St. Landry democrat., 1890-04-05

sbirting The Crushing Pack and Dodg-
Ing the CrusnblnG Bergs -How John
Hansen Gas Shocked.
Stout John Hansen, wrapped all i'll
furs, stood "t the wheel Of the bark Rein
deer, a Nhalyl Of the Arctic seas. 1t was
night, and the vessel was working along
the ice pack with Cape Smythe just
looming in the distance. The biting
wind twifi.d about Hansen's feet, catch
ing up the light snoW and sending 1t
swirlipg across the darkiing water.
There was brisk breeze and the night
was too cold for comfort by reason of
the proximity OF the foe; but Hansen
cared little aud cheeriIy whistled the
tune of a folk lore song he learned while
child sporting on the shore of Nor
wegian ford. He seemed as strong and
fearless as one of his Viking ancestors
when they faced the unknown Atlantic
until "cloudlike they saw the American
shore stretching to leeward.."
THE PHANTOM OF THE NIGHT.
Suddenly, right out Of the pack came
another bark, bow on. Her mizzen was
gone and she veered and waved strangely,
but her sails were set and she was making
fair Roadway. Hansen could hear the
swish of the wind in her sllrouds and the
swash as she iuunched the bone in her
mouth. In an instant she tackled and bore
away. Then, before going 100 yards, she
came about and made straight for the
Reindeer again.
Hansen hailed her. There was no an
swering hail. His voice rang hollow and
strange as the wind took itup and seemed
to make of it a hooking echo. Then he
hailed again. No return.
Hansen's lips grew white. His knees
shook He put his helm hard over and
made for the open sea. Then he muttered
a prayer which had not come to him since
a ship burned under his feet in the South
ern ocean way back in the COS.
He had seen the spectral ship, the Fly
ing Dutchman of the frozen ocean. The
phantom came SO near that he could see
the glisten Of the salt spume frozen on
her rigging and the icicles which hung
from her spars. There was ice upon her
deck, and upon her wheel, and upon her
battened hatehes-ice, and nothing more.
Her decks gave back no echo of foot
steps. Her sailing lights were out. She
was SO low in the water that she seemed
almost awasll-but she kept on into the
darkness, Keeling, staggering, unsteady,
but on and on and out Of sight.
John Hansen came into port. Death
sat watching by his bedside. He chat
tered and giibbered, and stared with
straining eyeballs. For no man may look
upon the phantom ship and live.
THE WRATH OF THE YOUNG PHOENIX.
. But what John Hansen saw in the
depths of that July night was not spec
ter Of the seas; nor was it the grim vision
of a fever stricken brain. 1t was some
thing far more dangerous than an airy
phantom derelict Of the deep. twas
the wreck of the Young Phoenix, which,
since the 9TH of Aug, 1883, has been sail
ing through ice and gale, breasting the
crushing pack, lodging the topping
bergs, guided by an unseen hand, and
sailing for no known port. No one may
say she has not touched the northern
pole. No man may tell where she will
be seen again,
On Aug. 3 of that year the whaling
fleet was riding between Point Barrow
and Cape Smythe, waiting for the ice
back to clear, when down came the south
west gale, beating the sea into ridges
and tossing the stout ships like the paper
argosies of children. Down went the
bark Fleetwing that had outlived many
an arctic storm. The Mary and Susan
strained, plunged and foundered. The
seas great NAV took in the schooners
Ino and Jane Gray.
LEFT TO THEIR FATE.
Things were lively OH the Young Phoe-
nix then. Both anchors were let go and
the men were ordered to the pumps. She
was leaking badly and the heavy seas
swept clear over her. With the night
the wind shifted to the west, and came
in stronger gusts. One after The other
the cables parted and the bark drifted
Then an effort was made to get to sea,
but the vessel fouled the Triton when
trying to get over the bar. Her rudder,
stern post aud jibboom carried away and
the leaks were started freer.
The crew of thirty seven men stuck by
the bark until Aug. 6. By that time the
water was at her lower deck. Her miz-
zenmast had been cut away. twas not
thought that she could float more than
an hour or two longer. The sails on the
fore and mailrmasts were set or partially
furIed when Capt. Willard ordered the
men tothe boats, and the Young Phoenix
sailed away, rudderless and undirected, !
10 meet whatever fate might come.
She was not seen again that year, and
it was supposed she had foundered or
been squeezed between the foes. But
she kept on her erratic course, buffeted |
by tue winds, caught by the currents,
lonely and forlorn.
On May 5, 1889, she was seen and
boarded by Mr.. Lcavitt, manager of
whaling station on Cape Smythe. She
was then close In shore, some sixty miles
from where she had been abandoned A |
few relics were taken from her, and the /
next morning she was gone again. She
was little changed, aud though water |
logged, made good Roadway.
This abandoned craft is probably the
phantom whose ice-sheathed shrouds
md silent decks doomed upon the start
led vision of big John Hansen that chilly
night in July, and gave him that shock
from which he may never recover. For
nearly q year che had roaned the chart
less sea, touching at no port, piloted by
40 hand, answering no hail, purposeless,
silent and alone. San Francisco Elk
aniner.
The Title Fitted Him.
Jennie Well, what do you think of
Toung Gabbewell?
Jessie He's perfect phonograph.
Jennie--A what?
Tessia-A DI,onopYaDh He talks with