The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-02-15
The Haunted Ship.

= AAC - g LA4AGSNE HOnAD y.
l shipped in the Norway Tor the pas
sage from Cronstadt to Hull, and another
/ English gentleman, who went by the
name ofJack Hastings. Joined her at the
same time. He and / lodged together
on the shore, and became somewhat
acquainted before we became shipmates
He was man OF considerable informa-
tion, and, from his talk, had seen his
share of the world, but was not much Of
! a sailor, as had already surmised from
the cut of his lib.
We found Capt. Phelps, OF the Nor
/ way, tartar in the worst sense OF the
word and the voyage was anything but
a pleasant one, especially to Hastings
He had shipped for able seaman's wages,
and bis deficiencies were soon apparent,
! especially to a captain who had a hawks
/ eye for the weak points in man, that
/ be might come down on him As he'd
a strong feeling of respect for the young
man, I stood his friend whenever l
could, by trying to do more than my
own share of duty, and covering up his
( shortcomings but l couldn't always be
at hand, of course.
One night when it was blowing quite
fresh, and l was at the wheel, the cap
tain was up. and had all hands putting
reefs in the topsails. The men had lain
down on deck, and were manning the
hslyards to hoist away, when poor Has
tings, instead Of the reeftackle, let 90
the weather foretopsail brace, and away
went the yard fore and aft. However,
by iuhing up smartly, we managed 10
get il checked il again without carrying
away anything. But Capt. Phelps,
frothing at the mouth, vowed he would
tan the clumsy lubber's hide that did it,
and would " ride him down like a main
stack" He rushed at Hastings with
piece of ratllne stuff, and brought it
down once with terrific cut over his
neck and shoulders.
As he raised it again to repeat the
blow, while all hands stood looking on,
hushed in silence, a voice from aloft
reared out:
Hold your hand :"
The sound, which was wonderfully
loud and clear, seemed to come down ont
Of the maintop. The captain fell back
aft, so as TO look up, but could see moth
ing.
Aloft, there - he yelled, in a rage
No answer.
&" Maintop. there!"
Halloa!" was answered spitefully.
Come down on deck !"
Come mp here and see how you like
it'll"
The captains rage was now fearful to
behold.
" Who's aloft there Who is it, Mr..
Raynor ?" be demanded of the mate.
{" Nobody that I know of, sir, an
swered the officer. " They're all here
in sight"
The men looked from one to another,
bat the number was correct. The second
mate, without waiting for orders sprang
UP aloft and looked over the top-rim,
then made a circuit of it, looking all
round the masthead, and reported him
self alone. The captain dropped his
ropes end and went below, his mind in
strange chaos of rage and fear, and
Hastings escaped further beating for
that night.
But few days were sufficient for the
captain to forget his fears, and ! myself
was the next victim of his wrath He
had ordered me to make lanyard-knot
in the end OF an old tagged rope, to be
used for a lashing somewhere. | did so,
and returned it to him, telling him / had
made the best job of it that 1 could.
Well, if that's your best" said he,
"you're as much of a lubber as your
partner, Hastings. III dock you both
to or'nary seaman's pay.
In vaih / demonstrated, saying that
the rope was too much worn and tagged
to make neat piece of work.
Tagged is it? Well, I'll finish it up
over your lubberIy back"
No you won't,' sang out voice
from behind the long boat.
He rushed round III the direction of
the sound, but there was not a soul
there.
Who was that spoke ?'' he cried.
IF knew who he was I'd cut his heart
out"
Ha, ha would ye?" was answered
derisively-from the maintop, now.
1t was broad daylight, and all could
see that there was no one up there. I
was quite as much startled and mystiied
as my tyrant could possibly be, but the
diversion served as good purpose as on
the previous occasion, for he did not
attack me again. Had he done so l
meant to resist, and grappIe with him,
if 1t cost me my life.
That night the captains slumbers
were disturbed by fierce cry, which
appeared to come in at the side-light in
his state room, left open for fresh air.
The cry had been heard by the mate, on
the quarter deck, and by Hastings, at
the wheel, who icould give no explana-
tion of it, and seemed to share his aston
ishment and fear, when he rushed on
deck and looked vainly over the quarter
in search of the cause.
From that day he was harassed and
prosecuted at every turn by an "invis-
ible presence" which gave him no peace
of his life. Whether on deck or below
he found no escape from it, and espe-
cialIy when he began to abuse or swear
at any of the ships company the voice
of the hidden champion invariably took
their part, the insolent laugh rang in his
ear on every such occasion, seeming TO
come from overhead,