Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-12-31
Selsttth AlistrIIauu,


Mr.. Robert Bruce, originally decended
from some branch of the Scottish family
of that name, was born in humble cir
cumstances, ABOUT the close of the last
century, at Torbay, in the south Of Eng
land, and there bred up to seafarinp
life. When about thirty years of age, to
wit in the year 1923, he was first mate
on bark trading between Liverpool and
St Johns, New Brunswick On one of
her voyages, bound westward, being then
some five or six weeks out, and having
neared the eastern portion of the banks
OF Newfoundland, the captain and mate
had been on deck at noon, taking an OBJ
seryation of the sun, after which they
both descended to calculate their day 8
work. The cabin, q small one, was inn
medIately at the stern of the vessel, and
the short stairway descending to it ran
athwart-ships. Immendiately opposite to
this stairway, just beyond small square
landing, was the mates state-room aud
from that landing there were too doors,
close to each other, the one opening ait
into the cable, the other fronting the stair
way, into the state-room The dask in
state-room was in the forward part of it,
close to the door; SO that any one sitting
IN 1t and looking over his shoulder could
see into the cabin. The mate, absorbed
In his calculations, which did not result
as he expected, varying considerably
from the dead-reckoning, had not noticed
the captains motions. When he had
completed his calculations he called out,
without looking round, Il make your
latitude and longitude so and so Can
that be right2 How is yours, sir?
Receiving no reply he repeated his quas-
ton, glancing over his shoulder, and per-
ceiving, as he thought, the captain writing
on his slate. Still DO answer Thereup-
on he rose; and, as he fronted the cabin
door, the figure he had mistaken for the
captain raised its head, and disclosed to
the astonished mate the features of an en-
tire stranger. Bruce was no coward; but
as he met that fixed gaze looking directly
at him In grave silence, and became as
sured that 1t was 40 one whom he had
ever seen before, it was too much for him ;
and instead of stopping 20 question the
seeming intruder he rushed upon deck
in such evident alaI m that he instantly
attracted the captain attention
Why MFR. Bruce, said the latter, ''what
in the world is the matter with you?
''I'he matter sir? Who is that at your
desk p
NO one LDau L KNOW or.
''But there is, sir; there's stranger
there"
"a stranger Why, man, you must be
dreaming You must have seen the stew
ard there or the second mate. Who else
would venture down without orders?
But sir, he was sitting in your arm
chair, fronting the door, writing on your
slate. Then ne looked up full in my face !;
on1 e I MI s,lx 4
tinctly in this world, | saw him"
Him whom
"God knows, sir, don't! | saw a man
and man ] never saw in my life before y
you must be going crazy, Mr. Bruce
a stranger, and we nearly six weeks out ?''
Il know, sir, but then | saw him"
$50 down and see who he is"
Bruce hesitated al never was be-
| liever in ghosts" he said, "but if the truth
must he told, sir, I'd rather not face it
alone"
"Come, come, man go down at once,
and don't make a fool of yourself before
the crew.
/ IL hope you have always found me will
! Ing to do what's reasonable, Bruce repli-
/ ed changing color ''But if its all the
same to you, sir, I'd rather we should both
/ 60 down together
/ The captain descended the stairs, and
| the mate followed him Nobody in the
cabin. They examined the state-rooms-
not soul to be found.
"Well, Mr.. Bruce" said the captain, s'did
not tell YOU you had been dreaming ?"
| ''It is all very well to say so, sir. But if
| d not see man writing on your slate, may
never see my wife and house again."
! All . writing on the slate Then it should
be there ;ill' ana the. captain took it up.
/ 'By heaven" he exclaimed, ''heres something,
sure enough. Is that your writing, Mr..
Brrce?"
The mate took the slate, and there in plain
/ legibe characters, stood the words, steer TO the
/ u0T,,ceSt.n
! Have you been trihing with me, sir 90 said
/ the CAP t ,in, in a stern manner.
| -'On my word as a man a sailor, sir" re-
| piled Bruce, 81 know no more of this matter
I than you do I have told you the exact truth. ~
The captain sat down at his desk the slate
before him, in deep thought. At last, turn
ing the slate over, and pushing it towards
/ Bruce. he said, "Write down steer to the
nor'weste"
The mate complied and the captain, after
narrowly comparing the two handwritings,
said, 'Mr. Bruce, go and tell the second mate
to come down here"
ne came at TIE captain request ne also
wrote the same words. So did the steward.
So in succession did every of the crew
who could write at all. But no one of the
various hands resembled the mysterious
writing. When the crew retired the captain
sat deep in thought. Could any one have
been slowed away At last he said ''The
ship must be searched, and if don't find the
fellow he must be a good hand at hide ssand
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 curios-
ity-for the report had gone out that stran-
ger had shown himself on board-but not a
living soul, beyond the crew and the officers,
was found. Returning to the cabin after their
fruitless search, "Mr. Bruce" said the captain
what the-do you make of all this
''Can't tell, sir. l saw the man write
You see the writing. There must be some
thing IN it."
"Wen, ii would seem SO. We have the
wind free, sud have a great mind to keep
her away and see what will come of it."
II surely would, sir, if were in your place
It's only few hours lost, at the worst"
''Well. Wen see. Go on deck and give the
course nor'-west, and have n good lookout
aloft, and let it be n hand YOU can depend on y