Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-04-20


dull, unmeaniug stare. The figure now
stood up just opposite to me, aud fel;
myself spell-bound to my seat without
the power to address it. Having looked
at me iizediy for SONIC time, the figure
then walked up to my side till it touched
my shoulder. Reaching out his arm,
lie laid 4 bony finger on the chart which
was on the table, and before / could
muster courage to ar:ioulate, 10 he had
disappeared.
Recovering r9y conposGre somewhat,
sprang with q bound Up the cou'pan-
ion-way ar d shouted for the mate He
speedily replied to my call, md cano
aft dragging something behind bin
which kept up continued llow ling.
As he came ncarer to ire | saw tilat il
was my Labrador dog Caspar, and in
quired the meaning Of what he was
doing, "Why, sir, he replied, ''ehe
dog lay on the companion-hatch until d
few moments age, apparently sound
asleep, when all Of a sudden he sprang
up with horrible howl, and ran to his
kennel forward with bis tail between
bis legs. | vent forward after him,
aud found him in his kennel shaking
with fright, and when I put my hand
in to pa5 him he attempted to bite ne.
Hearing you call, / dragged him ait
with NE BY his collar, to see if he had
not been hurt in some manner, for l
never saw him act SO before"
did not examine the terrified dog.
felt that he had seen ray visitor as
we'll as myself. With some difficulty l
soothed him, and then went Down
below. Walking up to my table / east
look down at the chart. At the exact
spot where my visitor had placed his
atteuua,ed finger | saw Il duil red mark:
and, on a closer examination, ] perceIv-
ed that it was drop of blood. The
mark indicated a position on the chart
which was about days sail from and
at right angles to our course. tor two
hours paced the deck wondering at
what bad happened. The visitor was
too surely no creation Of my own I'M
aeination, fer the dog had seen the figure
as we'll as myself, and the spot on the
chart VAS plain evidence. What could
it mean ? / half determined to ask the
mates advice. He was a firm believer
il spiritual manifestations, and would
endeavor to solve the enigma in some
way or other. But then I had always
ridiculed his notions, and it was too
calling to my pride to ask his advice
new on that OF which J. had always
denied the existence, save in a heated
imagination SO | determined to keep
my own counsel. Turning in soon after
slept well and awoke rcfresLed-de-
ternined in my own mind to say nothing
and think DO more about it.
When ! got Oh deck I found that We
we're becalmcd. Not ripple was CO
the water. The day passed away mon
otonously enough. The crew slept l
read and smoked and eleven o'clock
that night found me in MY chair at tho
head of the table in the cabin. Caspar,
who had quite got over bis fears, lay on
, the hatch at the head OF the cabin stairs
/ could hear the pat, pat Of his tail as a
sort OF greeting to the mate as he kept
passing him in his walk up and down
the deck. This evening my thoughts
were tranquil, for was reading Il vol
unie Of boogfellow's poems, ard was in
the midst of EvanGeline, when | heard
q howl from Caspar and the scurry of
his feet as he scampered forward.
Looking up | saw my visitor Of the pre-
vious night again descending the COM
panion-way lie seemed mach weaker,
and came slowly down, clutchiDg the
/ iand-raii with his one sound arm and
hand. He walked across the cabin
more feebly than before, and bis respi-
ration was heavy and labored when he
reached the table. lie glanced at the
table with an anxious look as il TO see
! whether the chart was still there 1t
was not. He then gazed at me with u
disappointed and sorrowful stare and
disappeared. / remained quietly in my
chair for about ten minutes after the
spectre had departed. When went on
deck / found the mate again endeavor-
ing to sootho tue dog, who snapped and
snarled ia his kennel until it vas unsafe
TO approach him. Leaving him there I
went below, and throwing myself, dress
ed as | was, On my cot, trie.i to sleep.
Unrefreshirg and feverish was the sleep
which visited me that night, and arose
in the morning totally unit for work OF
any kind and with my nerves entirely
unstruDg. What was expected OF me
For what purpose had / been warned
What must do? Thus unused dur,
Ing the eutire day. Caspar kept close
to his kennel all the time ana steadily
refused to eat or drink Whenever
any Of US approached him he attempted
to snap at us, and appeared as if entire
ly under the influence of some great
fear. The calm had continued during
the entire day, and we made Do progress
whatever. Again evening approached
and the same hour found me, as or the
two previous nights, sitting at my table
This time 1 eagerly awaited my visitor.
Would the figure again appear?
found myself hoping that it would.
This time did not attempt to read, for
MY thoughts were too troubled to per.
nit of my concentrating my mind on
any book The same chart, with the
jblood.stain on it. lay on the table before
me- Would my visitor If be came,