The Republican journal., 1881-08-04
The Mission of Captain Bob Thompson
Ghost.

''Of course sir" said the old sailor the
other day as we sat together us usual
ut amt necessary for me to tell you, as
has know'd me these many years, that
amt no believer in ghosts; still there's
things as happens in the recollection OF
most everybody as they can't explain
no how and they ist has to let em go fol
what they're worth; take 'cm alongside
as one might say, and never make no at
tempt to hist 'em in. | mind one Of them
things just now, as ive made it Il rule
never to tell 'cept to people as was well
acquainted with me, for fear they might
think was ayarning."
81 suppose, sir, as there never weren't
two as was faster friends than Captain
Bill Jackson, of the ship Ariel, and Cap
tain Bob Thompson of the ship Mysore
Going in the Liverpool trade rcg'lar and
sailin always within week of each other
they was always together for fortnight
or so in New York. Captain Bill were
married, while Captain Bob weren't, but
that didn't make no difference, cause
when in New York Captain Bob always
lived at Captain Bill's home, and in
Liverpool they boarded together"
''l were into the Mysore afore the mast
when Captain Bob had her, leaving Liver
pool in the month of December, 1888,
think it were, but amt sartain Us to the
year; but know the Ariel had gone out
Of the dock about a week ahead OF us
Captain Bill hayin' his wife and two chill
dren aboard. Both ships had passengers
though, as recollect, neither of 'em was
til11 ln
weren't SO many ag0ln.
1--WE had a good time clearin' the land
catchin a sou'Wester off the Skerries, the
old man stuck her out Of the North Chan
mel, the wind holdin' till he was well cleal
OF the Irish coast, and in the nor -westel
which followed we give it to her big. anC
went to the suth'ard llitin'. After that
we had the usual luck Of a winter passage
and hammered away to the West'ard til
pretty nigh up with the Banks in the lat
titude OF 46, or thereabOuts, when we GOT
a most tremendous gale of wind from
sOu'West which brung us down to close
reeted maintopsail and toretopmast stay
sail, and fearin' the shift the old man
weared her round, putin her head tC
the suth'ward and BASTARD, which arc
the right thing for to do, sir, and many
ship has been lost for not doin o
it, gettin ketched aback in the terrible
furry from the nor'wcst as always tollers
these sou-westerly gales. If your head
are to be south ard of course it hits you
aft, and there amt no harm done, but OF
course all the while you're heading tC
the southeast the variation and lecWal
are both agin you, and you make castin
fast, which amt consoln' when you're
bound to the west ard.
at was four bellies in the middle watch
when the old man came to the conclusion
as he daredn't let her be onto the port
tack any longer. She had then reeteC
toresail and close-reefed foretopsail onto
her, and it were Il blowin' a awful hard
gale, with rain and a tremendous high
sea. Call all hands, says the old mar
to the mate, 'and we'll git her head to tho
southland, and heave her to. Keep &
few hands for'ard and as soon as she's
off afore it git that port toretack and
sheet unlocked from the clew if you kim
and run the foresail up snug while she's
goin' round. Let the rest on 'em come
aft to the weather main braces
at weren't no fool Of a job to weal
ship in that sea, but the old man knoWeC
how to do it, being good sailorman, i
ever there were one.
The second mate stood by the lee mail
brace and one Of the hands at the lee
topsail brace. \ couple of us was at the
weather main brace.
When we was all ready the old mar
says, Iet her lutf now all she will, anC
as the weather leech of the topsail lifted
he sings out, Slack away the lee braces
handsomely; hal, in to windard hard "
the helm; keep your eye on the sail (tt
the second mate) and don't let it get
aback ; Just keep it shiverin nicely a.
she goes off
"Ot1' she went like a daisy, kcepin' good
headWay on, and as she drew the vino
abatt the beam the lee brace was let &C
altogether and we rounded in on the port
ones all we could without backin' the sail
When the wind were only point on the
port quarter the old man sings out again
Jump for'ard to the land braces, now
all but two or three hands, as will stay
here to take in the slack of the port
braces as she comes to slack away tho
fore-sheet and starboard fore braces
haul up the port clew Of the foresa
there, tor'ard lively, there, now; don't
let them head sails get aback for youl
lives. Away went the head yards tlyin
as the wind came in on the starboarG
quarter and afore she could come to the
mate had the forcsal up snug. We didn't
let the head yards go chock for'ard, but
tor'ard, the whole of us, and clewed the
foretopsail right mp. Then we mustered
aft and braced the mainyard up sharl
and bowsed the starboard brace wei
taut and after bracin' about the crochicb
and mizzen- topsail yards, we hauled the
fore braces and lifts well taut and laid
aloft and slowed the foretopsail, mittenin
the foresal us we laid down, and there
she were, just as snug as a bug, without
ever carryln' away a rope yarn. | know
when our side went below at eight bells
and lit our pipes we said, Now let it
blow and be -; we're all right cause
we know'd when It shifted it would ketch
her aft, and she just came up to west
sou'west or thereabout, and we hadn't
got to look out for nothin'. The shift
came about 8 o'clock in the mornin', and
it were a awful one as ever | seen, hittin
us aft as it did, we thought for while as
everythin' would go out of her, and SC
very violent were it that the old man
daren't bring her to, but just let her run
afore it. Arter hour, however, the first
furry was over, the big drop rain stopped
and the clear sky began for to show tc
the north and by degrees we let her come
up to it, havin' fust put jumper on to
the yardarm, and settled the topsail yards
on to the lifts. She came to lovely, and
everythin' stood like charm and the old
man says to the mate, cheerily, 'Thank
Cod for the next breeze we're sure OF