THE OUTWARD BOUND.
"Go in thy glory o'er the ancient sea,
Take with thee gentle winds thy sails to swell,
Sunshine and joy upon thy streamers be;
Fare thee well, bark; farewell!"
MRS. HEMANS.
"Farewell; God knows when we shall meet again.
I have a faint, cold fear thrilling through my veins,
That almost freezes up the heat of life."
SHAKESPEARE'S "ROMEO AND JULIET."
As the dews of heaven fall gently, lulling the flowers to rest, so did
the low, clear voice of the Sea-flower soothe the weary spirits of Mrs.
Grosvenor, as she read from the evening paper the following paragraph:
"Spoken by bark Constitution, of New York, in latitude 39° 20',
longitude 45°, ship Tantalizer, of Nant., Capt. I. W. Grosvenor, eighty
days from home; had taken seventy barrels of sperm oil, and was made
fast to a forty-barrel right whale: would sail for South Seas in a few
days; all well."
"Hurrah for father!" exclaimed Harry; "he will be at home in less than
two years, at that rate, and then he promised me that I should see what
old ocean is made of!"
"My son, you will learn full soon what a life at sea is; your bright
visions may indeed some of them be realized, the many dangers to which
you will be exposed, will not serve to mar your joys, for to such a
heart as yours they will pass unheeded; but for all that, my son, you
will meet with many hardships, of which you little know. I would wish
you never to follow the sea, my boy, but if you are still determined
upon it, when your father returns I shall have to give my consent,
though with reluctance. You will then be old enough to choose your own
pursuits for life, and whatever they may be, remember, Harry, to lead an
honest, upright life, never losing sight of your early instructions, and
the prayers of your mother."
As Mrs. Grosvenor ceased speaking she looked upon her son, and could
hardly realize that her little rosy-cheeked Harry, who had loved to lay
his head upon her bosom, and listen while she told him of his father,
who had gone away over the blue water, to get such pretty things for his
boy, had grown to be a tall lad of fifteen years; and well might she
have been proud of her son, for the nobleness of his soul was apparent
in every feature. As Vingo expressed himself, "Young massa Harry am got
up ob what neber would get used to de atmosphere ob old Berginny."
"Mother," said Harry, "I shall never forget your teachings. I shall
always hold them sacred in my heart, and wherever I go, in whatever
circumstances I am placed, I will be true to you, my mother;" and he
pressed a fervent kiss upon the brow of her who was worthy the name.
As Mrs. Grosvenor returned her son's embrace, she felt that perhaps she
had said too much; that she had been selfish in wishing to have him
always near her; and she observed that he wore an expression of pain, of
deep emotion, which he in vain attempted to conceal.
The Sea-flower had rested her head upon her hand, and while her mother
had been engaged with Harry, a silent spectator might have wondered to
what unseen object those deep oases of love were imparting their
purity. The words of Harry had fallen upon her ear,--"I shall see what
old Ocean is made of;" shall we follow in the train of her musings? they
will lead us not where the fallen tread. On the banks of the still
waters of peace, 'neath the willows, whose tears are of innocence, frisk
the tender lambs, who taste only of the sweets of the green pasture:--"I
shall see what old ocean is made of." Far away in coral dells, where the
nymphs of ocean tune their harps in praise to Nature's God, the
Sea-flower loves to ramble, as if she had been a child in time long
past, and the mysteries of ocean were that childhood's home. Ah, loved
one, thou dost not pause to find what 'tis which makes thy heart to beat
in unison with the murmuring of the waters! perchance those restless
billows are but the echoings of thy soul's desire to breathe that upper
air, and breathing, gasp for more, 'Tis not for us to tell thee that
bright ones came down, and bore the spirit of her who gave thee life, to
that better land, from hence; nor of the dying prayer, "Lord, keep my
child," which was caught up by each listening billow, and the
supplication, e'er since renewed by the voices of the deep.
