The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-08-03
SATURDAY MORNING, AUGUST g. 1867.

with the storms aud breakers of this world,
and be ready to sail into the smooth harbor of
Tic next.
His cottage was quite near where resided,
and many were the evenings l spent with him
listening to his wild, weird tales of the sea,
and l used to think he kept his best ones for
stormy nights; perhaps he told them better as
the bowling of the wind stirred his blood, and
brought back wildly the days when his home
was OH the waters.
Tonight had come over with the roar of
the sea in my ears, and my eyes filled with the
rain and binding spray, and when comfortably
seated at his fircsidc I said what is recorded at
the head of this story.
Old Ben took monstrous quid Of tobacco
from his check, looked thoughtlully into the
fire for Il few moments. as if he saw there some
thing of the past or else he was listening to
the wild tunult Of the elements without, and
then he said without looking up:
eyes, it docs remind me of the time when
hardly set foot upon the land from one years
end to another; and the storm also brings to
mind the cruise | once made in haunted
ship, and it was just such night as this that
the ghost was laid, and VIC were free from the
worst tyrant that ever cusscd crew."
"Tcl lis the story, Ben. A haunted ship is
just the thing for tonight"
"Wcll, may as well tell that as anything
else. Draw up closer to the cabin-iirc; it is
cold tonight, and tell us what winter has in
store for us. Well, one timc-it was nigh
thirty year ago, now-I was down sick with
the fever here on shore, and everybody said
would die and to me it seemed that my log
had almost come to an end, and there would
need TO be but one more entry made therein.
Davy Jones, who had been after my life for so
many years seemed likely to be cheated after
all. and be laid beside my father and mother
in the churclyard. But my time had not
come then, after awhile | began to mend and
was soon upon my feet again.
'::Now my being sick has nothing to do with
my yarn, only my ship that had sailed in so
long went away and left me, and had now to
look for another. And had little time to do
it, in, for my money WAS all gone, and it would
not do for me to be particular must take
the first chance that offered, so that the old
women and the children might not want for
bread
sit was past the season for vessels to 80 from
our port, so my only chance was that some one
would put i'll short of hands and it was not
long before one did SO: and Jack Folsom and
| shipped in her.
"Wc were the only two the captain could get
from port though he was in want of at
least dozen men. How he came to 60 to sea
so short handed. we could not find out while
the ship remained in port, but VIC knew soon
enough after she left
The Flying -Mst hailed from northern
port, and was bound round the Horn on trad
ing trip to some Of the South American ports.
We were to be gone ten months, and the cap
tain promised that at the end of that time no
would leave lis at home. Perhaps he would
had lie lived but when tho Flying lNist came
north again, Davy Jones had him safe in his
locker, and he claimed him none too soon.
either.
Jack and badc our friends goodbye, and
the ship stood down the harbor and soon the
town and land faded from our view and we be-
gan to see what sort of companions VIC had for
the voyage. Such n strange mixed crew,
never saw before. They were of all colors and
all nations, and spoke all languages under the
sun; in the whole crew of forty men, there was
not more than half dozen of our countrymcn;
and only one, old Sam Maulinc by namc that
came from our country. He was almost the
first one we met OH coming aboard, and l
imagined saw look of pity i'll his eye as he
saw us; we did not understand it then, but we
| did afterwards.
eve had not been two days at sea, before
we found out that the captain was a tyrant of
the worst description. He would, without any
prctcxt, swear at the men, using the most ter
riblc oaths, and upon the slightest provocation
he would have the men tied up and foggcd in
the most cruel manner. He seemed to delight
III cruelty, and | could also sec that lie drank
hard yet drink as much rs he would it never
seemed to have the effect Of rendering him
helpless, as it does some men; OF the contra