Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1877-04-07
THE CAPTAINS LAST LOVE.
By WILKIE COLLINS.

By wILKIE COLLINS.
E-t
CHArTEEl.
The captain is still in the prime of
liie,' the widow remarked to me- He
has gwen up his ship; he possesses
| sufficient income. and he has nobody to
live with him. | should like to know
why he doesn't marry
The captain was excessively rude 10
mo, the widows younger sister added.
on her side. when we took leave of
him in London. asked if there was any
likelihood Of his joining us at Brighton
| this season. He turned his back on me
as if had mortally offended him, and
he made me this extraordinary answer:
Miss, | hate the sight of the sea- The
| man has been L sailor all his lite What
| does he mear. by saying that he hates-the
sight of the sea -
! | was entirely at the mercy of the
widow and the widows sister. The
other members OF our little society NJ
the boarding house had all gone TO q
concert ! WAS known to be the captains
Oldest friend, and TO be well acquainted
with ali the events of the captains life.
No polite alternative was left but to
answer the questions that had been put
| 10 me.
II can satisfy your curiosity" said
| TO the two ladies', without violating any
confidence reposed i'll me--ifv You only
| have patience enough 10 listen TO L very
strange story.
1t is needless to report the answer that
l received. We sent away the tea things,
aud We trimmed the lamp; and then
told the ladies why the captain would
never marry. and why (Siilor IL he was
he hated the sight OF the SEA.
cHArIEEu.
The British merchautman Fortuna Cor
the last occasion when our friend the cap.
tain took command OF the ship sailed iron
the port OF Liverpool with the morning
tide. She WAS bound to certain island,
in the Pacific ocean. i'll search of a cargt
OF sandal wood-a commodity which
in those days, found 4 ready and proiit:i
Die market in the Chinese Empire
4 large discretion was rcposcd in til,
captain by the owners. who knew hin
to he not only thoroughly trustworthy
but man ot rare abilities, CAREFUL
cultivated during the leisure hours OF ;
seatarng lite. Devoted heart and sou
to his professional duties. he was Il hare
reader and an excellent linguist as well
Having had considerable experience
among the Inhabitants of the Pacific
, Islands. he had attenlircly studied thci
characters. and had mastered their Ian
guaGc in more than one of its many dia
lccts Thanks to the valuable infurlna
ton thus obtained. the captain was neve
, al loss 10 conciiate the Islanders ant
u he had more than once succeeded il
r finding cargo, under circumstances il
, which other captains had ialled Pos
j sessng these merits. he had his tai
share Of human defects For instance
: he WAS little too conscious of his Ow
good looks-oi his bright chestnut hal
Il and whiskers. of his beautiful blue eyes
, of his fair white skin. which many
woman had looked at with admiration
= that is AKIN to envy. His shapely hand
were protected by gloves; a broad brin
me! hat sheltered his complexion in tin
weather from the sun. He was nice i
his choice Of perfumes he never dram
spirits. the smell OF tobacco was abhol
e rent lo him. New men among his off
: GERS and his crew, seeing him study i
1t his cabin. perfectly dressed, washed an
1t brushed, until he was an object specL
Ii less to look upon. soft ot voice, and car,
Is tuI in his choice of words were apt t
h conclude that they had trusted then
Il seivss at sea under commander wh
V WAS an anomalous mixture ofa schoo
:. master and dandy But if the slighte
! inraction Of discipline took place. or
T., the storm rose and the vessel was
perl. il was soon discovered that II
soved hands held rod OF iron. that II
; soft voice would make itself hear
> through wind and sea from one cmd
Ie the deck 10 the other and that il issue
al orders which the greatest fool on boar
:" knew to be orders that saved the shi]
~ throughout his professional life. Il
x general impression that this variouSl
j. gifted man produced on the little wur
in about him was always the same. Son
to few liked him; everybody respectt
50 him; nobody understood him. The ca
rt tain accepted those results, and went {
se reading his books and protecting h
50 complexion; and his owners shoe
!" hands with him and put up with h
e. gloves.
IL The Fortuna touched at Rio for waite
al and for supplies OF food which mig
u prove useful in case of scurvy. In dl
.n .n time the ship rounded Cape Horn. in Il
t. finest weather ever known i'll those Ia
re tudes by :he oldest hand on board. II
70 mate, one Mr. Duncalf-a booziu
en- Wheeling. selt-contident old sea do
~ :" with n flaming face. and vast vocab
mt larry OF oath-swore that he didn't lii
IN it Foul weather's coming. my lads
Ae said Mr. Duncalf Mark my word
", ~ therell be wind enough to take the Gu
III out OF the captains whiskers before v
:. are many days older,'
er During fortnight more the sh
I'D cruised in search of the islands to whi
=, the owners had directed her. AT Il
ii. end of that time the wind took the pr
u dicted liberties with the captain whi
Pd kers. AMI Mr.. Duncalt stood revealed
TO an admiring crew in the character of
r- true prophet.
he For three days and three nights t
us Fortuna ran before the storm. ut &
be mercy of wind and sea. On the four
o' morning the gale blew itself out, t
II sun appeared again towards noon al
the captain was able to take an observ
go ton. The result informed him that
an was in a part of the Pacific ocean wi
ns which he was entirely unacquainte
RS Thereupon the officers We're called in
III the cabin. MIR. Duncal:, as became
rank, was consulted first. His opinC
aS possessed the merit OF brevity. N
. lads, the ships bewitched. Take II
10 words for it. we shall wish ourselv
back in our own latitudcs before We 4
many days older" Which. being
Il terpreted, meant that Mr.. Duncalt W
d. lost. like his superior officer, in pa
Ill 0i the ocean of which he Knew nothin
os The captain decided Uhe weather |
-. ing now quite tine again) TO stand o
VI under an easy press OF sail, Tor lou
'i. and-twenty hours more, and to see
r. anything came of 1t.
%. Soon alter nightIali something d
come OF 1t The look k-out forward ha
" ed the deck with the dreadful CT
ld Breakers ahead " In less than mi
le ute more everybody heard the crash
k the broken water. The Fortuna W
-, put about, and came round slowly
nc the light wind Thanks to the time
ne alarm and the fine weather. the safety
IN the vessel was easily provided for. 1h
kept her under short sail, and tn
waited for the morning.
ye The dawn showd them in the distance
,p ship's Glorious green island not mark,