Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-11
GHOSTS OF THE GULF.

GHOSTS OF THE GULF.
Phantom Ship nnsl Crew Seen by the 81.
Lawrence Fishermen.
Cor. Of tile New York World
Quebec, August 27.-The Westport and
BaIlina fishermen have been for centuries
ready 10 make oath that the wild Con-
naught coast thereabous is haunted BY
lights not Of this earth. In the days Of old,
when Scots came laundering from the nish
shores,
And the sea foamcd. struck with hostile
OaIs,''
or, in other words, when the Irish squadrons
invaded the sea, Of Brita n, great fleet
left the Connaught shore, and the legend
runs that many Of the galleys were lost of
the mouth of the Moy, or Muadas, and that
their signal lights are the identical lights
which to this day warn the western fisher.
men, and are visible even to pilgrims on the
top of Minbrea, Mount Nephin and Croagh-
patrick. The old men say that on that
night in August, '9s, when Humbert and
the three French frigates sailed into Killala,
these phantom lights lit up the coas. for
miles, as Though hono.ing the bold inva-
ders.
II is probable that ships of that Irish
Arm ida were driven across the main into
the Gulf of St. Lawrence, for phantom
lights are u icker here O nights than on the
Mayo coast. The most singular of these
phenomena in the St. Lawrence waters is
that which appears in the Bale des Chaleurs.
1t has been seen by the French fishermen
these hundred years and more, and there
are scores of witnesses now living who will
swear to it. The best description of it ever
given was that by the editor Of the Mirami-
chi Times (of the 18th November, 1861 !,
who saw it clearly. He SAYS;
Con the night Of Monday, the 18th ult.,
while in Carlquette, fine settlement about
forty miles below Bathurst, in the county Of
Gloucester, We saw the famous light, appa-
rently short distance below Point Mizze-
net, but far out in the bay. II appeared az
| If the hull Of some little craft was ON fire,
and the devouring element was sweeping
through the rigging and consuming every.
thing within its reach. Such, of course,
with the efforts of the imaginati~a in en-
deavoring to give outline or shape TO an
indefinite something that w2s far beyond
the powers of closer investigation Ii wa:
pointed out to lis by John Mcintosh, Of tha,
place, in who.e company We were at the
time Of its appearance. The light in it.
appearance and movements is totally indifi
J crent from the Jgnus Fatuus, or Will q I'll,
Wisp. 1t precedcs a nor,herly storm, ant
is sure forerunncr Of it. 1t is not confined
to one locality, but is seen from time to tim,
at different places by the inhabitants o
Caraqnetc, Grauance, New Bandon, Sal
mon Beach in fact, by the whole popula
ton between Miscou and Bathurst. Iti
not confined to summer nor to the oper
water, but is as frequently seen on the ic,
during the frost Of winter. In the summe
season parties have gone out to examine
in the boats, bu. as they approach i, i; dis
appears and after they have passed tn,
place where il had been to some distance, i
reappears behind them, giving the curiou
but little chance Of close investigation.'
Some 81, that they have seen the illu
mihcd craft so distinctly that they coul,
even see sailors Of Wild aspect moving I,
and fro on beard, and distinguish the row
ers; while others declare they have hear,
voices speaking the old Irish tongue Ho,
do they know it was the Irish tongue? BE
cause in lSis and ls49 hundreds of fuci
tives from the plague and famine came iron
Munster and Connaught to the ST. Lawrence
thanking God in their Irish that they ha,
been permitted to escape the two destroying
angels. This is matter worthy the atten
ton OF Boston and New York Spiritualistr
The naturalization of the ship, the ere,
and the Irish language Is perfect, and, be
yond question, honest. The cratic Q
Blisscs or Katie Kings could not play sucl
tricks.
Of Pointe Magdeleine, in the gulf tn
French fishermen hear the crv of an I'm