Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-10-11

there might be some foundation of fact
for the story, but they were not pre-
pared to accept all its embellishments.
"It was desirable to know what the
Languedoc's Captain would have to say
on the subject.
Yes said our visitors, ask the old
man. You can't take the turns out of
what he says
1--WE soon found that Capt. Bos-
worth corroborated the story of his men,
and related the extraordinary yarn to
Capt. Collier: while his mate was no
less positive in the same direction.
My mates, therefore, concluded that
the Languedoc's crew had seen some
thing Very remarkable, although to
what degree fear and wonder might
have clothed it with terror beyond the
reality, was still uncertain.
cat all events we were placed sharpely
on the lookout for an object SO aston
ishing, hoping, yet half dreading, to
see it.
For some days the Flying Dutch
man formed the chief theme of CONVEX
sation on board the Falcon, and all that
any of the crew had ever heard or read
concerning the mysterious craft was
brought up afresh and related with new
interest.
Gone night we were running slowly
along, we sighted large schooner
which was coming right down upon us,
and the Captain jammed his helm to
port and hailed her hard.
But he paid no attention to us, and
came straight on, just clearing our stern
by not more than six feet. It was a
narrow shave, and the crew, most Of
whom were on deck, were terribly
frightened.
but I noticed something that 1 did
not like.
First the schooner was white all
over from hull to truck, and ON her deck
the crew l saw We're dressed in white,
and they We're as silent and motionless
as corpaes. The schooner also carried
with her q chilly air that made me
shiver, and felt uncommonly uncom-
Portable. In fact it was the Flying
Dutchman, and it had appeared to us in
the same manner as it had to the Lam
guedoc's crew.
eve got safely into port, but we sent
g dead body ashore, for one of the crew
had died the day after we seen the
Phantom Schooner. and this set me
thinking more about the craft
"Three months later we again sighted
the white schooner. She was abeam,
and coming on q course that would
bring her across our bows, if the Cap.
tain held on.
CHOW, mates, the Falcon was fast
sailor, and the Captain was determined
to make that white craft so astern. So
we shook out the reefs, crowded on all
she could carry, and set her ahead at a
Shaping pace. But the white craft held
her own without putting out another
stitch of canvas.
AT last we were so near that the
Captain determined to hail her and
cried, Schooner ahoyr No answer.
Schooner ahoy, alloyn
Still no answer, and he shouted,
'Confol1nd you, what craft is that?'
No answer still, and then right
across our bows went the stranger.
Then / felt the same chill as before,
and in the darkness I saw that same
silent, motionless crew.
"The next moment up came one Of
the crew from below, and requested the
Captain to shorten sail, as the cook,
who was i'll, was too much shaken up.
"We took in canvas but it did nc
good, for the man died the following
day, and then I did begin to think that
the craft was phantom and not sailed
by mortal men.
"For several months we continued
cruising for whales, without seeing the
craft, and my spirit rose, until one
moonlight night as we were going into
port, we again saw that same identical
Phantom Schooner.
"She came out from inshore some.
| where, ran after us, overhauled us, and
glided by SO close that 1 could without
difficulty have thrown line on board,
and not an answer could we get to oul
hail.
"When got home, I found that my
old lady had slipped her life's cable,
having died suddenly, though that was
fifteen years ago, and Ihave never since
seen the Flying Dutchman."
MY WIEE'S BRIDGE.
At Toxic, Japan, is fine bridge
| called AdZ1ma- Raehi - NV Wifo'e