Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-06-06

what's reasonable. Bruce replied, changing
color; but if 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 cabin
They examined the state rooms. Not soul
to be found!
We'll, Mr.. Bruce said the captain, did
not I tell you you had been dreamiagP
Its all very well to say SO, sir but if l
didn't see that man writing on yOpr slate,
may ] never see my home and family
again 7
'Ahl writing on the slate Then 4 should
be there still And the captain todk it up
| My Godp he exclaimed, heres simething
fsrs Bras. s9Po1sh' : is that yosahns Mr..
The man took the slate, and there, in
plain, legible characters, stood the words
Steer to the porweSt.'
Have you been trifling with me, sir |? ad-
ded the csptain, in stern manner.
On py word, as man and sailor, sir
replied Bruce, L know no more of this mat
ter chan you do. have told you the ex-
aet truth
] The captain sat down at his desk, the slate
before him, in deep thought At last, turn
ing the slate over, and passing it to Bruce,
he said, write down, Steer to the nor west
The mate complied, and the captain, after
narrowly comparing the two hand writings,
said, Mr.. 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. Bat not
one of the various hands resembled, in any
degree the mysterious writing.
! When the crew retired, the captain sat in
deep thought. Gould any one have been
slowed away? at last he said The ship
must be searched, and if l don't find the
fellow 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 eagerness of excited curios-
| ity-for the report had gone out that a stran-
ger had shown himself on board-but not a
living soul beyond the officers and crew was
found.
Returning to the cabin after their fruit
less search, Mr.. Bruce said the captain.
what the devil do you make of all this 2
Cant tell, sir [ 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 to keep
her away and see what will become of it,
L surely would, sir, if Iwere in your place.
It's only few hours lost, at the worst
We'll, we'll sec. Go on deck, and give
the course norwest. And, Mr.. Bruce he
added, as the mate rose to go, shave good
lookout aloft and let it, be hand you can
depend on
His orders were obeyd. About o'clock
the lookoutreported an iceberg nearly ahead,
vessel Of So Some efkiTloe kind eIoss ha b K fh1f
AS they approached, the captains glass
disclosed the fact that it was dismantlet
ship, apparently frozen to the ice, and will
a good many human beings on it. Shortly
after they hove to, and sent out the boats t,
the relief of the sufferers.
1t proved to be vessel from Quebe
bound to Liverpool, with passengers on board
She had got entangled in the ice, and fnall!
frozen fast and had passed several week
in most critical condition. She was stove
her decks swept; in fact, a mere wreck a
her provisions and almost all her water gone
her crew and passengers had lost all hope
of being saved, and their gratitude for tn
unexpected rescue was proportionatel
great.
AS one of the men who had been brougI
away in the third boat that had reached tt
wreck, was ascending the ships side, tt
mate, catching glimpse of his face starte
back in CONSERVATION. It was the very ia,
he had seen three or four hours before, lool
ing up at him from the captains desk.
At first he tried to persuade himself
might be fancy but the more he examine
the man, the more sure he became that
was right. Not only the face, but the pc
son and the dress, exactly correspondent
AS soon as the crew and famished passe
gers were cared for, and the bark on
course again, the mate called the capita
again. 1t seems that was not ghost sa
to-day, sir the mans alive
What do you mean7 Who's alive?
! why, sir, one of the passengers we ha
just saved is the same man | saw writing
your slate at noon. | would swear to it in
court of justice
, Upon my word, Mr.. Bruce replied
: captain, this gets more and more singular.
Let us go and see this man.
e They found him in conv versation with
: captain of the rescued ship. They be
e came forward, and expressed, in the war
!! est terms, their gratitude for deliverance fir
horrible efate-slow-coming death by ex]
) sure and starvation.
: The captain replied that he had dt
g what he was certain they would have d,
n for him under the same circumstances, Z
:, asked them both to step down into the C
n IN. Then turning to the passenger he sal
1- hope, sir, you will not think am trih
with you; but would be much oblige
at you would write few words on this sla
Ve And he handed him the slate with that
10 upon which the mysterious writing was
as 4 will do any thing you ask replied the
lg Senger, but what shall | write
"a "A few words are all that / want.
o. pose you write, Steer for the nor'we ?
The passenger, evidently puzzled to m
10 out the motive for such request, compl
however, with smile. The captain tool
UT the slate and examined it closely then s
ping aside so as to conceal the slate from
passenger, he turned it over, and gave
,er him again with the other side up.
You say that is your hand-writingp
be he,
rd L need not say so,' rejoined the Of
lid looking at it, for you saw me write it,
And this |? said the captain, turning
lr, slate over.
= The man looked at one writing, then d
if other, quite confounded. At last
he What is the meaning of this?' said /
I only wrote one of these. Who wrote
other?
I'D, That's more than can tell you, sir.
De- mate, here, says you wrote it, sitting at
desk, at noon to-day
- The captain of the wreck and the pa
ger looked at each other, exchanging gl
Of intelligence and surprise; and the ft
asked the latter
yer Did you dream that you wrote on
be slater