The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-02-08
uAbivrit;np on the slate! Then il

"My God, he exc.a med, mere 5 so'i'o
thing, sure enough! Is that your writ
ing, Mr.. Bruce?'
The mate took the slate; and there IN
plain legiblc character, stool the words,
ste TO THE Nor WEST"
"Havc you been trifing with me, sir?
added the captain in stern manner.
"On my word as man and sailor,
sir" replied Bruce, 81 know no more OF
this matter than you do. / have told
you nothing but tbs exact truth"
The captain sat !; own Mt his desk, the
slate before him, in deep thought. AT
last turning the slate over and pushing 1t
to wards Bruce, he said, Write down,
Steer to the nor west"
The mate complied; and tho captain
after narrowly comparing the two hand
writings, said, "Mr. Bruce, 60 and tell the
sec md mate to come down here"
He came; and, at the captains request
he also wrote the same words. So did
the steward. So, in succession, did eve
nv man of tho crew could write at ALL
But not one of the various hands resemb-
led. in any degree. the mysterious writ
ing.
When the crew retired, the captain sat
loep in thought. "Could any one have
been slowed away?'' at last he said, 'the
ship must be searched and if don't find
the fellow he must be good hand at
hide-and- seek. Order all hands"
Every nook and corner of the vessel,
from stem to stern, was thoroughly
searched, and that with all the cagerness
of excited curiosity, the report had
rome out that stranger had shown him
s,f on board; but not living soul be-
| yond the crew and the officers was found.
Returning on the cabin after their
| frutless search, "Mr. Bruce said the cap
tain, "what the devil do you make of ali
this?'
"Can't tell, sir. Jsaw the man write :;
you soc the writing. There must be
something in it."
"Well, it would seem 30. We have
the wind free, and have great mind
to keep her away and see what will come
Of it."
Il 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 not west. And, Mr..
Bruce" he added, as the mate rose to go,
shave lookout aloft, and let it be a hand
you can depend on"
His order were obeyed. About three
o'clock the lookout reported an iceberg
n Early ahead, and, shortly after, what he
thought was q vessel of some kind close
TO it.
AS they approached, the captains
glass disclosed the fact it was disman-
tailed ship, apparently frozen in the ice,
aud with a good many human beings on
t. Shortly after, they hove to, and sent
out the boats to relieve the sufferers.
1t proved to be q 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
a mere wreck and her provisions and al
most all her water gone. Her crew and
passengers had lost all hopes Of being
wed, and their gratitude for the unex-
| pected rescue was proportionately 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, caught a glimpse of
the face he had seen, three or four hours
before, 10, k ng up Mt him from the cap
tan's desk.
AT first he tried to persuade himself it
might be fancy; but the more he examin
ed the man the more sure he became that
he was right. Not only the face, but tie
person and dress, exactly corresponded.
As soon as the exhausted crew and
furnished passengers were cared for, and
the bark on her course again, the mate
called the captain aside. at seems that
was ghost l saw to-day, sir: tho mans
| alive"
"What do you meana Who's alive ."
"Why, sir, one of the passengers we
/ have lust saved is the same man l saw
writing on your slate at noon. | would
swear to it in court of justice"
Upon my word, Mr.. Bruce" replied
the captain, "tbis gets more and more
singular. Let US 60 and see this man."
r...A b,,> - 18th