American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1860-02-02

Iidnt see that man writing on your slate,
nay l never see my home and family a.
,ain."
"Ahl writing on the slatel Then ii
hould be there STILL" And the captain
ook it up
by God!" he exclaimed "here's some.
hing, sur enough Is that your wiring
Mr. Bruce?"
The mate took the slate, and there in
plain legible characters. stood the words,
'STEER TO THE NoR'wEsT."
"Have you been trfing With ME sir?"
added the captain in stern manner.
"On my word as man as sailor SIR"
replied Bruce; II know no more Of this
matter tbsn you do. IhaSe told you the
exact truth"
The captain sat down at bis desk, the
slate before him in deep thought. At last
turning the slate over, and pushing il to-.
ward Bruce, he said. "Write down, Steer
to the Nor'west.' >"
The mate complied, and the captain af-
ter narrowly comparing the two handwri.
tings, said. "Mr. Bruce. 60 and tell the
second mate 70 me DOVE here"
He came, and at the Captains request,
he also wrote the me words. So did
the steward. So, in sucressio1, did every
man OF the cr,w who could write ar ALL -
But not one OF the various hands resemb-
le in any degree the mysterious writing
When the crew retired. the captain Sal
deep in thought Could any one have
heen slowed away?" at last he said The
ship must lie searched; and il don't 6nd
the fellow ,,e must he good hand at hide
and Seek. Order up oil hands"
Every nook and corner of the vessel
from stem TO stern, was thoroughly search
ed, and that with all the eagerness of tx
cited curiosity-ior The report had gone
out hat stranger had shown himself OF
hoard; hut not a living soul beyond the
crew and the officers was found
Re eurnlne TO the cabin after their fruit
less search, "Mr. Bruce" said the captain
"what the devil do you make oI all this|
Cant ell sir. | saw the man write
toa see the writilg. There must be some
thing in it,"
"Well, it would seem so. We have tn
wind free, and have great mind to kee
Der away and see what will come Of it,"
II surely would sir, il were ip you
place. It's only a few hours lost at th
worst"
"Well, We'll see. Go on deck and Civ
the course nor'wes; And Mr.. Bruce,
he-added, as the mate rose to 90, "have
look out alot, and lie. ii be hand 70
can depend on" 49,.
His orders were obeyed. About thre
o'clork the look out. reported an ice-bpr
nearly ahead. and shortly after, what h
thought was q vessel OF SOME kind close /
it. '., ...
As they approached, the captains glas
disclosed the fact thai it was dlsmantle
ship apparently, lr'.zen to the ice. and wit
good many hqmap, beings upon it,
Shortly after they hove to, and sent OF
the boats to the reliei of the suffrrers.
l. proved to be vessel from Quebec
bound TO Liverpool, with passengers o
board. She had gol enangled IN the ic'
aud finally 'rrzpD fas'. AID had passed sel
eral weeks in most critical situation
She was, stove, her dprks swept in lac
n mere Wreck: ALL her provisions, and n
most all her water e ne. Her cIew an
passengers had lost all hopes of eing s'
we'd, and their gratitude for the une1
prcted rescue was proportiunately great,
As one OF the men who had bee
hroGgh away ia tie third boat that .hq
reached the wreck WAS ascending he shiE
side, he mate catching glimpse oI b
face, started back in CONSERVATION.
was the very face be had seen three {
four h. urs hefore, looking upa him fro
the Capt'iu's desk.
A first he tried to persuade himself
might he fancy: but The more he exami
ed the man the more sure he became th
he was right. Not only the lace, Ut Il
person and dress corrpsponded exactly.
AS soon as the exhausted crew and fan
ished passengers were cared for and Il
bark on her course again, the mate call,
the Captain aside, at secms that w
uota ghost saw 10 day, sir; the man
alive'' -
"What do you mean? Who's alive"
"Why sir. one oi the passengers v
have just saved is the same man sa
writing on your slate at noon, l wou
swear to in court of justice"
Upon my word, Mr. Bruce" repIi'
The captain, "this gets more and mo
singular. Let us go and see this man."
They found him in conversation vi
the. captain oil The rescued ship Th,
both came forward, ard expressed. in Il
warmest terms. their gratitude for delve
ance from horrible fate-slow-comiI
death by exposure and. stsrvarion.
The CAPTAIN replied that he bad b
done what he was certain they would ha
done for him under the same orcumsta
oes, and asked them both to step down i
to the cabin. Then turning to tho ps
seuger. he said,"I hope you will not THU
/ am trihiDg With you; but | uld
much obliged to you il you would write
few words on this slate" and he haud'
, him the slate with that side up on viii
the mysterious waiting was moi. II W
do anything you ask" replied the passe
ger; "but what shall write?"
"a few words are all / want. Su
pose you write. Steer 10 the nor vest
The passenger evidently puSSled
make out tho motive for Ruob requer