the -wind and sea increased to such a degree 
that her father was compelled, by fears for 
? her safety, to order her to keep close to the 
cabin. 
The old Warsaw, owing to her stiffness, 
was a very ugly sea boat in a gale, and on 
the second day of the blow, all her storm 
canvas had been torn from the bolt-ropes, 
and she lay wallowing at the mercy of the 
elements. It was found quite impossible to 
bend and set any new sail, and our situation 
became really dangerous. 
We lay thus for several hours, occasional¬ 
ly shipping a sea; but no material damage 
had been done. Toward night wo were fa¬ 
vored with a lull, and advantage was taken 
of it to set a new mizen staysail, that we 
might have something to keep her head up 
to I lie sea. 
All hands were above the deck at the time; 
and I myself was on the mizen stay, half¬ 
way up the mainmast, doing the last work 
of bending the sail to its hanks. The hal¬ 
yards and sheet were strongly manned, and 
every one in readiness, waiting for the word 
to “ hoist, away.” 
J was just about to slide down from my 
perch, when a great wall of water came roar¬ 
ing down upon us, and I knew, by the feel¬ 
ing of the ship under me, that she would not 
rise clear of it. On it. came; I clung invol¬ 
untarily to the slay, bearing confused cries 
of “Hold on!” “Lookout!” It met us with 
a shock Unit seethed to have driven in the 
whole broadside of our stout craft. 
It combed in nearly the whole length of 
the ship, lore and aft, giving no one time to 
escape, or to do anything hut cling instinc¬ 
tively to the nearest support. All below me 
was a raging gulf of water, in which men 
mid inanimate objects were promiscuously 
dashed about. I had enough to do to retain 
my hold where I was, looking down upon 
the dreadful sight. I fell, that my late would 
be decided in another minute or two. It. 
must, he the same as that of my shipmates, 
who were vainly stretching their hands to 
ward me for succor, while here and there a 
cry rang in my ears, breaking the ceaseless 
roar of sea and wind. We were all to die 
together, unheard of; the simple record at¬ 
tached to our names, “ Probably foundered 
at sea.” 
But., shivering in every timber of her an¬ 
cient fabric, the Warsaw arose again trium¬ 
phant from what scorned her death struggle 
with the elements. Her bare deck came 
into view ns she shook herself free of her 
burden; for nearly all the bulwarks were 
swept away on both sides, as well as every¬ 
thing of a moveable nature. But not a hu¬ 
man being was to be seen, as, still clinging 
in my elevated position, I looked about me. 
All bad been swallowed lip and gone to their 
filial account. 
1 lmd no time for sentiment; indeed I 
think the leading emotion in my mind was 
one of astonishment at feeling the ship still 
buoyant, for l bad no Idea that, she could 
ever rise again. 1 slid down to the deck, 
and watching my opportunity, darted below 
into the cabin. Everything was afloat there; 
for the companion-way had been dashed into 
splinters and the sea poured down in a cata¬ 
ract. I stood in the doorway leading into 
the after-cabin, drenched and shivering, look¬ 
ing up at the now open hatchway, and won¬ 
dering how long it might, be ere 1 should be 
engulfed, for the next sea that boarded us 
would probably fill and waterlog the already 
shattered hull. 
“ Where’s father ?" asked a tremulous little j 
voice behind me. , i 
Until then 1 had not thought of the child, i 
I turned at t he sound and saw a bright head - 
protruding from the narrow opening of a 
state-room door. The blue eyes were < 
unnaturally expanded with wonder and 
anxiety; but there was none of the childish i 
weakness of fear that might have been i 
looked for under the circumstances. 
