when they awoke after the third night +of their sojourn in the hut, they could see clearly. Archy, with +unwearied diligence, had tended to all their wants, and he had +frequently gone out to look for the expected return of the hunter, +whenever they had expressed anxiety on the subject. At length they +agreed that if he did not appear that evening, to set out without +waiting for him longer, as their supply of blubber was nearly exhausted, +and without it they could not keep their lamp burning. The morning +came; still the hunter did not appear. Packing up, therefore, the lamp +with its wicks, and every particle of blubber they could scrape +together, they again set out. They soon found it necessary, however, to +tie some spare comforters round their heads, to shade their eyes from +the glare of the sun, the pricking sensation, the prelude to +snow-blindness, again quickly returning. + +After travelling for some hours, they looked out anxiously for the huts +of the Esquimaux they expected to see. The traces of their friend's +sledge and footsteps had been entirely obliterated by a fall of snow, so +that they had not the benefit of them as a guide; still they went on. +Frequently icebergs rose up in their course, and at length these became +so numerous that they were completely bewildered among them. After a +time they emerged again into a more open space, when Archy, whose quick +eyes were ever on the alert, cried out that he saw three objects moving +some way ahead. + +"They are bears, I do believe," he exclaimed, "and they seem as if they +were digging into the snow with their snouts." After going on a little +further the rest agreed that he was right. Andrew got his rifle ready. + +"If we attempt to run the creatures will follow--it's their nature to do +so. We must try and kill one of them, and frighten the others away. +Show a bold front, friends, and we may yet escape their claws." + +While Andrew had been speaking Archy had cast his eyes westward. + +"Look, look," he exclaimed. "I see the masts of a ship rising up +against the yellow sky, near where the sun has just gone down." + +Forgetting for the moment about the bears, the whole party turned their +eyes in the direction Archy pointed. + +"You are right, boy--praise heaven for it," said Andrew. "Though my +eyes are weak I see the masts clearly. She must have been caught in the +floe before she could make her way into harbour for shelter. We may +reach her this night, and we will try to give the bears the go-by +without interfering with them." + +The thought of a friendly greeting from countrymen, and a warm cabin and +wholesome food, after all their toils, raised the spirits of the weary +seamen. They once more pushed forward, making a circuit to avoid the +savage animals, and then directed their course towards the ship. The +long twilight enabled them to keep the masts in sight for a considerable +time, and they were then able to steer by a star, which shone forth just +above the ship. They did not fail, however, very frequently, to turn +their heads over their shoulders to ascertain whether they were pursued. + +"If the bears track us, we must turn round and face them boldly," said +Andrew. "Ever meet Satan, and all spiritual foes in the same way, lad, +and they will flee from you," added the old man, putting his hand on +Archy's shoulder. + +On and on they went, often stumbling over inequalities in the ice, which +the increased darkness prevented them from perceiving. Still they +struggled forward, hope urging them on. Although the ship could no +longer be seen, they felt confident that she was before them, and that +they must, if they persevered, reach her at last. The cold was intense, +but, weary as they were, they dared not sit down lest their limbs might +become benumbed, and might refuse to carry them forward. They knew, +too, that the savage bears might be following in their track with +stealthy steps, and might at any moment be close upon them. Hours +seemed to pass away. It was impossible to calculate time. Their +guiding star shone brightly from the sky; still as yet their straining +eyes could not make out the looked for ship. + +"We cannot now be far off from her," observed Andrew, "for we have +steered too straight a course to pass by her. Archy, you have the +sharpest eyes among us, can't you make her out, lad?" + +"Yes, yes, I see her," he suddenly exclaimed; "but her deck seems to be +housed in, and snow covers the roof, and I took it to be a low iceberg. +Now I can make out the masts and rigging rising above it--she cannot be +more than a mile away." + +"Cheer up, friends, we will soon reach her then," cried Andrew. "If we +were to give a hearty shout, those on board would hear us." + +"I hope they may, and send us help," exclaimed Saunders, "for here come +the bears, and they will be upon us in another minute." + +On hearing this Andrew unslung his rifle, and turning round, observed a +large white animal, scarcely to be distinguished from the snow, not +forty paces off, stealing towards them. To fly towards the ship, close +as they were to her, would have invited the