Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-04-15
A STRANGE OLD STORY.

Tuesday, 18th May, l6S7.-This day the
weather came southwest a little about
8 o'clock P. NJ, and about we anchored
in Manson Road, and there found on the
road Captain Barnaby, Captain Bristow
and Captain Brown, all of them bound fol-
Lessaria to load. 18th May-This day,
about 10 o'clock in the forenoon, went on
board of Captain Barnaby's ship, and about
o'clock in the afternoon we weighed
anchor and sailed all CT US for the Island
of Lessaria, the wind was west-northwest
and better weather. l4th May-About
o'clock we saw the Island of Lessaria, and
about we came to an anchor OFT the said
| island in l2-fathom water ; then we were
at west-southwest. 10Th May-We had
the observation of Mr.. Booty this day.
and Mr.. Ball, merchant. went
on shore in Captain Barnaby'
boat to shoot coneys upon Shumbalon,
and when we had done we called all our
men together by us, and about 3:44
in the afternoon, to our great surprise,
we all of us saw two men coming ran
ming toward us with such swiftness
that no living man could run half so
fast as they did run, when all OF us heard
Captain Barnaby say, Lord bless me,
the foremost is old Booty, my next door
neighbor, but he said he did not know the
other that ran behind. He was in black
clothes. and the foremost in gray then
Captain Barnaby desired all of US to take
an account OF the time and pen 1t down II
our pocke5- books, and when we got on
board we wrote it in our journals, for we
saw them in the flames Of fire, and there
was great noise, which greatly affrighted
US all. for we none of us never saw or heard
the like before Captain Barnaby said he
was certain who it was we saw running
over Shumbalon and into the flames OF fire.
Then coming home to England, and lying
at Gravesend. Captain Barnaby's wife
came on board 9th October, 1857, at which
time Captain Barnaby and Captain Brown
sent for Captain Bristow and Mr.. Ball,
merchant, to congratulate with them, and
after some discourse Captain Barnaby's
wife started up and said, my dear, | will
tell you some news, old Booty Is dead.
He directly made answer that we all
of us saw him run into hell. After
ward Captain Barnaby's wife told a
gentleman in London of his acquaint-
ance what her husband had said, and
he went and told Mrs. Booty the whole
affair. Upon that Mrs. Booty arrested
Captain Barnaby in a thousand pound ac-
ton for what he had said of her husband.
Captain BarDaby gave bail, and it came to
a trial in the Court of Kings Bench, and
they had Mr.. Booty's wearing apparel
brought into Court, and the sexton of the
parish and the people that were with him
when he died, and they swore to what time
he died, and we swore to our journals, and
it came to the same time within two min
utes. Ten OF our men swore to the but
tons of his coat, and they were covered
with the same sort Of cloth his coat was
made of, and so it was proved. The jury
asked Mr. Sphinx il he knew Mr.. Booty.
He answered, never saw him till he
ran by me on the burning mountain. Then
the Judge said, Lord have mercy upon
me, and grant may never see what you
have seen ; one, two or three men may be
mistaken, but thirty men never can be
mistaken. So the widow lost her cause.
From the Records of Westminster.