Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-01-15

it good manners evidently to take Ghelr departure with as little fuss as possible.
 Next night they returned with increased confidence and good will, and indeed every night so long as we remained on the brig they came to cheer my solitude and eat their supper. We gradually got so famil- far that toward the close of our strange com panionship they evinced no fear or bashful- ness whatever in my presence, but ate as If they knew they were welcome, hardly even getting out of my way when moved about the cabin. Had we continued long enough together am confident l could not only have taught them to love me, but to gam bol and perform tricks. As it was, they knew my evening whistle and would come with questioning eyes and looks of expec- tation to have their meals.
 Meanwhile the Bird of Paradise continued miraculously to float. Many days passed ere could make a survey and ascertain the ac- tual damage she had sustained or what stress of weather she might still be able to stand, but after the first day it was obvious that if the crew had not been cowardly in leaving her they had at least been precipi- tate. But as grew accustomed to the lone liness-my hope keeping strong-I was not sorry they had gone; indeed as time ran and Twas still safe my fear was that they might
 
 might never look on one of them again, Mir. Watson only yexcepted-and he, I knew, must have perished-grew with my grow ing strength, and my strength increased hourly. For some time the fever troubled me in the evening, but hope and a good constitution, with few grains of quinine per day, gradually overcame it, and within a week was able to make my way with comparative ease about the lower part of the ship.
 It might have been the fifth or sixth day from the time was deserted when man. aged to crawl up the companionway. and surely never shall forget the strange, ec- static feeling that came overme on stepping again into the sunlight and the open air. It was lonely and desolate enough, heaven knows to find ones self the only soul on board a derelict ship in the midst of the ocean, but even with desolation it was re- turning life, and was glad beyond expres- sion. stood for awhile at the head of the stair inhaling the balm, then l turned my attention to the brig.
 She was as ragged and battered as any craft that ever encountered and survived a hurricane in the tropics The jib boom was gone, the broken foremast lay over the side entangled in mass of shrouds and rigging that it had pulled down, the un- furled sails were hanging in ribbons, show ing that the blast had caught us unexpect- edly and found us unprepared, and the deck was strewn with wreckage. l could not discover, however, that the hull had suffer ed very seriously. There were sprung blanks and boards indeed, the bulwarks were smashed, as we'll as part of the after leck, but as these injuries were above the i(Tht m most serious damage was to the steering gear, which was completely wrecked. The brig lay heavily to one side like vessel running close hauled, and she was going so slowly that there was scarce ripple at her cutwater. My examination increased my hope. So long as the weather held fair was safe.
 My survey finished, sat down on the booby hatch to take the air. The ocean was asleep. There was not a sound in all the wide solitude, nor, so far as l could see, any living thing to break the eternal si- lence. The brig was all alone, "a speck on sky shut seas," and very insignificant speck, too, when you come to think of it. I wonder if any man ever before sailed those seas in a plight like mine or was so utterly alone since Robinson Crusoe. built himself hut on his island.
 suppose it is evidence of the inherent cupidity of human nature that very soon began to think how should dispose of my goods in the event of my being picked up or of my drifting into some port. Would the profit be honorably mine or ought it to go to MT. Matheson? Yes, it should be his, for he owned both ship and cargo. I de cided to sell the goods, return to Bombay, hand him over his money, report the con- duct of his men and turn to my own affairs. My experience had not yet taught me the folly of speculation. Providence had de creed that ship and cargo were to be dis posed of in a manner that 1 little expected.
 CHAPTER VIII.
 A GREAT SURPRISE.
 Ten days must have passed thus in the utter solitude of an unfreQuented ocean, days, however, not of depression and des- soothing alike to mind and body after the shocks and perils of the tempest. A little while before could have dreaded nothing moro than this desolation; it would have seemed hopeless and maddening. But de liver a man from the grave, and the desert will be to him as fruitful and umbra- geous garden. Now indeed, except for the loneliness, my situation was one that might have provoked the envy of men who hunt happiness or struggle for bread in dusty, noiseme cities.
 After the thunderstorm the air was cool CT, and when there chanced to be a breeze it's pervasive and delicious balm was like q foretaste of heaven. Morning and even. ing, too, the orient spread it's flaming pic lures along the sky for my sole delight and the glistening, iridescent sea, lately SC terrible in its fury, caressed the ships side r. ~f Slowly and softly the brig heaved on the long foamless swell without so much as I suggestion of the reeling agonies she had just passed through.
 On deck had my improvised awning ot sails and tangled rigging under which dozed cnd dreamed when was not cook ing or eating or watching the flying fish Company would have been grateful, but had my life, and that was more than com pany Moreover, l lacked nothing, for the ships stores were practically untouched, SC sudden had been the crew's departure With plenty of meat and drink in world where so many people have to go on short commons, one should not complain, anG as for society, if it was wanting, there was none to thwart my humors.
 A chief part of my pleasure was in tn, books left by MT. Watson. Rob Roy was there, and truly it would have seemed ridiculous thing could any one have seer a miserable ocean waif holding his sides al the humors of Bailie Nicol Jarvie feal the gallant Rob himself was not & patterr of morality, but his daring highland spirit was captivating, and if he lifted cattle when he should have been saying his pray CTS he did we'll when his back was to tn, wall. Others also of Sir Walters books read, among them being ''Ivanhoe," whict is surely the best romance ever written Robinson Crusoe," too, fell to me then and, dare say, the resource and ingenuity of that immortal castaway somewhat in fluenced my own mode of life.
 Besides these had some numbers of ol( reviews, which were good reading for tn, wigging they gave unlucky authors, som, of whom have since, however, unaccounta bly, achieved fame. I had also publica tion called ''The Posthumous Papers of tn, Pickwick Club," which, understand, Ii more familiar to the present generation than its Bible. There was likewise an al I