bears to pursue at a faster +speed. Facing their foes, they halted, as they proposed--the bears +stopped also, sitting down on their haunches to watch their proceedings. + +"Archy, run on, and shout as you go--the watch on deck may hear you, and +assistance may be sent to us in case we fail to beat off the bears." + +Archy ran on as he was directed. At length he got the ship clearly in +sight, but still she seemed a long, long way off. He stopped, however, +and shouted with all his might. No reply came, but he heard behind him +a cry, and then a shot fired. He knew that it must be from Andrew's +gun. Once more he pushed forward, though his legs were ready to sink +beneath him. Just then the moon arose bright and full. He had stopped +to give another shout, when, looking back to see if his friends were +coming, he discovered, to his dismay, a bear stealing towards him. He +remembered Andrew's caution, not to fly, and bravely facing the animal, +he clapped his hands together, shouting even louder than before, in the +hopes of frightening it away. At that instant a hail came from the +ship--he hailed in return. The bear stopped, apparently astonished at +the strange sounds which met its ears. Directly afterwards another hail +was heard, and turning his head for an instant, he caught sight of a +party of men coming towards him from the ship. The bear seemed +unwilling to encounter so many foes, and began slowly to retreat. In +another minute Archy was surrounded by a number of men, shouting to him +in well-known tones. + +"My friends out there want your help," said Archy, not stopping to +explain who he was. + +They all had arms in their hands--while some stopped to fire at the +retreating bear, others run on in the direction indicated. Some of the +bullets took effect, and the bear was seen to drop on the snow. While +most of them dashed forward towards the wounded bear, one of them +remained by Archy. + +"Where do you come from, lad--who are you?" he asked. Archy, with a +bounding heart, recognised the voice. It was that of Captain Irvine. + +"I am Archy Hughson, sir, and Andrew Scollay, and David Saunders, and +Foubister, the carpenter of a ship which took us on board, are out +there--I hope the bears have not hurt them." + +"I trust not," said the captain; "but come along, laddie, to the ship-- +tell me more as you go. You seem scarcely able to stand." + +Archy was, indeed, gasping for breath, and well nigh dropping from +fatigue and excitement. The kind captain supporting him, they made +their way toward the ship; but Archy, though he tried to speak, had lost +all power of utterance. One of the other men came quickly to their +assistance, and Archy was lifted on board, and placed in the captain's +cabin, under the care of Dr Sinclair. In a short time the rest of the +party arrived, bringing Andrew and Foubister unhurt, though well nigh +exhausted; but poor Saunders had been severely wounded by one of the +bears, two of which had, however, been killed. + +Andrew, on being carried below, soon somewhat recovered. His first act +was to kneel down, when, lifting up his hands, he returned thanks to +that all powerful and merciful God who had preserved him and his +companions. + +"Shipmates," he said, as he observed the look of astonishment with which +some of those who stood around regarded him. "Had you gone through the +dangers we have encountered, and been preserved from them to reach the +ship again, you would feel that it was not your own arm, or your own +strength had saved you, but He, who not only takes care of the bodies of +us sinful and ungrateful creatures, but is willing and ready to save our +immortal souls alive." + +Archy remained for some days in a state of unconsciousness, but under +the care of Dr Sinclair he gradually recovered. The captain treated +him with the greatest kindness. + +"I have heard all about you, Archy," he said, "and I don't speak to you +now to blame you for your conduct in leaving home. I'll leave it to +your own conscience to do so. God, in His mercy, has led you through +severe trials and hardships, and has mercifully preserved your life, +that you may, I trust, henceforth devote it to His service, and not, as +heretofore, to that of Satan. Ever remember, Archy, that we `cannot +serve two masters'--we must be either Christ's loving subjects, and obey +His laws, or we must be Satan's slaves, and do his will--he is a hard, +and oftentimes a very cunning task-master. Most of his slaves, while +following their own devices and inclinations, and, as they may fancy, +doing no great harm, are in reality carrying out his objects. He blinds +their eyes, and they are thus easily led captive by his emissaries, just +as you were led away, as I have since discovered, by that unhappy man, +Max Inkster. God's ways are inscrutable. He has been allowed to +perish, I fear, in his sins, while your life has been preserved. Then, +again I say, my boy, `Pray without ceasing,' that God's Holy Spirit may +strengthen and support you to walk in His ways, and to obey His holy +laws." + +Archy assured the captain that such was his wish, and