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Article THE MYSTERIOUS MR. B. ← Page 2 of 6 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mysterious Mr. B.
donee stretched out its protecting arm . At this period I was perfectly able to manage a boat , and Avas generally deemed and aeknoivledged by my playmates as " the captain . " One morning five of us embarked in my foster father ' s boat , with the full determination of getting out to sea , and having the pleasure of what we designated the benefit of a " rough cradle . " There Avas plenty of wind , it Avas admirably in keeping Avith our expressed objectfor Ave did not consider ourselves
fresh-, water sailors . It Avas seven o ' clock AA'hen Ave started ; the morning mist had hardly disappeared , ancl Ave proceeded to a considerable distance before Ave diseoA-ered some very ugly looking clouds that portended a storm . Still we Avere not daunted by the appearance , Ave Avere brave spirits , ancl our clothing AA'as of that description as not to lay us under any apprehension of its being spoiled . So on Ave pulled through the hazeleav . ng the land many miles behind us . At last the
, breezes began to be felt , ancl the ocean began casting around us a thick vapour , not unlike a fall of SIIOAV , till at last we were so completely surrounded with the mist , that it Avas darkness visible . Our situation now became alarming ; we began to reflect on the consequences of oviv foolish rashness ; Ave Avere quite at a loss Avhich Avay to pursue , having , as I have mentioned before , lost si ght of the land for a considerable periodand it Avas quite out of our poiver to judge or decide which Avas
, the direct course home . The ivind rose to a great height ; our boat , luckily , Avas not formed for pleasant pastime , —it had seen and Avas made for good service , ancl Avas quite capable of bearing the rude embraces of the Avatery gods . We toiled on ancl on for several hours AA'ith apparently but little effect ; Ave had unfortunately no provision to support our exhausted frames , and I may safely say , Ave were all iii
purgatory . To add to the unpleasantness of our critical situation , the rain descended in torrents , there Avas not a dry thread amongst us . What would Ave have given at this time fo have been safely housed at home ; Ave almost resolved never to be so adventurous again . At about mid-day the mist began to disappear , and at last the rays of the sun made their appearance . This Avas a beacon , it perhaps snatched us , bthe goodness of Providencefrom destruction . We forgot in the
y , moment of joy our hunger and our natural fears , for lA'hat can be more desolate or dreadful than the thought of having your grave a thousand fathoms deep . After tivo hours liard labour ive neared the land , and by good fortune hailed my foster father , Avho being extremely alarmed for our safety , had taken a boat and made out to sea in order to save us from a AVatery grave .
In the year 1785 , a serious misfortune happened to me in the loss of Dame Anderton , AVIIO Avas seized ancl soon sunk under the direful effects of typhus fever ; the regret Avhich I felt at that moment has never left me . I have unfortunately never since met Avith any individual AVIIO has evinced towards me that kind and heartfelt affection which invariabl y marked her behaviour towards her adopted son . Another event of a most important nature occurred at this moment , which at
once changed my position in the ivorld , —a shock at the instant unbearable , —the alloAvance for my keeping , Avhich up to this period had been regularly transmitted through the country banker ' s bauds , was stopped . Enquiry upon enquiry ivas made with hopeless effect ; the cold and to us unfeeling answer Was , " no remittance had been made ; " neither could they give us any clue or enable us to trace the party who had for so long a period forwarded the cash . My foster father Avas naturall y VOL . ir . -2 v
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Mysterious Mr. B.
donee stretched out its protecting arm . At this period I was perfectly able to manage a boat , and Avas generally deemed and aeknoivledged by my playmates as " the captain . " One morning five of us embarked in my foster father ' s boat , with the full determination of getting out to sea , and having the pleasure of what we designated the benefit of a " rough cradle . " There Avas plenty of wind , it Avas admirably in keeping Avith our expressed objectfor Ave did not consider ourselves
fresh-, water sailors . It Avas seven o ' clock AA'hen Ave started ; the morning mist had hardly disappeared , ancl Ave proceeded to a considerable distance before Ave diseoA-ered some very ugly looking clouds that portended a storm . Still we Avere not daunted by the appearance , Ave Avere brave spirits , ancl our clothing AA'as of that description as not to lay us under any apprehension of its being spoiled . So on Ave pulled through the hazeleav . ng the land many miles behind us . At last the
, breezes began to be felt , ancl the ocean began casting around us a thick vapour , not unlike a fall of SIIOAV , till at last we were so completely surrounded with the mist , that it Avas darkness visible . Our situation now became alarming ; we began to reflect on the consequences of oviv foolish rashness ; Ave Avere quite at a loss Avhich Avay to pursue , having , as I have mentioned before , lost si ght of the land for a considerable periodand it Avas quite out of our poiver to judge or decide which Avas
, the direct course home . The ivind rose to a great height ; our boat , luckily , Avas not formed for pleasant pastime , —it had seen and Avas made for good service , ancl Avas quite capable of bearing the rude embraces of the Avatery gods . We toiled on ancl on for several hours AA'ith apparently but little effect ; Ave had unfortunately no provision to support our exhausted frames , and I may safely say , Ave were all iii
purgatory . To add to the unpleasantness of our critical situation , the rain descended in torrents , there Avas not a dry thread amongst us . What would Ave have given at this time fo have been safely housed at home ; Ave almost resolved never to be so adventurous again . At about mid-day the mist began to disappear , and at last the rays of the sun made their appearance . This Avas a beacon , it perhaps snatched us , bthe goodness of Providencefrom destruction . We forgot in the
y , moment of joy our hunger and our natural fears , for lA'hat can be more desolate or dreadful than the thought of having your grave a thousand fathoms deep . After tivo hours liard labour ive neared the land , and by good fortune hailed my foster father , Avho being extremely alarmed for our safety , had taken a boat and made out to sea in order to save us from a AVatery grave .
In the year 1785 , a serious misfortune happened to me in the loss of Dame Anderton , AVIIO Avas seized ancl soon sunk under the direful effects of typhus fever ; the regret Avhich I felt at that moment has never left me . I have unfortunately never since met Avith any individual AVIIO has evinced towards me that kind and heartfelt affection which invariabl y marked her behaviour towards her adopted son . Another event of a most important nature occurred at this moment , which at
once changed my position in the ivorld , —a shock at the instant unbearable , —the alloAvance for my keeping , Avhich up to this period had been regularly transmitted through the country banker ' s bauds , was stopped . Enquiry upon enquiry ivas made with hopeless effect ; the cold and to us unfeeling answer Was , " no remittance had been made ; " neither could they give us any clue or enable us to trace the party who had for so long a period forwarded the cash . My foster father Avas naturall y VOL . ir . -2 v