The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-02-20
Selrtted .storr.
THE FLOATING TOMB.
A LEAF PROM SAILORS LOG EooK

LEAP PROM 4 SAILORS LOG EOoK
II was the morning after the wreck of the good
ship Queen Anne, and Of all her and passcn-
gers, more than onc hundred and dCty, all told we
shree desolatc, Iorcrn, miserable mcn, were all
that rchlainel. I well remember the scene, well
as the tim. II was somewhere On the western
.'oast of Africa, hear the latitude of Ascension Ia
land, and more bore, sandy, and dreary SPOT l
have never in all my mandvrings placed my eyes
upon. The country must have been nninhsbited
for IN my miles inland, for as far as the eye could
reach sign OF huhin liz or habitatinp could be
; ,thing hut the fiat, dead level Of sand. diver
sGsd here AMI there 10y a siracgling clump Of par
ched vegetatior, stunted tree. Which sccysrd
tryng in vain to flourish in the hostile s,ii and cli-
mate.
There's the tli oucen Auns. ur sll that's left
of her," Wu,s,n remarked. we locked in the di-
rsciion which his iiuErr inlicard, and our eyes
rested upon the broken skeleton Of the wreck, as it
r,stcd upon a rocky ledge half mile aesy. The
tesc'. upon which we stood was strcwn with tim
h.rs an S;.ars, Will scarcely twtnty feet from
lay the bodies Of two oE our iatc companions,
which, with the fragments Of the ~seck, had been
driven hher BY the waves.
The story Of our fearful position is britay toll.
Ne were seam ot the Qsaeea AsAas. sa.s tventy'-
fowr hougs before that vessel was steadily pough-
ing her way toward the Cape Of Good Hope jsst
al night terrible gale had ovcrtaken US and dri~-
sn helpless before it, the ip stinck upon the
ledge where her t.mbcrs were parting. I'y
s"ae chance we three sd been cast ashore with
little injury, while all those who had lately been
our comp niens had INST almost ia sta1stly with
Fatery grave.
"Well, her: ,se are." Flanders nIuttcred, after he
Aaa taken care ul survey OF the prospect and
We may b. there's thins very consoiing in
our situation. What d'ya think. wa.son?"
That IT'S an amazilg sight BETH than that of
( rest of the old saip's family"
I'm not sure OF that. What do you think, you
Dill aampson?"
That we are great deaf ss<ses OF than We
might be-" l replied
"Huu.ph imagine you've never been wrecked
many times as have. Now, my lads let me
tell you my view of our affairs. You that we're
in desperate fix, OF if you don't do, and very
clearly. Well, then, what's tn be done? Speak
cut, and let me hear your minds"
Strike through the Country, and try to fin
som native village" Watson suggested.
81" Yes, that's about as sensible adv ie< as ex-
pected from you," Flaniers retorteS. with
"Dc you know, my lad, what pare of the world
you're in Z DO you know that so far as our saw
inE ourselves by the mainland is concerned, We
nligh, as well have been cast u9on the shGses of
the Great Dessrt2 We might travel eastward for
twenty leagues, aye. anil htv for that matter, and
our bones would bleach ia the sand before We could
hni enough 10 sustain aur Inserarable lives with
even for nte day, tell you, I've been wrecked ia
these regions before, and know just what our sit
Z patton is. And besides, Should We happen to meet
! any of the natives, what kind Of reception do
Sou think they would give Us 4? I shouldn't blame
hem il they ate MS alive fCE don't believe there's
pnyt ms else il the whole Country that they caI
g."
n VI IN lerS laughed long and lsud ct Lila wit, and
most for The tnls slW him lose the harsh bit
ernes of speech and manner which had become .
& |ar o his nature. lie was strange man, and
Pone kL.w his disposition hstt T tadn myself. II
As an able s.anIan, aud had been the best man Oh
! card our ship; but among our whole crew he had
ever had friend. 6ons disappointment in life
ID ruined his spirit, and urncd ell the human
ndness he may have ever possessed to bitter gall.
" What do you prnposel" Watson asked.
fpied, "lf we stay here. we shall starve to
'shi il We try n pesetrate into the country, we
sn just as surely lie down on tue sand and die
fore the sHd Of forty-sight hours and il we build
kind of craft out of these locse tirabers aud
to sea agair, we shall probably be swallowed
= BY the waves, although there's perhaps one
ance In ten that We will reach Ascension Island,
be picked Up by soEs outward boppd Irdia-
D."
knew that this view Of the matter WAS the only
., reot one which could be taken. hyt Watson and
self both shFask FROM ezpoAieg ourselves 70 the
y OF = boisteross ocean. The chance oesred by
vas indeed fsaFfully frsil one. i seemed like
episIng ourselves 10 she jaws Of Snnle rspseoUs
ester, and expecting TO escape from his power
hsTmed. But. On ths athar hand. We painfully
ised that ,as security sbeTsd by ,hs land was
more pseeatioqs, sn4 aors certain 10 esd IN
ses;'gei.yL,