The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1860-09-19
The spaniard's Ghost.

We had been four days out of New
York, when one night, as I was la
king my trick at the wheel, | heard a
voice, apparently in shrouds, cry, 10
stentorisn tones,
"Stand from under - And almost
mechanicly replied, in the usual
style:
Let go !"
But nothing came as I expecte,
and though looked up anxiously in
the shrouds, there was nothing there.
I glanced about the deck, and found
that was alone, with the exception
of the lookout on the bows. called
them aft-there were two of them
and asked them If they heard the call.
They had heard nothing, and seen
nothing, and slightly insinuated that
l mist have fallen asleep. I said
nothing further, but kept my own
counsel.
The next morning the story was
talked of among the crew, and they
all had their jokes about " our Dream
err" and one fellow in partic ular-
swarthy looking Spaniard, who car
ried the fires of evil nature in his eye,
and curses on his tongue-was loud
and long in his denunciations of what
he termed my cowardice.
The night following Dick Bouton
took the helm.
Dick had nerves of iron and sinews
of steel, and feared, he said, nothing
hnman or satanic.
The clock struck one.
Dick was leaning his head upon the
wheel, and had entirely forgotten me
and my adventure on the previous
night, when again that awful voice
hailed from the shrouds:
Stand from under -
Dick started forward like an arrow
from bow, and it was moment be-
fore he found presence of mind to ans
wer:
"Let gol''
Again nothing came ! Nothing
was heard
For ten nights in succession, at the
same hour, did that unearthly sound
ring through the air, making the
stoutest sailors quail and what was
most singular, the mysterious hail
could only be heard by the man at the
wheel.
At last We all grew fearful, and
some turned pale when the subject was
spoken of. None put bold face upon
the matter, but Antoine, the Span
lard. He laughed at the fears Of the
others, and defed Satan himself to
terrify him /; yet when it came his
turn to take the helm he refused TO
go; and several times, under pretence
of illness, he was excused from duty
But the captain finally got tired Of
these excuses, and ordered Antoine to
either do his duty in this respect, or
receive dozen lashes every night.
The span lard choose the former, and
that night he took his post Few of
the crew slept, for expectation and
alarm stretched our nerves upon the
rack.
As the hour approached every ear
and eye was strained to its utmost
tension and, as the clock struck one,
that terrible voice was s.gain heard :
Stand from under !"
(" Let go y screamed the Span
lard.
1t was answered by peal Of laugh
ter-and such Internal laughter, that
seemed like that of choir of fendi
sounding their bass n hell.
Ere the awful syn ,phony had ceased
there came a sudde crash upon deck
as If every spar b ad fallen. We al
rushed to the spot, and there lay |
cold, stiff, giganti : corpse !
'It was thrown. from the shrouds 7
exclaimed the 6,paniard and as h
spoke and locke d upon the ghostly OBJ
jeet, he grated his teeth like mad
man.
II know ] lim,'' he mnttered. :
When within an hours sail OF the Gu
ban coast, on. my last voyage, ! stabb
cd him to Il 40 heart, and lung hiI