The native American., 1837-09-23
From the New York SIM

Peter Heaman, Swede who was executed for
piracy and murder at Leith in 1921 gave the follow
ing anecdoe in confession made after SENTENCE
"one day as we mended very thin sail, after laying
1t upon the deck in folds took the tar-brush, and
tarred it in the place where thought it needed 10
be strengthened. When we hoisted it up | was as-
tonshed TO see that the tar had put upon il represent.
ed q gallows, aad man under it without head The
head was lying beside him. He was complete, BODY
thighs. legs, arms, and in every shape like man.
Now ofeniimes made remarks npon it. and repeated
them to the others. | always said to them ali, you
may depend npon it that something will happen.
afterwards took down the sail Upon calm day, and
seWed piece OF canvass over the figure to cover it,
Tor lcoud not bear to have it always before nv eyes, "
This Is OF class of optical deceptons which is
very common. All who have set before waning fire
or have atientvelv watched sunsetclo,ds or the out
lines OF moonlig ht landscape, or who have recned
upon the grass and looked at fanfastica old mossy
iree can recoect the various shapes into which fancy
has conlured the decaying embers, the conds the
distant trees, and the irregular moss and bark. We
have seen portraits the coals-hre ted elephants in
the sunset, giants in the trees and all manner of de-
vices scraggy limb. The poor Swede's conscience.
assisted IN deceiving his eyes ght as he doubtless
depended on sspendng from the end of the line before
he saw that gallows canvass
Sailors remarkably supefstious. We have
heard stories told upon the windass in night watch
which would pnt any cotere Of ghosbelieving women
Tar IN the back ground. One happen to remember.
~ was OF vessel whose cook could by persuasion
coixed on deck after dark. He was so 'mserabl e
when compelled to come mp, that officers and men a,
length iorebore out Of pity, TO him when all
hands were called. They were in the mood to be mel
cifu, for the vessel was haunted! Regularly as the
man at the helm called the half hour in the night the
bell was struck by mortal hand. A, first this was
little dsagreeable, but alter while it came to be
regarded rather convenience. and ths services oil
the correct time keeper much counted IN as
the duty Of any regular hand. Whoever the scepir.
represented there cheating he, she it. Tn,
eypedent Of emitting to call the bells when the glass
turned tried. Still the bell struck regularly
Finding that the ghost was determined TO strike th
half hour at any rate, il concluded useless {,
| try TO bother him. The man at the helm called thu
hour, and the ghost al the bell struck IL. the pas
sage out and the passage home. At length whei
within days sail If New York (sailos never omi
locaies) the cook jumped overheard one night, jus
at SHUTDOWN. The vessel was hove to. the boat lower
cd hut the cook could not be found Before the crew
had done wondering what he meant by drowning him
/ self, Il was cleverly dark The man at the helm caet
onn beP'-haf pact eight--but no supernatural hant
struck the response. The watch below, who had no
"urncd In" came up in wondcrment. All hand. stAy