The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-10-15
THE STORY OF A DREAM.
STRANGE VISION or A sHIrwEECs ~ TIE
GULF or SUI

bombay ana Bengal steamship company
company owning line OF steamers born Of
the necessities Of the manufacturing world
when the supply Of American cotton was SC
largely cut of by the war Of the rebellion
The line was under the management Of Wm.
+. Stearns, now deceased, son Of the late
Professor rStearns, OF Amherst college, man
who, going to India penniless. developed
qualities which enabled him 70 rise on the
1ooG-tide OF prosperity 20 q colossal fortune
and high social position, but, As il proved,
only to see his riches float out on the reced-.
ing tide, and leave his family but poorly pro
yided for at his untimely death.
The Ncera was lying in Suez Roads, the
canal not being yet open, awaiting passen-
gers, etc, before sailing ON her return voyage
to Bombay The Peninsular and Oriental
company'S steamship Camatic was also
about ready to sail for the same port, ana
only waiting mails and passengers. It hap
pened that the passengers for the two steam
eTs came across the Isthmus together, and
that two old friends and schoOlmates met.
the one TO join the NeeTa and tie other the
Carnatic. a day was spent By the friends,
who unexpectingly met on the Egyptian des-
ert, in recounting their experience since they
last parted, and, naturally enough, there
was good deal Of badinage between them
as TO the comparative merits of the two
steamers, and a to which should first land
on the ''coral strand" upon which .hese
"grifiins" were to be initiated into their du-
ties in the Civil Service to which they had
been newly appointed.
THE PASSENGERS STORY.
The Carnatic was the first to be ready.
aud sailed from Suez in the morning: the
Neera left early in the evening. some ten OF
twelve hours after the mail steamer The
night was fine, and at breakfast time We had
passed Shaduan island, were out of the Gulf
of Suez and into the Red sea proper Break
fast was served on the deck, under double
awnings of heavy canvas. The young gen
tleman who had left his friends the dny be
fore seemed somewhat depressed in spirits
and during breakfast said rather snxiousIy
''Capta in, 1T what time did we stop last
night a''
"Stop We havenot stopped since leaving.
was the reply
Not even 10 take s0undngs g''
NO; the engines have not been eased
since leaving port"
The young man seemed much surprised.
and finally said that he had a most vivid and
he proceeded to relate in substance, as fol
lows:
'In my dream it appeared to me that the
steamer was stopped during the night and
that / went on deck TO ascertain the cause.
l saw boat pulling of from the island 10
intercept Us, and lantern was waved to ar
rest our attention. As the boat came nearer
l saw my friend Morton standing in the
stern As he came up the gangway he said
For Gods sake, Morton, what brings YOU
here?' I never saw him palmer, nor heard
his voice more distinctly than when be said
The Carnatic has struck a rock and gone
down; the passengers and crew ara on an
island close by, all safe, and we want your
ship TO take them on board dreamed
that our ship stODped until other boats came
of with the remainder Of the people and We
then proceeded"
The narration of the dream made pro
found impression upon the passengers, but
the captain, as i'm duty bound. laughed il of.
The young man proved Jolly sort Of fellow.
but was called ''the dreamer during the
res. Of the voyage.
THE DREAM VERIFIED.
On arriving at Alden. five davs later. he
fore our anchor was down. we were hailed
by boat which had been dispatched from
the Peninsular and Oriental Office and asked
it we had any news of the Carnatic, that
ship being day overdue. We had no news
20 give, but our dreamer quietly remarked to
me You may find that there is more in nv
dream than you supposed"
a few hours completed our coaIing ana
we were of again for Bombay. On arrival
at that port we heard the news OF the loss Of
the Carnatic, and the circumstances were
Just rs narrated 10 rs two weeks before
The ship struck on n rock near Shaduan
island, some twelve hours after leaving
SueZ. The passengers sand crew were landed
on the island. The steamer subsequently
slid of the rock and went down in deen Wa
ter. During the night a steamers lights
were seen by the shipwrecked crew. and a
boat was sent ont TO intercept her. Our
dreamer's friend Morton went in the first
boat. The remainder of the people were
subsequently taken on board, and the resru-
ing steamer proceeded on her voyage 20
Suez. Except that another steamer. not the
! Neera, rescued the party, the dreamer told
( the story as we'll as it could be told to-day
+ It seems probable that our dreamer's vision
was shown him at the very moment the ship
. mAotheA pcoli-t Neic tlLoilhll4 upon lle
steamer which came to their aid, and that
. the Neera was not ten miles from the scene
at the time
1t may be stated, in conclusion, 10 show
. the perfection TO which the postal system Of
the world has arrived, that the only letter ad-
dressed to the writer which ever failed 20
reach him in all his twenty years wander
/ ings went down in the Carratic.-Hqrper's
magazine.