The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-10-18
"WH4T WAS IT?o
a TALE OF THE NORTH PACIFIC.

TALE OF THE NORTH PACIFIC.
In the year 1S5 | was in command of
the Dolphin, a fine bark of six hundred
tons. We had been on whaling voyage,
and had obtained an unusually good cargo
of oil, both in quality and quantity. With
our course laid for home, the crew in good
health, and fair prospect of per centage
money on the cargo, what more could we
want to keep the song and the jest ON the
lips of the crew?
Time passed quickly along. ''Homeward
bound'' has an intensified meaning to the
whaler's crew, and as we bowled along with
good breeze, each day getting nearer and
nearer to our homes and firesides. there
were few on the vessel who did not feel
their spirits rising with each day IS progress.
One night about eleven o'clock 1 was
sitting 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 had aroused my sensitive feel
ings to such an extent that l had deter
mined to try how far a cigar and walk on
about rising from my chair to go on deck
| noticed a figure descending the COM
panionway before me. A single glance
told me that it was not one of the crew.
No one of my well-fed, sleek men could
possibly look as miserable as this figure
looked, even at the distance at which 1
saw him. Slowly he descended the steps,
grasping the hand-rail to support himself,
as if he were too feeble to descend without
support.
His back was bent, and his head lay for
ward on his breast, as if he was carefully
watching his footsteps his feet were bare,
while his head was enveloped in piece of
old sail-cleth in place of cap. His left
arm hung down by his side, carefully rolled
up in his coat, which had evidently been
taken off for that purpose and the arm
itself appeared to be broken. Quietly and
without uttering a word he approached me;
and at last he sat down at the opposite end
of the table to that which was my accus-
toned place.
He then slowly raised his head, and
sight was presented to my astonished gaze,
the like of which 1 hope l may never see
again. A fine, noble face it was but at
tenuated by disease and suffering, or per-
haps both. The features had been good
and regular, but now the cheeks were sunk
en- and hollow the teeth, white and even,
were firmly set together, while the thin,
parched lips We're drawn back from them
The eyes were as black as coal, but sunk
for hao in t11n I hot
were at once fixed on me with a dull, un-
meaning stare. The figure now stood up
just opposite to me, and felt myself spell
bound to my seat without the power to ad-
dress it.
Having looked at me fxeGly for some
time the figure then walked up to my side
till it touched my shoulder. Reaching out
his arm, lie laid bony finger on the chart
which was on the table, and before could
muster courage to articulate, 10 he had
disappeared.
Recovering my composure somewhat, I
sprang with a boundup the companionway
and shouted for the mate. speedily re-
piled to my call, and came aft, dragging
something behind him which kept up
continual bowling. AS he came nearer to
me l saw that it was my Labrador dog
Caspar, and l inquired the meaning of
what he was doing.
"Why, sir,'' he replied, ''the dog lay on
the companion hatch until few moments
ago, apparently sound asleep, when all of
a sudden he sprang up with a horrible
howl, and ran to his kennel forward with
his tail between his legs. l then went
after him, and found him in his kennel
shaking with fright; and when | put my
hand in to pat him, he attempted to bite
me. Hearing you CALL l dragged him aft
with me 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. l
felt that he had seen my visitor as wen as
myself With some difficulty soothed
him, and then went down below. Walk
ing up to my table, | cast look down at
the chart At the exact spot where my
visitor had placed his attenuated finger L
saw duh red mark, and, ON closer ex-
animation, ] perceived that it was drop
of blood.
The mark indicated position ON the