The Princeton union., 1880-10-28
THE STORY OF A DREAM.
Strange Vision Of Shipwreck in the Gulf of
SueZ.

Strange Vision Of a ShipWreck in the Gulf of
| Suez.
| [Harpers Magazine
In 1869 was in Suez, in command of
the British steamship Neera, belonging
to the Bombay and Bengal Steamship
Company-a Company owning steam
ers born Of the necessities Of the manu-
featuring world when the supply Of
American cotton was so largely cut off
by the war OF the rebellion. The line
was under the management OF William
F. Stearns, now deceased, son of the late
Professor Stearns Of Amherst Colleee-a
man who, going to India penniless, de-
yeloped qualities which enabled him to
rise on the flood tide Of prosperity to a
colossal fortune and high social position,
but, as it proved, only to see his riches
float out on the receeding tide, and leave
his family but poorly provided for at his
untimely death.
The Neera was lying in Suez Roads.
the canal not being yet open, awaiting
passengers, Sc, before sailing on her re.
turn voyage to Bombay. The Peninsu-
lar and Oriental company's steamship
Carnatic was also about ready to sail for
the same port, and only waiting mails
and passengers. It happened that the
passengers for the two steamers came
across the Isthmus together, and that two
old friends and schoolmates met. the one
to join the Neera and the other the Car
matte. A day was spent by the friends,
who unexpectedly met on the Egyptian
desert, in recounting their experiences
since they last parted, and naturally
enough, there was good deal of badin-
age between them as to the comparative
merits of the two steamers, and as to
which would first land on the sscoral
strand," upon which these egrifins" were
toEbe initiated into their duties into the
Civil Service to which they had been
newly appointed.
THE PAssENGER's STORY.
! The Carnatie was the first to be ready.
and sailed from Suez in the morning
the Neera left early in the evening, some
ten or twelve hours after the mail steam
er. The night was fine and at breakfast
time we had passed Shakuan Island,
were out Of the Gulf Of Suez and into the
Red Sea proper. Breakfast was served
on deck, under double awnings of heavy
canvas. The young gentleman who had
left his friend the day before seemed
somewhat depressed in spirits, and dur
ling breakfast said rather anxiously
"Captain, at what time did we stop last
nights''
"Stop! We have not stopped since leav-
ing was the reply.
! "Not even to take soundings2"
I "No: the engines have not been eased
since leaving port.''
| The young man seemed much sur
prised, and finally said that he had a
most vivid and remarkable dream dur
ing the night, and this he proceeded to
relate in substance as follows:
"In my dream it appeared to me that
the steamer was stopped during the
night, and that went on board deck to
ascertain the cause. saw boat pull
ing off from the island to intercept us,
and a lantern was waved to arrest our at
tentlon. AS the boat came nearer saw
my friend Morton standing in the stern.
AS ne came up the gangway ladder, ]
said, For Gods sake, Morton, what
brings you here?' l never saw him plain
er, nor heard his voice more distinctly
than when he said: The 'Carnatic has
struck rock and gone down; the passen
gers and crew are on an island close by,
all safe, and we want your ship to take
them on board I dreamed that ou1
| ship stopped until other boats came of
with the remainder Of the people, and
we then proceeded.
The narration OF the dream made q
profound impression upon the passen-
gers, but the Captain, as in duty bound
laughed it off. The young man proved
aaJolly sort of fellow, but was called ssthe
dreamer" during the rest Of the voyage.
THE DREAM VERIFIED.
On arriving at Alden, five davs later.b
fore our anchor was down,we were hailed
by boat which had been dispatched
from the Peninsular and Oriental Office
ana asked 1t we had any news of the Car
natic, that ship being day overdue. We
had no news to give, but our dreamer
quietly remarked to me: 'sYou NAV find
that there is more to my dream than YOU
supposed"
| A few hours completed our coaling, ana
we were of again for Bombay. On ar
rival at that p@rt we heard the news Of
the loss OF the Carnatic, and the circum-
stances were just as narrated to US two
weeks before. The ship struck on rock
near Shaduan Island, some twelve hours
after leaving Suez. The passengers and
crew were landed on the island. The
steamer subsequently slid off the rock and
went down i'll deep water. During the
night steamers light was seen by the
shipwrecked crew, and boat was sent
out to intercept her. Our 2reamers old
TREND Morton went in the first boat. The
rem alnder Of the people were subse-