Why Mrs. Grosvenor had spoken thus, upon this evening to her son, she
could not tell; she felt there was some irresistible power which bade
her speak that charge,--"never lose sight of your early instructions,
and the prayers of your mother." As she retired early for the night,
feeling slightly indisposed, she met the gaze of Harry, which was fixed
upon her, attributing its uncommon earnestness to a determination on his
part to cherish her words. And he never did forget them But, ah! fond
mother, sleep on, take thy rest, and gain strength for the morrow's
rising, for thou knowest not of the cup of sorrow which is being
prepared for thee.
As Harry sat watching the bright flames as they went crackling up the
chimney, his sister came and rested her head upon his shoulder, where
they remained, until Sea-flower, reminding him of the lateness of the
hour, was about to retire, when her brother threw his arm about her,
begging her to remain a little, for, said he, "I shall not always have
my dear sister to comfort me."
"To comfort you! Harry, do you, who are always so light-hearted and
joyous, need comforting?"
"Ah, pussy, but you can make the happiest heart happier. I was thinking
of mother; it is a comfort to me that she has you, Sea-flower, to cheer
her lonely hours."
"I think mother is less sad than she has been, for now she is looking
forward to the time when father shall come home; and I think she
flatters herself that she can dissuade you from going to sea, and then
we shall be an unbroken, happy family once more."
Those words! why had they power to make that boy turn pale? Had he not
been screened from the bright glow of the fire-light, the Sea-flower
must have noticed his agitation, as she looked up for the good-night
kiss; he clasped her in his arms for a moment, and then the door closed
upon her gentle form.
The old clock in the church tower had struck eleven, and Harry heard the
cry of the watch, "all's well." He still stood where he had parted with
his sister; as her last footfall upon the stairs died away, and the
house was hushed for the night, the plans which he had matured long days
ago, for this night's execution, laid fast hold of him. Can it be
possible that the boy is about to forget those last words of his
mother? No, they are still sounding in his ear; and his promise, "I will
not forget the prayers of my mother." But does he consider, in the step
which he is about to take, of the arrow which will pierce that mother's
heart? He walks the room with a quick tread; he does reflect, and pities
his mother from the bottom of his heart, praying that the blow may fall
gently; but he has shipped for a voyage in the Nautilus, and this night,
at high tide, she will sail.
Noiselessly he ascends to his room, and taking his clothes from the
drawer, where they had been placed with care, makes them into a bundle,
not forgetting the little bible, which was given him by his mother only
the day before, as a birthday gift. Pausing in the upper hall, he
listens, if he may get one last faint sound from those he holds so dear;
but save the uneasy slumbers of Vingo, nothing is heard. All is now
ready for his departure; stepping into the parlors, where hang the
portraits of the family, he takes a farewell of each. The Sea-flower and
his mother! his eyes fill with tears, and his heart is swelling into his
throat; he is upon the point of retracing his steps, when his eye rests
upon the features of his father. The daring boldness of the expression,
which the artist had but too well portrayed, fires him with fresh
courage; every nerve thrills with new life, and kissing the inanimate
canvas, as if it were indeed his dear mother and sister, he tore himself
away from home. Walking rapidly down the deserted street, without
venturing a look back, he passes many an endeared object; the old white
church, where he has been accustomed to worship, Sunday after Sunday,
for many years, holds high its head in the bright moonlight, and the
hands of the old town clock upon the tower, seem to beckon him to
return. He falters; it would seem as if the very doors of the church
would open and receive him. Throwing down the bundle, he kneels upon the
door-stone, and breathes a prayer to heaven, to bless those who will
enter therein when he shall be gone. Pressing his lips to the cold stone
where _they_ have trod, he rises, when lo! standing by his side, with
the package of clothes in his mouth, is the old house dog, Nep; and as
the watch in the tower cries, "past eleven o'clock, and all is well," he
looks wistfully into his master's face, as if he would ask, is all well?
