Gilpin observer., 1899-08-17

were on the deck Of good old English
oak-aye, as much at home as II we
stood upon the chalky South Foreland,
and saw the great hop fields of fertile
Kent at our feet, with the gray towers
OF Dover and the white spires OF Deal
in the distance. Old Lambourne ut
tered shout, and pointed to the Union
Jack.
One must be abroad and far away to
feel to the full the emotions that are
excited, and the confidence which is
inspired on seeing the old flag, that has
swept every sea and shore, waving in
its pride from the gaff-peak of Brit
ish man-of-war.
1t is then that we feel what a sway
one little island has exercised over
the mighty earth"
Hislop and | dined with Capt. b,
who was anxious to hear our story In
detail.
Our shipmates were told off to their
several divisions, and we were placed
in the ward room mess for the re-
mainder of the voyage.
We sailed that night, and under
steam and canvas, as we bore away to
the north. we soon saw the Peak of
Adam sinking into the dark blue sea
"Adieu to the Canaries," said Hisiop,
waving his hat; "the next shore we
see will be Europe-the white cliffs OF
Old England, perhaps"
But next day we sighted the great
pitons of the Salvage islands, a group
of \, 1,i nh, ola
ed by the Portuguese (perhaps no one
else cares about them), and which are
surrounded by dangerous shoals. One
of these isles closely resembles the
fantastic rocks % the Needles, at the
west end of the Isle of Wight.
On the Salvages the canary birds are
so numerous that an old voyager says
"it is impossible to walk without
crushing their eggs
We touched at Madeira, and after a
delightful voyage of about sixteen days
ran up the Channel, and came to an
chor in the Downs on the Goth of Oc-
tober.
l had been absent from home more
than year, when / found myself in
London-in mighty London, with it's
dark forests of masts and its dark ca
thedral dome, that meets the eye from
every point of view-a wondrous and
bewildering change, after traversing
so long the wide and lonely sea!
With heart swollen by anxiety to
learn tidings of my father. my mother
and sisters, / reached the counting
room of my uncle's firm, Rodney &
Co., in the city, but there was some
thing so peculiar in my aspect, which
pertained neither to sea nor shore, and
was unmistakably outlandish, that old
John Thomas, the porter, seemed in
clined to shut the door in my face.
A short explanation, however, soon
overcame his scruples, and l was then
admitted.
My uncle was at Erlesmere, but his
head clerk assured me that my family
were all well, though they had long
since given me up for dead, as a
handsome the assured me it was very
handsome) white marble tablet erected
to my memory in the Rectory church
remained to testify.
My letters from Cuba had never
reached home.
AS | had no desire to shock my par
ents by a sudden surprise, a telegram
preceded me, and in less than an hour
| was off by the express train for
Erlesmere. But with all its speed tbT
express seemed too slow for me. Mark
Hislop accompanied me until he could
get a ship. but before looking for that
he meant to visit his old mother, who
lived somewhere in Scotland.
After all that we had undergone.
all that had to show my family were
the sword and old book found in the
waterlogged brig, the creese of n mu-
tinous Lascar, and the ring given me
by the governor of Surabaya.
/ have row realized the truth of
Goethe's maxim: He that looks for
ward sees one way to pursue. but he
who looks backward sees many"
THE END.
NV,,Ir. G,l