Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-26

main deck, trying to distinguish objects
by the garish light Of the white foam
Occasionally pale lightning flash
showed the wild waters around us, the
labo1ing ship seemed to sweep the inkv
sky with her mast-hands; a scene to us
youngsters indescribably terrible. The
third mate was on watch; he was stand
ing over to windward, stern and silent.
The dead man and he had been close
friends. They had wandered over the
world together for years, and he SEEM
ed to feel his loss deeply. Suddenly we
heard his voice: ''Go for'ard one of YOU.
and see if the lookout is all right"
Rather disagreeable duty; for though
the rain and spray had wet us through
already, yet the water in our clothes was
warm by this time; and going along
that main deck exposed us to the
probability of fresh supply of colder
temperature. "Let us both CO." said
King. We stood on the poop ladder
watching our chance. and the moment
the vessel seemed steady, made rush
for the fife rail round the man-mast-
a sort of halfway house. l reached it
in safety; but poor Kings foot slipped
a huge sea leaped on board at the
weather main-rigging. I climbed up
the foretopgallant braces clear of it
with a laugh at Kings expense; but it
died on my lips as a cry came borne to
my ears-the cry of some one in death
ly terror. I slid swiftly down the
braces to the deck. The same momeut
a flash of lightning showed me King
still on board, clinglng to the lee main
rigging, his face white and distorted
with some awful fear.
F" Come out Of that George" | en-
plored. His position was one of great
danger; but he did not stir or answer.
AS the vessel rolled, | was dashed
against him. [ chung round him to the
rigging, holding on till the water had in
some degree subsidized through the ports
and scuppers. "What IS the matter,
old fellow?' | asked. carey you hurt ~
With his lips at my ear, he answered
hoarselv:
He's on board again, Jack !"
He Who ?" cried wildly.
He did not answer, but pointed to the
deck. There was about foot depth of
water on it. AS the ship rolled to lee
ward l saw, by the now increasing light
ming, something washing to and fro in
the water, with loosely tossing limbs.
The ship rolled to leeward-it washed
away. Again the ship rolled to lee
ward-it washed to our feet. Tangled
in the ropes, it stayed there. The light
ming cleaned full on the upturned face.
1t was the second mate
Never did the horror of that moment
pass from my memory. What brought
the dead back again? Was the shadow
of death never to leave us? A horrible
faintness seemed creeping over me. l
could not move. Suddenly the third
mates voice rang out sharp and anx-
lous: Where are you, youngsters ?"
and broke the spell. Welcome indeed,
was that voice to our ears; it seemed to
bring us back to the world of life again.
We hurried aft, and rather incoherent-
ly, | think, told him what we had seen.
"Nonsensep' he said angrily. "Did
you never see a death on board ship
before, that this has made such an i'm
preston on you?-You the watch
thereto the men-'get hold of what
ever that is knocking about the decks,
and secure it. Get the deck-light, one
Of you
The men went down on the main
deck, by no means cheerfully though.
They soon came up again earring some
thing. cts corpse. SIR they said,
in answer to the officers inquiry
Snatching the light, he directed it on
the dead mans face. ALI cried together:
"Tne second mattel" Ay, there was the
man we had buried the morning of the
day before in a strong sail cloth bag,
with twenty pounds weight at his feet,
on board again-our own eyes saw him.
Naked and bruised he lay before us,
with the damp sea-slime clinging to his
swollen limbs, but nothing to account
for the absence Of shroud and shot. We
buried him again next morning in 81
lence and haste; and setting what sail
we dared to the now favoring gale, fled
away from the scene of that terrible
mystery.