410 A MYSTERIOUS VESSEL. 



place an open water-way wound its course among them 

 as far as the eye could discern. 



It was two miles beyond the entrance of this canal 

 that a ship made her appearance about noon, looking, in 

 the misty distance, very much like a phantom vessel, 

 and attracting the captain's attention from the strange 

 manner in which her sails were disposed, and the dis- 

 mantled aspect of her yards and rigging. She was ob- 

 served to drift before the wind for a few furlongs, and 

 then grounding upon a low field of ice, remained immov- 

 able. Captain Warren's curiosity was strangely excited. 

 Whence came this mysterious vessel 1 What was her 

 errand 1 Could she be navigated by human hands ? 

 The captain leaped into his boat with several seamen, 

 and hastily rowed towards her. 



As he drew near, he noticed that her hull was wave- 

 worn and weather-beaten ; and that not a soul appeared 

 on the deck, which was covered with snow to a consider- 

 able depth. He hailed her repeatedly ; but no reply 

 was made. Previous to stepping on board, an open port- 

 hole near the main-chains caught his eye, and, looking, 

 he could just discern the figure of a man reclining in a 

 chair, with writing materials on a table before him, but 

 in the faint glimmering light he could not see very 

 distinctly. So with some of his men he went upon deck, 

 and having uncovered the hatchway, which he found 

 closed, descended into the cabin. 



Captain Warrens was a . brave man, and accustomed 

 to face danger, but he could not contemplate without 

 emotion the strange spectacle before him. Its inmate 

 retained his former position, and seemed utterly indifferent 

 to the presence of strangers. And well he might be ; 