What is to be done? in less than half an hour the ship will be towed
out into the stream; there is no time to be lost, but the dog will not
think of leaving his master, for his experience of years tells him it is
a new thing for the boy to be wandering from home at this unseasonable
hour. In vain did Harry attempt to drive the faithful creature from him,
for never having been an unwelcome companion before, the dog did not
understand his master's threatening gestures; yet he could understand
that something was amiss, and for that reason kept close upon his
master's heels, to shield him from all danger.
Arriving at the wharf, the boy once more attempted to drive the dog from
him, when looking around, he espied a bit of rope, with which he made
him fast to a post, and then clambered up the ship's side. Poor Nep,
keeping his eye upon his master, laid him quietly down, until the lines
were cast off, and the ship began to recede from the shore. O, Harry,
could you leave the companion of your infancy thus, made fast to a yard
rope, to shiver in the night air? It was his only alternative, for in
taking Neptune with him he well knew would be robbing the household of
one more endearment. No sooner had the ship started from her moorings,
and Nep saw that his master was being borne away, than he gave a piteous
howl, and with one bound parted the line which held him, and plunging
into the tide, made vigorous attempts to reach the ship.
"Breakers on the larboard bow!" sung out the captain, who stood laughing
to see the labors of the poor animal, who was becoming exhausted; "let's
see who'll have the first harpoon!" and he hurled a billet at the dog's
head as he was going down for the second time. Harry, seeing the action,
cried out, "Save him! who will save my poor Nep?" and fell fainting upon
the deck. Fortunately the hard-hearted man had missed his mark for once,
and by the light of the moon, the poor fellow was seen, just under the
bows, struggling feebly, as if about to give up, when an old tar, who
had heard Harry's cry for help, sprang with the rapidity of thought, and
seizing a rope, made it into a slip-noose, throwing it over the dog's
head, nearly strangling him as he drew him out of the water. Together
they lay motionless upon the deck, Harry and Nep, when the captain
coming along would have stumbled over them, had he not caught at a
halliard near by.
"What in the name of things unheard of, is all this?" exclaimed he,
with an oath; "this indeed is a curious beginning for the little
land-lubber! I've the greatest mind to set him ashore, to come to his
senses at his leisure, and if I'm not greatly mistaken, he's but a young
runaway at best; but we might as well keep him now, he'll do for testing
the strength of our cats, and as for that other critter, Mr. Sampson,
you may hand him over to the steward, and tell him I shall want a nice
over-all when we get out where the ice makes an inch a minute."
Mr. Sampson, who had shipped as boat-steerer, the same that had rescued
old Nep from drowning, lifted Harry in his arms, and carrying him below,
laid him in his own hammock, where he also brought the dog, who was
apparently lifeless, and laid him by his side. It was a long time before
Harry was restored to consciousness, and when he had gained strength
sufficient to raise himself upon one arm, he looked around in the
darkness, perfectly bewildered; but as the remembrance of his situation
slowly came to him, he called aloud, in agony of spirit, "Nep! poor
drowned Neptune!" tossing upon his hammock, his arm came in contact
with the creature's shaggy coat. Could it be Nep? rescued from the
inhuman treatment of the captain? but he did not move! was he alive?
Harry sprang from his bed, and making his way in the darkness he knew
not whither, finally found himself in the captain's state-room, which
was unoccupied, and seizing a candle, reached his hammock just as Mr.
Sampson returned.
"Man alive! where did you get that light?" asked Sampson, apparently
much terrified.
"O, sir, I took the first one I could find, for I must see if my poor
Neptune is dead!" and he bent over him, smoothing his head, calling
loudly, "Neptune! poor Neptune!" Sampson, recognizing the silver
candlestick as belonging in the captain's state-room, hastened to return
it, knowing well what the consequences would be, if that dignitary
discovered that any one had dared to enter his room without orders; and
giving Harry a few friendly hints, as to what his liberties would be,
under their commander, he drew out a mysterious looking bottle from his
jacket-sleeve, and diluting a small quantity of its contents, gave it to
Harry to drink, which in his weak condition did not come amiss. Turning
to the dog, the kind old tar commenced rubbing him vigorously, bathing
his cold limbs with the spirit, glancing occasionally at the gangway, to
see who might darken the descent. The dog at last gave signs of life,
and to Harry's great joy, he looked up and recognized his master,
Sampson assuring him, in his rough way, that the old fellow would soon
be as good as new.
