Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1872-06-11

had reached the wreck was ascendin
, the ships side, the mate catching
glimps of his face, started back in cor
sternation. 1t was the very face h
had seen three or four hours before
looking up at him from the captain
desk.
At first he tried to persuade him
self it might be fancy; but the NOR
he examined the man the more sur,
he became that he was right. No
only the face but the person and til,
dress exactly corresponded.
As soon as the exhausted crew ant
famished passengers were cared for and
the bark on her course again, the mate
called the captain aside, and said -
at seems that was not ghost l saw
60 by sir; the mans alive"
"What do you mean? Who's
alive ?"
why, sir, one Of the passengers VIC
have just saved is the man l saw
writing on your slate at noon. would
swear it in the court of Justice"
"Upon my word, Mr.. Bruce" re-
piled 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 and expressed,
in the warmest terms, their gratitude
for deliverance from a horrible fate
slow coming death by exposure and
starvation.
The captain replied that he had
but done what he was certain they
would have done for him under the
same circumstances, and asked them
both to step down into the cabin
Then turning to the passenger he said,
IL hope, sir, l would be much obliged
to you if you would write few words
on this slate" And he handed him
tic slate, With that side upon which
the mysterious writing was not. II
will do anything you ask" replied the
stranger "but what shall l write -
"a few words are all 1 want. Sup
pose you write steer to the nor'west.' I"
The passenger evidently puzzled to
make out the motive for such re.
quest, complied, however, with smile
The captain took lip the slate and ex-
amined it closely; then stepping aside
so as to conceal the slate from the
passenger he turned it over and gave
it to him with the other side up.
"Yousay that is ydar hand writing?n
said he.
II need not say So" rcjoincd the
other, looking at it, "for you saw me
write it,"
"And this 2" said the captain, turn
ing the slate over.
The man looked first at one writing
and then at the other, quite confound-
ed. AT last he said: "What is the
meaning of this ? / only wrote one
of these. Who wrote the other ~
"That's more than I can tell you,
sir. My mate here says you wrote it,
setting at this desk at noon to-day
The captain of the wreck and the
passengers looked at each other, ex-
changing glances of intelligence and
surprise; and the former asked the
latter: "Did you dream that you
wrote on this slate p
"No, sir, not that I remember
"YOu speak of dreaming" said the
captain of the bark "what was this
gentleman about at noon to-day ?"
captain" rejoined the other, "the
whole thing is most mysterious and |
extraordinary; and l had intended to
speak to you about it, as soon as we
got little quiet. This gentleman"
pointing to the passengcr,) "being
much exhausted, fell into a heavy
sleep, or what seemed such, some time
before noon; after an hour or more
ne awoke and said to me, Captain, we
'hall be relieved this very day
When / asked him what reason he
iad for saying so, he replied that he
had dreamed that he was on board a
'arquo, aud that she was coming to
'ur rescue. He described her appear.
'nce and rig; aud, to our utter aston.
when your vessel hove in
'ight, she corresponded exactly With
lis description of her. We had not
'ut much faith in what he said, yet
till we hoped there might be some
hing in it, for drowning men you
snow, will catch at a straw. As il
has turned out, I cannot doubt that IL
vas all arranged in some incompre.
sensible way, by an everything Provi.
leucc, so that wo might be saved. To
Him be all thalks for lis goodness
a ne -