The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-06-08
A Spectre at Sea.

In the year 1865 | was in command OF
the Dolphin. fine barque of 600 tons. We
had been on whaling voyage, and had Obj
tlincd an unusual good cargo of n,l, both
in quality and quantity. With our course
laid for home, the crew in good health, and
fair prospect of per centa9e money on the
cargn, what more could We want t" keep
the song and The Jest on the lips ot The
crew2 Time pissed quickly alnn@. " HON.
ward bound" has an intensified meaning to
the whaler's ciew, and US We Lowlcd along
will, Il good breeze, each day getting near
CT to our homes and firesidcs. there were few
on the vessel who lid not feel their spirits
rising with each days progress.
One night about eleven O'Clock was sit
ting at the upper end of my cabin table,
consulting chart on which the vessels
course was laid down. had been reading
Dante's "Inferno," and the horrible nature
of the work aroused my sensitive feelings
to such an extent that had determined to
try how far cigar and walk on deck
would steady my nerves. Just as | was
about rising from my chair to go on deck
noticed figure descending the companion
way before me- A single glance told me
that it was not one of my crew. No one
of my well-fed, sleek men could possibly
look as miserable as this figure looked,
| even at the distance at which | saw him.
| Slowly he descended the steps, grasping the
hand-rail to support himself, as ii he were
too feeble to descend without supports
His back was bent, and his head lay forward
on his brast, as il he was carefully watch
| ing his footsteps; his feet were bare, while
his head was envclopcl in Il piece of old
sail-cl"tli instead of cap. His left arm
| hung down by his side carefully rolled up
in his coat, which had evidently been taken
| off Tor that purpose, and the arm itself ap-
| peared to he broken. Quietly, and without
! uttering word he approached Inc, and at
last sat down at the opposite end of the ia
ble which was my accustomed place He
| then slowly raised his head, and sight was
presented to my astonishcd gaze the like of
which hope may never sec again. A fine,
| noble face it was, but attcnuated by disease
and suffering, or perhaps both. The features
had been good and regular, but now the
| checks wcrc sunkcn and hollow; the teeth,
white and even, were firmly set together,
while the tbln, parched lips were drawn
back from them. The eyes were as black rs
coal, but sunk far back into the head, and l
saw that they were at once fixed on me,
with dull, unmeaning stare. The figure
now stOod up just Opposite me, and felt
myself bound to my seat, without the power
to address it. Having looked at me tixedly
for some time, the figure walked up to my
side till it touched my shoulder.
Reaching out lis arm, he laid IL bony fin
ger on the chart which was on the table, and
before could muster courage to articulate,
10! he hi d disappeared.
Recovering my Gomposure somewhat, l
| sprang with hound up the companion-Hay,
and shouted for the mate. He speedily re
piled to my call, and came aft, drag
ging something after him which kept
up continual howling. As he came nearer
to me ] saw that it was my Labrador dog
Casper, and inquired the meaning of what
he was doing. why, SIR" lle replied, "thc
dog lay on the companion-way hatch, until
u few minutes ago, app pIrently sound asleep,
when all of II sudden he sprang up with
horrible howl, and ran to his kennel forward
with his tail between his legs, shaking with
fright. | went forward after him to his ken
mel, an when put my hand in 10 pat him
he attempted to bite me. Hearing you call,
| dragged him ait with ME 10y his collar, to
see if nc had been hurt in some manner. for
/ meyer saw him act SO before"
did not examine the terrified dog felt
that he had seen my visitor rs well as my
self With some difficulty sootllcd him,
and then went below. Walking up to ny
table cast look down At the chart At
the exact spot where my visitor had placed
his atienua;c,l finger saw dull inark,
and, on closer examination, | perceived
a.. "a "A
indicatcd u postum un the chart which MAS
about day S saiI frsinI, and right an:l,s 10
our course. For two hours | paced thu.
| deck, wondering what had happened. The
| visitor was surely no creation of my own
| Imagination. for the dog had seen the fig
ure well myself, and the spot un the
| chart was plain evidence What could it
mean half determined 10 ask the mates
| advice. lie was firm believer in spiritual
manifestations, and would cndr:lvor To solve
| the enigma i'll some way or other. But
| then had always ridiculed his notions, anil
| it was too Calling to my pride tn ask his adj
| vice now on that of which ! had always dc
| nicd the existence, save in II Icatcd imagi-
nation; sD | determined to keep my own
| counsel. Turning in sonn after, slept well
| and awoke refreshed determined in my
own mind to say nothing and think no
more about it.
When got tn deck found that We were
hccalmed. Not ripple was ON the water.
| The day passed away monotonously enough.
| The crew slept. Tread and smoked: anti
| II o'clock that night found Inc in my chair
| at the head of the table in my cabin. Gas
per- who had quite got over his fears, lay
| ON the hatch at the head 0f the cabin stairs.
Icoud hear the pat oi his tail, as u greeting
| to the mate as he kept passing him in his
walk up and down the deck. This evening
my thoughts were tranquil, Tor was read
ing volume of Longfelow's poems, and
was in the midst of g Evangclinc," when l
heard a howl from Casper" and the scurry
of his feet as he scampercd forward. Look
ing up l saw my visitor Of the previous
night again descending the companion way.
He st cm,l mitch weaker, and came slowly
| down, clutching the hand rail with his one
sound arm and hand. lie glanccd al the
| table with anxious looks. as il to sre
| whether The Chart was still there. Ii was
not. He then gaZed at me with Il sorrowful
and disappointed stare and disappeared. l
remained quietly in my chair about ten
minutes after the spectre had departed.
When went on deck found the mate
again cndeavorina tn soothc the dog, who
snapped and sriaricl in his kennel, until it
was unsafe 10 approach him. Leaving him
| there, went below, and throwing myself,
dressed MS was, on my cot, tried tn sleep.
Unrefreshing and feyerish was the sleep
which visited me that night, and / rose
in the morning totally unfit for work of any
kind, and with my nerves unstrung. What
was expected of me? For what purpose
was wanted What must 1 do? Thus
mused the entire day. Casper kept close
to his kennel all the time and steadily re-
fused to cat or drink. When any of us APP
preached his kennel he attempted to snap
at us, and appeared as if entirely under the
Influence of some great fear. The calm
had continued the entire day, and we had
made no progress whatever. Again evening
approached, and the same hour found nc,
as on the two previous nights, sitting at my
table. This time eagerly awaited my Wis
itor. Would the figure appear? found
myself hoping that it would This time |
did not attempt to read, for my thoughts
were too troubled to permit If my book.
The same chart, with the blood stain ON it,
lay before me. Would my visitor. if he
came again touch that spot, ur would he
give me some other sign which might in.
dicatc to Inc the course l ought To pur
sue. This time there was no Caspcr
to warn me. | felt the figure was
coming before it appeared Presently
saw it coming down the stairs. This time
it was evidently far weaker than before, fol
with difficulty could it stand, and it toiled
down the steps in manifest suffering and
agony. At last it reached the cabin door
and attempted TO advance to me; but ne
sooner had it let 90 the hand rail than il
| sank cyhaustcd / suranm LII and rilsLlG