The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-02-24

fun of hunting all night for it. You
know what mean. Good night y
Having given the second mate his
orders for the following day, ! sat down
to think the matter over, and Task my.
self few questions" as the sailors say.
One thing that puzzled me was now ac-
counted for. Several of the men had
come to me for permission to be trans.
ierred to other ships that were ready for
sea, but this ] had attributed to the
characteristic restlessness Of the class.
Ny ship was considered a good one for
sailors they were we'll fed and kindly
used so long as they behaved them
selves had plenty of work to do, so
that there was no time for growing or
fomenting discord.
1t was the ghost that made them anx-
ious TO leave the ship. There was no
fear of their running away ashore, be-
cause, in those days, if colored man
could not show his free papers in the
South, he was presumably slave, and
held as such; but there were many
ships in the bay that were short-handed,
and it was no uncommon thing for men
to be spirited away from one ship to an
early in the morning. Mates of ships
were not very scrupulous about the
manner Of filling up their crews in those
days, as Iwell knew. Having pondered
over all Of these things carefully, and
not seeing any present way out OF my
troubles, turned in, trusting to fortune
for the future, but at the same time |
resolved to keep an extra look out
whenever any ships were about getting
ready for sea.
Things progressed as usual aboard Of
the ship for several days, and | heard
nothing more about the ghost but my
own time was coming. One evening |
had given my junior officers permission
TO absent themselves from the ship, and
was sitting by myself alone in the cabin,
awaiting their return. Being tired of
my book, sat doing in chair, when
my reveries were disturbed by sound
like a half-smothered groan, that
seemed to come from that forward part
of the cabin on the starboard side. |
was wide awake in an instant, though
scarcely able to credit my senses. The
groans were distant enough, and were
repeated in about the same interval
that is required for human breath
still, my light did not burn blue, nor
did the ghost appear. AS | listened
the sound came nearer, but seemed TO
rise up from the lower between decks.
felt assured that the men, knowing
my officers were absent had arranged
this plan to try my nerves. Without
any further consideration, slipped my
shoes off, trimmed my dark lantern,
armed myself with a good stick, and
started in search Of the ghast. Going
to the main hatch, the only one open, |
went down between decks, and, hauling
the ladder after me, proceeded aft,
where the noises could be distinctly
heard but before reaching the mizzen-
mast, they came, apparently, from be-
meath my feet. This was not pleasant,
but my pride was aroused, and if there
was any trick in the matter, il would
not do for me to back out without dis
covering it; so | went back TO the main
hatch again, and down to the lower
deck but this time did not take the
ladder away. Flashing the light ahead
of me, went carefully along, guarding
against surprise. This was needless.
for, upon reaching the locality of the
sounds, they were beneath my feet
again, coming up from the lower hole.
Matters were assuming an unpleasant
aspect. ! will not say that my hair
stood on end, but certainly my feet
stood still, while my confidence in the
supernatural and myself began to be
slightly shaken. l hesitated, doubted,
and finally concluding that it would be
better to wait until my officers returned
before pursuing the investigation, beat
a most inglorious retreat to the cabin
but there / could not rest, for now the
sounds were apparently under the
cabin floor, as if they had followed me
up from the lower hold. Suddenly |
thought of the carpenter, stalwart
Dutchman, and hurrying to his room,
reused him out.
Chips do you hear that noise ?'
Yes, sir; | pese hear him many
times, and | shust puts mine head un-
ter mine blanket and says notings."
"Turn out now, and come down in
the hold with me, and we will see what
il is"
Dunder unit Bitten shall NIGHT
CO."
"Come along, you FOOL" said !, impa-
tiently you are no worse off there
than here. have been down between
decks alone, and now l want you along,
so that if any Of the men are down in
the hold we can cut them off,
This view of the case seemed to reas-
sure him somewhat, and we soon found
ourselves in the lower hold. Vending
our way aft over the ballast-the sounds
constantly becoming more audible-we
finally reached the stern-post, and there,
while the groans came mournfull from
among the timbers Of the stern frame,
we stood still, no one visible but our.
selves.
| do not know whether | was fright
ened, but my heart never beat so fast
before; and the poor Dutchman stood
trembling as if struck with palsy, the
droops of Precipitation startling out like
beads. My own nerves were somewhat
shaken, but there was the pride of rank
and station so, after listening to the
unearthly sounds for few minutes, we
rntnrnaH 70 tho 90 H., torotlor Co. a.