Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-10-25

clOber exAminau0n, perceived that II
was drop Of blood. H0I1tE
The mark indicated a position on the
chart which was about days sail from,
and at right angles to, our course. For
two hours paced the deck, wondering
at what had happened. The visitor was
too surely no creation Of my own imag-
ination, for the dog had seen the figure
as well as myself, and the spot on the
chart was plain evidence. What could
it meanf | half determined to ask the
mate advice.
He was a firm believer in spiritual
manifestations, and would endeavor to
solve the enigma in some way or other.
But then l had always ridiculed his no.
tions, and it was too calling to my pride
TO ask his advice now on that of which
! had always denied the existence, save
in heated Imagination; so determined
to keep my own counsel. Turning in
soon after, slept well, and awoke re-
freshed-determined in my own mind to
say nothing and think ne more about it.
When | got on deck, found that we
were becalmed. Not ripple was on the
water. The day passed away monoton-
ously 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. oaat
Casper, who had. quite got over his
fears, lay. on the hatch at the head of the
cabin stairs. / could hear the pat, pat of
his tail as sort of greeting to the mate
as he kept passing him in his walk on
the deck. This evening my thoughts
were tranquil, for was reading volume
of Longfellow's poems, and was in the
midst of "Evangeline, VIXEN l heard a
howl from Casper and the scurry of his
feet as he scampered forward.
Looking up, saw my visitor of the
previous night again descending the
companionway He seemed much
weaker, and came slowly down, clutch
ing the hand-rail with bis one sound
arm and hand. He walked across the
cabin more feebly than before, and his
respiration was heavy and labored 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. He then gazed at me with
disappointed and sorrowful stare, and
disappeared. l@@
remained quiet in my chair for about
ten minutes after the specter had de-
parted. When went on deck, / found
the mate again endeavoring to soothe
the dog who snapped and snarled in his
kennel until it was unsafe to approach
him. Leaving him there, / went below;
and throwing myself, dressed as | was,
on my cot, / tried to sleep.
Unreireshing and feverish was the
sleep which visited me that night, and ]
arose in the morning totally unfit for
work of any kind, and with my nerves
entirely unstrung. What was expected
of me2 For what purpose had been
warned7 What must de2 Thus /
mused during the entire day. Casper
kept close to his kennel all the time, and
steadily refused to eat or drink. When
ever any Of US approached him he
attempted to snap at US, and appeared
as IL entirely under the influence Of some
great fear. The calm had continued
during the entire day, and we made no
progress whatever. ei1s
Again evening approached, and the
same hour found me, as on the two pre-
vious nights, sitting at my table. This
time | eagerly awaited my visitor.
Would the figure again appear / found
myself hoping that it would. This time
| did not attempt to read, for my
thoughts we're too troubled to permit Of
concentrating my mind on any book. The
same chart, with the blood stain on il, lay
on the table before me. Would my visi-
tor, if he came again, touch that spot, or
would he give me some other sign which
might indicate to me the course | ought
to pnrsnei s.48 a.aa4 l
This time there was no Caspar to warn
me, but Ifelt that the figure was coming,
even ere it appeared. Presently l saw it
again coming down the stairs. This
time it was evidently far weaker than
before, for with difficulty could it stand,
and it toiled down the steps in manifest
suffering and agony. At last it reached
the cabin floor and attempted to advance
toward me; but no sooner had ii let go
the hand-rail than il sank down ex-
hausted. Isprang up and rushed toward
IL; but the moment moved the specter
vanished, and when l attempted to raise
the fallen figure, my hands touched
the cabin floor. lflN
And now light seemed to break upon
me. I rushed upon deck, where found
the mate and crew setting all sail to
catch the breeze which had just sprung
up. | Immediately gave orders that the
Dolphin's course should be altered to
that which would bring us to the spot
marked 50 plainly on the chart By the
drop of blood.
All night paced the deck. No sleep
seemed possible to me until this hidden
mystery should be revealed. We made
beautiful run, and with daylight !
hoped to find phdtl-I know not.
The dawn brought a disappointment. |
A dense fog lay on the face Of the ocean. |
We could discern nothing at ten yards
distance from the vessels side. Accord |
ing to soy calculations, and by the log, |
we should not have been far from that
spot on the wide sea where ] hoped to
find o aolption Of the mystery.
Teward noon the wind died away, and
at length deserted US altogether. Then |
the fog slowly arose, and / at once, glass
in hand, sscended the rigging. With
eager gaze / scanned the horizon ahead
and on both bows, but no welcome object
met my eye. Disheartened at ! knew
not what, ] was coming down, when !
chanced to look directly astern.
Almost directly in our wake, but far
astern Of us, lay an object, which, by
the aid Of my glass, made out to be an
open boat. could not discern any
thing in it, and it appeared to be like a
a log upon the water.
The gig was soon lowered, according |
to my orders, and . mate and boats
crew were dispatched to inspect the
boat as it lay far astern. felt quite nm
equal to going myself, SO agitated was l.
but / had presence of mind enough to
order soma brandy and nourishment
suitable to the sick end femished TO be
brought up on deck.
l felt as assured that my visitor was
there as il | had seen him in the boat;
but whether alive or dead dared not
speculate. Twice l had been summoned,
and twice ] had neglected the summons.
On ths third occasion my specter visitor
had sunk, to oil appearance, lifeless on /