Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-01-27
"did not 1 tell you you had been dream

''did not tell you you had been dream
ingf"
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 fa-
mily again p
"Ah /! writing on the slate. Then it
should be there still" And the captain
took it up
My God !" he exclaimed, "here's
something, sure enough Is that your
writing, Mr.. Bruce? ?"
The mate took the slate, and there, in
plain, legible characters, stood the words
{" Steer TO tie Nm'pest."
"Have you been triaing with me sir?"
added the captain, in a stern manner.
Con my word as a man and as a sal
lor, sir" replied Bruce, Il know no
more of this matter than you do. have
told you the exact truth. y
The captain sat down at his desk, the
slate before him, in deep thought. At
last, turning 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 ev-
cry man of the crew who could write at
all But not one of the various hands
rcsembled, in any degree, the mysterious
writing.
When the crew retired the captain sat
deep in thought. " Could any one have
been slowed away p at last he said
The ship must be searched, and if l
don't find the fellow, he must be a good
hand at -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 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 fruit
less search, /" Mr.. Bruce" said the cap
tain, what the devil do you make of all
this ?"
/" Can't tell, sir. I saw the man write
yoa 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 come
of it,"
81 surely would, sir. if wore ir your
place. It's only few hours lost, at the
worst"
We'll, we'll see. Go on deck and
give the course nor'west. And, Mr..
Bruce, he added, as the mate rose to
go, "have lookout aloft, and let it be
hand you can dependon"
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, tho captains
glass disclosed the fact that it was dis.
mantled ship, apparently frozen to the
ice, and with good many human beings
on it. Shortly after they hove to, and
sent out the boats to the relief of the
sufferers.
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 passed
several weeks in 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 passcrg Is - had lost all hopes of being
saved, and their gratitude for the unex-
pected rescue was proportionately 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.
It vas the very face he had seen, three
or four hours before, looking up at him
from the captains desk.
At first he tried to persuade himself it
might be fancy; but the more be exam
ined 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
famished passengers were cared for, and
the bark on her course again, the mate
called the captain aside. at seems that
was not ghost | saw to-day. sir, the
mans alive"
"What do you meanY Who's alive p
Why, sir, one Of the passengers we
have just saved is the same man | saw
writing on your slate at noon. would
swear to it in a court of justice"
Upon my word, Mr.. Bruce" re-
piled the captain, Z" this gets more and
more singular. Let us go and see this
man"
They found him in conversation with
tho captain Of the rescued ship. They
both came forward, and expressed, in the
warmest terms, their gratitude for deli
verance from a horrible fate-slow com
ing death by exposure and starvation.
The captain replied that he had hut
done what he was certain they would
have done for him under the same cir
cumstances, and asked them both to step
down into the cabin. Then turning to
the passenger. he said, II hope, sir, you
will not think am trihing with you I;
but l would be much obliged to you if
you would write few words on this slate 4"
And he handed him the slate, with that