A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder | Page 4

seen and
drawn forth. Melick drew them forth, and the contents of the mysterious copper cylinder
resolved themselves into two packages.
The sight of these packages only served to intensify their curiosity. If it had been some
species of food it would at once have revealed itself, but these packages suggested
something more important. What could they be? Were there treasures inside--jewels, or
golden ornaments from some Moorish seraglio, or strange coin from far Cathay?
One of the packages was very much larger than the other. It was enclosed in wrappers
made of some coarse kind of felt, bound tight with strong cords. The other was much
smaller, and, was folded in the same material without being bound. This Melick seized
and began to open.
"Wait a minute," said Featherstone. "Let's make a bet on it. Five guineas that it's some
sort of jewels!"
"Done," said Oxenden.
Melick opened the package, and it was seen that Featherstone had lost. There were no
jewels, but one or two sheets of something that looked like paper. It was not paper,
however, but some vegetable product which was used for the same purpose. The surface
was smooth, but the color was dingy, and the lines of the vegetable fibres were plainly
discernible. These sheets were covered with writing.
"Halloa!" cried Melick. "Why, this is English!"
At this the others crowded around to look on, and Featherstone in his excitement forgot
that he had lost his bet. There were three sheets, all covered with writing--one in English,
another in French, and a third in German. It was the same message, written in these three
different languages. But at that moment they scarcely noticed this. All that they saw was
the message itself, with its mysterious meaning.
It was as follows:
"To the finder of this:
"Sir,--I am an Englishman, and have been carried by a series of incredible events to a
land from which escape is as impossible as from the grave. I have written this and
committed it to the sea, in the hope that the ocean currents may bear it within the reach of

civilized man. Oh, unknown friend! whoever you are. I entreat you to let this message be
made known in some way to my father, Henry More, Keswick, Cumberland, England, so
that he may learn the fate of his son. The MS. accompanying this contains an account of
my adventures, which I should like to have forwarded to him. Do this for the sake of that
mercy which you may one day wish to have shown to yourself.
"ADAM MORE."
"By Jove!" cried Featherstone, as he read the above, "this is really getting to be
something tremendous."
"This other package must be the manuscript," said Oxenden, "and it'll tell all about it."
"Such a manuscript'll be better than meat," said the doctor, sententiously.
Melick said nothing, but, opening his knife, he cut the cords and unfolded the wrapper.
He saw a great collection of leaves, just like those of the letter, of some vegetable
substance, smooth as paper, and covered with writing.
"It looks like Egyptian papyrus," said the doctor. "That was the common paper of
antiquity."
"Never mind the Egyptian papyrus," said Featherstone, in feverish curiosity. "Let's have
the contents of the manuscript. You, Melick, read; you're the most energetic of the lot,
and when you're tired the rest of us will take turns."
"Read? Why, it'll take a month to read all this," said Melick.
"All the better," said Featherstone; "this calm will probably last a month, and we shall
have nothing to interest us."
Melick made no further objection. He was as excited as the rest, and so he began the
reading of the manuscript.



CHAPTER II
ADRIFT IN THE ANTARCTIC OCEAN
My name is Adam More. I am the son of Henry More, apothecary, Keswick, Cumberland.
I was mate of the ship Trevelyan (Bennet, master), which was chartered by the British
Government to convey convicts to Van Dieman's Land. This was in 1843. We made our
voyage without any casualty, landed our convicts in Hobart Town, and then set forth on

our return home. It was the 17th of December when we left. From the first adverse winds
prevailed, and in order to make any progress we were obliged to keep well to the south.
At length, on the 6th of January, we sighted Desolation Island. We found it, indeed, a
desolate spot. In its vicinity we saw a multitude of smaller islands, perhaps a thousand in
number, which made navigation difficult, and forced us to hurry away as fast as possible.
But the aspect of this dreary spot was of itself enough to repel us. There were no trees,
and the multitude of islands seemed like moss-covered rocks; while the temperature,
though in