Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-03-17
4 think SO too" replied the

II thiuh ~ VIZ, iCPAASu shS
mate.
The captain determined to make
every possible Investigation. The
slate was put carefully by and an
other procured. Then every man in
the ship was sent for in turn, and
everyone who could write was made
to write the words "steer to the
Northwest on the new slate until
it was covered with the most extra
ordinary diverse set of scrawls ever
seen, and the crew was lost in won
der at the captains new copy book
| freak, but still no mans handwrit-
ing resembled that upon the cap
tain's slate.
Then all hands were assembled on
deck, and the captain explained that
he had reason to believe that a
stranger was hidden somewhere on
board. He expressed his intention OF
making a thorough inquiry, but said
that if any man knew of q stowaway
and would say so at once, neither
should be punished, which would not
be the case if he were first put to the
trouble of a search.
Nobody came forward. The search
was, therefore, begun. From one end
of the ship to the other every corner
was ransacked, every inch of space
was examined, but no human creature
was discovered. The mates story
had got about and every man, out Of
sheer curiosity, searched his best,
but to no purpose.
Then said the captain: "Mr. Bruce,
l mean to get to the bottom of this
thing. Now, before l GO any further,
l want you to tell me, on your honor
as a man, whether you still seriously
believe wha. you told me. Will you
bear the possibility, whatever it
brings of asserting that you saw that
man in my cabin, writing on my
! slateP"
That, said the mate, II certainly
will, sir. -
Very good, then, Mr.. Bruce" the
captain replied. Il shall steer north
west, and see what comes of it."
The head of the bark was therefore
put round the necessary number OF
points and the vessel proceeded in
that direction with an extra lookout
aloft.
Much ice was seen and soon after 3
o'clock in the afternoon large berg
was sighted toward the north. A
close scrutiny presently revealed the
fact that there was dismantled ship
firmly wedged against the berg.
AS near an approach was made as
was judged safe, when unmistakable
signals of distress were perceived be-
ing made from the castaway vessel.
Boats were lowered, and after some
difficulty the first two boat loads of
people were taken off and brought on
board the bark. They were an English
ship, and had been lost in the ice,
they explained, having been frozen up
for the last month. Their timbers
were stove, their decks were swept,
and their water and provisions were
nearly exhausted. They had seen no
other ship, and had quite given up all
hope. being, they were persuaded, en-
tirely ont of the regular track Of
shipping.
BY this time the last boat load OF
the rescued reached the bark and be-
gan to ascend the side. AS the first
man reached the deck Bruce seized
the captains elbow, and, almost too
agitated to speak coherently, pointed
to him.
There he is! The man in your
cabinw
The rest of the crew having reached
the deck, the captain Immediately
sought out the captain OF the lost YES
sci, in order il possible, to elicit some
explanation of the mates extraOrdin-
airy adventure.
After receiving general account
of the misfortunes and privations
which the castaways had undergone,
the captain said:
"Who is that dark man with a full
beard, rather tall, about my own
weight and build, who came aboard
with you in the last boat, wearing no
hatP"
The other thought moment and
then asked:
''Do you mean the man who got
aboard hrSt!
Yes"
"Oh, he's passenger-we had
only three-and very good fellow,
but rather excitable, think"
''Now my first mate, said the cap
tain, isn't excitable at all, as a gen.
eral thing, but he has been extraor-
dinarily excited to-day. Some few
hours ago he came and reported a
strange man in my cabin-this cabin,
in fact-and, singularly enough, al
though we searched the ship and
found nobody, we found that writing
on this slate" He handed it across
the table.
The rescued captain glanced at it.
Steer to the northwest he read.
Well, can't for the life of me remem-
Der whose it is, but it strikes me !
have seen a handwriting like that be-
FORE
II haven't" replied the captain,
| 'snOr anyone on nv shin seemingly.