Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-10-18
PRINCE BOLTIKOFF.

There are posts more important, per-
haps, than Fort Needham on the South
Coast, but it is at all times so strictly
garrisOned that the integrity of the
Empire might depend upon its tenure.
| was once its garrison-I, Randall de
Loutherberg Carruthers, Lieutenant
in her Majesty's Royal Regiment of
Fenclbles Shat is to say, l, with a
handful of soldiers, held it against all
corners. My men were better off than
was, for they took it In turn to mount
guard upon the honeycombed ordnance
and the tumble-down gates of the
fortress. They had employment, /
had none. l bathed, breakfasted and
walked upon the shore; to eat, drink,
sleep and smoke made up the sum
total of my diversions. But that was
gifted with powers of progression, l
might have been an oyster.
One day as usual strolled upon the
beach. The season was springtime,
the sky bright, the sea like mirror.
Nothing ever broke the stiffness that
reigned around Fort Needham it lay
off the highroad, no one came to it !;
even the fishing-boats avoided the bay,
because of the shoal water. With my
glass ! swept the horizon, now and
again examining the sea-gulls or far
Off sail.
What is that black thing bobbing up
md down in the water? A hen-coop
or whale? or new rock shot up sud-
denly from beneath the waves?
No, it is boat of some sort; very
low in the water, not unlike raft,
and there is a figure on it, man pad
ding. He is making for the shore
slowly and surely he approaches.
Closer and closer. His face is plainly
visible now, and his breast through
his open shirt. He handles his little
oar with skill and vigor-nearer and
nearer he comes. At length-grate,
squeeze, thud, his raft has run
aground, and he jumps onto the
single.
The strangers first act was to throw
himself upon his knees and exclaim
fervently in French: "Thank God .
Safe at lastv'
Then he rose and came to greet Me
with the bow of finished courtler.
He was in rags, he wore only a dilap-
idated shirt of coarse calico, and a pair
of tattered trousers reaching just be-
yond his knees, made apparently from
an old gray blanket; yet, in spite of
all, he seemed a gentleman. His
manner was perfect, the English in
which he addressed me, though
tinged with foreign accent, pure,
and in intonation decidedly well5red.
This is a sorry plight in which /
find myself, Monsieur. | am a waif
cast up by the sea. | have been ship
wrecked. l never dreamt l should
reach the land alivep'
Shipwrecked ~ | asked. "When ?
Where? How? ~
Yesterday was on board my own
yacht, the Feodorowna-I am Prince
Boltikoff-you know my name, per
haps?" he said, seeing that l bowed at
this introduction of himself, NO? l
am a Russian. | was en- route for
Cowes. Last night the yacht lay be-
Gained off the Needles, | was in my
berth half reading, half doing, when
crack something crashed into the
side of the yacht | jumped from bed
and rushed, as | was on deck. 1t was
a collision. Death stared us and all
IN the face. l snatched up the first
garments | could find-you see them, F"
he pointed, smiling, to his rags" and
jumped overheard. l am a good swim
mer. At dawn was still afloat Then
got together few floating spars
from the wreck, made that little raft
good friend, it has done its duty
and as he spoke he pushed 1t back
into the tide" Adieu; 60, mon ami,
go"
May l ask continued the
stranger, as soon as the raft had
drifted away, "may ask where am :
Would you have the extreme complai-
Ssnce to direct me to the nearest
town."