“Mr. Darrell, where’s father?” she re¬ 
peated. 
llow could 1 answer the question ? Only 
by a sign to her to keep close within her : 
room, as I moved forward out of her range < 
of vision, that my tell-tale face might be 
hidden. 1 
Powerless, as regarded any effort I could : 
make for safety against the storm, I awaited 1 
the moment when the ship should be en- I 
gulfed, with little Jessie and myself, But, 
as if the demon of wrath had been satiated, t 
3 and found only two feet of water in the ship, 
r this having worked down from above. I 
; did not attempt, alone, to pump her out; 
but. rejoiced in the assurance that I still bad 
. a tight vessel under tne; for, bad she sunk, 
i I should have bad no dependence beyond 
i such a rail as 1 could have extemporized. 
, Every boat had been swept away. 
! I loosed and let fall the foresail, and suc- 
' cceded in getting it, with the child’s assist¬ 
ance and the power of the windlass. The 
spanker I could easily manage with the 
brails; and these, with the lower staysails, 
were all the canvas I intended to make use of. 
The sun had come out, brightly after the 
storm, and the aspect of the skies indicated 
a continuance of fine weather. I took ob¬ 
servation and steered my course toward the 
Ilorvey Islands, hoping to make Maugea or 
Raralonga. 
Of course, I was obliged to be at the helm 
most of the time. But I soon taught Jessie 
so that she could steer well enough in fair 
weather, which gave me time to attend to 
many other matters. But as we could not 
steer all day and all night, the ship was ne¬ 
cessarily left to her own guidance some part 
of the time. 
1 soon discovered that my knowledge of 
navigation, though it might tell me where I 
was, would not enable me to go where I 
wished. The winds and currents headed 
me off so that we were making a drift to the 
westward; and it was impossible to remedy 
this, unless the ship was manned so as to he 
well steered and enabled to carry all sail, 
[spite of all that the child and I could do, 
she must go nearly where the elements 
might carry her. We should be more likely 
to make land somewhere among the Tongas 
or Pee)cos than in the direction I had hoped 
at first. 
There was no fear of our running short of 
provisions or water, as we had more on 
board than we could consume for years. 
The weather continued fine, and we were 
daily drilling into milder latitudes; but. no 
sail could be seen. A dozen times every day 
1 climbed to the masthead, in the vain hope 
of decrying a ship, and ns often descended 
(0 cheer up my little shipmate with the, hope 
of seeing one to-morrow. Thus week after 
week wore away monotonously, while .Jes¬ 
sie and 1 were all she world to each ot her, and 
every hour served to fasten the tendrils more 
firmly about my heart as she leaned In her 
childish dependence upon me. I thought 
how miserable I might have been if entirely 
alone in a similar situation, and in return 
efTing to her, and gave thanks as for a bless¬ 
ing, heaven-sent., to become a part of my 
future life and being. 1 do not think l could 
have entertained the thought of ever parting 
with her. 
My observations satisfied me that wc had 
passed beyond the latitude of the Tonga and 
Feejeft groups without having seen them. 
This knowledge was rather a relief to me; 
for we should, most likely, have fallen into 
the power of savage cannibals, who would 
have shown us no mercy. We could hardly 
fare worse by drilling on toward the equa¬ 
tor; while there was still the possibility of 
meeting a ship with civilized men on board. 
At length, on going aloft, as usual, one 
beautiful morning, the horizon line along 
under our lee presented the irregular, 
broken appearance which I had often seen 
before, and knew so well. The bunches of 
tufts of cocoantit trees growing upon very 
low land were the first objects that came 
into view; so that, as we neared them, the 
slender stems seemed to be rooted in the 
ocean, and to shoot up directly from its 
watery bed. 
But wc had been seen as it appeared, 
oven before we had discovered the land. 
For within half an hour the triangular sails 
of half a dozen large canoes lose into view, 
coming rapidly up towards us. To escape 
with the ship was simply impossible. But 
it occurred to mo that the savages could 
know nothing of our defenseless condition, 
though the appearance of the ship, under 
so little canvass in fine weather, must be 
strange and suspicious to them. They 
would not attempt any foul play with us, if 
they believed the vessel to bo fully manned 
and armed. They had come off to drive a 
barter trade with the white men, as was 
their usual custom. 
