The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-02-08

Ter than you do. I have told you the exac
truth '
The captain sat down at his desk. the slat
before him. in deep thought At last, turn
| ing the slate over. and pushing it toward
Bruce, he said, Write down Steer to tn
nor west"'
| The mate complied, and the captain, afte
Increasingly comparing the two handwritings
lsaid, Mr.. Bruce, go and tell the second mat.
to come down here.'
He came. and, at the captains request, b.
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 ia
deep thought. Gould any one have been
slowed aWay?' at last be said The ship
must be searched; and if don't find the fel-
low. he must be good hand at hide and seek.
Order up all hands s q ee
Every nook and corner of the vessel, from
stem to stern, was thoroughly searched, and
that with the eagerness of excited curiosity
for a report had gone out that stranger had
shown himself on board; but not living soul
beyond the crew and the officers was found
Returning to the cabin after their fruitless
search. Mr.. Bruce said the captain, what
the devil do you make of all thisf'
Cant tell sir. I saw the man write; you
saw the writing. There must be something
in it,
well. it would seem So We have the
wind fiee. and have great mind to keep
her away and see what will come of it.
- surely wonid, sir, if were in your place
It's only few hours lost. at the worst
g Well we'll see. Go on deck and give the
course nor west And. Mr. Bruce he added
as tbe mate rose to go, 'have a look out aloft,
and let it he a man you can depend on
His orders were obeyed. About o'clock
the look out reported an ice berg nearly ahead,
and shortly after, what he thought was YES
sell of some kind close to it, Ha
AS they approached, the captains glass
disclosed the fact that it was dismantIed shin
apparently frozen to the ice. and with good
many human beings on It, Shortly after they
hove, and sent out the boats to the relief of
the sufferers.
1t proved to be vessel from Qnebec bound
to Liverpool, with passengers on board. She
had got entangled in the ice. and finally fro
zen fast. and had passed several weeks in a
most critical situation. She was stove her
decks swept in fact mere wreck; all her
provisions and almost all her water gone. Her
crew and passengers had lost all hopes of be.
ing saved, and their gratitude for the unex-I
pected rescue was proportionately great.
As one Of the men that had been brought
away in the third boat that had reached the
wreck was ascending the ships side, the mate,
catching glimpse of his face, started back in
CONSERVATION. 1t was the very face he ha
seen three or four hours before, looking up at
him from the captains desk. eL
At first he tried to persuade himself that it
might be fancy; but the more be examined
the man. the more sure he became that he was
right. Not only the face. but the person and
the dress, exactly corresponded.
As soon as the. exhausted crew and famish
ed passengers were cared for, and the bark on |
her course again, the mate called the captain /
aside. . 1t seems that was not ghost saw
10 day, sir; the mans alive
What do you mean? Who's alivef'
Why, sir. one of the passengers we have
ust saved is the same man that saw writing
On your slate at noon l wouldswear to it iu
4 court of Justice ~
- Upon my word, Mr. Bruce said the cap.
ain 'this gets more and more singular. Let /
Is go and see the man.
They found him in conversation with the
captain of the rescued ship. They both came
Onward. and expressed in the warmest terms,
heir gratitude for deliverance from a horrible
ate : slow coming death by exposure and
starvation.
The captain replied that he had but done
What he was certain they would have done for
lim under the same circumstances, and asked
hem both to step down into the cabin. Then,
urning to the passenger, be said. hope, sir,
'ou will not think am trihing with you; but
would be much obliged to you if you would
write few words on this slate.' And he
landed him the slate, with that side mp, on
which the mysterious writing was not. Il
will do anything you ask, replied the passen-
,er; but what shall write?'
A few words are all want. Suppose you
write Steer to the nor west"'
The passenger, evidently puzzled to make
'ut the motive for such request, complied,
lowever. with smile. The captain took up
he slate and examined it closely; stepping
side SO as to conceal the slate from the pas.
erger, he turned it over, and gave it to him
gain with the other side up. a - i
You say that is your handwritiDgi' said i
: / need not say so,' rejoiued the other ,lool,.
ng at it, for you saw me write it, .,
= And thisf' said the captain, turning the
late over. r 1n i
The man looked first at one writing, then
t the other, quite confounded At last ]
" no' IN 'no Aio"hiu6 vi tulS! Salu ne. Q
My wrote one of these. Who wrote the J
theri' Hss1S a4 0als-
That's more than can tell you, sir. NY
nate here says you wrote it, sitting at this !,
esk. at noon to-day asalIaa 5
The captain of the wreck and the passenger il
boxed at each other. exchanging glances of
ltelligence and surprise; and the former ask. f
the latter. did you dream that you wrote il
n this slatel'
No. sir. not that 7 rememhor, A