It was the last watch in the morning, and Harry, hearing loud voices on
deck, ventured out. It was a clear, cold morning, the moon had gone
down, and Venus was just rising in the east; on every side was the blue
rolling water. They had left Nantucket miles behind. Sampson, who was on
duty, seeing the boy looking out, as if he had come to the conclusion
that the island had been submerged, shook out a reef in the line which
he was making fast, that he might catch the boy's ear, and pointing to a
dim light far down in the distant horizon, he remarked, "Look well, it's
old Sankoty; I'm thinking you'll have seen different days when you make
her again."
"Halloo, there, aft!" called out the captain; "has that kitten got to
mewing? Bear a hand there, and square your mizzen topsail," added he, a
tone of mockery.
The order had hardly left his lips, when Harry, with a hearty "aye, aye,
sir!" sprang into the cross-trees, and in a twinkling had reached the
masthead, calling out in a voice which brought to the mind of each old
tar that he had once a mother,--"square away it is, sir."
The captain could scarce believe his eyes; seeing by the smile upon the
face of every man on deck, that he had been decidedly sold, he hailed
him again.
"Mast-head, ahoy!"
"Aye, aye, sir."
"Take your bearings from the fog bank to your leeward, and tell me how
she heads."
The boy hesitated; he "saw which way the wind blew," and bethinking
himself of a small pocket compass which he had about him, sung out,
"East-south-east by east, sir, two points off." The man at the wheel
responded, "East-south-east by east, two points off."
It would not do; the captain saw that he had mistaken his man, and
called all hands to pipe down. As Mr. Sampson passed him, he doffed his
tarpaulin, remarking, "I think, sir, the youngster will do very well for
trying the strength of our cats."
It was evident to Harry, before he had sailed many days under Captain
Jostler, that he had one of the most tyrannical of masters. He had been
a perfect stranger to him when he shipped for the voyage, being a native
of Canada, and from the frozen condition of his heart no one would have
doubted it; had he been a Nantucket man, master Harry would have found
it more difficult in getting away so privately; as it was, no inquiries
were made of him. How different was Harry's situation from what it would
have been had his father procured for him a berth; as it was, he was
doomed to no common hardships, for the captain, having taken a dislike
to him from the first, seemed to take pleasure in making him as
uncomfortable as possible; and had it not been that he was a favorite
with the crew, he would have suffered many times from exposure. Many a
cold, stormy night had he been ordered to take his turn in the watch,
upon deck, in spite of the petitions of the men to fill his place; and
he would walk the deck for hours, to keep from becoming benumbed with
the cold; but, as his mother had predicted, the hardships and dangers to
which he was exposed did not serve to dampen his spirits, and for that
very reason, did the captain shower upon him many abuses; for in spite
of his cruel treatment toward him, he never had had the pleasure of
seeing him look anything but cheerful. At such times, when the wind was
howling fiercely, and the salt spray came dashing over the deck,
freezing upon the cheek of the youthful mariner, but never penetrating
that heart, which was warmed by the remembrance of other days, the boy
would think of home, of his mother, and as he uttered the name of the
Sea-flower aloud, those deep-toned voices of the sea would appear as if
the wild reëchoings of the tone; and the low moanings of the wind
through the shrouds were of pity for that lone one on the deck of the
"outward bound." Could the boy have had old Nep for a companion in his
midnight watchings, he would have served to while away the time, but
that pleasure was not allowed him, for Captain Jostler had threatened to
throw the dog overboard, if he came in contact with him in any of his
walks; consequently Harry had doomed him to a life in the hold, seldom
venturing to visit him, except to carry the food which he had saved from
his own short allowance; and he often wondered how the poor fellow could
keep alive on such short rations, not knowing of the purloined bits
which were bestowed upon him from Sampson's commodious jacket-sleeve.
