The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-01-01

"Have you been trifling with me, sir:'
said the captain in stern manner.
ION my word. as a man and sni.or, sir,
replied Bruce, II know no more Of This mat
ter than you do. have told yeu the exsc
truth" ~
The captain sat down at his desk, tn
slate before him, in deep thought. At las
turning the slate over, and pushing it to
Bruce, he said, write down, steer to tn,
nor-west."
The mate complied, and the captain, afte,
narrowly comparing the two hand writings
said, "Mr. Bruce, go and tell the second
mate to come down here"
He came, at the captains request he also
wrote the same words. So did the steward
So in succession Gid every man Of the crew
who could write at all Bat not one of the
various hands resemhled the mysteriou.
writing When The crew retired the captain
sat deep in thought. Could any one have
been slowed away? At last he said, the
ship mnst be searched, and if | don't find
the fellow he must be good hand at hide
and seek. Order up all hands,"
Every nook and corner of the vessel from
stern to stern, was thoroughly searched, and
that with all the easerness ofe xcitcd curos.
ity-for the report had gone out that a stran
ger had shown himself on board-but not a
living soul, beyond the crew and the officers
was found Returning to the cabin aitc,
their fruitlcss search. "Mr. Bruce" said the
captain, what the----do you make Of ali
thisy''
"Oan.t tell, sir, sag the man write
You see the writing. There must be some
thing in it,
swell, it would seem so. We have the
wind free, I have great mind to keep be,
away and see what would come of it,"
surely would, sir, if were in your
place. It's only few hours lost, ut the
worst
"Well, well see Go on deck and give
the course nor west, and have a good look
out aloft, and let it bc hand You can de.
pend on
His orders were obeyed About three
o'clock the lookout reported an iceberge
nearly ahead. and, shortly after. what he
thought was vessel Of some kind close to it
As they approached, the eaptain:s glass
closed the fact that it was dismantled ship
spEarenty frozen to the ice, and with good
many human beings on it. Shortly afte r
they hove to AMI sent a boat to the relief OF
the sufferers. Her crew and passengers had
lost al. hope of being saved, and their graft
tude for the unexpected rescue was proper.
tionaly great, As enc Of the men who had
been brought away in the third boat was as
cending the ships side the mate catching a
glimpse of his face, started back in conster-
nation. 1t was the very same face that 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 fan.
cy but the more he examined the man the
more sure he becams that he was right. As
soon as the exhausted crew and famishcd
passengers were cared for and the barque on
her course again, the mate called the cap
tain aside,
1t seems that was not ghost | saw to-
day. sir The mans alive" -
..Nhat do you mean Who's alive ?
"Why, sir, one of the passengers we have
Just saved is the same man l saw writing
on your slate at noon. ! could swear to #
in court Of justice.n
Upon my word, Mr.. Bruce" replied the
captain this gets more and more singular
Let us 60 and see this man.
They found him in conversation with the
captain Of the rescued Ship They both
came forward, expressed in the warinest
terms their gratitude for deliverance from a
horrible fate -slow-coming death by expo
sure and starvation. The captain replied
that he had but done what be was certain
they would have dono for him under the
same circumstances and asked them both to
step down in the cabin. Then, turning to
the passenger, he said, ~ hope. sir, you will
not think I am triHing with yon, but |
would be much Obliged to yon il you would
w,ite few words on this slate," aud be
handed him the slate with that side up on
which the mysterious writing was not
II will do anything you ask, replied the
passenger but what shall write %
"a few words are all ] want Suppose
you write, steer to the nor-west."
The passenger evidently puzzled to make
out the motive for such request complied,
however. with smile. The captain took
up the slate and examined it closely, then
stepping aside, so as to conceal the slate
from the passenger, he turned it over, and
gave It to him again with the other side up
"You say that is your hand writing" ssid
he.
II need not say So" the other replied fol
you saw ine write it,"
"And this ?" said the captain turning The
slate over.
The man looked first at one writing, ther
At the other, qnitc confounded. At last
"What is the meaning OF this r. said he
| only wrote one Of these who wrote th'
other.
That's more than can tell you, my matt
says you wrote it At this desk, at noon to
day"
The captain Of the wreck and the passen
ger looked at each other, exchanging look
Of surprise and intelligence and the !orme
asked the latter. ibid you dream that yo'