The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-09-27
THE GRAY sPEcrER.
a Mystery Easily solved.

Mysaery Eastty SOlNed.
1t was the time long before the present
days that the brigantine Queen Charlotte
left the Island of st. Lucia, homeward
bound for London.
A few days after she had put to sea,
one of the watch forward saw in the
twilight of the evening, gray-looking
figure quite unlike any one he knew
on board and which suddenly disap
peared.
81 fancy | have seen ghost, said he,
after telling the circumstance to others,
who simply laughed at him.
But as seamen are usually extremely
superstitious, the idea was not quite rel
ished, and still less so when a night later,
just as the Queen Charlotte, still beating
to get to seaward fist Lucia, aud where
the Pointe du GroS Piton was still in
sight, three of the watch saw the self
same figure in gray or white dress,
with dark visage, moving slowly about
the forecastle while they were amidships.
They, after some consultation and doubt,
rushed forward, on which it vanished near
the weather cathead.
This was reported to the Captain and
mate, who both laughed at the story +;
but the latter had some doubts or fears
on the subject, and it was resolved by
him and one or two others to keep strict
lookout for this mysterious appearance,
which was duly chronicled in the log.
Forseveral nights the deck was watched
in vain, till one night when the brig was
beating to windward in heavy sea aud
tremendous gale, and when the high land
of Dominica was in sight. The gale was
becoming tremendous, the thunder bel
lowed overhead, and the lightning flashed
along the sea as it only does in the West
Indies, and there amid the tempest, tC
the horror of the whole crew, some oi
whom were aloft making fast gear tha
had broken loose, while others were
at York on deck, the shadowy spectel
Iashed, as was usnaI, amIGsaIps, Uetweer
the fore and main masts.
The mate made rush toward it, be
ing a fearless fellow. But at that mo
ment a mighty sea broke over the bril-
and dashed him almost senseless agains
a carronade to leeward, and when h.
gathered himself up the appearance ha'
vanished.
The storm abated with morning; bu
the alarm by no means subsided in tn
minds of the crew, many of whom nov
: missed many things-the salt junk OF one
the biscuit of another, and worse than all
the grog of a third had mysteriously dii
appeared, and these were the property
| Il II IL lxyac arc
prominent in the pursuit of the ghost.
s'That the latter might haunt the un
; fortunate brig seemed natural enough,
, , said the bewildered mate "but who th
deuce ever heard of a ghost that stol
beef and biscuits and drank grog?"
: So the crew of the Queen Charloti
began to fear that Davy Jones, or tn
{ Fiend himself, was on board. All ha
} grave fear concerning the fate of Il
! brig; all were anxious for the termin
: ton of the voyage, when theymight Dol
u and ship on board of other craft, and q
were timid when even the wind i
e creased beyond still reef-topsail breez
y . for all were of opinion that the spirit W
- = in some way connected with the storm
7 the Isle of Dominica.
~ Even the Captain, who was far fro
- being superstitious, and was, moreoyt
:, a well educated man, became bewildere
III as comfortable ,overcoat had vanish
Z, from his cabin when he was on deck th
lu night. and Two pillows had been tax
u from hammock in the forecastle bunl
4. together with more grog and biscuits.
TAT One night when the low level isle
al Bare Buda, one of the Caribee groI
er was a mile or so to leeward, and WI
e the utmost care in steering is necessa
Ia as the whole coast is foul and dangero
70 being beset almost at every point "
oP- shoals and sunken reefs, the man at
OF wheel suddenly beheld close by his 81
ed- in the pale, sickly light of the binns
nee lamps, the tall figure Of spectr
y, white or gray, he knew not which,
aIu , black visage, and glitteFing teeth
- eyes.
on A yell of terror escaped him.
1ne spokes escaped from his hands;
wheel revolved ike lighting;
cen brig fell away before the wind,
cen by the trim of her sails she must l
ICE gone by the board, and she would /
hon been reduced to a total wreck,
ex- powerful hands not instantly taken
wa place of his, and her proper steersge
lral restored but by whom?
IN The gray spectre
for There, in the sight of the whole c
and whom the yell Of the helmsman
IN brought on deck, it stood, tall, al
J. IN all appearance, powerful figure,
ton linen or cstton dress, with black vi,
IS eyebaIls that cleaned, and white, sa'
with ike teeth, taat glistened in the
! 10 thrown aft from the pinnacle, an
Men emotion of despair took possession c
ing, crew to find that satan was steering
press shin, with all on board, doubtless to
thus and perdition-
: the sThe sunken rocks-the sunken rC
lber, said the mate, with groan.
at a The Captain was soreIy perplexe'
( the even terrified but being at heart
are olute fellow, he armed himself Wit
re- oaly weapon at hand, eapstan bal
mn approached the mysterious steer
the who grinned, and tuitching his !
rom fOreIocks said
now ss.Just come on board, massal !"
80 a4 Gez1s- s . 1e-E1s4 ssszseIe