Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-01-19
dWOrtester Daily Spg.
From owens tFootfalls"
THE RESCUE-A TRUE STORY OF THE ST.
PERNATURAL.


Mr.. Robert Bruce, originally descended
from some branch of the Scottish family of
that name, was born, in humble circumstances.
about the close Of the last century, at Torbav.
In the south OF England, and there bred up to
a seafaring life
When about thirty years of age, to wit, in
the year 1923, he was first mate of barque
trading betw cen Liverpool and st. Johns, New
Brunswick.
On one of her voyages bound westward, be-
ing some five or six weeks out, and having
neared the eastern portion of the banks of
Newfoundland the captain and mate had been
on deck at noon, taking an observation of the
sun after which they both descended to cal
culate the days work.
The cabin, a small one, was Immediately at
the stern of the vessel, and the short stairway
descending to it ran atwart-sllips Immedi-
baly opposite to this stairway, just beyond a
flll square landing, was the mates state.
--'B and from that landing there were two
4 doors close to each other, the one opening aft
4 into the cabin, the other fronting the stairway
l into the stateroo The desk in the state
lid was in the forward part of it, close to the
door; so that one sitting at it and looking over
his shoulder could look into the cabin.
The mate, absorbed in his calculations.
which did not result as he had expected, vary
ing considerably from the dead-reckoning, had
not noticed the captains motions. When he
had completed his calculations, he called out
without looking round, 81 make our latitude
and longitude SO and so. Can that be right
How is yours 2"
Receiving no reply, he repeated his ques-
ton, glancing over his shoulder and peroev-
ing, as he thought, the captain busy writing
on his slate Still no answer Thereupon he
rose, and, as he fronted the cabin door, the fig
1irn ,oh had ,ictok ap for tha cad tic
head and disclosed to the astonished mate the
features of an entire stranger.
Bruce was no coward but, as he met that
fixed gaze looking directly at him in grave ST
lence, and became assured that it was no one
whom he had ever seen before, it was too
much for him; and instead of stopping to
question the seeming intruder, he rushed upon
deck in such evident alarm, that it instantly
attracted the captains attention. "Why, Mr..
Bruce" said the latter "what in the world is
the matter with you 2"
"The matter, sir Who is that at your
desk 2"
'No one that know of
g But there as, sir there's a stranger
there"
GA strangerl Why, man, you must be
dreaming. You must have seen the steward
there, and the second mate. Who else would
venture down without orders z"
"But, sir, he vas sitting in your armchair,
fronting the door, writing on your slate
Then he looked up full in my lace; and if l
ever saw man plainly and distinctly in this
world, saw him.
"Him Whom 90
"God knows, sir, / don't. l saw a man,
and man never saw in my life before"
''You must be going crazy, Mr.. Bruce. A
stranger, and we nearly six weeks out!''
81 don't know, sir, bnt then | saw him."
go down and see who he is"
Bruce hesitated 81 never was believer
in ghosts" he said, "but if the truth must be
told. sir I'd rather not face it alone"
Come, come, man, go down at once, and
don't make fool of yourself before the crew"
81 hope you have always found me willing
to do what's reasonable" Bruce replied chang
ing color; but if it's all the same to you sir,
I'd rather we should both go down together"
The captain descended the stairs, and tile
mate followed him. Nobody in the cabin
They examined the state rooms Not soul
to be found
"Well, Mr.. Bruce" said the captain, "did
not l tell you you had been dreaming 90
cts all very well to say So sir but if l
didn't see that man writing on your slate, may
never see my home and family again"
"Ah writing on the slate Then it should
be there still And the captain took it up
"By GodP p he exclaimed, 'here's some
thing, sure enough! Is thatyou writing, Mr.
Bruce 2"
The mate took the slate, and here in plain,
legible characters, stood the words, "Steer to
the nor'west."
"Have you been triiing with me sir 2" add
ed the captain, in a stern manner.
"On my word as man and sailor sir"
replied Bruce, 81 know no more of this matter
than you do. l have told you the exact
truth"
The captain sat down at his desk, the slate
before him, in deep thought. AT last, turning
the slate over and pushing it toward Bruce, he
said, write down, Steer to the nor west"
The mate complied, and the captain, after
narrowly comparing the two handwritings,
said, "Mr. Bruce, go and tell the second mate
to come down here"
He came and, at the request of the captain,
he also wrote the same words. So did the
steward So, in succession, did every man of
the crew who could write at ALL But not one
of the various hands resembed, in any de-
gree, the mysterious writing.
When the crew retired, the captain sat in
deep thought. "Could any one have been
slowed away 2" at last he said. "rhe ship
must be searched, and if don't find the fellow
he must be a good hand at hide-and-seek Or
der up all hands,"
Every nook and corner of the vessel, from
stem to stern, was thoroughly searched, and
that with all the eagerness of excited curiosity
for the report had gone out that a stranger
had shown himself Oh board but not living
soul beyond the crew and the officers was
found.
Returning to the cabin after their fruitless
search, "Mr. Bruce" said the captain, "what
the devil do you make of all this 2"
Cant tell, sir. l saw the man write you
see the writing. There must be something in
+ it."
"Well, it would seem SO. We have the
wind free, and have great mind 70 keep
her away and see what will come of it,
81 surely would, sir, if | were in your place
It's only few hours lost at the worst"
"Well, we'll see. Go on deck and give the
course norwest. And, Mr.. Bruce" he added
as the mate rose to go, "have a lookout aloft
and let it be hand you can depend on"
His orders were obeyed About o'clock
the lookout reported an iceberg nearly ahead
and, shortly after, what he thought was a YES
sci of some kind close to it.
AS they approached the captains glass dis
closed the fact that it was dismantled ship,
apparently frozen to the ice and with good
many human beings ON board. Shortly after
they hove to, and sent out the boats to the re-
lief of the sufferers.
1t proved to be vessel from Quebec, bound
to Liverpool, with passengers on board She
had got entangled in the ice, and finally frozen
fast and had passed several weeks in most
critical situation. She was stove, her decks
swept-in fact, mere wreck all her prov-
sons, and almost all her water gone. Her
crew and passengers had lost all hopes of being
saved, and their gratitude for the unexpected
rescue was prDportionally great.
As one of the men who had been brought
away in the third boat that had reached the
wreck was ascending the ships side the mate