Evening journal., 1899-06-20

A Legend Of the Atlantic
BY Thomas Wentworth hiosInson.
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THosE American travellers who lin

Tow ianeS uuu picturesque, oNcAhahe-
ing roofs Of Honheur, do not know what
strange tragedy took place on a soy-
age which begun in that quaint old port
three centuries and a half ago
Three tall ships sailed from Honheur
on August 22, l54l, and on enc of them,
La Grande Hermine-so-called to dis
tinguish il from smaller boat Of that
name which had previously sailed with
Cartier--were the Sieur de RoberVal.
his niece and her "gouyernante.' She
also had with her Huguenot nurse.
who had been with her from a child,
and cared for her devotedly. Roberval
naturally took with him. for future
needs. the best shipbuilder Of ST. Malo,
lltienne Gosselin. The voyage was
long, and there is reason TO think that
the Sieur de Roberval was not a good
sailor. while as to the 'gouvernante,
she may have beenas helpless as the sea-
sick chaperon of yachting excursions.
Like them, she suffered the most im-
portant events TO pass unobseryed. and
IL was not till too late that she discov-
cred, what more censorious old ladies
on board had already seen, that her
young charge fingered too often and
too long on the quarter deck when
Etienne Gosselin was planning ships
for the uncle When she found il out
she was reused to just indignation;
but being, after all, but kindly dowu-
ger, with q heart softened by much
reading of the interminable tales Of
Nine. de Scudery. she only remonstrat-
ed with Marguerite, wept over her little
romance, and threatened TO break the
sad news TO the Sieur de Roberval, yet
never did so. Other ladies were less
considerate; il all broke suddenly upon
the angry uncle; the youth was put In
irons, and threatened with fogging
and forbidden TO approach the quarter
deck again. But love laughs at lock-
smiths; Gosselin was relieved Of his
irons in a day IT two because he could
not be spared from his work in de-
signing the forthcoming ship, and as
both he and Marguerite were Of a toll
erably determined nature, they in
yoked through the old nurse, the aid
ofsa Huguenot minister on board who
had before sailed with Cartier TO take
charge of the souls of some Protestant
vagabonds on the ship, and who was
now making a second trip for the same
reason. That night, after dark, he
Joined the lovers In marriage; within
"a hours Roberval had heard of il, and
had vowed a vengeance quick and sure
The next morning, under his orders
the vessel lay to under the lee Of rocky
island, then known 10 the sailors as
"l'Isle des Demons" from the fierce
winds that ragged round it. There was
no house there, no living person, nc
tradition Of any; only rocks, sand and
= deep forests. With dismay, the ships
company heard that it was the firm
purpose of Roberval 10 put the offend
ing bride on shore, giving her only thu
old nurse for company, and there Il
leave her with provisions for three
= months, trusting to some other vesse
) to take the exiled woman away within
; that time. The very ladies whose low
of scandal had first revealed to him Tho
( alleged familiarities, now besough
e him with many tears to abandon th'
. thought OF a doom so terrible. Nainl,
r Nine. de Noailles implored mercy fo
the young girl from a penalty such al
e was never imposed in any Of Nine. d
1 scuderys romances; vainly the Hugue
not minister and the Catholic chaplain
! who had fought steadily on question:
o Of doctrine during the whole voyage
t now united in appeals for pardon. a
-, least they implored him to let the Of
r Tenders have a man servant or two Will
$ them TO protect them against wit
{ beasts or buccaneers. He utterly re
q fused until. at last wearied out. hi
, wild nature yielded TO one of thos
Z sudden impulses which were won't Il
y sweep over it, and he exclaimed; Il
Z It that they need man servant, then
d y,et this insolent cRitiff, Gosselin. be re
r lieved of his irons and sent on shore
g Let him be my niece's servant, or, sine
Huguenot marriage is as good as al.
n In the presence of bears ana bucca
g neers, let her call the hound her hus
e band. if she likes. I have done wit
i her. and the race from which she cam
e disowns her forever"
8 Thus IL was done. Etienne was r.
h leased from his chains and sent o
y shore. An arquebus and ammunitio
r were given him. and resisting the In
e pulse to send bis first shot through th
e heart OF his tyrant, he landed, and T.
d last glimpse seen Of the group as III
n Grande Hermine sailed away was tn
n figure Of Marguerite sobbing on hi
u shoulder, and Of the unhappy nurs'
Is now somewhat plethoric, and certainl
u not the person. to be selected as pic
3 neer, sitting upon a rock, weeping pr
fusely. The ships sails filed. the ai
gry Roberval never looked back on ii
. deserted niece and the night close
n ! down upon the lonely Isle Of Demon
- now newly occupied by three uneNpee
- ed settlers. two of whom at least wei
= happy in each other.
A few boxes of biscuits. few bottle
Of wine had been put on shore wit
IS them. enough TO feed them for a fe
- weeks. They had brought flint an
steel to strike fire and some ammuu
o tion. The chief penalty Of the Grin
n did not lie. after all. in the cold an
n the starvation and the wild beasts. an
IN E To-