that, feeling his +own weakness, he would ever seek for strength from above. + +"You will need it now, and throughout life," said Captain Irvine, +solemnly. "To God alone can we look for sure help, in time of need, in +all our temporal difficulties, much more then in our spiritual trials. +I would that all on board the ship knew this--it would sustain them in +the many dangers and the hardships they must be called on to endure. We +have now been well nigh a month shut up in the ice, and must expect to +remain nearly eight months longer. We had provisions only at the usual +rate of consumption for three months, and therefore from the day the +ship was frozen up, I was compelled to place the crew on short +allowance. Our fuel, too, will be exhausted long before the ice breaks +up. When that time comes, should the weather prove tempestuous, the +ship will be exposed to fearful danger from the huge masses of ice +tossed about by the waves, or from being driven against the icebergs +which may appear in her course. With the crew weakened as ours will of +necessity be by that time, how little able shall we be of ourselves to +contend against the perils which will surround us. I tell you this, +Archy, that you may be induced more completely to trust to the +protection of that God who can alone enable us to escape them." + +Archy at length recovered his strength. Some time had passed before he +discovered that the captain, and Andrew, and one or two other persons, +had given up to him a portion of their own scanty allowance of food. +When he found this out, he begged that he might not have a larger share +than the rest. + +"You, a growing lad, want it more than we do," said Andrew. "And I, for +one, feel that if it had not been for you we should have been left to +die on the ice far away from this. The crew also said that you enabled +them to kill one of the two bears they got the night of our return." + +The want of sufficient food at length began to tell on the frames of the +hardy seamen. Parties constantly went out hunting in the hopes of +killing seals or bears, but notwithstanding all their skill in capturing +the mighty whale, they were unable to catch the wary seals at their +blow-holes in the ice, although they succeeded, after a long chase, in +obtaining two more bears, who had been tempted by hunger to approach the +ship. They were disappointed in receiving no visits from the Esquimaux. +Andrew feared truly that the friendly native who had come to their +rescue, had himself, on his return, fallen a victim to the savage +animals who had followed them when making their way to the ship. + +The occurrences on board the "Kate" during that long winter cannot be +detailed at length. That dreaded disease, the scurvy, produced by salt +provisions and want of vegetable diet, broke out among the crew; more +than half were laid up by it, and unable to quit their beds; the good +captain himself was also taken ill--he had been long suffering from a +disease caught when the ship was first entrapped by the ice, and when it +was expected that she would be crushed to pieces, as the "Laplander" had +been. Archy had now the satisfaction of repaying his kindness, by +watching over him, as a dutiful son would tend a father. He scarcely +ever left his side. Much of the time was spent in reading the Bible, +the dying captain's consolation and joy. Again and again he urged on +Archy the advice he had before given. Archy did not vow, as some might +have done, that he would follow it, but as he knelt by the captain's +bedside, he earnestly prayed that he might have grace to do so. The +captain, feeling that his hours were numbered, desired to bid farewell +to his crew. It was a sad sight to see the once hardy strong men pass +in and out of the cabin--to observe the tottering steps and the pale +thin cheeks of most of them. The captain had a word of exhortation and +advice for each, and many felt the solemn importance of his words. + +The good captain was the first to die, and the doctor feared that ere +long several others would sink under the disease from which they +suffered. A deep gloom settled on most of the crew, but there was light +and brightness in old Andrew's cabin, which he endeavoured to shed +abroad. That light came from within. It arose from his firm faith in +God's loving mercy and protecting providence. "Do not despair, mates," +he said, over and over again. "God has thought fit to take our good +captain, who has changed this cold bleak scene for one of brightness and +glory in that better land aloft there, where there is room for each one +of us too, if we will consent to become the subjects of the being who +rules there; but He may not think fit as yet to call us there, though we +are His subjects here below. If He does not want us, he will find the +means of carrying our ship in safety home." + +Month after month passed by; though suffering from hunger, and intense +cold from want of fuel, the crew held out. The ice began to move much +earlier in the year than had been expected. A strong gale sprung up +from the northward--huge masses of ice rose and fell around