I at once set to work, with the help of 
the child, who showed a ready coinpre- 
While on the main-yard, engaged in loos- by one party boarding in the rear while I Jessie was twenty years old at the time I 
ing it, a sail appeared in sight over the was upsetting the other. I dropped the arrived home in command of the Greenwich, 
point of the island. Not a canoe —one boarding-knife, and seizing a musket, the 1 know not at what, particular time during 
could not be seen at that distance in a range oniy reliable one I had, took a hasty aim at that voyage I began to think it was possible 
of the trees — but a ship! My heart leaped the man in the head of one of the cauoes. that she and I might love each other. I 
at the thought that help and deliverance He dropped his paddle, struck, as 1 suppose, think this feeling came upon me very grad- 
■were within a few miles of me. in the arm. I was safe on that side at pres- ually. Perhaps it may have been something 
“ Bring up the ensign from the cabin, ent, as the confusion and loss of headway in the tone of her letters, for she always 
Jessie!" I shouted, as I let fall the bunt of would be sufficient to cause her to lose her wrote to me, much as a sister might, write to 
the mainsail, and burned down on deck. I chance of grasping the chain-plates. an elder brother; but, her letters on thisvoy- 
caught it from her eager little arms, bent it 1 rushed across the deck just in time to age were not quite as affectionate as at first, 
to the halyards, and ran it up — half-mast, meet the other canoe as she fell alongside. There was a little embarrassment in the 
as a signal of distress. One of my Quaker mariners, with a hickory manner and style. 
I broiled the spanker, while the child put backbone, stood conveniently at. hand. I Yet this was hut natural when I reflected 
the helm up, and the power of the foresail lifted it and dashed it full upon the heads of upon it. But. it must have been this very 
wore the ship around so as to be on the the savages, telling two of them. They also change that put me in the way of reflecting 
same tack with the strange vessel. I could lost their hold and drifted astern. But by There was, after all, nothing Very awkward 
not steer directly at her without, running this time a third and fourth were almost or anomalous in our position toward eacli 
the ship asboie; noi could she work to upon me. I was ready with weapons on other. She was simply a member of our 
windward much against the force <>f the both sides, and now that 1 was fairly in for family, adopted, as it were, by my mother, 
current. But my hope lay in her sending it, felt far less anxiety than when the fight But, wishing to support herself, she had 
boats as soon as those on hoard could see was only in anticipation. found employment as a teacher, and insisted 
my flag of distress and the strange trim of One of them made clumsy work of it, upon paying her board. This I learned from 
my sails. dashing her prow violently against t he ship’s the various letters received; and, of course. 
that she and I might love each other. I 
think this feeling came upon me very grad¬ 
ually. Perhaps it may have been something 
in the tone of her letters, for she always 
wrote to me, much as a sister might, write to 
an elder brother; but her letters on I his voy¬ 
age were not quite as affectionate as at first. 
There was a little embarrassment in the 
manner and style. 
Yet this was hut natural when I reflected 
she now appeared to make better weather of hension of the situation, to manufacture a 
it than she had done lbr hours before. Hope crew for the vessel. Seamen’s clothes were 
my sails. 
J managed to swing the head yard round 
and set the foresail after a fashion. But 
meanwhile the savages were fust closing 
with me, and I had not sufficient con¬ 
fidence in my sham seamen to believe that 
I could long deceive their sharp eyes. 1 
might, gain a little time, but, the trick must 
be discovered, and 1 feared this would be 
before succor could reach me from the 
strange ship. 
I kept Jessie at the wheel, steering as 
much off the wind as I dared; but I was 
fearful of getting embayed, and not having 
room to clear the point. I let, fall the main¬ 
sail, ami gave it kind of a flying set, as well 
as 1 could. The ship felt this added power 
at once, and gathered headway, which 1 de¬ 
termined she should not, lose, for if the 
barbarians once succeeded in getting on 
board it would be too late for any attempt 
of boats to rescue us, even if wc were not 
instantly put to death. It was no time now 
to think of the question whether J could gel 
the sails in again. I must have the use of 
them now, at once, and I sprung aloft to 
loose the topsails. 
