Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-10
VIGOROUS GHOST.
The rsr-esssIs sfs wsssisdia Vessel Haunt.
ed By . Mursersss visissns From the Other

VI" " = a0tDtI&9s vs@sss.s - sA~ Os.~-
side.
iPhiiAdelphia dispatch 10 tho Tiuth.l
The brig Frances, n West-ln India trader, OF
Mschias, Me-, n lying at the Prime-Street
dock waiting for the arrival Of q crew 10
enable her 10 put to sea. Captain HAL II.
Thomas. her commander, q bluff, hearty
old sailor. who has, Ia his time. navi-
gated nearly every ocean Of the globe,
sat under the bit OF awning stretched
across the qunrter.deek OF the brig and
told Of the prcdicament which has kept his
vessel here for several days. The Frances
finished taking her cargo on board on
Thursday last. She Is $50 tons register
snd laden with hoops, slaves, and heading.
consigned 10 a sugar.exportiDg house at
Matanzas, Cuba. Captain Thomas said:
ITO begin, none Of my old crew stayed by
the vessel when we arrived here. so
shipped a new lot-five seamen-1nd sent
them on board last Thursday afternoon.
IL never has been my plan 10 put crew
on board until l was ready to tow out TO
sea, but there was new spanker to bend.
a lot OF forerigging to set up, AMI so |
listened 10 the advice OF the mste. and
told the shipping master to bring the
crew down. That's where | mIde my
mistake TO put crew on board along
side OF dock. Well. they turned to and
cleared things up pretty fair that after
noon. | got my new spanker bent and
some OF the rigging tauiened up, aud as
the men worked pretty well | knocked
'em on carly, so rs TO give 'em a chance to
clean the forccastie a bit aud stow away
their chests. liked the appearance OF the
men. There was Il big Russlan-Finn, two
Danes, and two Liverpool eockneys.
told the steward 10 feed 'em no pretty well
until we dropped down the river. About
So'clock Thursday night looked in the
fo'casile to call one OF 'em TO take in the
slack Of deck-ine. They were smoking
and spinning yarns. aud turned in soon
after, thinking that had got good, quiet
set OF men.
at must have been about O'Clock in
morning when was reused by noise and
the scuilling OF feet on deck. | ran out
and found the men throwing water on the
big Russan-Finn. He leaned against the
fofecastle house, pale as ghost. / went
w and looked at him. The man was
trembling like a leaf.
NV hats all this?' says I.
"'Tbat 'ere fo'castle IL 'aunted, says
one Of the Eng Iishmen.
10y iUis liiHt tue Niu WAS dDlt
to talk. He rested on the hatch-combing
and SAYS:
"'I sat up talking with my mates here
Until after O'Clock. Then, as they all
turned in. lowered the wick in the SWING
ing lamp little, filed my pipe, and took a
turn on deck 10 get my smoke out. 1 ex-
Iect ! was on deck nearly an hour. for
when went in the forecastle everything
was quiet. had taken off my buds and
was just going to turn In my bunk when
felt a cold breeze blowing over me.
turned to look at the hatch, thinking had
left 1t open. but IL was closed. Then
looked up TO the further end OF the fore
castle. and saw that the sliding door lead
ing into the chain-lockers was wide open.
| shut IT, supposing one Of my mates had
been In there and forgot to close IL. |
turned In and fell asleep very soon.
80 | must have been sleeping about an
hour and half when / woke up with my
hair on end. felt drops OF sweat on my
face. A chilly draught still came from the
direction Of the chandeliers. | looked.
The door was wide open. As | put my
legs out OF the bunk to go and close it |
saw an arm, a woman's | will swear,
stretched out OF the gloom OF the chain
locker. IL seemed to touch the door.
which closed without a squeak. My hair
stood up on INV head like bristles. rub
led my eyes and jumped OFT Of the bunk.
took down the swingng-amp and TRIM
med il, and then | examined the locker.
door. Ii was fastened; the bolt was shot
INTO tie socket.
=" | lit my pipe and sat on a chest think.
ing abOnt the matter. ! decided that
bad been having q dream, so | turned IN
again and soon dOZed of.
"'I couldn't sleep sound. II seemed 10
me that l could hear a wOman's screams ;
then heard laughter and sobs alternately; ;
then an awful shrek aroused Inc. Every
thing was quiet in the forecastle, and a
ships bell struck midnight. | dozed off
again. Then the first thing knew | felt
myself gasping in my sleep. | woke up
and put out my hands. Icouldn't speak.
Somebody had both their hands on my
throat, ard knew | was choking. felt
the fingers, but couldn't touch anybody.
was paralyzed. felt was suffOcating,
when ! managed to sing out for help, and
the fellows jumped out OF their bunk aud
dragged me on deck
~ couldn't help laughing at the fright
Of the mau," said the captain, "and / was
Just going to open up on 'em for raising
such muss because man had the nlght-
mare, when the cockney sang out, Look
at the Firms throat"
1.-THE mans shIri-bosom was open, and
there were five purplish spots on each side
Of the neck
alt made ne feel queer, confess.
"Not one Of 'em would 90 in the fore
castle that night. They sat up in the gal.
ley until daylight, and when turned out
at I o'clock every mothers son OF 'em had
their chests OF the dock.
IL tried to ship another crew on Friday,
but these fellows gave it out IN the board.
lighthouses that the brig was haunted and
! couldn't get a man. sent TO New York
for a crew yesterday. and as soon as they
put their feet on deck out to sea | go,
ghost or no ghost!"
But what is your opinion, captainI'
81 give II up" said the old mariner, a
be III a fresh cigar. strange things hap
zen aboard ship sometimes"