The Lambertville press., 1860-04-18

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.
At first he tried to persuade himself
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
famished passengers were cared for
and the barque on her course again,
the mate called the captain aside. "It
seems that was not ghost I saw to-
day, sir; the mans alive"
What do you mean ?" Who's
alive ?"
"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, "this gets more and
more singular. Let US go and see
this man 4"
They found him In conversation
with the captain of the rescued ship.
They both came forward, and express
ed in the warmest terms, their graft
tudc for deliverance from a horrible
fate-slow-coming death by exposure
and starvation,
The captain replied that he had
but done what he was certain they
would have done for him under the
same circumstances, and asked them
both to step down into the cabin.
Then turning to the passenger, he
said, e. hope, sir, you will not think
I am trifling with you but / would
be much obliged to you if you would
write few words on this slate" And
he handed him the slate, with that side
up on which the mysterious writing
was not ~ will do anything you
ask" replied the passenger, "but
what shall write ?"
IA few words are all I want. Sup
pose you write steer to the nor west. >"
The passenger, evidently puzzled to
make ont the motive of such a request,
complied, however, with a smile. The
captain took mp the slate and exam
ined it closely; then, stepping aside
so as to conceal the slate from the pas
senger, he turned it over, and gave it
to the passenger again with the other
side up.
"You say that is your handwri-
ting ?" said he.
II need not say So" rejoined the
other, looking at it, for you saw me
write it."
"And this ?" said the captain, turn
ing the slate over
The man looked first at ore writing
then at the other, quite eonfounded
At last" What is the meaning of
this ?" said he. I only wrote one of
those. Who wrote the otherg"
"That's more than I can tell yoa,
sir. My mate here says you wrote it,
sitting at this desk, at noouto-day"
The captain of the wreck and the
passenger looked at each other, ex-
changing glances of intelligence and
surprise; and the former asked the
latter: "Did you dream that you
wrote on this slate ?''
No, sir, not that I remember" ("
"You speak of dreaming," said the
captain of the barque. What was
this gentleman about at noon today"
"Captain," I" rejoined the other, the
whole thing is most mysterious and
extra ordinary: and I had intended to
speak to you abont it as soon as we
got a little quiet. This gentleman,
(pointing to the passenger, being
much exhausted, fell into heavy sleep,
or what seemed such, some time before
noon. After an hour OF more, he
awoke. and said to nae, Captain, we
shall be relieved this very day. When
| asked him what reason he had for
saying so, he replied that he had
dreamed that he was on board sbaroue.
and that she was coming to our rescue.
He described her appearance and rig;
and, to our utter astonishment, when
your vessel hove in sight she CORES
ponded exoct1y to his description of
her We had not put much faith in
what he said; yet still we hoped there
might be something in it, for drowning
men, you know, will catch at straws.
AS it has turned out, cannot doubt
that it was all arranged, in some in.
comprehensive way, by an oEerruling
Providence, SO that we might be saved.
To Him be all thanks for His goodness
to u.s."
There is not Doubt" rejoined
the other captain, "that the writing
on the slate, let it have cone there as
it may, saved all your precious lives.
1 was steering at the time considerably
south of west, and altered my course