"There she blows! there she blows!" hailed the look-out from the
mast-head, as a school of whales hove in sight, about three miles
astern, one afternoon, when they had been four months on the whaling
grounds. It was the first discovery that had been made, they having been
thus far unsuccessful. All hands were immediately called up; every man
was at his post, making ready for the coming scene of action; not as a
man-of-war, in the charging of cannon, the priming of musketry, and the
brandishing of swords, a battle between man and man, but the boats were
lowered, the harpoons were got out, and everything was made ready for an
encounter with the monster of the ocean. Now was the time when the
captain would exhibit his skill as a whaler; all depends on his
management as to their success; he must be cool, and collected, working
systematically; for not only does it require great skill and caution in
the capturing of the whale, but there are many dangers attendant upon
the encounter.
"There she blows!" No sooner did Captain Jostler hear the report, than
it seemed as if he would go beside himself; every man was ready to do
his duty, and had they possessed the right kind of commander, might have
done well; but where there is no head, nothing is accomplished.
Everything was confusion; the captain, springing into the first boat,
bade his men follow, leaving, beside Harry, but two worthless fellows,
who hardly knew a skysail from a jib-sheet, in charge of the ship. Harry
kept his eye upon the boats for hours; he perceived they were evidently
having a hard time of it. Running aft to get a glass, as they distanced
him, he discovered a fog had sprang up, and was shutting in heavily on
all sides; he returned to mark the boats; they were nowhere to be seen;
he had lost them entirely; nothing was to be seen on all sides but thick
fog banks! What was to be done? where they were, how far from the boats,
and in what direction, they knew not. The boy was aware that they were
all ignorant of the management of the ship, and what was worse, should
the least breeze spring up, they would be borne,--they knew not whither.
A couple of hours passed, and the fog did not lift. Night was coming on,
and from the increased darkness, together with a low, rumbling noise of
the sea, it was evident a storm was brewing. Harry anxiously walked the
quarter deck; it would be certain destruction if they remained in that
position till night should overtake them. The boy called to the men,
asking what was to be done; but they in terror could do nothing but
lament their situation, calling out against the captain for leaving them
in such a state. Harry hesitated; what was done must be done speedily.
To take in sail was his first thought; then, with the assistance of the
clumsy seamen, he rolled out a small cannon-piece, and for one long hour
did he keep up an incessant fire. The coming storm was now plainly
discernible; the distant rolling of thunder was heard, the sea was
agitated, and occasionally a flaw would shake the rattlings. They were
in momentary expectation that the storm would burst upon them. Harry had
left his firing, and ascending the hurricane deck, stood with folded
arms, as if bracing himself to meet the foe. It is coming in all its
fury! kind heaven! the fog lifts! it rolls itself away as it were a
great scroll. The ink-black heavens are fearfully majestic, seen in the
lightning's lurid glare. A speck! yes, 't is the boats! do they see
them? Once more the boy flies to the cannon, not pausing to see if they
are nearing the ship; his heart beats wildly; 'tis their only chance for
life! the hurricane has burst upon them! the enraged deep responds
loudly to the deafening roar! Once again the feeble voice of the cannon
is doing its best to be heard, when lo! the flash mingling with the
forked lightnings which play in the rigging, reveals the men, as they
come tumbling over the ship's side! They are saved! saved by that noble
boy, who does not know of their approach, so intent is he upon his
exertions, until Sampson clasps him in his arms, and a "God bless you!"
is upon the lips of every man, save the captain, who, having received a
slight wound from a harpoon, and irritated by their bad luck, utters a
curse which vies in blackness with that dreadful night.
