The Daily bulletin., 1890-12-31
THE WRECK.

1t was the 31st of December. had
breakfasted with my old friend George
qarin. The servant brought him let
ter covered with foreign stamps.
you allow me-" George asked.
Certainly"
And he began to read the eight pages
closely covered with an English hand.
He read slowly and with serious atten-
ton; with the interest you take in that
which touches you. Then he placed the
letter upon the mantel and said:
That is strange adventure of which
never told you; sentimental, however,
and which happened to me. That was
a singular New Years day. 1t was
twenty years ago. l was 80 then, and
am so now. was inspector Of the in
surance company of which l am now
president. | was preparing to spend
New Years day in Paris, as it is the
custom to make holiday of it, when
received letter from one of the direct
ors ordering me to leave Immediately
for the island of Re, where three deck
er from ST. Na2aire, insured by us, was
wrecked.
1t was o'clock in the morning By
10 I was at the Office for instructions,
and that night 1 took the train and
reached La Rochelle next morning, the
31st of December. | had two hours in
which to visit the city before sailing for
| Re, and spent them admiring the odd,
severe architecture, its crooked streets,
the sidewalks covered with arcades, not
unlike the Rue Rivoli, but lower, darker
and more mysterious, that seem built for
a scene of conspirators; the old and
striking scenery of the religious wars,
wars both savage and heroic.
When l left La Rochelle it was one of
those dark, oppressive days, crushing
thought, depressing the heart; cold,
gray day, darkened by heavy fog,
wet as rain, cold as ice, noisome as the
smell of sewer. Under this ceiling of
low and sinister fog the yellow sea was
without movement, without life, a sea
of muddy, greasy stagnant water. The
Jean Clinton slid upon it, rolling slightly
from habit, cutting the thick, smooth
sheet and leaving behind a few waves
which quickly subsided,
began talking to the captain, small
man. as round aud well balanced as his
boat | wanted to learn the details of
the accident I was going to investigate,
and which | correctly inferred he would
be able TO furnish me. We were in the
meantime sailing along the island of Re.
Extending his hand he pointed out a
small speck in the midst of the sea and
said. There is the vessel" 1.-THE Marie
Joseph2" | asked. Yes was as
founded, The speck was fully three
miles from shore. | resumed, But
captain, there must be twenty feet OF
water there" He laughed mot two
feet, tell you. 1t is high tide now at {
o'clock Go along the beach after break
fasting and promise that at O'Clock
you will reach the wreck with dry feet
you will have two hours to spend there
but no more, by the way, or You would
be caught by the tide. The further tht
tide recedes the faster it returns. Thii
coast is as fiat as bedbug"
] thanked the captain and went for
ward to watch the little city of ST. Mar
tin, which we were rapidly approaching
The CITY resembles all those miniatur,
: ports which serve as capitals for tn,
! small islands fringing the continent. /
is large fishing village with one foo
on water and one on land; SIpportin!
life on fish and chickens, vegetables ant
shell fish, radishes and mussels. 1t i
low, but little cultivated, though thickl,
populated.
After breakfasting / crossed SINAI
promontory; then, as the tide was goinI
out, continued across the sands in tn
direction of large black spot, far away
q l walked fast on this yellow plain, a
n elastic as flesh and seeming to sweat uI
q der my feet. A minute ago the sea wa
here; now could no longer distinguis
q the line separating the sand from tn
s ocean
/ The Atlantic had disappeared like
scene down the trap door of a theatre
and now / walked in the midst of de-
ert. Only the salt smell remained; til
smell of sea weed, the smell Of the wav'
the good and pungent smell Of the coas
| walked fast and looked at the wrecl
which increased in size as i approache
and now appeared like an immense whal
Il 1t seemed 30 start from the ground, an
on the yellow and extended plain too
gigantic proportions. She lay upon on
side, split, broken. showing like the ril
Of an animal her broken bones, her bone
= of tarred wood pierced with immeni
nails. The sand had invaded her an
held and possessed her, and would neys
= let her go She appeared TO have take
root in the sand. The bow was deepl
imheddod in the soft and treacheroI
bottom, while the teiu seemed 10 thro
against the flsy. Ike despairing cry f
, help, tho words Marie Joseph written
: white ON a dark groual.
climbed on this corpse Of . ship Q