the ship-- +now as they crashed away, an open channel appeared ahead. Sail was set, +though not without difficulty, as few were able to go aloft. The water, +too, as the ship began to move, rushed in through many a leak, and the +pumps were set to work. Now it seemed as if she was again about to be +imprisoned--then once more the ice broke away, and she continued her +course. But of her whole crew, scarcely six were fitted for work. Many +were sick in bed, unable to move; others could just crawl to the pumps, +and work them with their feeble arms. The brave doctor, who had +retained his strength, exerted himself to the utmost--now standing at +the helm, now assisting in making sail, now taking a turn at the pumps, +in addition to his duties among the sick. Archy, who had also retained +his strength, felt no little satisfaction on finding that he was of as +much use as his older shipmates. + +At length the ship was free; but alas, many of the poor fellows who had +hitherto held out, sank quickly under the fatal disease from which they +had long been suffering. One by one they sank, till ten had died +besides the captain. + +The voyage home was almost as trying as their detention in the ice. +Scarcely a drop of water remained, their stock of provisions was well +nigh exhausted, every particle of fuel had been consumed, while their +numbers were daily diminishing, their strength decreasing, and the water +gaining on the pumps. Still they struggled, like brave men, to the +last. + +"Surely we cannot be far off the land?" said Andrew, one morning to +Archy. + +"I'll go aloft and have a look out," answered Archy; and he made his way +to the mast-head. + +His heart bounded as he caught sight, in the far distance, of blue hills +rising out of the tossing waters. The welcome cry he uttered brought on +deck all who had strength sufficient to crawl out of their berths. The +ship was steered in the direction towards which Archy pointed, the +breeze was favourable, and in a short time the well-known headlands and +points of Unst, the most northern isle of Shetland, appeared in sight. +Before evening the anchor was dropped in one of the deep voes which run +up far inland all round the coast. The inhabitants of the village, on +its shores, gazed with astonishment at the battered vessel, and the way +in which the sails, which the crew had not strength to furl, fluttered +from the yards. In a short time a number of boats, with friendly +visitors, were on board, and the news was sent to Lerwick that the long +missing "Kate" had returned. Archy sent a few lines to his mother; he +signed his note, "from your repentant son," but he trembled lest she to +whom it was addressed might no longer be alive to receive it. A portion +of the crew, able to bear the journey were the next day sent on +overland; the brave surgeon, however, refused to quit the sick and +dying. + +"I will stay and help you, sir," said old Andrew. "God has preserved my +strength, and it is my duty to employ it in tending to my suffering +fellow creatures; and though there are many at home ready to welcome me, +the welcome will come more warmly to my heart when I feel that I have +not left undone what I ought to have done." + +"And may I likewise stay?" said Archy. "What Andrew thinks is right is +my duty also." + +Not till the sick had recovered sufficiently to be taken on shore did +Andrew and Archy set out on their journey to the south. As they were +starting a letter was put into Archy's hands. He eagerly read it. It +was from his mother. Although his transgression had caused her +unspeakable sorrow, she had never ceased to pray that God would protect +him amid the dangers he would encounter, and that his heart might be +changed and a new spirit put within him. + +"You are welcome back, my boy. God alone can forgive sin, and if you +have sought forgiveness in His appointed way, sure I am that it has not +been refused." This letter cheered Archy on his homeward journey, and +when at length he found himself in his mother's arms, and Maggie hanging +round his neck, he wondered how he could have been so hard-hearted as to +quit them; and he promised that he would henceforth remain at home to +assist and support them. He felt, indeed, that he could never make +amends for the suffering and anxiety he had caused his mother, to which +he acknowledged that the hardships he had endured were in comparison +nothing. + +Archy had learned many important lessons, and above all, the great +truth, that He who rules the world is a God of justice, and also of +unbounded love and mercy; and although, in His justice, He allows the +obstinate and perverse to perish in their sins, He will hear the prayers +and abundantly bless all who humbly come to Him seeking for forgiveness +and protection. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Archibald Hughson, by W.H.G. Kingston + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARCHIBALD HUGHSON *** + +***** This file should be named 23383.txt or 23383.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/3/8/23383/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |