The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-07-13
"sTnpR xORTH<WEsT."
rHE rrnsr OFFICERS STORY.

nearly empty. we were CTuIS'"6 uP "e'e
to the North, and thinking Of 'nuking for
home, ia the weather had .ehangedI and
the ice forms precious quick in these Iati
tudcs when it once begins. The captain
naturally wanted to hang on to the last
for the chance Of another haul.
One bright afternoon, just after eight
bells, made up the log. and took 1t to
the captains cabin. knocked at the
door, and a. nobody answered, walked
in. ! thought it odd the captain had not
answered me, for there he was, sitting at
his desk, with his back to me, writing.
Seeing be Was employed, told him had
brought the log, laid it down on the table
behind him, and as he made no answer
walked out. went on deck, and the
first man met vas the captain. l was
puzzlcd-I could not make out hbw he
got there before me.
How did you get up here ? ] said, !
just left you writing in your cabin.
Il have not been in my cabin for the
last half hour the captain answered but
thought he was chatting, and did not
like it.
There was some one writing at your
desk just now I said il it wasn't you,
you had better 20 and see who 1t was
The log IL made up. have left Il in
your cabin, Sir;' and with that walked
sulkiIy away. had no idea Of being
chatfcd by the captain, to whom | had
taken a dislike.
Mr.. Brown said the captain, who
saw I was nettlcd, you must have been
mistaken, my desk is locked. But come,
We will 60 down and see about it.
I followed the captain into the cabin.
The log was on the table, tho desk was
closed, and the cabin was empty. The
captain tried the deSk-it was locked.
You see, Mr.. Brown he said, laugh.
ing, you must have been mistaken, tho
desk is locked
was positive. Somebody must have
picked the lock- I said.
But they couldn't have closed it again,
the captain suggested; but to satisfy
you, ] will open it, and see If the con-
tents are safe, though there il not much
here to tempt thief
lie opened the desk, and thcre-
stretched right across twas sheet Of
paper, with the words steer N. W.
written in an odd cramped hhnd.
The captain locked at the paper, and
then handed it to mo.
You are right, Mr.. Brown; somebody
has been here. This is some hoax
We sat there some time talking, and
trying to guess what could be the object
Of such joke, If joke it was meant to
be. tried to identify the back Of the
man had seen ct the desk with that Of
any IF the crew. I could not do it. II
is true+had at frst taken the man for
the captain, but now points Of difference
suggested themselves. had not looked
very attentively at the figure, but still ]
was under the impression that the coat It
had on was brown, and the hair, which
appeared under the cap, seemed, as re.
uiembered It, to have been longer and
whittier than the captains.
Not to appear to suspect any ono in
particular, the captain determined to have
up all the crew. We had them up one by
one. We examined them and made all
those who could write, write Steer N.
w., but We gained no clue. The Inys-
terry remained unsOlved.
That evening sat drinking my grog
with the captain in the cabin. We were
neither Of Us inclined to be talkative.
tried to think Of home, and the pleasure
it would be to ace old England again, but
still my thoughts always wandered back
to that mysterious writing. tried tO
read, but caught myself iurtivcly peep,
ing at the desk, expecting to see the hg-
ure sitting there.
The captain had not spoken for some
time, and vas sitting with his face buried
in his hands. At last he suddenly looked
up and said;
Suppose we alter her course to North.
west, Mr.. Brown2'
don't know what it was; | cannot
hope to make you understand the feeling
in my mind that followed these words i
was q sense Of relief from hOrrid night.
marc. ] was ashamed Of the childish
pleasure I felt, but could not help an.
swering eagerly, Certainly; shall I give
the orderY'
waited no longer, but hurried on deck
aud altered the course of the vessel.
It was clear frosty night, and MS l
looked at the cOHpass before going below,
| felt strangely pleased, aud caught my
self chnckling ana rubbing my hands-nt
what, cannot say-T didn't know then,
but great weight had been taken off my
mind.
went down to the cabin, and found
the captain pacing mp aud down the small
space. He stopped as came in, and
looking up, said abruptly:
II can do no harm, Mr.. Brown
If this breeze continues answered,
we can hold on for thirty hours or so,
but then should think
But then-we shall End ice. How's
the wind!'
Steady, north by east
We sat down and finished our groS.
had the morning watch to keep next day
| was too restless to sleep after it, go
kept on deck the whole Of the day. Even
that did not satisfy the. was c0ntinu.
ally running into the tops with my glass,
but every time came down disappointed.
The second officer, | believe, thought us
both crazy indeed, often wondered, my.
self, ut the state was in. Evening came
and nothing lIad turned up. The night
was bright, and the captain determined IA
carry on under easy sail until morning.
n Morning came, and with the first gray
light l wason deck. 1t was bitterly cold.
Those only who have seen them can fOrm
an idea Of the delicate tints of the morn.
ing sky in those northern seas But
was in no hum0r to appreciate the beau.
ties ofnature. There was mist low down
on the horizon; waited impatiently foT
It to I'M. 1t lifled sOOn, and could not
be mistaken-beyond Il ! could see the
simmer Of ice. ] sent down to tell the
captain, who came on deck directly.
| ITS no use, NJ. Br0wn,' he said: you
must put her about
wait one moment, the mist is liltin1
more, It will be quite clear directly
The mist was indeed lifting rapidly
I Far to the north and west we could e.
the ice stretching away IN one unbrokev