New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-24
BEWITCHED IN MID-OCEAN
Thrice the brindcd cat hath mewed.'


Old supersttions, like old religions, take great
deal of killing About no fourfO0ted creature have
ciousIy than about the cat from the feline deity of
Egypt, and the gaunt grmalkln OF the witches, to
the tame tabby OF our hrcse. 1t is difficult, how
ever, to believe that III tins quarter OF the nnc-
tceDth century and among sane EnClshmen, pussy
should ever he an object of fear and forcbodng.
Yet hear the story of nv friend, the captain of the
Seamew. recently come i'll to port after an unusu-
ally stormy and strange passage from Baltimore
We had a capital run for several days After
dropping down the rlvcr gave her sheet across
the cold belt of water that lies along he coast and
out we swishcd' into the Stream and away along
Jack says / to my mate, who has sailed with
me i'll the Scamcw mahy years, home III thirty
'Humph,' said Jack, maybe Jack was n
Scotehman and cautions about an opinion.
Well, on March 1t II have reason to remember
the date a little after II o'clock. in latitude 40
north and longitude 53O west II had Just take our
with my glass careless like when ! sighted ship
starboard bow. had good look she was
a harqne, and was flying signals of distress,
Jack said | when he had looked, what do you
Think We must bear down on her SUPPOSE
.llumph. SAID Jack Az, suppose 49,
We shortened saul and bore down. We came
within haIl. but nobody answered from the barqne
Presently, though u boat was launched and pulled
toward us but their pulling weak and dippy'
Then man stood up IN the middle OF the boat,
Alloy Ahoyr in {. half cracked kind OF voice.
This odd, aud | trampea up and down, impa-
tent to hear what they wanted; :.
stood up in the middle said We are starving
Says he. The Lily of Plymouth, outward bound
We got 'em up the side. took the master into
the cabin, and sent the men for ard. Lord! to see
that man drink and eat! With a deliriOus eager
ness. as you might say, and yet afraid to eat too
fast or loo much. He knew he must keep in his
from him; lie told us their story IN scraps be-
tween They had been pIovsioned for three
Sn f be 5 hnd wS n ad day o The
liar; not stormy hut playful and pervcrse-likc ::
sometimes blowing this way sometimes that often
not blowing at all. Near eleven weeks had gone
by before they sighted Cape Henry. ana when they
did down came furious sprawng norwestcr,
and drove 'cm out to sea again. And so they had
beaten about in adverse winds, OF coarse, ever
since. Their last drop of water and their last scrap
of biscuit went five days ago Then they came 10
cooking their boots, and sucking the oil frCin the
lamps-eNen from tine binnaclc.
WE ate my dog LAST And the poor fellow burst
into tears. AS sure fate. said he, looking oddly
ut me, we have been bewltched.'
BewitchcdH said !. What, now-what makes
Ah WELL said he, l. don't know. Bat we'll
We filled their boat and boat of ouI with all
the provisions We thought could spare land
there were thirteen OF EN-, an awkward number TO
feed. Jack went with our boat, and when he
came back, says he to me:
caId Hes n sen y paG s'[ tEGUgn ne be
Il maybe as well out q their way now-and what
Bye think four bottles o champagne in the basket
herel They had thought o saving them for land
sight, but he's sent them to YOU
We look in the basket of champagne at once.
Inc bottles lay Soped In. with their heads out.
Underneath was little pacling straw and under
meath that-oh, Jacks face and Language when lie
saw u!-a tabby, a brinded cat lying curled up
asleep:
Oh = erred Jack. ooh, the sly, ungratcful devil.
This is your Welshman. your Tafy! This is What
he thought lie was bewitched VII. And he's BEEN
afraid to make away WI IL. So hc sends the witch
craft here The coward he is! But wen play
Jonah trick, and chance the whale
SO he seized the cat and swung ont his arm to
toss it o,EerbosTd; when my litle Maggie, that
sailed with Inc tins voyage, and that scaIcc under
stood his words. but understood his action, caught
his wrist and cried
oh, no please, Jack! Give it to men
Now Jack was very fond OF her., so he ar
rested his act at her bidding at once; but he SAID
IL bewtched, though Maggie lass. If don't
believe IN that sort thing there's them here that
do, with "A glance at the men forard.
Ay, ST. there be- sad Dick saudys, an old sea
man who had been standing by ali the while help
ing to haul up the boat by the dayit line and keep
mei as | had observed, sideIlong eye On the
and don't say az what | amt one on EN- myself
as as II STRAIGHT of begin to think the rare luck OF
worscr luck. sir if ye throw overheard blinded cal
as has been canled aboard across water.
Is that SO asked Jack.
Yes. said in a low voice I've heard that be-
fore. But, said / aloud, and looking at Dick and
trying TO work OIL my uncaslncSs IN joke, how
can YOU have " sea" or any other new" without
q cat z
This cat said Jack, scarcely looks as if she
bone anu
Ny little Maggie had waNcd her up with stroking,
q
Walk, iubblng against Alaggc's leg. But she fell
over again and again. Jack caught the animal up,
ana smiled her breath, while she gave him an
aVeIted look, which to me seemed almost human
= up me- cfIcI Jack. . If they haven't made her
drum. so that She should come here quiet! Did ye
When Maggie carried the cat into the cabin, /
trampcd up and down the deck, more uneasy than
cared G 20 let myself know. 1t was not (is / told
jack mat l was a believer i'm the supcrstItious
about cats winch many sailors still encourage. but
because Knew W ,at desperate work it would be-
n. IA lIp1
that had gwen themselves up.
IL was getting on in the afternoon, and was still
tl#inpug 10 ana lr0, when that cat ruehcd ou deck
with Maggie after it. 1t jumped up on the bui,
wafkS, ANA, looking and pOkng It's nose over the
water mcawcd. IL leamG back to the deck and
ran along toward the foc.lc and round the cahoosc
and stopped and meaVed again. 1t ran back to-
ward me-. and looScd round and mcawcd q third
ZINE ana IL ncawlng was lOud and dstiessiul rs
u II wanted TO be let out or let in. Maggie fol.
lowed ealing fEss puss poor pussy And there
was |. and Jack and farther oil all lie crew look,
Ing on and wondering at he creatures movements
anu cries; There We're peculiar one-sidcd glanccs
n ra mead shakes, saw, exchanged 10y the mon
10 discourage any notion there might be That also
tei rc eIncern turned TO walk mp and down as be
b nt nS n FSa my pHe What did that do
cais-meat IMAM. " " "'' 'lo
to eat VIVA e'N0 ~ 'o'no'hihS
I've given il somc,binc fothou, :, =,
. ana II wont eat IT, But maybe it will now and
SIC managed TO seize and carry it en- '
Now, standing still, noticed that the s,,o,.o &c
my pipe, instead Of being blown AWAY wns cnri;n W.
ssi0"y apon, my mead, rising "a little and forming
pit OF cIold ana then melting away straight nm I
uid 90, IKE these signs. There was "A change wnrI,
ing round IN the weather; OF which let ME tell van
the glass; had gwen no warning. '''
We had been having Il clear sky and q fro.h
oreeze The breeze fell slack our sails ilapprd and
,Eised, IKE as II IN DISGUST, and the most curious
am 100 old sailor To make a note of every ndi
shahge IN The look of the sky, but that WAS
Inn nCnI 20