The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-07-17

to Ione-to her fathers intense indigna-
ton. We all became dismally weary of
baked clans and mussels.
One morning, about 10 o'clock, sailor
came running from the peak, shouting,
"Sail how Ii was like an electric shock.
Sevruga and Gurrell each caught up fire
on pieces of driftwood, and flew up the
hill as if running foot-race. The rest fol-
lowed in body, and lone called out to
me to help her up the hill.
When we reached the summit a tall
column OF smoke was ascending. AWAY
10 the northwest was the vessel, her sails
Swinging in the sun. She seemed to be
keeping steadily on her course. We
brought up armfIls of green brush TO make
a dense smoke, and swung our Goals in
the air. but in half an hour it became
plain that the ship was fast leaving the
island astern.
We were in despair. Sevruga had been
one OF the most active in signalling, but
now he stood in gloomy apathy watching
the receding vessel. lone began TO cry
silently, and hid her face on her fathers
arm. The Russian looked at her sadly.
Suddenly he said vehemently:
'All 60 back to camp. ! will try mother
way to call the ship"
Gurrell looked at him suspiciously.
"No time to lose, said Sevruga. eco
down, and come not back till YOU hear
from me-"
He seemed so earnest that we went
down to the camp, leaving him standing
statue-ike on the pinnacle, his sachel
over his shoulder-a weird figure. We
halted on the shore and looked back to-
ward the peak. Sevruga had disappeared,
but the fire still sent up its tall column OF
smoke.
Suddenly the bald pinnacle reared it
sell into the air, and Immediately the
sound OF a terrific explosion burst upon
us. a cloud OF rocks and earth rose on
high, and descended like a gigantic hail
storm. Some Of the fragments fell near
US and even endangered US. Sevruga had
made his signal.
Presently saw somethinghuttering and
circling toward the earth. 1t fell on the
beach and | ran TO pick it up 1t was a
fragment of book rudely printed in the
Russian language. Not being acquainted
with that tongue ! could not discover the
character Of the work, but knew it was
the book that had seen Sevruga perusing
so often. Where was the Russian?
Gurrell was already half way up the hill
with material for another fire, and by the
time we had another signal smoke ascend
ing we perceived that the vessel had
changed her course and was standing in
toward the island. The explosion had
been heard by those on board.
In the place of the rocky pinnacle of the
bill was large crater made by the explo-
sion. The little black sachel of the Rus
sian must have contained an explosive Of
prodigious power.
We called Se3ruga and searched tor
hin, ht,N lak
night the boats OF the whaling bark Aiys-
tic took us from the island, and dav or
two afterward we were transferred to an
Australian steamer, which brought US 20
san Francisco, where we learned that the
other boats of the Santa Inez had been
rescued.
l have sometimes fancied that Ivan
Sevruga is yet alive. Knowing, perhaps,
that he was suspected OF blowing up the
steamer, he preferred to remain on the
island, trusting to fortune to send another
ship TO his rescue. In that case he would
be very willing to have us believe that be
persisted by the explosion. Yet his be-
loved book that he always carried with
him and studied so intently came hutter-
ing down out of mid-air blown to frag
ments.
submitted the fragments to q Russian
gentleman OF my acquaintance, ana was
surprised on learning that the book was
a translation of the very work on high ex-
plosives that ! was about to review when
] took passage on the Santa Inez. Where
fore was the translation so rudely and
quickly printed? Was Sevruga the trans
lator? Who was Ivan Sevruga? l read
some time ago of a dangerous escaped
! lunatic, Frenchman, who believed him
! self a nersecufed Russian prince and
whose eccentriciues took the direction of
dynamite. Is it possible that Sevruga
was he, or was the strange passenger
really shattered wreck flung out from the
dread whirlpool OF Russia?