The daily gazette., 1877-03-15
The Mate Of the Constantia.
BY CAPTAIN HOWARD.

salied the salt ocean than the Constantia
ana no better commander ever walked
the deck than Captain Raymond Harris
MS usual voyages were to South Ameri.
ca ana back to Boston; and, in nearly al
OF these L had the good fortune to sal
with him as first officer. T -
ne mad long passage from Boston to
lima on one of these voyages and were
| oruereu back to Boston as soon as the
ship could be dischared and reloaded.
Our voyage was o pleasant one until
we entered the northern latitudes, when
our thick Jackets were speedily put in re-
We were but few miles south of Cane
Ann, when we had completed our ar
rangements. 1t was very calm, and
the sun set clear; but there was a coppery
hue at the west that we did not like.
More sail was set, hoping to run in
some safe harbor before the storm, which
was SO quietly yet so certainly brewing
should come in its might.
Lhe hope was in vain. The ship in
forty minutes more was lying in the
trough of the sea, with foresail and main.
sali split into strings, and the crew ut
tsriy helpless to repair or prevent any OF
all damages: Nothing but ruin and
death stared US in the face. The decks
were mass of slippery ice, and watsr
that was rapidly freezing, in which the
men were sometimes standing to the top
| of their great boots,
delicate boy, named GilbertiHarding, was
striving to initiate the sold salts" in their
composure and bravery. The captain
had ordered him to go below; but he had
begged so pitifully not to be left there
alone, that he had revoked the decree and
allowed him to come on deck for a short
| time.
The sailors voices. when they spoke to
MIN, were softened to half tenderness
that was touching to hear. One of them,
! blunter than the rest, said:
Gilbert, what do you think your
mother is doing now?"
A tear started to the boys eye, but he
manfully resistediweeping and answered
| IN low voice;
"She is singing; she always is at this
hour; and tonight her song will be:
Star of God! when winds are mocking
All his prayers, he'll fly to thee
chin though on dangers rocking
Far-far at zeal"
L knew by the way the sailors hushed
their rough voices to whisper, how ten
der they telt toward this child, so gentle,
SO toughtful of his mother, so reverent of
his God.
The single hope that the storm mieha
soon abate was fast leaving us. Every
moment we were nearing the rocks, and
expecting to hear the terrible crash that
would part our already disabled vessel
into fragments. 1t came at last-a dull,
harsh grating, creaking, groaning, in
describable noise, that sent shiver of
despair into every heart and then she
parted amidships and fairly broke into
pieces.
For myself I knew no more. Some
thing cold, hard and heavy touched my
head, and swayed to the deck beneath
its chilling weight. When awoke
from that dreadful torpor l was sheltered
in an old ruined rope-walk that stood just
above the lima or the beach-left for
dead
While my body was so weak that
could not lift finger, my mind was so
active that could not stay to arrange
anything that had already occurred, but
hastened ON the result. 1 should fall
asleep, l imagined, and my living frame,
powerless and inert, would. be carried
away to tomb, where l might again re-
Vive to new horrors.
I was relieved of this burden of dread
by the entrance of two gentlemen, who
at once attracted me by the spirit of
benevolent sympathy that diffused itself,
as it were, all over them.
"Great Godw exclaimed the taller of
the two, noble-leoking man; ''look
here, Ashley! This young boy is not
deadw
A young boy! I could not turn my
head, but l felt that this must be the
Gilbert so beloved by our captain.
The gentleman continued:
Here, Ashley, take this brandy flask
from my pocket. I put it there last
night, thinking it might be wanted"
A faint choking sound told me that it
had taken effect. Then weak but sweet
voice, that sounded like music. to my
ears, said:
where is Captain Harris ? where is
Mr.. Howard ?"
The moment my name was called the
spell was broken that had been set upon
my faculties. feebly moved my arm
toward the spot whence the sound pro-
ceeded, satisfied that it was Gilbert's
voice that uttered it.
Heavens! Ashley, look there!" eI-
claimed the one whom he had called
Dean, and the latter instantly approach
ed me. A draught from his flask rsvi-
we'd me still further.
"Call some one, Ashley. These poor
fellows must have warm blankets, and
be crrried to the hotol."
We were taken to Ashley's Hotel as
tenderly as il we were infants; and as
all the other beds were full, Mrs. Ashley
offered hers. 1t was warm, comforta
BILE room, with blazing fire upon the
hearth. 1 lay there, my eyes fixed on
Mrs. Ashley's face, for hours, as she sat
by tae fire. Something in her counte-
nance seemed so familiar that longed to
address her as friend.
My childhood was a lonely one. My
parents died when I was very young,
leaving my little sister and myself de-
pendent on strangers. Caroline was
adopted by q gentleman living in Boston
while l was taken care of by fisherman
whom my father had once in his employ,
when the world went we'll with US.
When l was eleven years old, went to
sea; since which 1 had never seen my sis
ter Mrs. Ashley's face brought Caro-
lina's childish look back to me. asked
her few questions when | recovered,
and found that my heart had been true
to early memories: She was, indeed, my
sister Caroline. Parted SO long, there
was strange sweetness in our reunion.
She now sleeps the slumber that is never
broken on earth. Each year, some one
L L cull.