The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-27

that we were still far at seq, and that we
could not hope to navigate the ship TO land
without other assistance.
After having availed ourselves OF the pro-
visions and liquors, OF which there was VI
abundance, and apparently quite 1Tesn, gu
board, we returned t0.the deck. but not W.T.
out again shuddering at the frightlui appear.
ance OF the prostrate groups around us. IL
was necessary To get rid Ut them, however,
| and we determined to cast them into the
waves; but our blood froze Within us wnen
we discovered that the. first we touched was
perfectly rigid and immorable! None Of
them. iii fact could be moved from the spot
which. they occupied; they were rooted, as 1t
we're. to the deck, and to have displaced them
we must have loosened the ,glanks, which we
unable ma to tear the Captain from the mast to
which he was nailed, nor could we even re-
lease from his hand the sabre which no
grasped.
into which we had been thrown by this super
natural discovery, and passed the day In re-
tiecting on our melancholy condition. When
evening came requested old 1brahim to try
and take some repOse, while / remained
myself on the forecastIe to watch over our
safety.
The night was clear, and saw by the posi-
tion Of the stars that midnight was APP
preaching, and soon afterward felt 90 dis
posed for sleep that I involuntarily sunk
down behind q cask that was near me. The
sensation that came over me was rather that
Of giddiness than Of slumber, for | could dis
tinctiy hear the waves beat against the sides
Of the vessel and the whistling Of the wind
through her rigging. Suddenly fancied
OF feet on board. Iwould have risen to as
certain the cause OF this new wonder, but my
limbs, restrained az 1t were by some invisible
agency, refused To obey me, nor could even
open my eyes, Momentarily the noise be-
came louder: 1t seemed to me that the deck
was thronged with merry-hearted sailors;
and In this Babel Of tongues / thought |
could distinguish the orders OF d commander
and the sound OF ropes and sails.
My senses then deserted me, and fell into
| profound sleep, during which / imagined
that heard the clashing Of swords. / did
not awake until the sun, already high In
| the heavens, oppressed me with Its fervid
beams. At first looked around with be-
Gel, the dead men and all that / had heard the
preceding night, appeared to me as part OF
my dream; but when cast my eyes toward
the waist OF the ship my perceptions re-
turned, for saw that ell was In the same
state as had left II In the evening before
the grim corpses lying immovable on the
deck, and the hideous captain still nailed to
the mast.
was confounded as endeavored to distin-
guish the real from the Imaginary II what
my old servant. | found him In the cabin
''perplexed In the extremew
MY dear master" he exclaimed, as he saw
me advance, II had rather be at the bottom
of the sea than remain another night In this
dtabOlical ship"
inquired what new terror had alarmed
him, and he gave me the following account:
After troubled sleep OF some hours was
awakened by the noise OF some running about
overhead. AT first thought tt was yourself.
but soon the gatherings OF numerous feet con-
WINGED me that there were at least twenty
men, VINO presently shouted and called to
each other. Not long afterward heard heavy
steps descending the staircase, and I scarcely
knew where was. For moment only that
my observation served me perceived from
the corner where | was lying the man who is
above nailed to the mast approaching the
table, where he seated himself and began to
drink aud sing. The sailor who is enveloped
III red mantle, and who lies prostrate near
him, followed and accompanied him in his
song and rotations. AT this sight my senses
deserted me, and I fell into kind OF stupor,
from which, did not recover until it was
broad day"
not feel very comfortable at this recital. /
also had without doubt, heard these orgies,
and shuddered at the idea Of being shut up.
as it were, with such awful companions. As
to Ibrahim, he was again lost In meditation,
from which he at length started, exclaiming
Il know what must be DONE"
Adjoining the cabin there was small state
ROOM into which, at his suggestion, we re-
tired We fastened the door as securely as
possible, and made two holes In 1t. through
which we might, ourselves unseen, witness
anything which might take place In thu cabin
Ibrahim wrote the name OF the Prophet In the
four corners OF the chamber, and, thus pro-
tected, we awaited what wonld ensue.
Midnight again approached, and sleep be-
gan to steal over US, to charm away which
my companion advised me to recite some pas
sages from the Koran. adopted his plan,
and slumber fled from our eyelids. Ali at
once the deck appeared to be occupied by liv-
ing sailors. for the cables were unwound, the
head, and we could clearly distinguish voices,
as of the seamen calling to one another, and
occasionally the deep tones OF the officer In
command.
Some time elapsed, during which We re-
NAMED In painful expectation. and then we
heard footsteps on the companion-ladder, and
Immediately after the CHASTITY chief, whom
we had left immovable, transfxed above, en-
tered the cabin. The nail WIS stillDi bis fore
head, but his sword was sheathed. Behind
him came another man, less splendidly at
tired, whom instantly recognized as the one
Ibrahim had seen on the previous night The
Captain was OF unearthly paleness, wore q
large black beard, and his eyes rolled from
side to side with ferocious expression.
Both seated themselves at the ia BILE in the
centre OF the room, and began to converse In
a language with which we were unacquainted
After time they became excited, and the
commander struck the table SO violently with
his clenched fist, as If to enforce some threat,
that he made the whole ship tremble. The
other man rose, and with a savage laugh
beckoned the captain to follow him, upon
which he jumped up, drew his saber, and both
OF them rushed out OF the cabin.
We breathed more freely after their depar-
ture; but our terrible ordeal was far from its
termination. The disturbances increased
above; AND at length a tremendous uproar
resOunded through the vessel. 1t seemed as
If the deck would be broken in. Amid the
din, the clashing Of weapons and shrieks
were predominant, till all at once. DEATH
like silence prevailed, and continued un-
broken during the remainder Of the night.
When we ventured several hours afterward,
to ascend, we found no change in the appear
ance Of the deck. The position Of the dead
men was the same as before; they were
stretched as stiff as ever.
For weeks we remained on board the vessel,
and the weather being fair, we managed to
keep her before the wind. sailing toward the
east in which direction. according to my cal