Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-11-03

and sitting. Very naturally, such I'M
pleasant weather threw gloom ovel
the passengers. This time it even af
fected the crew, used as they were t.
such occurrences. The Mate said t.
the Captain that he felt as if something
was about to happen and could moi
shake off the foreboding. The Captain
laughed at the idea but somehow the
laugh had not the usual hearty ring.
The fog was not only unpleasant il
was dangerous. The ship was right in
the track of vessels to and from Ameri
ca, and it was not improbable that in
the impenetrable gloom collision might
occur. This made the Captain anxious
and uneasy, and kept him on deck long
after his watch was ended. Lieutenant
Fairfax, whose experience made him
fully alive to the danger, bore him com.
pany.
The two were standing by the cabin
door and had relapsed into silence
Suddenly the young man raised his
head, and peered anxiously into the
mist.
"What is the matter?" asked Cap.
tain Bridges.
81 am confident" replied the Lieu
tenant, "there is large ship near us.
You are an old sailor, Captain, and you
must have felt that inexplicable, mystic
rious consciousness which often assures
men of our.our profession of the pres
ence of a ship, even when we cannot see
it. L"
He was interrupted by a sound like
the creaking of cordage.
"Keep her away" cried the Captain
to the man to the wheel. "Down with
your helm. Hard hard ! There's a
vessel off the port bow"
"Ship ahoy - came rattling across
the water through the fog, the voice
having that hoarse, brazen sound which
the trumpet imparts to it. "What ship
is that? ?"
''The Sovereign of the Seas, eight
days out from Liverpool; bound for
Philadelphia" hailed the Captain,
promptly, in reply "What ship is
that ?"
"Tell them in America to watch for
me. l am on my way" said the strange
voice, in tone that made the Captain
shudder in spite of himself.
"What ship is that ?" Capt. Bridges
thundered, vexed that his question had
not been answered.
"You will know soon enough. Ha,
ha, hal"
The laughter seemed to ring through
the ship with terrible echo. The Cap
tain shook off the feeling of dread which
had crept over him at first. At that
time the high seas were not entirely
free from the presence of rovers, and he
thought he had now encountered one of
these crafts. He turned to Lieutenant
Fairfax, and sain:
81 think I had better assemble the
crew. That rascal may attempt foul
play with US, and"
He paused abruptly. The light from
the cabin was shining full in the face of
his companion, who had sunk back
against the woodwork for support. The
young mans face was as livid as that of
corpse, and he was trembling as with
an ague.
"Great Heavens, man ~ exclaimed
Captain Bridges. "What is the matter?
You must be i'll.
81 am not well,' replied the Lieu
tenant, feebly. 81 have had sudden
and terrible shock. Let the crew alone
Captain. You will not be troubled by
this stranger again. I know what 1
say, and tomorrow I will explain it to
you. Tonight 1 cannot"
With these words the young man
passed into the cabin and hurried to his
state room, leaving the commander of
the ship overwhelmed with astonishment
and not little alarmed. The Captain
passed sleepless night, and paced the
deck restlessly till day.
By the morning the fog had cleared
away, and the weather had grown as
warm as when the voyage began. All
hands, passengers and crew-were de-
lighted with the change.
At breakfast the seat of Lieutenant
Fairfax was vacant, and upon sending
to his stateroom to know the cause, an
swer was returned that he was very i'll.
Toward midday Captain Bridges re-
ceived message from him to come to
him at once Upon entering the state
room the skipper found the ships sur
geon sitting by the berth looking very
grave and sad. He was astonished and
shocked at the change in the young
Lieutenant's face. He seemed COM
plete wreck of what he had been the
day before.
81 had no idea you were so ill.," said
the skipper, cor l would have been here
before.
81 am a doomed man, CaptainY' said
the Lieutenant, family. 81 am almost
gone"
"Oh no Not 80 bad as that J" COM
menced the Captain but the sick man
interrupted him.
"Captain Bridges" he said in low,
startling voice, 81 shall be dead man
by sunset! have the Asiatic cholera in
its worst form -
The Captain started back in alright.
"Heavensw he exclaimed.
s'It is true" said Lieutenant Fairfax
speaking with great difficulty. 81 had
no cause to fear it when 1 came on
board. Heaven grant that mine may
be the only case. As soon a I am dead