Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-10-07
The Fire-SIlip.

The Fire Ship is part oftho creed Of
Block Islander, and (the truth is to be
acknowledged there is something very
odd about her. Others than Islanders have
believed in it DR. Mitchell once visited the
island Tor the sake of examining and r,,-
porting on the appartion, and if | mistake
not did so and his account is published
in the transactions of some Society In
New York.
Some seventy years ago ship appeared
in the oning Of Block Island Il give the
story now as heard ii first. 1t has a varie-
ty of shades as all such Legends have, and
is told in fifty ways) She was a noble
vessel ofwar with sky scrapers sci, and the
islanders watched her till she disappeared
in the gloom of night. She was then
but a few miles distant, hove to, the wind
blowing fresh from the west As night
.thickened, they saw her lights cleaning
on the water, but before midnight all
was dark. save one bright light in her
rigging.
An Islander sat on the beach watching
that light. lie heard a voice, at that dis
tance, and the shrill whistle of the boat
swain, but even as he heard it a dark
cloud swept with the sea wind across the
horizon, and dense mist, hid the light
from his view. Fifteen minutes might
have passed and again the light was visi-
bic. At the instant that his eye caught
it a sheet of flame rose from the deck Of
the vessel and every spar and rope cleaned
against the cloud. In moment the
watcher started from the beach and alarm.
ed the inhabitants, and they gathered on
the shore aud watched the flames as they
eaped along the spars Of the noble ship.
A half hour passed, aud no boat left the
land to assist the crew of the blrning
vessel, but doubtless they had by THIS
time taken to their boats. The wind had
entirely lulled, and when the tall thin
spire of flame caught the sail which had
been fluuerlng on the main royal, there
was not air enough moving to break Off the
spar, but II turned to thin line of fire.
and then crumbied and fell in a shower of
Goals. At this moment the eye of all
islander saw strange commotion in the
clouds which were lit up by the blaze of
the burning ship, and beyond her, out of
The oiing, the foam leaped from crests of
the waves showing that squall was com-
ing.
On 1t came, tearing up the sea before IL,
the clouds into all fantastic
shapes, and driving the spray like a white
wall OF water on, on, I'LL they reached the
blazing ship. Away to leeward flew flakes
Of fire and streams of fame and burning
rigging and bright cleaning spars. An
instant the gallant vessels staggered and
bowed to the tempest, then flew like FIRE
bird swiftly towards the shore II was
a fearful sight, that mass Of fire and fame
over the ocean. An awe fell on
1l that saw t,and the watchers on the surf
beaten shore sat silently side by side fixing
heir ailrighteued gaze on the phantom
ike ship that swept shore ward IN such
array. No thought now ofthc
spoils of the wreck. No thought now of
he lives of the gallant men, no thought
Of anything but that frghtiul vision that
seemed 10 he a curse of God, a bolt from
bis hand flying OH toward the Island.
Five, ten minutes might she have been
playing thus before the gale and had nearcd
he Island within bat short distance,
when suddenly she stopped, or seemed to
top in her wild flight. There was n
lash, binding and fierce as the lightning
II heaven, a thousand brilliant spars and
burning tmbers filed the air. and deep
darkness, the very blackncss of darkness,
settled Oh the sea. Ten times had the
leart Of The watcher on the rock sent the
blood through his trembling body, when
sound come over the sea that shook tho
Island as il never sock in the surf thunder
From that day to this the Block Islanders
rave believed that they sec the spectral fire
hip in stormy nights, and that its com
ng ioretells sone disaster. - Corr Jour. ~
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