The Forrest City times., 1899-04-28
Adrift on An Ice Field.
BY GEORGE H. COOMER.
CAM STANLEY and / had been at

CAM STANLEY and / had been at
tached to each other from our era
dies. We were of the same age, and our
families, living in the country, were
close neighbors. We had played to-
gether as children, had sailed mimic
boats on a pasture pond, set snar.s in
the woods for quails. We both had a
strong inclination for the sea. and were
resolved to crafty it as soon as cir
cumstances should permit. The small
water craft that we launched on the
goose pond became in our imagination
real ships. barks and briggs. We gave
them yards, topsails and topgallant-
sails, like those of the big vessels at the
wharves of the neighboring seaport;
and would send them off to some for
,ign cline on the other side of that little
ocean, and possession of which an old
gray gander and his flock sometimes
disputed with us.
When we had grown bigger and
stronger, and were about IA years old,
Sam got a chance TO go as cabin boy in
4 brig bound to the West Indies, and
him; but one boy was enough, the cap
tain said, and so there was no chance for
ne on that old-fashioned square-rigger.
But the thought that my chum, from
whom l had never been separated, was
% make real ocean voyage, and would
.ome home roiling so badly on his sea
Eggs as to dip up gravel stones in his
OF IN at
mere commonplace landlubber, was
ntolerabe to me.
However, Sam and talked the matter
over-he telling how sorry he was that
! couldn't go with him. and | how
grieved to be left behind-till we gath.
cred some consolation from the though,
that at some time in the near future we
would be able to ship together on the
same vessel, after which we would al
ways manage to do SO.
Sam had been gone month, wher
quite unexpectedly | obtained berth
on board ship bound TO New Orleans
i had some hope of getting back before
he should have had time TO start on 6
second voyage, so that next time VT
would sail together. But, AT all events
the present chance was too good t,
be thrown away.
While we were taking in our cargo
of cotton at New Orleans | saw by tn,
papers that Sans brig had arrived
home from Santiago de Cuba with {
load of molasses; and now should W.
have short homeward passage, w,
might get back, l thought, before h,
should be off again; especially as hi,
vessel was reported TO have lost hel
mainmast in gale. so that she woul,
have TO wait for repairs.
But instead of short passage. w,
had tediously long one, with north
casters almost the whole way. and ,
heavy head swell that made our prog
ress very slow in spite of the aid W,
got from the gulf stream. When W,
did arrive, our folks told me that Sam
after waiting for us number of weeks
had accepted chance TO make a Euro
pean voyage, and that his ship haC
sailed that very morning.
He had left word that he was yer,
sorry TO go without seeing me. but thai
the chance being SO good, he had beer
unable TO resist the temptation. Hi.
vessel was bound for "Cowes and a mar
ket," very common destination: and
saw that there was not much hope o.
our meeting very soon, as | should
probably be off again before his return
1t would never answer to let Sam out
strip me as a sailor
After time | got a voyage for Ham
burg. and the same day that my nam,
Has put on the ships papers. received
letter fsom my young chum, dated
from "CoNes. Isle of Wight" saving
that his Vessel had been ordered 10 III,
great German seaport where had lust
engaged so gu. lie said that after dis
charging their cargo. they should prob
ably wal. some time for freight: an6
how he did wish, he continued, that
could get voyage for the same place
Ii was singular coincidence thau
should have done so not two hours be
tore
Well. we went TO Hamburg. and on
entering the river Elbe we passed {
ship, out of hailing distance. which. a.
seen through a spy-glass. had the nam,
81 Sans vessel on her headboards an6
tern.