Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-05-05

gazing through the telescope, his bosom
heaving with unutterable anguish. Dur
ing the day thephantom ship did not
approach rapidly, but was still dimly
seen In the horizon, lacking on and of
as before. Towards its close the sky
was again overcast and the weather grew
tempestuous; and with the approaching
twilight, the dreaded ship seemed TO
shoot along, and approach nearer, and
nearer, with astonishing rapidity. As
it became darker, moreover, the copper
light, called by the italian sailors the
corpiranti,f and, in the estimation of
seamen, the unerring precursor of tenn
pest and disaster, appeared playing
round the mast of the brig, TO the in
creased CONSERVATION of the hands; and
even the stout heart of the mate began
to fail him. The fear and the agony of
the captain increased every instant.
Before ten o'clock the mysterious ship
was seen to glide around the Eldora-
do, and the captain convulsively seized
his trumpet and hailed her-"Ahoy the
fire-shipr' applying it to his ear, and
carefully listening to catch the reply.
Apparently not receiving a response, he
again hailed with his trumpet-"Fire-
ship ahoyi" applying the instrument as
before, to gather the reply. Thenplac-
ing the trumpet to his mouth, with
great emotion, he entreated: go spare
me little longer! Pray spare me a little
longer" After listening moment, he
despondingly exclaimed: sob if l mus
be buffeted, must. Dropping the trum-
pet, he now attempted to spring over
the side of the ship, but he was seized
by the crew, and his purpose defeated.
By and by the Eldorado was hailed
from the strange vessel, which continu-
ed to hang around like spectre; and
the captain returned through the trum-
pet the words; "Aye,. aye, directly"
attempting with tremulous energy TO
disengage himself and leap into the
deep. ''Let up-my time has come! /
must CO." he exclaimed in terrible ac-
cents.
Meanwhile the agony of the captain
increased, and he wrung his hands con-
vulsively. he then made a short
prayer, and taking an elegant gold
watch from his pocket, called for the
mate. 1905 ~
''Here, Mr.. Seward" said he, 'take
this watch and remember the fate of its
owner" -f..t FL
The honest seaman declined the prof
fered gift, Il don't want your watch,
Capt. Warner; have one of my own. "
"Oh, take it, as the last relic of an
unhappy man.
A tear glistened in the eye of the sail
or.
CT hove I,,,t q ,,,.,roo,,G - ct,x- >, -.
tinued Capt. Warner, ''and may as well
leave it here"-at the same time laying
the watch upon the pinnacle.
The mate and crew kept a sharp watch
upon the captain, whose movements
caused them to fear another attempt to
plunge into the abyss of waters. But
ut this moment it now being past eleven
O'Clock at night, their attention was
startled by loud thunder crash, apd to |
their inexpressible horror, the shaduwy
vessel that had been chasing them, sud- |
denly blazed forth ship of entire flame, |
the reflection OF which cleaned fearful |
ly along the water. And the cry of !
''AhOyP ''Come on boar6l" was dis |
tinctly heard proceeding from the fire.
ship. The poor captain, now writhing |
with the most horrible contortions of |
body and countenance, replied as be- |
fore, and fiendish laugh was heard in |
the distance. 1t was now impossible to |
hold Capt. Warner longer upon deck,
and ii was determined TO confine him in |
hue cabin, into which he was thrust, and
the doors barred. One of the crew, a
vigilent and stout-hearted fellow, was
below to watch him. ~
The ire-ship now drew fearfully near.
The sea, lighted up by the reflection,
rolled and heaved ike an ocean of liq-
uid fire, kissing and flashing as the
pillows broke, and at every plunge of
the brig, while the imaginations of the
appalled, mariners pictured legions of
fiery serpents darting through the
burning pillows, rearing their scaly
crests and throwing off sparks of Iurid
flames. Noises of a frightful descrip-
ton, hoarse and discoTdant, also pro-
ceeded from the ship; the flame, by
which every spar was clearly defined,
now assuming blush hue. At length.
as the chropometer was on the point of
the hour of twelve, the same
grating, hideous voice, in tone of
stern import called-''The hour has ar
rived. Come on boardl"~ In an instant
was heard from the cabin-'I comei l
GOMEZ Then followed in a twinkling,
the crash of windows and a plash into
the water. In an instant, quick as the
glance, the fire-ship disap-
peared, leaving the EldCrado in the
gloom of that undistinguishable dark
ness which brooded over the waters. A
shrill, piercing cry followed the plunge
into the water which succeeded by
burst of harsh, discordant, diabolcal
laughter, nhngling in the wind as it
swept over the surge-and all was still
The cabin doors were unbarred with
trembling hands; but the captain was
not there. r
The man who had been stationed be-
low reported that he continued to walk
the cabin in great agony for a few min
utes, when he made the exclamation
just repeated, and turned suddenly
around, sprang from a surprising dis
lance through the cabin window, car
rying away the easement and all. Lights
were procured, and the boats LET down,
and every effort made to discover the
captain, but in vain. Though repeat
edly called, no sound was returned; and
the spectre fire-ship was seen no more.
The black clouds broke away soon af-
ter she disappeared. The sea was hush
ed, the moon arose, and its silver beams
began playing upon the crisped and
tossing pillows, now curling their foam
ing crests beneath a gentle breeze, and
now sparkling like a lake of liquid light.
The command of the brig now deYolv-
ed upon the mate, and after a long pass