1 had only time to do this and let go the 
gear, so that they filled and bagged out in 
mid-air; for of course 1 could not hoist the 
yards up. The lending canoe was now 
drawing very near me; and the ugly-look- 
ing wretches stood staring in silent bewil¬ 
derment, us the ship drove past them. I 
saw by their gestures as they pointed at the 
handspike men that, they were already sus¬ 
picious, probably fi^f^ubticing that, they 
did not move about. But they rested on 
their paddles to confer with the next com¬ 
ers, and 1 had thus gained so much time, 
while I was doing what 1 could to push the 
Warsaw 1 ahead. 
I knew these people well enough to he 
sure that they would never attack, unless 
all was overwhelmingly in their favor. 
They would move warily in reeonnoitering; 
but as soon ns certain of the true state of 
things, they would make a dashing attempt 
to board the ship by force. 
I had thus shaken off the first canoes, and 
left them in the wake. A stern chase is 
proverbially a long one, though their canoes 
would sail much faster than the ship could, 
under her bags and festoons. But other 
pursuers wore fore-reaching upon me, and 
fresh reinforcements putting out, from the 
shore as we neared the land obliquely. 
None seemed to care to visit the other ship; 
but all -were attracted by the mysterious 
maneuvers of mine. 
A large canoe, which contained one w hom 
I judged to be a leading chief, placed herself 
in my track. I was obliged, necessarily, to 
pass her so closely that their suspicions, al¬ 
ready aroused by telegraphic signals from 
their baffled comrades, were rendered a cer¬ 
tainty. Our real weakness was now under¬ 
stood, and almost instantly communicated 
through the whole flotilla. All those which 
bad been left in the rear gave chase under 
full power of sails and paddles; while five 
or six late arrivals, who had the advantage 
of position, disposed themselves for board¬ 
ing the ship at both bows at once. 
There was no alternative for me but to 
stand boldly on my course; and I had time, 
before closing with the enemy, to run up iu 
the main rigging and cast an anxious glance 
toward the ship, which was hugging the 
wind under all sail in the endeavor to come 
to my relief. Better than all, 1 could see 
that two boats had left her side and were. 
again revived, and l hastened to explain our abundant, and in a short time every hand- pulling towards me. 
posii ion to t he ot plumed girl. spike was rigged up in a motley suit. These But the crisis must come before they could 
I knew not how to begin, rough seaman were all stuffed out into shape, and topped arrive on the stage. I sprang on deck again, 
that I was, to break the sad intelligence to with hats or caps. I disposed them in the seized a boarding-knife, a terrible, two-edged 
her, but I found it necessary to speak; she most natural positions about the decks in weapon, which would be far more effective 
had already guessed the truth, in part, and the various parts of the ship, so as to give at close quarters than any firearms, and 
a single look in my face was sufficient for the whole the most lively appearance. look mv stand on the fore hatches, where I 
her quick comprehension to take in t he rest. 
After the first burst of grief, which 1 suf¬ 
fered her to indulge unchecked, she became 
calm, wonderfully so, and was prepared to 
look the matter squarely in the face with a 
coolness and resolution far beyond her years. 
With the morning light came the necessi¬ 
ty for effort, and a sense of responsibility 
new and strange to me. I sounded the well 
the whole the most lively appearance. 
