New-York tribune., 1884-03-23
SIGHT of the brig had raised passed ;rapIdly. pail

10 the bo'sun Are they English T.
AYES, sir; anyway, th6y answer in English
SWhat have they been sayingr
"They'vo lost their boats and have asked US 10
board them"
and go you along with her, Shilling. and bring OFF
the captain OF mate or whoever may be IN charge,
that may give hun our story" ,oo, ;,.o
This was done at once three fellows hOpped INTO
the gig. the bo'sun jumped INTO the stern sheets
and showing on out tney stepped through ,he M par par
and headed for the brig l then ordered the two Two
men who remained with us to 60 up 10 the hut ana
fetch all the provisions and drink that they could
carry IN their arms They obeyed smartly, and no
sooner were Aunt Damaris and Florence and alone
than my darling came 10 me- could not help my
self ths moment she was near me and saw thc
love in her gaze, and hope and Joy bright on her
face folded her in my arms and kissed her again
from the brig us with such rolling eyes that they
seemed TO dance in her head with tie transports
that filled her. The instant let my sweetheart
have her breath she fired twenty questions into me
wonld the brig usf was she likely to sail away
without us? where wonld she carry Us if she took
us otf the island 7 and so forth.
"No fear" said l. fondiing her, she'll save us - ;
and going mp to the old lady took her hand and
kissed il. Miss Hawke. SAID /, "yonder vessel
proves that God has watched over MS. My words 10
Florence have come true: told her that We should
not he left miserably perish here. But who could
have believed that our Imprisonment would only
last day and night" and locked mp nj her
shawl that hung in the motonless atmosphere an
almost invisible thing upon the mast on the illli-
top and thought OF tho dreadful feeling OF hopeless
Yes. Mr.. Seymour" she exclaimed, q who could
have believed if Not !. for one. never dreamed
that we should escape On what p fearful time we
have passed through When shall we go on board
the vessel l. 80
IL hope as soon as | have had a talk with the cap
. Let it he soon, dear Mr. Seymour" she cried
"my legs yearn to leave this hOrrid rock. feel as
if could Jump from here to the ship
=" You shant he kept waiting If can help IT., said
I. Strange that 1 did not sight her last night;
The breeze light aud she could not have fetched
that anchorage Mt daybreak. Probably she came mp
from the northwest, part of the sea out of my
view up where posted myself. Did you sleep well,
Miss HawkeT .
she lad slept we'll and neither Of them seemed the
worse for the hard bed they had lam on. Appar-
entity We were to have another brilliant, calm day.
The run had risen clear OF the sea and was shining
white IN the blue, dwelling its glorious food ol sill
yer into the hollow crater through the entrance
facing east and flashing up the water OF the lake
til tie strong light seemed tu float Oh II. and make
a veil through which yOu caught a glimpse OF tile
blocks and Crags of rock mrrorcd this SIDE ITS crcu
lar margin. The boat was alongside the brig, and
the bo'suu had cambeIed over the rail. The sound
of the voices Of the fellows III the gig talking 10
some men hanging over the vessels rtll came very
clear along the oil-ike azure CLINT. Presently the
two sailors arrived from the hut bearing what pro
visions and bottles they could carry. made them
set the things down. and the five OF us went to
breakfast, leaving the Others 10 take thcir meal
when they arrived but Florence and her aunt
could only make show OF eating; they were too
deeply moved and excited 10 feel hungry. Mates.
declare that tho horrible mess the collision had
hove lis into was almost worth enduring for the sake
of seeing the life and hope and delight OF my darling
stealing and Frightening out OF hcI loVelinesS now
that help was come She could not downright
smile, perhaps, because remembrance and what had
now happened held between them too much OF the
pathos that goes to the making OF sadness that >
as much pleasure grief to allow happiness 10 de-
fine itself in that way III her; tut the hgnt OF her
heart that had opened like flower since the dawn
broke Law on her sweet and adorable face: every
he q ncV "A
could | have had my way. such was my passion OF
gratitude aud happiness. Id have taken her hand
and climbed with her to where Gods heaven would
show visible all round, and kuelt with her there
alone aud thanked Him II would have been II
prayer for Us two sweetbearts to remember III after
years: thanksgiving 10 God close TO the sky, upon
a rock " here Ills presence was felt IN sense no
church nor cathedral could reach up to. amid the
mighty solitude of the boundless ocean But could
not carry her off alone for such purpose and 80
said nothing about it hut often have l regretted
since that she and | missed the prayer we coud
have put up in that way and the memory that
would have been born of It.
