Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1860-02-18

ing @a..
"It's all very well to say so, sir; but i
I didn't see that man writing on youl
slate, may never see my home and fami'
iy again" &". ts H.
"Ah! writing on the slate Then i
should be there still" Aud the captain
took it up.
My God!" he exclaimed, there.
something, sure enough. Is that YOU
writing, Mr.. Bruce p M @ ..a. ...
The mate took the slate, and there i,
plain, lrgible characters, stood the words
Steer to The Nor cess"
Have you been tridiag with me sir?
added the captain in a stern manner.
"On my word as u man and as u sailor
SIR replied Bruce, know no more Of
this mater than you do. have told you
the TRUTH na .s
The captain sat down at his desk. the
slate before him, in deep thought. AT las,
turning the slate over and pushing it tow
ard Nh. Bruce, he said:
Write down steer to the nor west -
The mate complied, and the captain
after narrowly comparing the handwriting .
said
"Mr Bruce, go and tell the second
mate to come dow1 here
He came down, and, at the captain re
quest, he also wrote the sane 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 re-
sembled in any degree the mysterious
wiring.
When the crew retired. the captain sat
in deep thought. Could any one have
been slowed awsy?' at last he sari---
"The ship must he searched. and it don I
find the fellow he mus. be good hand at
hide and seek. Order up all hands"
Every nook and corner OF the vessel
from stem to stern. was thoroughly search.
ed, aud ,ha, with all the eag.rness of ex
cited cartosity-for the report had gone
out that Il stranger had showed himself on
board but not a living soul beyond the
officers aud crew could BE- fouBd.
Retiring 10 the cabin after their fruiteSs
search, "Mr. Bruce. said the captain,
what do you make Of all this q
Can't tell, sir. | saw the man write.
YOU see the writing. There must be some
thing in it."
well. it would seem so. We have the
Wind free, and l have great mind to
keep her away, and see what Will come Of
it,
"I surely would. sir, were in vour
place. It's only a few hours los. at the
NEST
"Well, vel see. Give the course nor
west, and have LOOK GU. alolt You can
depend on.
His orders were obayed. About three
O'Clock the look out reported an iceberg
nearly adeaa, and shortly after. what he
thought was vessel Of some kind cluse
to it,
4 IS they approached. the captains glass
disclosed tue fact that it was dismantled
snip, apparently frozen 10 the ice, ard with
t, good many human beings on it. Short
~ afier they hove TO and sent out boats 10
the relief OF the sufferers.
1t proved to be vessel from Quebec
bound to Liverpool, with passengers on
board. She had go; entaaglcd In the ice,
and finally froze fast. aud had passed sew
rral weeks in most critical situatiOn.-
She was stove, her decks swePt--in tact, "a
mere wreck ali her provisions aud hearty
MI her water gone Her crew and pas
mad lost all hope Of being saved :;
and their gratitude for the unexpected res
cue was proportions lily great
A one OF the men who had been brought
away III the third boat had reached the
wreck, and was ascending the ships side.
the mate. catching glimpse at hi, face.
started back in CONSERVATION. II was the
very lace he had seen three or foar hours
before, locking up at him from the cap
tain desk.
Al first he tried to persuade himself i,
might be fancy, but the more be exa,uiaed
he man the more sure ne became that ne
was right. Not only the face, but the per
son and the dress exactly ceres pandtd.
Is soon as the exhausted crew and FAM
shed passengers were cared tar. and the
bark On her course again, the mate called
he captain aside.
= 1t seems that was not ghost | saw
% dav. sir-lhe mans alive"
"What DO you mean? Who's alive?'
why. sir, one Of the passengers we
have ist saved is the man ! saw writing
N your slals nt loon. | would swear 10 il,
n y court Of justice.
Upon my word, Mr. Bruce replied
he captain. this gets more and mure
singular Let Us 90 and see lhi. p,au'
They found him in conversation vita
h captain OF the captured ,hjp ines
both came forward and expressed ia the
aainest terms their gratitude for deliver
.uca from horrible fa,e--,iow couins
Heath hy starvation ana exposure.
The captain replied thai he bad hut
lone uhnt he was cer ain ihay would have
ione for him nnlor the same circnm.,an.
,as, and he asked them both 10 step dewe
INTO the cabin. Then turning TO the pas,
,enger he said:
II hope, sir. yen will not think am
Irifing with you; hut | would be much
obliged tn Won it you would write few
lines on this SLATE.
He then handed him the slate with that
side up on which the mysterious writing
not.
a. win do anything you ASK replied
he passenger. but shs, shall write
"A few words are all want Suppose
you write steer 10 the nor'west. ="
The passenger, evidently puzzled to
make out the motive for such request.
complied with smile. The captain took
the slate examined it care!ully; then step.
ping aside, so as to conceal the slate from
The passenger he turned il over and gave
Il to him again with The other side up. q
!" You fay that is your hand wri,ing?1
said he, a4 zs
81" need not say So rejoned the other,
looking at it, for you saw me when I
wrote H."
And this said the captain, turning
tho slate over. 4r
The man looked fiat at one. writing,
then at the other, quite confounded. A,
last he remarked, What il the meaning