Year: 1872

/ HAD served twenty-five years on board
an East Indiaman, and for the last ten
years had commanded the Belle, one of
the finest crafts that ever f1oated I was
an old sea dog, and had dwelt so long on
salt water that felt almost hatred for
the land.


On the Goth of October, 1924, received
orders to put myself in readiness to sail
for Cayenne. was to transport seventy
five soldiers and a convict. had orders
to treat this individual well, and the let
ter I had received from the directory en-
closed another, with huge red seal,
which | was not to open until between 81
and % degrees west longitude that is,
just before we were about to cross the
line.


The letter was long packet, so well
closed on every side that it was impossi-
BILE to catch the slightest glimpse of its
contents. | am not naturally supersti-
tious, but there was something in the look
of the letter that did not altogether like,
though could give no reason why How
ever, carried it into the cabin, and stuck
it under the glass of little shabby En-
gliSh clock, which was fastened above nv
head. was busy fixing the letter under
the clock, when who should come into
my cabin but the convict and his wife
This was the first time I had seen
either of them, and may say that more
prepossessing couple l never met. The
woman was scarcely more than fifteen,
and as handsome as picture, while the
husband was an intelligent, magnifcently-
formed man, on whose features nature had
never written "villain."


His crime, to be plain, was the misfor-
tune of being hundred years ahead of
his age. He and others had attempted
something which our government called
treason, and which is punished with
death. 1t, therefore, occasioned me con-
siderable wonder that he should be placed
under my charge but more of this after
ward.


He had, as said, his wife hanging on
his arm. She was as merry as bird she
looked like a turtle-dove cooling and nest
ling beneath his great wing.


Before month had passed over our
heads | looked upon them as my own
children. Every morn I used to call
them into my cabin. The young fellow
would sit writing at my table, that is to
say at my chest, which was my bed He
would often help me at reckoning, and
soon learned to do better than I could. I
was amazed at his ability. His young
wife would sit upon one of the round
stools in my cabin, working at her
needle


One day we were all sitting in this way
when I said:


''Do you know, my young ones, as it
seems to me we make very pretty family
picture9 Mind, I don't mean to ask ques-
tions, but may be you have not much
money to spare, and you are, both of YOU,
as think, too handsome to dig in the
burning sun of Cayenne, like many
poor wretch before you. It's a bad coun-
try-a bad country, take my word for it.
/, who have roughed it through tempest
and sunshine till I've the skin of rhi-
noceros, might get along there; but you
4 am afraid for you. So, if you should
chance to have bit of foolish friendship
for your poor old captain, I'll tell you
what Pll do. I'll get rid of this old brig;
she's not much better than an old tub,
after all; so I'll settle myself down there
with you, if you like. You see I have
not a living soul in the world to care for,
or that cares for me. / want relations, I
want a home, want family. I should
like to make my home with you, my
pretty young ones! What say yep


They said nothing at all, but sat look
ing, first at each other and then at me, as
if they doubted whether they understood
what said.


At last the little bird threw her arms
around my neck and cried like baby.


"But, said she, suddenly pausing,
"you haven't looked at the letter with the
big red seal''


Chang it !" exclaimed, cit had Slip
ped nv mind entirely"


With cold, dreadful sensation, went
to my chest to see where we were. found
that we had several days remaining before
we should reach the proper longitude for
opening the letter.


Well, there we stood, all three of us,
looking UP at the letter as if it could have
spoken to us. AS it happened, the sun
was shining full upon the face of the
clock case, and fell upon the great glaring
red seal of the letter. | could not help
fancying it looked something like big
monster, an ogres face grinning from the
middle of the fire; it looked horrid.


.'Could not one fancy" said 1, to make
them laugh, s'it's great big eyes were
starting out of its head?"


"Ah, my love-" said the wife, "it looks
like blood"


s'Pooh, poohl' said her husband, taking
her arm under his, cit looks like letter
of invitation to wedding. Come, come,
leave the letter alone if it troubles you so.
Let's go to our room and prepare for
bed"


And off they went. They went upon
deck and left me with that beast of a let
ter I remember that I kept looking at
it as smoked my pipe; it seemed to fix
its great red eyes upon mine, fascinating
like the eye Of serpent. 1t was red,
wide, raw, staring like the NAV of fierce
wolf, took my great coat and hung it
over both clock and letter, and went upon
deck to finish nv nine


We were now in the vicinity of Cape
de Verde Islands-the Belle was running
before fair wind at the rate of ten miles
an hour. 1t was splendid tropical night,
the stars large and shining; the moon ris-
ing above the horizon, as large as a sun
of silver, the line of ocean parting it, and
long streams of bare, shimmering light
falling upon the waves, which, as they
broke, sparkled like jewels. sat upon
the deck smoking my pipe and looking al
them.


All was still, except the football of the