The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-09-11
Don't need even lib for steerncer'

"Don't need even jib for steernger
''No; with sails all in she won't go
over She's well ballasted."
These conversations with the cap
tain led me to think that those who
live near to nature, though uneducat-
ed, have more comprehensive view
Of the universe, including themselves
not as brief existences, but as appear
Ing under different forms. Houses and
books tend to destroy this more ex-
tended view of ourselves. The houses
exclude what is grand In nature; the
books lead us to reason. And, eXclu
sive of revelation, what basis have
we for our reasoning? Is not one who
takes his inspiration from nature more
free to follow his higher instincts?
During the first winter after was
graduated from college l heard Of the
death OF my old friend Captain Joe
Sturgis. He died in his bed. and It at
once occurred to me that his spirit,
freed from the clay of his physical
body. went right out over the water
and the islands among which he had
so often sailed in his slower going boat.
After his death | did not care to go to
b. and did not see the place for ten
years. Then it occurred to me that l
would like to revisit the scenes l had
SO much enjoyed during my youth. l
had long been immersed in business,
and if | got an outing it was seldom
for more than a fortnight. The influ-
ence Of nature had long ago passed
from me. and IL | thought Of the skip
per who had been my companion it was
not fitting in spiritual form over the
waves, but mouldering in the church
yard at b.
| found the place but little changed.
| doubt If twenty houses had been
added to those that had composed the
town ten years before. l met persons
whom l had known, but they, as well
as |, had grown older. Sturgis' old
boat was still in existence and in use.
had sailed her in fair weather both
with the captain and alone, and l re-
membered the coast for a distance of,
say, ten miles from B. sufficiently to
take the boat over it. So got into her
one morning intending to revisit some
Of the nearby scenes of former years.
| took no one with me, preferring to
go alone.
The morning was bright and beauti-
full. l spent a couple Of hours cruising
about noticing old landmarks, or, rath-
er, old sea marks, when, suddenly look
ing eastward, l saw the fog bank.
There was little breeze, and 1 could
not reach land before l was enveloped
in one of those fogs so thick that they
are really fine rain. l drifted for hours,
hoping all the while that it would lift,
but it did not. 1t came upon me at
noon, and when night fell l was still
envelOped in it,
That night is ever to be remembered
as the most frightful Of my life. There
was no wind, and if there had been l
would not have dared avail myself Of
it. for l had no compass and, in any
event. was beset with sunken rocks.
| passed the afternoon and the night
till near morning in an agony Of sus-
pense, without food or water, then fell
into either a stupor or sleep.
| had taken position near the bow
where I could watch, sitting on the
deck with my back resting against the
mast. 1t must have been near dawn
that, looking aft, l saw, or thought l
saw, a dim form at the tiller, while the
sail was filed, though the fog had not
lifted
| have never since been quite sure
whether / was awake, half asleep or
asleep and dreaming. Nevertheless
some one was at the helm and the boat
was moving. 1t did not occur to me to
get up and go aft to see who my pilot
was, and this has led me to think that
l dreamed. / sat where l was, looking
into the mist now and again, hearing
the swish of waves over protruding
rocks, at times sailing near enough to
them to see their dim, dark bulk.
l knew that there was or had been
but one man at B. who could sail a
boat In those waters In fog, and that
man was Captain Sturgls. l was pos
sessed with the idea that time had
been turned back ten years and was
again sailing with my old friend.
Yet 1 knew that Captain Sturgis was
dead.
How long 1 sailed thus don't know,
but when it came light enough for
me to see, the fog lifted, and recOg-
nized on either side of me rocks, by
which 1 knew that 1 was emerging
from one of the most tortuous, dan
gerous channels on this coast. There
was a fair breeze, and the tide was
with me. / was not far from b. and
saw persons on the shore, evidently
looking out at me.
| sprang to the tiller, which was de
serted, and pointed my course toward
b. In half an hour l reached the land
ing and was welcomed by anxious
friends. who had feared for my safe