The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-03-01

truth must be told, I'd rather not face il
alone" .N5 - 5eS foatEG az L9ai ~
"Come, come, man. Go down at
once, and don't make fool of yourself
before the crew."
Il hope you've always found me will
ling to do what's reasonable" Bruce re-
piled, changing color; " but if it's all the
same to you, sir, I'd rather we should 60
down together" aa nall .La Ell
The captain decended the stairs, and
the mate followed him. Nobody in the
cabin They examined the state rooms.
Not soul to be found J. ron 54ad ilH
well, Mr.. Bruce said the captain,
"did not l tell you you had been dream
ing?' aa baa Lgsas a.I
It's all very we'll to say so, sir but
if didn't see the man writing on your
slate, may never see my home and fam
lily again" IS, 7 31 ~
Ah I! writing on the slate Then
it should be there still" And the cap
tain took it up. fr .I
"By G-?' he exclaimed, "here' S
something sure enough ! Is that your
writing. Mr.. Bruce ?'' a e.:,.s
The mate took the slate, and there in
plain legible characters, stood the words,
Steer to the Nor'aoest =" H s4
Have you been trifing with me ?"
added the captain, in a stern manner.
"On my word as man, and sailor,
SIR" replied Bruce, " l know no more
of this matter than you do. | have told
you the exact truth" ar-s-.it .tane, =.
The captain sat down at his desk, the
slate before him, in deep thought. AT
last turning the slate over and pushing
it toward Bruce, he said, Write down,
Steer to the Nor west ,, -sy ff a..q
The mate complied, and the captain,
after narrowly comparing the two hand
writings. said, " Mr.. Bruce, go tell the
second mate to come down here. .qFsJ
He came, and at the captains request,
he also wrote the same words. So did
the steward. So, in succession, did ev-
cry man Of the crew, who could write at
all. But no one of the various hands re-.
sembled in any degree, the mysterious
writing. ~ e8
=, ,Whep 4 the crew, retnrpSsd Sdtdb ttba ga eanian tain
oat III oScp tuouSut. SOuiu duy oic
have been slowed away ?" at last he
sald " The ship must be searched
and if don't find the fellow, he must
be good at hide-and seek. Order up all
hands, J
Every nook and corner of the vessel.
from stem to stern, was thoroughly
searched, and that with all the eagerness
of excited curiosity-for the report had
gone out that stranger had shown him
self on board-but not living soul be-
yond the crew and officers was found.
Returning to the cabin after their
fruitless search. the captain said, Mr..
Bruce, what do you make ofall this !"
g Cant tell, sir. l saw the man write
you saw the writing. There must be
something in it,"
"Well, it would EN- SO. We have the
wind free, and l have a great mind to
keep her away and see what will come
Of it,"
81 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 nor'west And Mr..
Bruce" he added, as the mate rose to GO.
have look out at the loft. and let it be
a hand you can depend on"
His orders were obeyed. About three
O'Clock the lookout reported an iceberg
nearly ahead, and, shortly after, what he
thought was vessel Of some kind close
to it.
AS they approached. the captains
glass disclosed the fact that it was dis
masted ship, apparently, frozen to the
ice, and with a good many human beings
on it. Shortly after they hove to and
sent out the boats to the relief Of the suf-
ferers
1t proved to be vessel from Quebec,
bound to Liverpool, with passengers on
board. She had got entangled in the
ice and finally frozen fast, and had pass
ed several weeks in most critical situa
ton. 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 being saved, and their gratitude for
the unexpected rescue was proportional
ly.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, catching glimpse
of his face, started back in CONSERVATION.
1t was the very face he had seen. three or
four hours before. looking up at him
from the captains desk.
81 At FIRST he tried to persuade himself
it might be fancy but the more be ex
amined the man the more sure he be-
came that he was right. Not only the
face but the person and dress exactly
corresponded.
AS soon as the exhausted crew and
famished passengers were cared for and
the bark on her course again, the mate
called the captain aside.
af II seems that was not ghost saw
to-day, sir the mans alive"
What do you mean? Who's alive 2"
Why one of the passengers we have
just saved is the same man ] saw wri.
ting on your slate at noon. ] would
swear to it in q court.
NJ