Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-05-28
STEER n. W.
The First Offjcer,s Stsfv

cruising up here to the north, and thinking of
making for home, as the weather had changed +:
and the ice forms precious quick in those lati-
tudes when it once begins The captain nat
nraily wanted to hang on to the last for the
chance of smother haul
One bright afternoon, Just after e;vht bells
made uP the log and took it to the captain 5
cabin. 4 Knocked at the door, and as nobody
answered walked in. I thought il odd the
captain had answered me, For there he was.
sitting at his desk, with his back to me, writ
ing; seeing ne was employed, I told him I
beside him, and as he made no answer. I
walked out. L went on deck, and the first
person met was the captain. was puzzled
L could not make QUO how he got there before
me.
" How did you. get up here ," 1 said, 81
JUST IeIt you VT .itiDg in your cabin
rave n IT been in my cabin for the last
naI nopr' the captain answered; but 1
thought e was chatting, and did mt like it,.
re was some one writing at your desk
lust .ow," said; if it wasn't you you had
pet .er go and see who it was The log is mad Q
p. l have left it in your cabin sir; = and with
chat walked sulkily away. / had no idea of
being chsfed by the captain, to whom had
taken dislike
"Mr Brown" said the captain. who saw 7
was nettled, "you must have been mistaken :;
my desk is locked. But coms-woIl 20 down
and see about it"
followed the captain into the cabin. The
log wss on the table, the desk was closed, and
the cabin was empty. The captain tried the
desk-it was locked
You see, Mr. Brown" he said. Laughing.
"you must have been mistaken, the desk is
locked"
1 was positive
{" Somebody may have picked the lock-" 1
said
e. But they couldn't have closed it again, -
The captain suggested; "but, to satisfy you,
will open it and see if the contents are safe,
though there is not much here to tempt a
thief
lie opened the desk, and there-stretcbed
right across twas a sheet Of paper, with the
words steer n. w" written in an odd cramp-
ed hand.
The captain looked at the paper, and then
handed it to me.
You are right, Mr.. Brown; somebody has
been here. This is some hoax"
We sat there some time talking, and irving
to guess wnst could be the subject of such a
joke, If joke it was meant to be. 1 tried to
identify the back Of the man had seen at the
desk with that Of any of the crew 1 could
not do it. 1t is true had at frst taken the
man for the captain, bat now points Of differ
once suggested themselves. | had not looked
very attcntively at the figure, but still was
under the impression that the coat il had on
was brown, and the hair, which appeared
under the cap, seemed, as l remembered to
have been longer and whittier than the CAP
tain's. There was only one man on board who
resen oied In the least the figure had seem
i suggested to the captain that it might have
been old Shiel, the bostswain. He did not
like TO suspect the old man, who vas a great
favorite; besides, what motive could he, or in
deed any one else, have had in trying to change
the course Of the vessel
Not to appear to suspect any one in partic-
ular, 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. One thing was very clesr-it could not
have been old ShieI, who was proved to have
been forward at the time / was in the cap-
tsin's cabin. The mystery remained unsolved
That evening 1 sat drinking my grOg with
the captain in his cabin. We were neither Of
US inclined 20 be talkatiye. I tried to think
of home, and the pleasure it would be TO see
old England again, but still my thoughts al
ways wandered back TO that mysterious wri-
ting. 1 tried to read. but caught myself
furtively peeping at the desk, expecting to
see the figure sitting there.
The captain had not spoken for some time
and was sitting with his face buried in his
hands. At last be suddenly looked up and
said:
Suppose we alter her course to northwest,
Mr.. Brown
don't know what it was; 1 cannot hope to
make you understand the feeling in nv mind
that followed those words; it was a sense of re-
lief from a horrible nightmare. was ashamed
Of the childish pleasure l felt, but [ could not
help answering eagerly, Certainly; shall I
give the order :"
waited no longer, but hurried on deck and
altered the course Of the vessel
l. was a clear frosty night, aud as look ed
at the compass before going below, I felt
strangely pleased, and caught myself chuck
IL
ssy-I didn { know then, but great weight
had been taken of my mind.
went down to the cabin, and found the
captain pacing up and down the small space.
BE stopped as came n, and looking up, said
abruptly
1T can DO no hsrm Mr. Brown"
"a If this breeze continues, +" answered, eve
can hold on for thirty hours or so, but then, L
should think"
I" But thsn-we shall find ice. How's the
wind ?"
"Steady, north by east"
We sat down and finished our grog. had
the morning watch to keep next day. Twas
too restless TO sleep after it, SO kept on deck
the whole Of the day. Even that did not satisfy
me. / was continually running into the tops
with my glass, but every time came down dis
appointed. The captain was as unquiet as my
eef. Something We expected to happen, but
what IL was 70 be we could form no idea. The
!,
indeed, often wondered, myself, at the sta te
was in. Evening came, and nothing had
turned up. The night was bright, and the cap
tain determined 10 carry on under easy sail
till morning.
Morning came; and with the first grey light
was on deck. 1t was bitter cold Those only
who have seen them can form an idea of the
delicate tints Of the morning sky in those
northern seas. But was in no hulnor to ap-
preciate the beauties Of nature. There was a
mist low down on the horizon. / waited pa
tiently tor IL to lift. 1t lifted soon, and
could not be mistaken-beyond il 1 could sec
the Skinner Of ice. ] sent down to tell the
captain, who came on deck directly.
si 1t is no use. Mr.. Brown" he said; "you
must put her about"
"Wait one moment" said, "the mist is
lifting more; it will be quite clear directly"
The mist was indeed lifting rapidly. Far TO
the north and west we could see the ice stretch
ing away in an unbroken field. / was trying
to see whether any break appeared in the ice
towards the west, when the captain, seiEing my
arm with one hand, and pointing straight