Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-09-15

tina, he kept it TO help himself 10 salt water
when he was dry This adventure fixed IN the
minds Of the sailors an obstinate opinion that
Morgan was either a dead man come 10 lie
again. or one that was no, very easy TO be killed
After this Morgan continued his MYSTERIOUS
nrapks. the sailors talked and wondered, and
Captain R-punished him, until the squad
ron were within TWO or three days sail OF Glib
raltar, admitting the wind continued TAR as
it then was Morgan had been punished
pretty severely that morning for star gaze
ing and falling into swoon on his wateh
the nigh, before, and had solemnly assured his
mess mates that he intended ,Ojump overooaro
and drown himself the 6,s, opportunity lie
made his will, dressed himself in his best, and
settled all his affairs He also replenished his
tobacco box. put his allowance Of biscuit in his
pocket, and filled small can,een with wafer,
which he strung about his neck, saving mat per-
haps he nigh, take i, into his head to live Gay
or Two in the water before he finally went TO the
bottom.
Between twelve and one the vessel being De
c aimed, the night clear star light, the sentineis
pacing their rounds, Morgan was dislnt ny
seen to come up through the ha'ch"ay' wax
forward, climb the bulwark. and let h'mseii
drop into the sea. A midshi2man and .wo
seamen testified TO the facts; and Morgan be-
ing missing the next morning, there was no
doub! Of his having committed suicide bydrown'
inc himsel This affair oecasioned much talk,
and various were The opinions OF the ships ere"
on the subject Some swore it was one Davy
Jones who bad been playing his pranks-oth>
.rs that it was no man, but ghost or devi'
that had gol amongst ihem-and others were
ia daily expectation Of seeing him come on
board again. as much alive as ever he was.
In the mean time, the squadron proceeded
but slowly, being detained several days by
cams and head winds, mos OF which were IN
some wsv or other laid 20 Billy Morgan by the
gallant ,ars, who feay nothing bu' Fridays anc
men wirhout leads. Hi. fate gradually however
ceased 10 be subjtc Of discussion,a and the won
der was quickly passing away, when one night,
abou, week after his jumping overheard, the
figure OF Morgan, all pale and ghas'ly, his clothes
hanging wet about him-with eyes'morc sunk,
en-, hair more upright, and face more thin and
cadaverous than ever, was seen by one OF his
messmstes who happened TO be lying awake, 10
emerge slowly from the fore par of the ship,
approach one OF the tables where there was a
can of Water from which he took hearty
drausht and disappeared in the direction
whence il came. The sailor told the story next
morning, but as vet very Few believed him.
The next nigh! the same figure appeared, and
was seen by different person from him by
whom il was irsi observed. 1t came from The
same quar,er again helped itself to drink ant
disappear e6 in the same direction il had done
before. The story Of Morgan's ghost, in the
course Of a day Or two, came 10 the ears OF
cap ain R, VINO caused search to be made
in that part &C the vessel whence the ghost had
come, under the impre ssion that The jumping
overheard of Morgan had been deception, and
tina, lie was now sec,eied or board the sh p
The search ended however without any discos :
cry The Gains and head winds still continued,
and no. one sailor on board but ascEibed the m
to Billy Morgans influence. The ghos, made
its appearance the following night, after tie
search, when il was seen, by another Of Nor
gan's messmaies, TO empty his tobacco box,
seize some of the fragments Of supper which
had been accidentally left on the table, with
which it again vanished in the manner before
described. The sailor swore that when the
ghos made free with his tobacco box, he at
tempted TO lay hold OF him, but felt nothing
in his hand, but something exactly like cold
water.
Captain R was excessively provoked a.,
these stories, and caused another and still more
thorough search to be made, but without any
discovery. He then direc ed young midship,
man to keep watcn between decks. That night
the ghost again made its appearance, AID the
courageous young officer sailed GU, Il pom it |;
but the figure dared away with uncomfortable
velocity, an disappeared. The midshipman,
as directed, Immediately informed captain r.
who Instituted an immediate search, but with
as little success as b. fore By this time there
was not sailor on board that YVES not afraid of
his own shadow, and even the officers began 10
be infected with Superstitious dread. At
length the squadron arrived at Gibraltar, and
came to in he bay Of AIge.iras, where the ships
remained some days waiting the arrival of those
they had come 10 relieve. About the usual
hour that night, the gbost Of Billy Morgan a
gain appeared TO one Of his messmates, offered
him It's hand, and saying Coco bye Tom,"
disaD peared as usual
twas fortnight or more before the relief
squadron sailed up the Me6i,erran an, during
which time the crews Of he ships were permit.