American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-10-19
"WHAT WAS 1T 20

LII bIic year IS'D- wis Ill CoIllfllstIlu q
the Dolphin, n fine bark of six hundre
tons. We had been on a whaling voyage
and had obtained an unusually good carg
of oil, both in quality and quantity. Wit
our course laid for home, the crew il
good health, and fair prospect of per
centage money on the cargo, what NOR
could we want to keep the song and tn
jest on the lips of the crew?
Time passed quickly along. ''Home
ward bound has an intensified meanin,
to the whaler's crew, and as we bowlet
along with good breeze, each day gettin!
nearer and nearer to our homes and fire
sides, there were few on the vessel VIII,
did not feel their spirits rising with cacl
days progress.
One night about eleven O'Clock I wa
sitting at the upper end of my cabin-ta
bic, consulting chart on which the YES
sells course was laid down. 1 had beef
reading Dante's Inferno" and the horri
bic nature of the work had aroused my
sensitive feelings to such an extent that
had determined to try how far cigar ant
a walk on deck would steady my nerves
Just as was about rising from my chai
to go on deck noticed a figure descend
ing the companionway before me.
single glance told me that it was not on,
of the crew. No one of my well-fed
sleek men could possibly look as miserabl,
at which 1 saw him. Slowly he descended
the steps, grasping the hand-rail to sup
port himself, as if he were too feeble tt
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 a piece o
old sail-cloth in place of cap. His LEFT
arm hung down by his side, carefully
r0I1nd II, his xuhia1, hn6 pxriIant1 IL
been taken off for that purpose and thu
arm itself appeared to be broken. Quietly
and without uttering a word he approach
ed me; and at last he sat down at the
opposite end of the table to that which
was my accustomed place.
He then slowly raised his head, and &
sight was presented to my astOnishe(
gaze, the like of which l hope may never
see again. A fine, noble face it was; bu
attenuated by disease and suffering, Oh
perhaps both. The features had beer
good and regular, but now the cheek:
were sunken and hollow; the teeth, white
and even. were firmly set together, while
the thin, parched lips were drawn bach
from them. The eyes were as black a:
coal, but sunk far back into the head, ant
| saw that they were at once fixed on mt
with dull, unmeaning stare. The figur,
now stood up just opposite to me, and
the power to address it.
Having looked at me fiXedly for som'
time, the figure then walked up to my
side till it touched my shoulder. Reach
ing out his arm, he laid bony finger OF
the chart which was on the table, and be
fore could muster courage to articulate
10. he had disappeared!
Recovering my cOmpOsure somewhat,
sprang with bound up the companion
way, and shouted for the mate. He speed
lily replied to my call, and came aft, drag
ging something behind him which KEEP
up a continual bowling. AS he came
nearer to me 1 saw that it was my Labr;l
dor dog, Caspar, and inquired the mean
ing of what he was doing.
"Why, SIR" he replied, 90 the dog lay
on the companion-hatch until a few mo
ments ago, apparently sound asleep
when all of Il sudden he sprang up will
a horrible howl, and ran to his kennel for
ward with his tail between his legs.
then went after him, and found him i'm his
kennel shaking with fright, and when
put my hand in to pat him he attempted
to bite me. Hearing you call, dragged
him aft with me by his collar, to see if h,
had not been hurt in some manner. for
never saw him act so befOre.'
1 did not examine my terrified dog.
felt that he had seen my visitor as wei
as myself. With some difficulty sOOthed
him, and then went down below. Walk
ing up to my table, l cast a look down al
the chart. At the exact spot where my
visitor had placed his attenuated finger
saw a dull red mark, and, on closer eX.
animation, l perceived that it was DROP
of blood.
The mark indicated position on the
chart which was about Il days sail from
and at right angles to. our course Fol-
two hours paced the deck, wondering al
what had happened. The visitor was toe
surely no creation of my own imagina.
ton, for the dog had seen the figure as
well as myself, and the spot on the chart
was plain evidence. What could it mean:
| half determined to ask the mates adj
vice.
He was a firm believer in spiritual man.
ifestations. and would endeavOr to solve
the enigma in some way or other. But
then had always ridiculed his notions
and it was too CALLING to my pride to ask
his advice now on that of which l had al
ways denied the existence, save in a
heated Imagination; so | determined to
keep my own counsel Turning i'll soon
after, slept well, and awOke refreshed
determined in my own mind to say moth
ing and think no more about it.
When got on deck, | found that We
were bccalmcd. Not a ripple was on tine
water. The day passed away monoto-
nOusly enough. The crew slept. | read
and smoked. and eleven O'Clock that night
found me in my chair at the head of the
table in the cabin.
Casper, who had quite got over his fears.
lay on the hatch at the head of the cabin
stairs. 1 could hear the pat, pat of his
tail as Il sort of greeting to the mate as he
kept passing him i'm his walk on the deck.
This evening my thoughts were tranquil.
for l was reading Il volume of Longiel-
lows poems. and was in the midst OF
..Evangeline," when heard howl from
Caspar. and the scurry of his feet as he
scampered forward.
previous night again descending the com
panionway. He seemed much weaker,
and came slowly down, clutch 'ng the
hand-rail with his one sound arm and
hand. lie walked across the cabin more
fcebly than before. and his respiration was
heavy and Iaborcd when he reached the
table. He glanced at the table with an
anxious look. as if to see whether The
chart was still there. 1t WAS not. lie
then gazed at me with disappointed and
Sorrowful stare. and disappeared.
| remained quiet in my chair Tor about
ten minutes after the specter had depart
ed. When l went on deck, ! found tho
mate again cndeavOrin% to soothe the do",
who snapped and snarled in his kennel
until il was unsafe to approach him
Leaving him there, | went below; and
throwing myself, dressed as l was, on my
cot, tried to sleep.
Undressing and fevcrish was the sleep
which visited me that night, and l arose
i'm the morning totally unfit for work, OF
any kind, and with my nerves entirely
unstrung. What was expected of me
For what purpose had l been warned
What must do? Thus | unused durin"
the entire day. Casper kept close To his
kennel all the time and steadily refused
to eat or drink. Whenever any of us ap-
nroachCd him he nitemptcl to snap nj us.