We were eating and talking asking the men how
they had slept, speculatng about the reason the
brig had in calling at this island, making con-
lectures about the Orber boats, and 50 on, when we
heard the splash of oars and the creak of rowocks
aud saw Tho zig making for the breakwater with
stranger seated alongside the bo'sun. Ho was a
square-shOuldered, hurnt-up seaman. apparently
forecaste hand, dressed IN an old Scotch cap, and
well-worn Jersey. He stared hard at us, as If the
sirht of the ladies' surprised him, and when he got
ont of the boat lac followed the bO sun with the
most rolling walk l ever saw IL Il StlIafllg ulll
This IS Mr. Seymour" said the ho'sun. in
dicating me to him. tho passenger rs had charge
of the boat and these here are the ladies' as II the
fellow could not see that Tor himself. Ihcn al;
dressing me he said: This mans the oldest hand
aboard the brig, and kind of actin captain like,
There's no boss but him. It's been bad job for 'em
all But he'll tell you the story. sir, with your
tsr.s' eat.S =" "''' '"' 1"D ''' "
/ gave the seaman my hand, saying: " | don't
know what your story may be- but by bringing this
brig here you're delivering Us from a trlghtful
position, a. you may guess IT to he if you cast your
eye around yon, and we are th5nkfui 70 Almighty
him heartily 10y the hand, and was followed IN that
business by Aunt Damars and Florence, whose
thanks and fearful voices seemed TO cast hat mind
he had brought with hun altogether adrft, and all
he could do was to work away at his Scotch cap.
aud muttcr something about its being stroke of
luck both ways, " not ones more'n another's" and
eve me DULY ] knew this ma by glance al him,
To- be of class Of scamcn who cannot talk without
being questioned, so forthwith began:
v hats your name, my man, 50 that may know
how 10 converse with YOU
William -omers, sir he replied.
. suppose the bo'suu has told you uur story :"
Yes, sir. Ye're portion of the crew and pa>scn-
gers of the Stratlmorc, lost in a collision three
lights agouc. and was laudcd here yesterday morn
lug"
Ay. and what brig is that? o.
The Sarah Jane sir; in ballast, bound from the
Cape O Good Hope 20 Wellington, New Zealand,
from which port she sailed for Table Bay latter end
o August with cargo ot timber; Three weeks ago
We was drove low south by hurricane from the
nor'east We hove to under bare poies and driftcd
like a balloon, sir. Same night u the gale sea
broke over the vessel and washed the captn over
board and he WAS drowned. II likewise broke the
leg of a man by tngng him agn the lee bulwarks.
Ii washed anot her aft and injured him internal
w. Them two have been disabled ever since. There
was man i'll at the time with some kind q fover /;
lac took worse arter the gale had bOwrd itself ont,
and died. and we buried him. Then last week the
matches an only mate, slr-whOd been aIlmg for
some time, had to keep his hunk he's been too ill
to navigate the brig. and fear his tunes nearly up,
for there's n0 medicine aboard the vessel. and lie
don't seem 10 know what his complaint is.'
How many men are there to work the brig"
He fell 10 counting OF his fingers: There war
seven Of crew, hexcludin the captn and mate.
Two i'll and one gone. leaves four: of 'cm the
cook who's no good aloft and another u boy"
Are you capable Of navigating the vcssclf =
No sir"
Then how did YOU make yonr WaN here :"