Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-04-20
MOKELUMNE HILL. CALAyERAs COUNTY. CAL

me the course | ought to pursue: Thi,
time there was 40 Caspar 10 warn ms
but / felt that the figure was comina
even ere 1t appeared. Presently I saw
II again coming down the stars. Thi.
tine 1t was evidently fax weaker than
before, for with difficulty could itstand,
and il toi!ed down the steps in manifest
suffering and agony. At last it reached
the cabin floor and attempted toadvance
toward me but 20 sooner had it let &c
the hand-rail than it sank down ex-
hansted. sprang up and rushed to-
ward it; out the moment [ moved the
spectre vanished, and when attempted
to raise the fallen figure my hands
touched the tiocr
A"d now light seemed to braai. up
OH me. / rushed upon deck, where ]
found the mate and crew setting all sail
to catch he breeze which had Just
aprnng uI'. ! immediately gave orders
that the D0iphin's s course should be al
tered to ;has which would bring US to
the spot marked SO plainly on the chart
by the drop Of blood All that night
paced the deck. No sleep seemed pos
sible 10 me until this hidden mystery
should be revealed We made bean
tiful run, and with daylight, | hoped to
find What? I knew not.
The dawn brought disappointment.
A dense fog lay on the face of the
ocean. We could discern nothing at
ten yards distance from the vessel side.
According to my calculations and by
the log we should have been not far
from that spot on the wide sea whore |
hoped TO find Il solution OF the mystery.
Toward noon the wind died away, and
lat length deserted US altogether. Then
the fog slowly rose, aud at once, glass
in hand, ascended the rigging. With
eager gaze | scanned the horizon ahead
and Gu both bows, but no welcome OBJ
ject met my eyes, Disheartened at l
knew not what, / was about coming
down when I CHANGED to look directly
astern. Almost directly in our wake,
but far astern Of Us, lay an object, which,
by the aid of my glass, [ made out to
be an open boat. | could not discern
aDy thing in it, and it appeared to lie
like log upon the water. The gig was
soon lowered according to ny orders,
aud mate and boats crew were dis
patched to inspect the boat as it lay far
astern. felt quise unequal to going
myself. Sc agitated was [, bnt / had
presence Of mind enough to order some
brandy and uourishmeLt suitable TO the
sick aud famislIed to be brought up on
deck. | felt as assured that my visitor
was there as if had seen him in the
boat bat whether alive or dead I dared
not to speculate Twice I had been
summoned, and twice | had neglected
the summons On the third occasion
my spectre visitor had sunk, to all APP
pearance. life!ess on the floor Of my
cabin. Was he dead, or was he only in
a de&thlike swoon? Ithougbt over the
wonderful incidents which had caused
me to Gnd the boat The wind had
died away when / neglected to obey the
first summons, nor did it return until
after ! had received the third call.
Had it not again died away when it did,
| should have passed the boat SO far in
the fog as not to be able to see it when
the fog lifted As it was, we were very
nearly out Of sight when the horizon
became clear. Half an hours more
wind and the mystery would never have
been revealed. Scarce could restrain
my impatience. However, there was
no help for 1t. | must wait until the
gig returned. After hours cf suspense
at last beheId the gig approaching
slowly with the other boat in tow.
Unable to endure the terrible suspense
went down iuto the cabin Soon I
heard the gig touch the ships side aud
the mate giving orders to lower away
the chair from The yard-arm Then, |
thought they had found him; but he
must be too feeble TO climb Up the
ship s side. A few moments, and I
beard approaching footsteps, aud down
the stairs was brought, with the assist
ance Of some Of the crew, my visitor for
TIE fo,Uih time but now really and
truly il the flesh lie was supported
in he arms OF the mate, but he held on
to til. hand -rAii just as | had seen him
in the three visions. His left arm bang
loosely at his side, and was bandaged
up just as bad observed On the three
occasions Of the spectre 8 visits.
We gave him proper rofreshment and
put hiin to bed lie gradually revived
and III a few days ras able to tell Us his
story lie had been Captain Of a large
vessel trading in the Pacific. The crew
had lautinied, and had cast him adriit
in the open boat, with nothing to eat
but few biscuits, which were thrown
into the boat il derision by one Of the
mutiueers. When these were eaten he
tried to exc cut life by eating his shoes,
and with water wrung from his clothes
after raiu ard heavy devEs he had
dnencbed in a manner his thirst. u ben
found by the mate he lay extended in
the bottom Of the boat in a death-like
swoon, aud he owed his recovery, per-
haps, chiefly to the brandy which 1 had
sent in the gig. In few days more
we assisted him Oh deck. Caspar no
sooner saw hirl tElan he few at him,
and but for my interference would have
tort, him 20 pieces. During the rest of
the voyage We were obliged to keep the
dog chained up. Is soon as We per-