Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-05-05
MISCELLANY.
TIE sPECTRE-FIRE SEER.

THE facts in the following sketch
were communicated to the father of the
writer by the late DIR. Noah Stone, of
Oxford, Conn, (whO was native of East
GuilfOrd,l to whom in turn they were
narrated by an eyewitness of the whole
affair.
The year 17-,just previous TO the
war of the American Revolution, was
remarkable ON several accounts; but
more particlarly by reason of the unus-
ual number of atmospheric and meteor
ic phenomena of that season. Among
other strange visitors in the heavens, a
great comet came wheeling and blazing
through the skies, exciting the super
stitiOus dread of the people, who be-
ieVe these eccentric fiery bodies, almost
literally, to be shaking from their nor.
rid hair pestilence aud war. These
gloomy apprehensiOns were moreover
increased by the unexampled extent and
brilliancy of the aurora borealis, which
on one occasion streamed In immense
sheets of flame almost over the whole
expanse of the heavens, red and lurid,
like an Unreasonable scroll OF blood
There we're also other phenomena, more
startling still. Fiery steeds, helmeted
warriors, and hosts of prancing cavalry
had been engaged In fierce conflict Ia
the air These and other pOrtents pre-
scented 60 the diseased imagnatiOns of
men the most gloomy apprehensiOns of
direful things to come.
II was during this eventful year that
the circumstances detailed in the fol-
lowing narrative occurred, within the
knowledge and observation o. the worthy
old seaman whom We introduce %
our reader. His name has nothing of
romantic bl1ZonTy to recommend it. IL
was plain Samuel HOyt, "a veritlble per
sOnage, of whom a few persons yet liv
ing In the vicinity of GuiliOrd Neck, IN
Connecticut, retain a fresh and cher
ished remembrance.
He was at the time referred to, sail
or on board of the brig Dove, bound to
st. Bartholomew; but was subsequ-
emily promoted to the command of the
ship. The Dove began her voyage with
prosperous gales. But on the eighth
day from port the weather became
rough and temptestuOus. The succeed
ing night was dark as Erebus;and about
one o'clock on the following morning
their vessel was suddenly, as the nau-
teal phrase, capsized by a squall. The
captain and crew succeeded In clinging
to the vessel, which was tight-buiit, I'M
til morning; the waves breaking over
them with great violence. As soon as
it was light, the wreck was cleared of
the masts and rigging, and other en-
cumbranceS, but, to resume nautical
phraseolOgy, ''she did not right"
All the boats, save one, which had
prOYidentially been lashed on the wind
ward side, had been carried away. 1t
was soon found impossible to remain
upon the wreck, aud they were unable
to reach that part OF it IN which their
provisions were stored. The only course,
therefore, was 10 rig a sail upon the lit
tie boat, and commit themselves TO the
mercy OF the great deep, without prOvi-
siOns, without water, being able to pro-
cure nothing for sustenanee butasmall
key of rum which had tlOated from the
cabin.
The crew Of the Dove was originally
small; but it WAS now reduced TO three
persons, exclusive of the captaiu,) of
whom HOyt was one. For three days
the storm continued with undated
violence, neither sun, moon, nor stars
appearing. Their oars were broken,
and the breaking of the waves over their
skiff required their constant efforts,
night and day, in bailing IL free of wa
ter. On the sixth day the clouds broke
away, and the sun shOne forth in his full
splendor;-but as yet not a glimpse of
sail had been discerned. The hands
were all disabled from further exertiOn,
save one, and he was almost too feeble
to steer the boat. Indeed every hope
of deliverance seemed now to be ex-
tinguished. The helmsman himself was
sinking In exhaustion and despair, when
he was aroused from his melancholy re-
verie by the cry of "a bOatI boatP'-
He had Just strength enough to rise
and, we will not attempt to describe the
Joy with which he beheld ship neal
by, In the act of hauling up her courses
to bear down to their rescue. ''Keep
mp courage, my heaTties," exclaimed q
voice of true sailor-like benevolence, as
the ship ran past the boat, throwing ont
rOpa, which the poor sailors had not
strength enough to retain. ''We vii
soon have you on board. = .-,...
The day of their rescue was Monday.
Young HOyt was not in situation Il
note particularly tho circumstances on
first coming on board the ship, which
prOyed Is be the EIdoradO of Newbury
port; but he thought there was some
thing peculiar in the looks and apparen
moodiness of the captain, whose nam,
was Warner. rE ~ q.
'fWhat wOuld have become of yen.
he inquired rather sternly, '.if it ha'
not been for me?" '-
eve should all have been in eternit!
before another day" was the reply.
WhereupOn the captain turned away
and descended into the cabin, and wa
not seen again until the following Sab
bath. He was a stout, pOrtly, square
built man, of compact, muscula
frame, and joints firmly knitted tOgeth
er. His head was black, slightly griz
zled with silvery hairs; his eyes like JET
though their natural briIiiancy was some
what abated by the deep anelanchOl
which hung upon his heavy brow; an,
his complexion, originally dark, hal
been bronzed by exposure to the wealth
,er and climate of the West India seas
His compressed lips indicated firmnes
and resolution sufficient for the prosecu
ton of any, even the most peTilous en-
terprise. He was a man of whom, 3
was afterwards reported, many vii
stories had been told; and bis whole az
pearance and manner would have led a