I loaded all the firearms we had on board, 
which amounted to only three muskets; and 
then went aloft, to loose the mainsail, which 
had never been set since the gain in which 
the crew were swept overboard. I had felt 
unable, alone, to control such an immense 
sheet of canvas. But I must have it ready 
for use now, in case I should want to give 
the vessel more headway. 
arrive on the stage. I sprang on deck again, 
seized a boarding-knife, a terrible, two-edged 
weapon, w hich would lie lar more effective 
at close quarters than any firearms, and 
took my stand on the fore hatches, where 1 
could jump quickly to either side. The 
bulwarks, as before said, had been nearly all 
swept away by the sea that hoarded us. But 
this circumstance was as much in my favor 
us in that of the pursuers. 1 watched the 
approach of two canoes; both were nearly 
abreast the forechains, one on each side. It 
seemed that they would both attack at the 
I same instant. If so, I might be overwhelmed 
side, and lining thrown adrift on the re¬ 
bound. But while l was observing this, the 
other, on the starboard side, had secured a 
firm hold, and two grinning warriors had 
made good their footing on the plankshear. 
A rush, with the thought that 1 was striking 
for my own life and that, of the child’s; a 
single sweep of the keen boarding-knife, and 
the two mangled barbarians fell backward 
upon their comrades. 1 w as clear of that 
crew by a single cut dividing their warp of 
cocoanut cordage. I received a wound in 
the side from a spear thrown at me — a 
ragged cut by a scries of shark’s teeth — but 
I hardly felt it then. 
Meanwhile the brave little girl had stood 
at the held, steering the ship as well as I 
could have done it myself, and carefully 
noting my orders, convoyed to her by a 
wave of my hand. There were still two 
more canoes ahead ; but 1 led one of them 
into a trap by directing Jessie to make a 
broad yaw, and then suddenly bringing the 
ship back to her former course. Taken by 
surprise, lie had no time to get clear from 
under our boys. The canoe was crushed 
mid sunk instantly, though it was quite im¬ 
possible to drown her amphibious navigators. 
Her consort kept out of roach, and fell in 
abeam of us at a safe distance, not daring to 
make an attack unsupported. 
I felt now comparatively sate; for, al¬ 
though all the cauoes astern were steadily 
gaining upon us, they must approach us at 
a great disadvantage, and besides, they had 
lost confidence and prestige; for, Villi sav¬ 
ages, the first surprise is everything. I 
could now take my stand aft, near my little 
companion, and could use firearms with de¬ 
liberation. 
But while doing so with deadly effect upon 
the man whom 1 supposed to bo high chief, 
as before mentioned, I was startled by a cry 
from Jessie; and turning, beheld the shocky 
head of a stulward savage rising into view 
on the other quarter. He had poised his 
spear for the act of darting at me, when, 
quick as thought, the little girl, who Jet go 
the helm, slung a billet of wood directly in 
bis face. He was thrown off his balance 
and fell backward, while the spear dropped 
harmlessly on the deck. I was on the spot 
before another man could crawl up, and the 
danger was over. The breeze was freshen¬ 
ing a little, and the two boats were now 
plainly in view, and fast nearing us. I di¬ 
rected Jessie to keep a little more off so as 
to bead directly for them; for 1 bad more 
sea room now, and felt, that I could afford to 
laugh at the whole blood-thirsty pack, who, 
now in full cry, were hovering in our wake. 
The warps of the two fully manned whale 
boats were skillfully thrown up to me, and 
with those twelve resolute seamen on her 
deck, the Warsaw might bid defiance to any 
number of piratical canoes. The topsails 
were hoisted at once, and everything trim¬ 
med. We closed rapidly with the other 
ship, and I soon hud the pleasure of shaking 
by the hand my former shipmate, Bay lies, 
now in command of the Calypso, and of 
presenting my heroic little Lieutenant, Jessie. 
A gang of men were spared sufficient to 
work the Warsaw, and together the two 
ships bore away for Sydney. Here the dam¬ 
ages were repaired, a crew shipped, and the 
Cousul put me in charge of her to take hex- 
home. 
The little Scotch girl, thus left upon the 
world, became a member of our family. My 
mother and Maria would have assented to 
any arrangement, if I had suggested it; but 
their whole hearts were enlisted in the or- 
phmi’s welfare, when they learned the whole 
story of the adventure which she had shared 
with me. The small sum of money found 
among her father's effects was carefully ap¬ 
plied toward her clothing and education; 
and bidding her a tender farewell, 1 left her 
to follow my profession. 
