THE STORY OF A STOWAWAY.

Kumara Times, Issue 1669, 3 February 1882, Page 2

THE STORY OF A STOWAWAY.

Come, my lad, and sit beside me; we' have often talked before Of the hurricane and tempest, and the storms on sea and shore ; When we read of deeds of daring, done for good old England’s sake, We have cited Nelson’s duty, and the enterprise of Drake ; Midst the fever’d din of battle, roll of drum, and scream of fife, Heroes pass in long procession, calmly yielding up their life, Pomps and pageants have their glory ; in cathedral aisles are seen Marble effigies; but seldom of the mercantile marine. If your playmates love adventure, bid them gather round at school Whilst you tell them of a hero, Captain Strachan, of Liverpool. Spite of storm and stress of weather, in a gale that lash’d the land, On the Cyprian screw steamer, there the captain took his stand. He was no fair weather sailor, and he often made the boast That the ocean safer sheltered than the wild Carnarvon coast. He’d a good ship underneath him, and a crew of English form, So he sailed from out the Mersey in the hurricane and storm. All the luck was dead against him—with the tempest at its height, Fires expired, and rudders parted, in the middle of the night Sails were torn and rent asunder. Then he spoke with bated breath : “Save yourselves, my gallant fellows ! we are drifting to our death I” Then they looked at one another, and they felt the awful shock, When, with louder crash than tempest, they were dashed upon a rock. All was over now and hopeless; but across those miles of foam They could hear the shouts of people, and could see the lights of home. “All is over!” screamed the captain, “ You have answered duty’s call;

Save yourselves I I cannot help you 1 Go<i have mercy on Us all 1” So they rushed about like, madme’h, ing belt, and oar, and rope— For the sailor knows where life is, there'4 the faiiitest ray of hope; Then, amidst the wild confusion at the dreaded dawn of day, Frdni the hold of that doomed vessel', crept a wretched stowaway. Who shall tell file Maddened story 6f this miserable lad 1 Was it wild adventure, Stiffed him, wai he going to tlie bid * Was he thief, of bully’s victim- of a runaway from school, , Wheii lie stole that fatal passage froni the port of Liverpool ? tfo orie Iddked at Him-, dr kicked him} midst the paralysing roar, All alofae he felt the danger, ind he Saw the distant shore; Over wentthe gallant fellows, when the Ship Was breaking fast; And the Captain with his lifebelt—he pre : pared to follow last; But he saw a boy neglected, with a face of ashy grey: “ Who.are you 1” roared out the daptain} “ I’m the boy what stow’d away.” There was scarce another second left td ... think what he cduld do', For the fatal ship was sinking—death was ready for the two. So the captain called the .outcast, as he faced the tempeSt wild, From his own waist took the lifebelt—and he bound it round the child; “ I can swim, my little fellow ! Take the belt, and make for land; Up* and save youfself The outcast humbly knelt to kiss his hand. With the lifebelt round his body then the urchin cleared the ship ; Over went the galkrit captain, with a blessing on his lip. But the hurricane howled louder than it ever howled before, As the captain and the stowaway Were making for the shor'd; Wlietl you tell this gallant story to your playfellows at sdhool, They will ask you of the herd— Strachan, of Liverpool. You must answer—They discovered, on the beach at break of day, Safe—the battered, breathing body of the little stowaWay \ And they watched the wave's of Wreckage; and they searched the cruel shore, ° But the man who tried to save the littld outcast—was no more. When they speak of English heroes, tell this story where you can, To the everlasting credit of the bravery of man, Tell it out in tones of triumph,- of with tears and quickened breath, “Manhood’s stronger far than storms; and Love is mightier than -Death !”