The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-06-12
DICK RODNEY;
Or. The Adventures OF
An Eton Boy.
Bx JAMES GRANT.
.eeseseeeee eeeeeeees<ssese FeeFseeets
ny JAMES GRANT.

Tom Lambourne steered; the sea
was smooth, the wind light, ana IN our
favor; SO ere long the mast was snip
ped and a sail hoisted to lessen the
labor of the rowers.
We were anxious for the dense panK
of purple cloud to clear away, that we
might have a more extensive view Oh
the horizon, and perhaps discover
sail. but the envious vapor seemed 10
darken and to roll before us, or rather
before the wind that bore us aft after
it.
About midday, when we were paus-
ing on our oars, breathless and pant
ing with heat, drenched with perspira-
ton, which ran into our eyes and
trickled down our breasts, and when
visions of ice-water and bitter beer
came tantalizingly to memory-for sea
and sky were equally hot, as the for
mer seemed to welter and become oily
under the blaze Of the latter-a sharp
winged bird that skinned past us sud
denly caught the hollow eye Of Hislop,
who, thought, was sleeping.
do you see that bird, Tom?' he
exclaimed, half starting up from the
stern-sheets; at is man-of-war
bird!"
| What then, sir?"
1--WE must be near land" replied the
mate.
'Land!" reiterated every one in the
| boat, their voices expressing joy, sur
prise or incredulity.
''Is it Brazil?" asked Tattooed Tom,
with amazement in his singular face.
81 do not think So" said Hislop,
passing hand YEARLY and refectively
over his pale forehead. "Brazil-it is
impossible by the last reckoning
made before that Spaniard wounded
me- But Heaven only knows where
we may have drifted to since them"
"The wind and currents may have
taken us many hundred miles from
where the last observation was made"
added Carlton.
"But l am convinced that we are
near handbook at the sea-wrack that
passes us now; and we must be out
of the track of the Gulf-weed," con-
tinued the mate, with confidence.
"And may l never see the More
again if that amt land now, looming
right ahead through the fog bank"
exclaimed Tom, starting up and shad-
/ ing his eyes from the sun with both
hands, as he peered intently westward.
AS the reader may imagine, we all
gazed anxiously enough in the direc-
ton indicated by the old seaman, and
a swell of rapture rose in the breasts
of all when something in the form of
a headland or bluff could be distinctly
seen right ahead, bearing due west,
about seven miles distant, standing
out from the bank of Yapor, or loom
ing like darker shadow within it.
This appearance never changed in
outline, but remained stationary, and
every moment became more defined
and confirmed.
Explanations of Joy now broke from
us, and we congratulated each other
on making the land so soon and so
unexpectedly without enduring the
miseries which so frequently fall to
the lot of those who are cast away,
as we were, in an open boat, at sea.
But what land is it?" was the gen
eral inquiry.
Another allowance Of grog was serv-
/ ed round; the oars were again shipped
we bent our backs and breasts sturdily
to the task, and at every stroke al
most lifted the boat clean out of the
shining water in our eagerness to reach
this suddenly discovered shore.
This had such an effect upon Marc
Hislop that, though weak and sinking
as he had been, he begged that he
might be allowed to steer the boat q
little way, while Tom Lambourne KEPT
a bright lookout ahead, to watch fol
any ripple or surf that might indicate
the locality Of a treacherous coral reef
as such might prove dangerous to E
large and heavily laden craft like ours
With every stroke of the bendins
oars the land seemed to rise higher ant
more high
Ere long we could make out it,
form clearly. 1t was bold, rocky anf
mountainous, and as the mist dispers
ed or rose upward into mid air. w,
could see the dark brown of the bluff
and some trees strar ASPECT will
dropping foliage on it's summit. wer,
clearly defined, as they stood betwee,
us and the blue sky beyond.
We soon made out distinctly that I
was large island The shore wa
somewhat level to the northeast. an,
in the center lowered an almost per
pendicular mountain of vast height
the sides of which seemed covered wifi
furze, gorse and brushwood.
Elsewhere it's dusky and copper-col
ored rocks started sheer out of tn
sea, whose waters formed zone q
snow-white surf around their base
We headed the boat to the north
east, where the shore seemed more an
! proachable, and as We pulled along h
but keeping fully three miles off w
/ saw high crags, deep ravines, shad
, woods and dells in the interior. thong
/ no appearance OF houses, of wigwam,
or of inhabitants
Many speculations were now yer
tured as to what island this might h,
} May 1t not be land that has nave