Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-03-28
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THE HAUNTED SMlP.

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The following narrative Is by Wash.
ington Irving, but it is not included in
his collected works, and must be new to
most Of our readers: -
The world abounds with ghost btorieF,
but it is exceedingly difficult to get then,
at frst hand that is to say, from per-
sons who have actually seen the ghosts !;
this may be the reason why they have
fallen into diScredit with the dubious
| once heard story of the kind from
one who came within an ace of being an
eye witness, and believed in it most hon
estly. He was worthy captain Of the
sea native either Of Nantucket or
Martha's Vineyard-I forget which; at
any rate, place noted for its breed of
hardy mariners. l met with him in the
ancient city Of Seville, having anchored
with his brig in the Guadalquiver, in the
course Of wandering voyage.
Our conversation, one day, turned up
on the wonders and adventures of the
sea; whom he informed me that, among
his multifarious cruisings, he had once
made voyage on board of haunted
ship. 1t was vessel that had been met
with drifting half diSmantlOd, and with
tagging sails, about the sea near the Gulf
of Florida, between the mainland and
the Bahama Banks. Those who board
her found her without living soul on
board; the hatchways were broken open;
the cargo had been riAed, the decks fore
and aft were covered with blood the
shroudS and rigging were smeared with
the same, as if some wretched beings had
been massacred as they clung to them.-
1t is evident that the ship had been plum.
dered by pirates, and to all appearance
the crew had been murdered aud thrown
overheard.
The ship vas taken possession Of by
the fhders, and brought to Boston, in
New England; bat the sailors who navi-
gated her to port declared they would not
make such another voyage for all the
wealth of Peru. They had been har-
aSsed the whole way by the ghosts of the
murdered crew, who at night would come
out OF the companionsway and the forer
castle, run up the shrouds, station them
selves upon the yards and at the mast
heads, and appear to perform all the du-
ties of the ship.
AS no harm had resulted from this
ghostly seamanship, the story was treated
lightly, and the vessel was fitted out for
another voyage, but when ready for sea,
no sallors could be got to embark in her.
She lay for some time in Boston harbor,
regarded by the supersticious seamen as
a fated ship; and there she might have
rotted, had not the worthy captain who
related to me the story; undertaken to
command her. He succeeded in getting
some hardy tars, who stood less ir awe
of ghosts, to accompany him, and his
brOther-in law sailed with him as chief
mate.
When they got fairly to sea, the hobr
goblin crew began to play their pranks
At night there would be the duce to pay
in Che hold; such racketing and rum
maging, as if the cargo was being over
hauled bales tumbled about, and boxes
broken open, and sometimes it seemed as
if all the ballast was shifted from side TO
side. All this was heard With dismay by
the sailors, and even the captains broth
or in'law, who appears to bave been
very sagacious man, was exceedingly
troubled at it. As to the captain him.
self, he honestly confessed to me that he
never saw nor heard any thing; but the
be slept soundly, and when once asleep
was hard to be awakened.
Notwithstanding all these ghostly vas
garies, the ship arrived at the destined
end Of her voyage, which was one of
the South American rivers under the
line. The captain proposed to go in his
boat to q town some distance up the RVS
er, leaving his ship in charge of his
brother-in-law. The latter said he would
anchor her opposite to an island in the
river, where he could 60 on shore at
night, and yet be on hand to keep guard
on her; but'no.hing should tempt him to
sleep on board. The crew all swore the
same. The captain could not reasonably
object TO such an arrangement; so the
ship was anchored opposite to the island,
and the captain departed Oh his expedi>
ton. asIi ls4'i7 og TT
For time all went we'll; the brother
in-law and his sagaeious comrades regu.
larly abandoned the ship at nightfall, and
slept on shore; the ghosts then took
command, and the ship remained as qui-
city at anchor as though she had d been
manned by living bodies instead of hob
goblin spirits. One night, however, the
captains brother inAlaw was awakened
by tremendous storm. He hastened to
the shore The sea was lashed up in
foarAing surges the rain came down in
torrents--tho lightning fashod-4-the
thunder beloved, II was ona of those