hat
some ship was cutting her way through the ice. Although I could not make
myself heard, I waited in anxious expectation of deliverance. The saw
approached very near to where I was sitting, and I was afraid that I
should be wounded, if not cut in halves; but just as it was within two
inches of my nose, it was withdrawn. The fact was, that I was under the
main floe, which had been frozen together, and the firm ice above having
been removed and pushed away, I rose to the surface. A current of fresh
air immediately poured into the small incision made by the saw, which
not only took away my breath from its sharpness, but brought on a
spitting of blood. Hearing the sound of voices, I considered my
deliverance as certain. Although I understood very little English, I
heard the name of Captain Parry frequently mentioned--a name, I presume,
that your highness is well acquainted with.

* * * * *

"Pooh! never heard of it," replied the pacha.

"I am surprised, your highness; I thought every body must have heard of
that adventurous navigator. I may here observe that I have since read
his voyages, and he mentions, as a curious fact, the steam which was
emitted from the ice--which was nothing more than the hot air escaping
from my cave when it was cut through--a singular point, as it not only
proves the correctness of his remarks, but the circumstance of my having
been there, as I am now describing it to your highness."

* * * * *

But, alas! my hopes soon vanished: the voices became more faint, I felt
that I was plunged under the floe to make room for the passage of the
ship, and when I rose, the water which had filled the incision made by
the saw, froze hard, and I was again closed in--perhaps for ever. I now
became quite frantic with despair, I tore my clothes, and dashed my head
against the corners of the cave, and tried to put an end to my hated
existence. At last, I sank down exhausted with my own violent efforts,
and continued sullen for several days.

But there is a buoyant spirit in our composition which raises our heads
above the waters of despair. Hope never deserts us, not even in an
iceberg. She attends us and supports us to the last; and although we
reject her kind offices in our fury, she still watches by us, ready to
assist and console us, when we are inclined to hearken to her
encouraging whispers.

I once more listened to her suggestions, and fo