Connecticut western news., 1878-12-25
The Mysterious Sailor.

I had been ashore on liberty, at Val paraiso. Our ship, the Endymion, of Nantucket, was nearly filled with sper- maceti oil, and, as the crew had in pros pect good sum at the end of the voy- age, there was little fear of desertion. That peril had been encountered, earlier in the voyage, and several of the crew had made good their retreat, though vigorously hunted, at the Island and at Payti.
 The moon was up, and I was walking leisurely on the margin of the wooded valleys back of the town, indulging in such reveries and glowing anticipations of the future as the .moonbeams and shadows of foliage engender in the i'm aginations of those who are still too young to realize that 'all is vanity"
 At length began to fancy that I was not alone. It seemed to me that could perceive dark body-which might be man or an1mal-moving stealth1ly among the trees and underwood at some dis tance below.
 came to halt, not caring to be taken by surprise, and endeavored to penetrate the gloom, and ascertain whether was followed or not i; for I had heard many stories of robbery and assassinations in that neighborhood.
 had scarcely come to stand when a voice came up from the deep, dark hol- low which sounded like hullo p
 Owing to the multitudinous echoes which seemed to accompany the hail, it was impossible to determine whether the language was English or Cholar.
 I had in my hand stout cudgel, which I fancied might do me good service. I waited long for the appearance of the speaker, expecting to see him come crawling up from the thick umbrage of the valley but saw nothing till was startled by brisk slap on the shoulder, and as I turned to see who had so fa- miliarly saluted me, my ears were greeted with hearty laugh.
 "Ha ha you are not so well aequain- ted with these dingles and mountain passes as I am" said the stranger. "] have come upon you unawares. If had been robber would have had you foul"
 'sAnd precious little you would have got for your pains," replied I, feeling reassured by the gentlemanly appear ance of my interlocutor and by his mode of address.
 You belong to the Endymion ? queried he.
 "That you may be sure of. My shab by appearance"
 Testifes that you are near the enc of a long voyage. What usage do yor have on board of that ship ?"
 "I will only say" answered I, "tha we are short-handed, the best part of tn, crew having deserted. We shipped few beach-combers at Oahu, but the, left long ago."
 ''Ail that implies that your men ar dissatisfied with their treatment.
 |" I cannot deny the justness of you inference
 y { ful. wondered at the interest whicl i he took in the subject of our discourse As we walked along toward the lights il the shops of Valparaiso, he became los ! in his reflections. At last he seemed emember that he was not alone, and turning briskly toward me, he said:
 ss I take some interest in that ship c yours. When do you sail ?"
 confessed my ignorance, but told tn young man that 1t was not probable W would stay long, as port expenses wer heavy, and the owners of whaleship were stingy fellows.
 He turned again toward me, surveye me closely, and I thought there was queer smile on his visage.
 " You think so, do you ?" said he g last.
 's I have always heard so."
 !" We'll, I've no time to investigate th matter, as I turn off here, by the cals boose. Good night
 We parted.
 A few days after this event the captai of our ship brought on board coup of men whom he had shipped for tt remainder of the voyage. One of thel wore neat blue jacket and pants, u other looked as if he had slept, with h clothes on, among the shavings and say dust of carpenters shop, or he migl have been hidden in an oven like Catl arina Alexowna before she became En press of Russia.
 As the plight of the latter was wh, might reasonably have been expected, took no further notice of him than perceive that he had very large an crooked nose but the spruce appea ance of the former led to the suspicio