Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-11-06
TOWARD PARADISE.

y JAMES KNAPP REEvF.

H""N' we were nearing tne (IllDert
islands, aud some one had spoken
within onr hearing of the curious
i.""~'i'-~1 "r t:tr natives lnere. Ericsson
had listened, but had, after all, ap-
pa"en!ly no. been sufficiently inter-
esied to take part in the talk. But
tn 1t night, when we were alone upon
the deck, with only the shimmering
sea a,d the sparkling stars and the
glorious, wonderful Southern Cross
glea ming above to make us know we
were still inaad a part of the world, he
drew his steamer chair up nearer mine
a,d, taking his pipe from his lips and
knocking the ashes out upon the deck,
began quietly and without preface as
follows:
'The strangest thing ever knew
in these waters" he said-I started
ut this, for | did not know he had
ever been in the South Pacific before,
except on single voyage we had made
together to Australia) -" happened
just about where we are now. I was
in command of schooner that had
been cruising for couple of months
along these islands, picking up what
we could in the way of spoil from the
natives and perhaps not observing too
closely the laws which govern trade
and barter among civilized peoples.
We had made Il fairly pro titable cruise
and had gathered up some stuff, not
of such great value in itself, but of q
sort that is exchangeable for coin of
the realm in the rich ports, and were
about making for Honolulu to dis
charge our cargo. 1t had come on
late into the afternoon, and 1 had
gone into the cabin and was looking
over my charts, leaving the mate on
deck. found the charts dull work
and had fallen asleep when our Kanaka
cabin boy touched me on the shoul-
der and said the mate wished to see
me on deck.
II went up and found him intently
studying something aAoat on the sea.
He handed me the glass, saying moth
ing, but simply pointing at the object
which had attracted him. I quickly
made it out to be small boat, but
colld not determine at all whether
there was anyone in it. The mate
saw my perplexity and answered my
nnspoken question.
Il think there is some one in it,
sir; had We not better lower the cut
| ter?'
''Iraised the glass a gain and scanned
the boat long and earnestly. There
was something strange and eerie in its
appearance. The sea was as white
n I'd still as it is at this hour. The
boat seemed scarcely to rock upon its
bosom. 1t was all white and made
bu. faint contrast against the silver
sheen upon which itrested. At times
| fancied that it was not, and that it
was but an illusion. snch as will come
but too often upon these hot, sunburnt
seas.
"When I lowered the glass the
Kanaka, with the easy familiarity
which such boys are allowed on crafts
of that sort, took it from me and gazed
a. earnestly toward the strange thing
as had done. When he handed the
glass back he was trembling with
fright.
" Don't go 20 it, sir" he begged,
|
hardly utt .r the words. It's dead
boat. and it will bring us bad luck if
we touch it or if we interfere with it
at all.
81 turned to the mate for explana-
ton.
San thinks it is burill-boat,
lie said; 'and, you know, these people
never bury their dead. but just put
them in a boat and send them adrift.
J. eft alone, the boat drifts on to Para
disc If the boat is meddled with it
may be turned from its course, and
then it drifts to the other place and
carries it's unlucky passenger along.
And, then, too, the curse of the dead
rests uron the one who did it,
''l had taken the glass again and
was looking intently at the boat. I
could now distinguish form in it at
length and thought could discover
some movement. OF this 1 was finally
certain.
- 1T may he dead-boat,' I said,
'bnt think there is live person in
it,
"We lowered the cutter, and got
in it myself, and we made toward the
drifting boat. While we were yet at
some distance l found 1 had been
light, for a human arm was lifted and
waved as ii to attract our attention.
But this ceased, and, as we drew
nearer, all was so still that began to
have an uncanny feeling. The curl
ous appearance of the boat added to
this. 1t was perfectly white. A white
awning was spread above it. There
we've white draperies in it and in
the midst of these, as could see when
we drew beside it, a white face and
form, outstretched and silent, as though
dead Remembering what the mate
had said. I would have left it even
then. but I was certain 1 had seen a
movement of that white arm that lay
there. naked, cleaning cold, like n
piece of marble, beneath the heat of the
tropical sun.
I'm the boat, in basket of rushes,
we're some vans and bread-fruit and
,;eces of cane. and rs saw these had
beeu touched it gave me courage.
reached out my hand and clasped the
arm II did not feel like the flesh of
one dead. 1 spoke, and the eyes
onened and looked at me wondering
Ericsson paused and smoked mo-
ment, meditatively.
perhaps 1 have not told you," he
so;l ..that it was very beautiful
young girl who was lying there?
can OLA of water was in the boat,
a,d noured some of this upon her
tace, and. when 1 saw that she was
r.yiying, 1 lifted her from her ghostly
craft into my own and made for the
shin at once. My explanation Of the
matter said Ericsson. bringing his