"Down your helm!" shouted the captain; "hard down your helm!" The order
was hardly given, when they were thrown on their beam ends; down, down
they went, as if never to rise again, completely engulfed in the dark
abyss! The boy, where is he? down in the hold, his arm made fast to the
collar of old Neptune, that they may go down together; he kneels, his
mother's gift, the bible, in his hand, calmly awaiting his time. Nature
seems terrified, yet that boy knows no fear. Crash succeeds crash; ah,
who can describe the scene! He alone who has stood upon the frail plank,
which only separates him from death. Again a terrific crash,--their
masts have gone by the board! It would seem that the enraged billows
were bent upon their destruction. Still their stout bark is unwilling to
give up, and trembling from stem to stern, she clings to life, nobly
resisting the gigantic attacks of the storm-king, who, having fought
with terrific fierceness through the livelong night, puts on a less
demon-like expression as his strength is well nigh spent, and the gray
dawn sees no traces of the despoiler, who perhaps has slain thousands,
save the swelling surges, which angrily gaze as if disappointed of
their prey.
At the first dawn of day, Harry went on deck to learn their situation.
What a change had been wrought in a few hours. Their masts had been
carried away, the decks had been swept clean; and he learned that
several poor fellows had lost their hold, and were not seen more.
"Well, I'll be d----d if that son of a cannibal hasn't sneaked away into
some hole, and kept his footing," exclaimed the captain, as he saw the
boy appear above deck; "I was in hopes he had found safe quarters in
Davy Jones's locker! But there's no getting rid of such scalawags!"
"Captain Jostler," cried Mr. Sampson, raising his hat, "it's none of my
business, and you may knock me down the next minute, if you please, but
God knows there's not a man aboard but owes his life to that boy. I have
no mutinous designs, sir, but at such a moment as this I will speak,
sir, come what will, and thank God the boy had sense enough to go below,
when he knew he could be of no use here."
The captain looked daggers; he was about to seize Sampson by the throat,
when a voice from the assembled crew was heard:
"Three cheers and long life to the boy, captain or no captain!
_Hurrah!_ HURRAH!! HURRAH!!!" shouted the grateful tars, making the
welkin ring.
If Jostler had had the heart of a brave, noble sea-captain, he would
have fought right and left till the last, ere his men should dare to
show such insubordination, setting his authority at defiance; but he was
a coward, and they were whole-hearted seamen, who would not see the
innocent trampled upon, consequently the villain had to swallow his
wrath; but he was determined to have his revenge, and Sampson noticed
that he cast an evil eye upon the boy.
Upon examination it was found they had sustained no injuries, besides
the loss of the masts, except that a small leakage had been made near
the bows, and that was soon repaired by the carpenter, who proceeded to
rig jury-masts, and it was not long before they were put in a condition
capable of running into the islands for repairs.
About sunrise signals of distress were heard, and by the glass, a
dismasted ship was made out, a long way astern, apparently in a sinking
condition. The captain appeared to take little notice of her, and as the
mate ventured to inquire if they should "'bout ship," he answered,
"Thunder! no, we are safe; let them run their own chance."
Harry, hearing his reply, was shocked. Could the man turn a deaf ear to
those repeated sounds of distress, when it was in his power to save
them? Ah, boy, it is even so! but he is not a man. Harry could endure
the thought no longer, as fainter and fainter grew the reports, as they
bore away from them; he begged Sampson to implore the captain to return,
Sampson telling him "it was of no use, that it would not do to cross
him again."
"Then I will go myself to him; he cannot have the heart to leave them to
perish!"
"Rash boy, your life will be the penalty! you must not do it."
"I will do my duty, though I should die for it! there is the least
possibility of his hearing me, and what is one life compared with, it
may be, a hundred."
"Stay, mad boy!" cried Sampson; but he had gone.
Reaching the quarter-deck, upon his knees he implored the captain to
return. "Think, if it were your father, brother, or a son, in that
hopeless condition, would you not render them all the assistance in
your power?"
