Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1890-01-02
THE MATE

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Of midnight, during moment il
which I had paused 70 rsst from my
iucssaant writing ray eye caught
glimpse Of huge bundle q half for
gotten MSS. aud old printed papers.
ListIestly picking the bundle up
and carefully blowing of the dense
lincrustation Of dust, the acoumula-
tion Of many ysara, inadvertently
opened an old paper, black with ago,
which contained the following curious
tale.
As have good and sufficient rea.
sons for suppUsing tie story u relate
to one, in particular, of my ancestors,
many Of whom. il The old whaling
times, plowed both the northern and
southern seas as-captains, I carefully
! made verbatim copy Of Il and will
again bequeath it to a wondering
world
About two years ago / left the SER
vice. / was tired Of il, and ss I wan
ted some more exciting work. and as
that was only to be found at sea, I
shipped aboard a whaIer as first off.
Ger. We were unlucky someway
bring no luck anywhere, but storm
and wind--and being born in March
my whole life has been lived in March,
and we were nearly empty.
We were cruising up here to tho
north, on and of, ard thinking of
making for home. as the weather. had
changed, aud the leo forms precious
quick in theso latitudes when it once
begias The captain naturally want
ed to hang on to the last for the
chance Of another haul.
One bright afternoon. just after
eight bells, | made up the log. as part
Of the first officers duty, and carried
it to the captains cabin.
| knocked at the door. and, as no.
body answered, walked in.
I thought it odd the captain hadn't
auawered me, for there he was, sittiug
At his desk, With his back to me, writ.
ing
Seeing he WAS employed, I told him
! had brought Che log record Of
ships doings, vessels spoken. knots
made, etc, during each twenty-four
hours-laid II on the table behind
him, and "a he made no reply, walked
out.
went on deck, and the frat person
| met was the captain.
was puzzled, for could not make
out how be could get there before nae.
How did You get up here 2 | said,
I juat left you writing in your
cabin.
! have not been in my cabin for
the last half hour, the captain an
swersd but / thought he was chat.
ing, and didn't like II.
There was some one writing AZ
your desk just now ! said If it
wasns you, you had better 60 aud
see who Il was. The log is made up.
] have left it in your cabin, sir" and
with that / walked rather sulkily
away.
! had no idea Of being chsffed BY
the captain, to whom / had taken
dislike.
Mr.. Ssowell, said the captain who
saw ! was nettled, You must csrtain-
y have been mistaken my desk is
looked. But come, wen 60 down
and see about II.
| followed the captain into the cab
in. The log was on the table, the
desk was closed and tie cabin was
empty.
The captain tried the dssk-iG vac
lo,ked.
You see, Mr.. siowell, he said,
laughing, you must have been mis-
taken the desk is locked.
! was positive. Somebody may
have picked the lock, / said.
But they couldn't have closed It
again, the captain suggested; but to
satisfy ycu | will open il and see il
the contents are safe, though there ia
not much here to tempt thief.
He opened the desk, and there
stretched right aersss twas
large sheet Of white paper with the
words Steer N. W. written in an
odd, cramped hand. asif written while
the vessel was laboring in a heavy
sea.
The captain looked at the paper.
and then handed it 10 me.