1 made two long voyages after this, and at 
each-return I found Jessie all that the fond¬ 
est and most careful guardian could desire. 
In all respects she was equal, and in some 
superior, to my sister, and, had they been 
twins, they could not have loved eacli other 
better. 
the various letters received; and, of course, 
1 admired her independent spirit, 
1 kept pondering the matter till it formed 
the chief subject of my thoughts through 
many a long night watch. I did not know 
Of any other woman whom I could love so 
well—I was only thirty-three, even though l 
had been a. bearded second mate when she 
was a wee sprite of a child. After all, the 
disjfluity of age was not so very great. 
She lmd developed into a beautiful woman 
when we next met. She was evidently as 
fond of me as ever, for the tears came into 
her eyes at sight of me. But she did not, of 
course, rush into my arms and kiss mo willi 
the old childish abandon. All of which was 
natural enough, when I caroo to consider 
upon it. 
I took occasion, very soon after my ar¬ 
rival, to speak to my sister, alone, about 
Jessie. I think I asked if she had any 
suitor. And perhaps I was transparent 
enough to betray the interest 1 fell in Maria's 
answer. At any rate she looked at me very 
roguishly. 
“ No,” said she, “ none that I know of. I 
wish she might have— that is, im accepted 
or an acceptable one. I didn’t mean to say 
that no suitors had applied — only that she 
had none now.” 
“Is she ho very hard to suit, then?” 1 
asked. 
“Very,” said Maria. “Yet I think I 
know a man whom she would not refuse.” 
“ Indeed ? Who is the favored one ? ” 
) “ You are the last person that ought to 
ask the question. Go look in the glass,” 
she added, as she rose to leave me. 
“ But I am too old, Maria.” This in spite 
of having long ago argued myself into the 
belief that 1 was not. 
“ Too old to look in the glass, do you 
mean ?" asked my sister, innocently. “Sho 
doesn’t think so,” mischievously, again. 
“Stay!” said 1, detaining her, and be¬ 
coming very imperative and serious all at 
once. “ I am your brother, Maria; do not 
jest or trifle with my feelings.” 
“Not for worlds!" sho returned, even 
more seriously than 1 myself had spoken. 
“ Neither with yours nor with hers, lor is 
she not as my twin sister? " 
“But how do you know all this? ” 
“Oh, the unreasonable inquisitiveness of 
man ! To ask a woman bow she knows in 
a case like, this! There, let me go now. 
But/’ added the girl, turning back and 
striking a tragic attitude, “ thou cansl not 
say I did it!” 
Of course I couldn’t; but I thought I 
might do it myself, on this Hint. And I 
think 1 was hardly happier myself than 
wei'o Maria and our mother when they 
learned that Jessie and I were to sail the 
voyage of life together. She doesn’t know, 
any better than 1 do on the other hand, at 
what particular time she found out she 
loved her old guardian. But we both agree 
that it is of no great consequence. 
- +++ - 
SANDWICHES. 
When is a fowl’s neck like a bell ? When 
it is wrung for dinner. 
A ra.y that always lights up a woman’s 
despair—Rai-iuent. 
Society is said to be nothing but a mix¬ 
ture of mister-ies and iniss-eries. 
Why is the figure nine like a peacock ? 
Because it’s nothing without it’s tail. 
In pocket-picking, as in almost everything 
else, a man never succeeds until he gels his 
hand in. 
“ On, Emma, don’t laugh so hard,” said a 
younger sister of five years, “ you’ll break a 
blood steamer!” 
There is nothing better for the health 
than fresh laughter, but it is seldom pro¬ 
duced by stale jokes. 
It is said that everything finds its proper 
element, hut when a man drinks like a fish 
lie seldom takes to water. 
“ Didn't you guarantee, sii-, that this 
horse would riot shy before the fire of an 
enemy?” “No more he won’t. ’Tisn’t till 
after the fire that he shies.” 