"I have three brothers and a father upon the ocean," vociferated the
demon; "for aught I know it may be one of them! but were they all aboard
that hulk yonder, I would not return! But who are you, sirrah, that
dares to usurp my power? Now, upstart, you shall know your place!" and
he seized him by the collar, bore him aft, lashed him to a spar, called
for the cat, and lifting it high in air,--it falls, but the cursed
invention of man's cruelty falls wide of its mark! Ere its descent had
scarred that fair brow, a rush was heard from the main gangway, and old
Neptune, with a fierce growl, has fastened his teeth in the monster's
flesh! Quick as thought his master called him off, and every man stood
trembling, as they observed the captain feeling for his pistols; but his
strength failed him, the dog had met his teeth in the wound received by
the mismanagement of the harpoon, tearing the flesh nearly from off his
limb. It really was a pitiable sight to behold. Faint from the loss of
blood, he was carried below, where his wound was dressed by one of the
men, having no regular surgeon aboard, consequently its fatality was not
realized. The groans and writhings of the sufferer were heart-rending;
all day long did he rave, imploring Sampson, who attended him, to "take
the fiend away! that he was being devoured alive!" and thus did he toss
upon his bed till toward evening, when a change for the worse came over
him. Sampson saw that the seal of death was stamped upon his features,
and at set of sun, with an imprecation upon his dying lips, he had
breathed his last. O, how fearful to enter that spirit land thus
unprepared! to come before our Judge with a soul stained in the deepest
sins, trembling with its burden of guilt. Lord, grant that we be not
thus found when thou shalt call! Give us strength to overcome the world,
the flesh, and the devil, so that at the last, we shall taste those joys
which exist "where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at
rest." They buried him in the deep sea. Perhaps his body lay side by
side with those who, through his unfeeling heart, had found a watery
grave; but we trust that, unlike him, they had gone to meet the reward
of having lived an holy life,--gone to the "sailor's home," in
the skies.
The stars shone out, one by one, in the firmament, when the king of day
had descended. Calmly the night looked down, and undisturbed were
Harry's thoughts, as seated upon the taffrail, old Neptune by his side,
he once again breathed the air of liberty. Not that he rejoiced that he
was thus freed from him who had kept him in perfect slavery, for he
alone had dropped a tear over the uncoffined burial of his persecutor;
but his heart was filled with gratitude, as he looked into the peerless
night,--gratitude to Him who has given us a soul, that we may admire the
works of his hands. As Harry sat musing, turning from the heavenly orbs
to their semblance on the bosom of the placid waters, he observed, as it
were, a fallen star, mirrored therein, but rousing his dreamy senses, he
found it was a small, shining object, floating near them. He drew it
from the water; it was a block of wood, in the form of an octagon,
highly polished, inlaid with bits of pearl, forming grotesque figures,
and thickly studded with some bright mineral, representing stars, which
gave it a very handsome appearance.
"Well, if the youngster isn't picking up moonshine," remarked Sampson,
examining the curiosity. "Some poor fellow designed that for his
sweetheart, likely; but I suppose it will make but little difference
with her, if she hears he's among the missing, she can just as well set
her colors for another. These bright-winged butterflies go upon the
principle that 'there's as good fish in the sea as ever was caught.'"
"O, ho, Sampson," cried the jolly faced mate, who had now taken the
captain's berth, "you are inclined to give the fair ones no quarters. I
shouldn't wonder if they had given you the slip, in some of your
cruisings."
"Well, sir, nothing of that kind, exactly; I never had much notion for
shipping under one captain for life."
"A little frightened, eh?"
"Well, between you and I, I was a little skeery, for fear I should find
my mate at the helm."
"Yes, but you don't mean to say woman is a craft sailing without a
compass, do you? that is, minus a heart?"
"Aye, aye, but it's hard to get in their wake. I never met but one
whole-souled woman in my life, and she has gone--where such as she do
go. Ah, that was a hard time! I was the only one saved of two hundred!"
"How was that, Sampson? come, spin us that yarn."
"Land ho! land ho!" hailed the lookout, and every eye welcomed Manilla,
as they ran in for repairs, after cruising about for months without
taking a drop of oil. Harry was delighted with the prospect before him,
and laying the little curiosity, which would remind him of a sad event
in his voyage, away with his bible, he entered upon the duties before
him with his whole heart, realizing the visions of his earlier days, and
gaining a thorough knowledge of--the life of a sailor boy.