Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1860-01-19

~" "i"'' W S"HiS 'i"It' VI
Bruce. \ stranger, and we nearly sly
weeks out"
81 know. sir; bat then saw him. -
"Go down and see who it is.''
Bruce hesitated Il never was q
believer in ghosts" he said, "but, il
the truth must be told. sir, I'll rather
not face it alone"
Come. come, man. Go down al
once. and don't make a fool oi
yourself before the crew."
ii hope you've always found me
willing to do what's reasonable. -
Bruce replied. changing color; "but il
its all the same to you. sir, I'd rather
we should both go down together"
The captain descended the stairs. and
the mate followed him. Nobody in
the cabinl They examined the state
rooms Not a soul to be foundl
"Well, Dir. Bruce, said the captain.
"did not l tell You you had been
dreaming"
''It's all very well to say so, sir;
but If 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 -" he exclaimed, "herc's :
something. sure enough Is that your
writing. Mr. Bruce?
TIE mate took the slate, and there
in plain, legible characters. stood the
words, "STEER TO THE NOR VEST"
Have YOU been triaing with me.
sir?" added the captain. in a stern
manner.
ION my word as man as a sailor
sir" replied Bruce. Il know no more
of this matter than you do. | 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 1t toward Bruce, he said,
Write down, Steer to the nor west" -
The mate complied. and the captain,
after narrowly comparing the two
handwrltiings, said, MIR. Bruce. go
and tell the second 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 every man OF the crew who could
write at all. But not one of the
various hands resembled, in any
degree. the mysterious writing
When the crew retired the captain
sat deep in thought. Could any one
have been slowed away?" at last he
said. The ship must be searched
and if | don't find the-lellow he must
be good hand at hide-and-seek.- =
Order up all hands.
Every nook and corner of the vessel
from stem to stern, was thoroughly
searched, and that with all the eager.
ness OF excited curiosity-ior the report
had gone ont that stranger had shown
himself on boari; but not living sou
beyond the crew and the officers was
found.
Returning to the cabin after theil
fruitless search. Mr.. Bruce" said tho
captain. what the devil do You make
OF all this?"
Can't tell. sir. saw the mar
write; you see the writing There
must be something in it,"
"Well. it would seem so. We
have the wind free, and | have grea
mind to keep her away and see wha
will come of it."
Il surely would, sir, If | were il
your place, It's only few hours lost
at the worst"
well. well see. Go on deck ant
give the course nor'weSt. And, Mr.
Bruce" he added, as the mate rose t.
60. "have a lookout aloft. and let i
be hand you can depend on
His orders were obeyed. Abou
three o'clock the lookout reported al
iceberg nearly ahead, and shortl,
after. what he thought was vessel o
some kind close to it.
Us they approached, the captain
glass disclosed the fact that it was ,
dismantled ship. apparently frozen tc
the ice. and with a good many human
beings on it. Shortly after they hove
To. and sent out the boats to the relic
of the sufferers.
ltproved to be vessel from Quebec
bound to Liverpool, with passengers
on board. She had got entangled il
the ice. and finally frozen fast. anC
had passed several weeks in a mos
critical situation She was stove, hel
decks swept--in fact. mere wreck
all her provisions. and almost all heI
water gone. Her crew and passenger,