The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-10-30

and what you've been hearing may be
nothing but a deception of the ear
IA deception in your ear, cried the
skipper. The timbers of an old wooden
ship may strain and creak in the Dutch
language, but hang me if they ever talk
ed good, sensible English. However, Pm
not going to worry. For my part said
he, with nervous glance around him, Il
don't believe in ghosts. Whatever it is
that's talking in the hold, may 90 on jaw
ing, 50 long as he sticks to that, and don't
trighten the men with an ugly mug, nor
come upon US for a mans Allowance
"If it's any body's ghost said |, lit
must be the Italians, the chap that was
starved in the forepeak.'
"'l doubt that, said the skipper 4
didn't detect anything foreign in what he
said. To my ear it sounded more Ike
Whitechapel than Italiano.'
"Well for another week we heard little
more Of the ghost. It's true that one
middle watch chap had sent aloft to
loose the mainroyal, had hardly steered
out OF the lower rigging, after lingering
in the cross trees to overhaul his cleW-
lines, when he comes rushing up to me,
and cries out.
"lye been hailed from aloft, sir A
voice has just sung out "TOmmy, jump
alott again that may have a good look
at You ."'
"'Who's up there z asked bin, star
ing into the gloom where the masts and
yards went towering.
"'There's no enc up there, sir IN
swear it. | was bound to see him had
/ an hn aI-i
IDENTITY very much frightened
''lt occurred to me that some one Of
the crew might be lying hid in the top,
and that if could catch him might find
out who the ghost was. 50 jumped in
to the rigging and trotted aloft, keeping
my eye on the lee rigging, to make sure
that 40 one descended by it. gained
| the top, but nobody was there. mount
ed to the crosstrees, but no sign Of any
one could i see. ] came down feeling
| both foolish and scared for yOu see had
| heard the voice myseItin the hold there
was no question that there was a voice.
belonging to nobody knew what, knock
| ing about the ship, and consequently ii
was now impossible to help believing Il
man when he said he heard it. How
ever, it was necessary to keep the men
| III heart, and this was not to be done by
! the captain ana mates appearing scared !:
/ so | reasoned Il bit with the man, telling
| hln that there were 10 such things as
/ CHESTS, that a voice was bound to come
! from q live person, because Il specter
! couldn't POSSIBLY have lungs, those or
| ganS being of a perishable nature, and
then sent him forward. but no easier in
| his mind, suspect, than | was. Any,
how, was glad when eight bells We're
struck, ana it was my turn to 90 below.
| But, as / have said, nothing much came
Of this. al least, nothing that reached my
ears. But not many nights following,
the ship lay becalmed there wasn't a
| breath Of air-and the sea lay smooth as
polished jet. This time had the middle
watch again. | was walking quietly up
and down the poop, on the lookout for a
deeper shade" upon the sea to Indicate
the approach of wind, when man came
up the ladder, and said:
" There's some one a-talking TO the
ship under the bows
" Are You awake ? | asked
" Heaven help me, as | stand here,
sir exclaimed the fellow solemnly, If
that there voice which talked in the hold
tother day, ain't now over the side.
II ran forward, and found most of the
watch huddled together near the star
board cathead. | peered over, and there
was a dead silence.
"'What are You lSking over that side,
for I'm here " said a thin, faint voice,
that seemed more in the air than in the
| sea.
" 'Thereh exclaimed one of the sea
men in hoarse whisper, that's the third
time Whichever side we look, he's on
the other
2" But there must he some one in the
water said another man. Any body
see his outline? Cuss me if couldn't
swear | see a chap swimmin' Just now
No, no, answered some one grut1ly
nothing but phosphorus, Joe, and the
right sort o stuff, too, for if this Old
Nick
" You're a liar, Sam" came the voice.
clear, and as one could swear, plain from
over the side. There was a general re
coil, and sort OF groan ran among the
men. At the same moment collared Il
figure standing near me, and Slowed him
round to bring his face to the starlight,
clear OF the staysail.
Come you along with me, Master
Dick said and marched him off the
forecastle, aicng the main deck, and up
on the poop. $50 y0u'ft the ghost, ell 2
said !. why. to have kept your secret,
you should have given my elbow a wider
berth. No wonder the voice only makes
observations in my watch. You're too
lazy, spose, to leave your hammock to
try your wonderful power on the mate,
Ell? Now see here said |, finding him
silent, and noticing how white his face
gllmmered to the stars, Il know you're
the man, SO you'd better confess Own
the truth, and III keep your secret pro
viding You belay all further tricks of this
same kind; deny that you're the ghost
and I'll speak to the captain and set the
men upon you
g This fairly frightened him, and he
said :
We'll, sir, its true: I'm the voice,
sir; but for Gods sake keep the secret,
sir. The men would have my life if they
found out that it was me as scared them.
"IhlS confession was what needed,
for though when standing pretty close to
him on the tolecastle, | could have sworn
that it was he who uttered the words
which perpleXed and awed the sailors,
yet SO perfect was the deception, so fine,
in short was his skill as ventrloquist,
that, had he stoutly denied it, and gone
on denying that he was the voice |
should have believed him, and continued
sharing in the wonder and superstition OF
the crew.
81 kept his secret as promised but,
somehow OF other, it leaked out in time
that he could deceive the ear by appar-
emily pitching his voice among the rig
ging, or under the deck, or over the side,
though the discovery was not made until
the ghost had for a long time ceased to
trouble the ships company, and until
the mems superstitious awe had faded
away somewhat, and they had recovered
their old cheertulness. We then sent for
Dick to come to the cabin. where he gave
us real entertainment as ventriloquist,
initiating all sorts of animals, and pro-
ducing sounds as Of women in distress
and men singing out for help in their
berths; indeed, such was his skill that
I'd often see the skipper and mate turn
ing, startled to look in the direction
whence the voice proceeded. He made
his peace with the men by amusing them
in the same way so that, instead Of get
ting the ropes ending aft, and the pun
melting forward which he deserved he