The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-01-02
THE WRECK.

1t was the 31st of December. had
breakfasted with my old friend George
Garin. 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
singular New Years day. It was
twenty years ago. 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. Nazaire, insured by us, was
wrecked.
1t was 8 o'clock in the morning. BY
10 ] was at the Office for instructions,
and that night l took the train and
reached La Rochelle next morning, the
JIst 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
scene of conspirators; the old and
striking scenery Of the religious wars.
wars both savage and heroic.
When left La Rochelle it was one of
those dark, oppressive days, crushing
thought, depressing the heart; cold,
gray day, darkened by a heavy fog,
wet as rain, cold as ice, noisome as the
smell of a sewer. Under this ceiling of
low and sinister fog the yellow sea was
without movement, without life, sea
Of muddy, greasy, stagnant water. The
Jean Clinton slid upon it, rolling slightly
from habit, cutting the thick, smooth
iheet and leaving behind few waves
which quickly subsidized.
/ began talking to the captain, a small
man, as round and well balanced us his
boat. / wanted to learn the details of
The accident 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" "The Marie
Joseph" ! asked. "Yes." l was u.s.
founded. The speck was fully three
miles from shore. i resumed, but,
captain, there must be twenty feet of
water there" He laughed. mot two
feet, ! tell you. 1t is high tide now at 0
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 the
tide recedes the faster it returns. This
coast is as fiat rs 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 miniature
ports which serve as capitals for the
mall islands fringing the continent. 1t
"a large fishing village with one foot
water and one on land; supporting
ife.on fish and chickens, vegetables and
hell fish, radishes and mussels. 1t is
,ow, but little cultivated, though thickly
populated.
After breakfasting crossed small
promontory; then, as the tide was going
ut, continued across the sands in the
direction of large black spot, far away.
walked fast on this yellow plain, as
lastic as flesh and seeming to sweat un-
,er my fset. A minute ago the sea was
ic-e; now could no longer distinguish
10 line separating the sand from the
,cean.
The Atlantic had disappeared like a
Gene down the trap door of a theatre,
md now walked in the midst of des-
,rt. Only the salt smell remained; the
smell of sea weed, the smell of the wave,
Tho good and pungent smell of the coast.
walked fast and looked at the wreck,
which increased in size as approached
and now appeared like an immense whale.