Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-11-24

ONeill, laughing. "The captain don't
know where it is \; it seems it's a kind
Of floating island, and turns up when
least expected
turned to the captain, and knowing
the best way to deal with him was to
humor him, l said:
"Now, captain, what is it about this
island! You know l can never get
anything out Of Mr.. O'Neill."
"Wcll, Mr.. Porter" said he, taking
a camp-stool beside me, while the mate
leaned against the bulwark, ''thc fact
is, have been for the last three days
on the lookout for an island which
have seen twice; the last time about
one hundred miles north Of here. and
the first, considerably further east
Good gracious, captain here
burst in. do you mean to say the
island movcsg'
IL mean to say what say" was his
answer. "Ten years ago, 1 made this
same voyage and, when in about this
latitude-but, as said, further east
| began to see the men looking out for
what they called White Island some
Of them had seen it, and all had heard
Of 1t; but the most they could tell
about it was, that it appeared suddenly
as long, low piece of ground, very
white and chalky-looking, never twice
exactly in the same place and if any
one was venturesome enough to try
and go on shore, he always disappear
ed, and the island with him. Well !!
One day the man on watch sung out
that he saw land; and there it was,
sure cnough-long, low, and white, and
not down on the chart. We sailed
within about three miles of it, but it
was against the owners orders to stop
anywhere, and if anything had happen
ed, we would have forfeited our insur-
ance SO we kept on. One Of the men
told me that, when he saw it before,
five men, including the mate, took a
boat and pulled for it, but just rs they
landed the island vanished; and
though they sailed around and over
the spot al. day, they saw nothing more
of il, and the FIVE men were never
heard of again. The next time | saw
it. was five years later, and then we
ran within mile of it, and could see
trees, sheet Of water, and rocks, but
everything perfectly white. That time
marked it on chart, and here sou
can see it, SO saying, the captain
unfolded an old chart which he held in
his hand and pointed to n spot which
he had made with pencil, and marked,
White Island. July 10th, 1851"
Now" said he, as ne folded the chart
up again. ave passed that spot yester-
day morning Mt ten o'clock. and kept
! a bright lookout and Ill swear there
was no island there
| Here the voice of old Tom Parsons,
who was at the wheel, just behind Us,
/ broke in:
I've seen it, Cap'n Coffin, an what
| secs | know an if amt out Of INV
reck ming, we'll see it in this here
y'y'ge."
This addition TO the captains force
rather staggered me, and O'Neill turn
cd around and looked at the man, Civ
ing prolonged whistle As he did 50.
Yes. gentlemen continued old
Tom, .an' I've heered as how there
was mutiny aboard Of an East
Indiaman good many years ago, right
in these waters an as how the crew
killed the cap'n and his wife an little
gurl; an As how they run the snip
ashore on that there island and when
they got ashore the island went right
away from under them, an drowned
the hull blasted lot: an sarved EN-
right, too-skulking pirates
Here Tom Parsons gave the wheel
a turn couple of points, hitched up
his ducks, and spat into the sea in
disgust.
Now, gentleman" said the captain,
''yeu see there is something in the
story, after all"
IL see it's a-fo' castle yarn" said
the mate hotly "and if your island
shows itself, I'll stand by nv bargain.
and board her, if Mr.. Porter will pull
an oar with me-"
Done !" said |; and so the matter
dropped.
That night we sat in the cabin and
played ringt et un until late as was our
nightly custom, and thought no more
Of the mysterious island.
The next morning we were at break
fast at about eight o'clock, when We
heard considerable noise on deck,
and presently one of the men ran down
crying out:
Land Cap'n Coflin"
Up we jumped in hurry.
Whereabouts 2" said the captain,
"Dead ahead, sir, about seven or
eight miles off," We hurried on deck,
and running up into the foretop, could
make out quite plainly long, white
streak, like a sand-bar. The captain
took long look through his spy-glass,
and then, with sigh, as he shut it
said:
"Yes, there it is gentlemen, just as
l saw it,"
The mate looked, and then looked,
and it certainly seemed as if the cap
tain was right, after all. However,
ONeill would not give it up yet, and
insisted on having look at the chart.
We went on deck and the captain took
an observation; then our reckoning
was made, and the precise locality
pointed out on the chart. There iods
no island dO,cn Uithin siz hundred miles
Of phere ,ce tcere, so we had to own up
beaten. BY this time we had got with
in mile OF the shore, and the mate
was bent on taking boat, and going
to have nearer view Of our mysteri-