Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-01-22
4 PHANTOM WAR VESSEL


master of small fruit schooner plying be
tween Galveston and Vera Cruz, reported
with unmistakable agitation and terror
that on his last trip he had ountered a
vessel of strange build, filed with men
whose ghGstly, terrible countenances
seemed to him those of the dead, it was
laughed ~ az the ridiculous story of a
supersti,ious sailor, having no foundation
except in brain fired by strong drink
But on the same day it received such strong
confirmation from Capt Eric Anderson, of
the Norwegian ship the Fair Hilda, that
the authorities began to suspect that some
thing unusual, To say the least of it, was
afoot.
Capt. Anderson, VINO had Just landed
and could have had 10 previous knowledge
OF McLoughlin's story, and who is besides
gentleman of tried integrity, states that
when half a day out from port, and just at
early dusk, he perceived close under the
bows of his ship a sailing vessel apparent
ly rushing down upon him. He shouted
to the man at the H-hecl to luff, buJ before
the order could be obcyed the strange craft
swept past within what seemed to him ten
feet, giving him an instant's glimpse of
her decks, crowded with men who struck
him as being most extraordinarily calm
and Indifferent to the peril which had
taffrail or lounging about the deck, not
one even raised his head to glance at the
Fair Hilda
But the thing which puzzled Capt An
derson most was the strange light which
pervaded the ship, and which seemed ONLY
to outline every spar and rope as if rubbed
with phosphorus, without iIluminat ing her
or casting a shadow Questioning the
man at the wheel as to bis careles mess in
allowing an accident to become 50 immi-
nent, the sailor assured the captain that
the strange vessel had seemed to spring
into being all at once right under The Hill
da's bows, and that she could not lave ap-
preached gradually without his see ng her,
as he had been gazing straight ahead at
the time, and it was sill so light that no
difficulty could have been experienced in
making her out, covered as she vas with
full canvas.
Capt. Anderson described the vess ell rs an
old fashioned craft of the kind known as a
foretopsail schooner with black hull, and
with mounted guns, presenting so unmis-
taxable a warlike appearance us to mark
her as bound on a belligerent erraad, and
to amaze the captain, who fully expected
to hear on reaching port that some I'M
looked for war had broken out since he be-
gan his voyage. The schooner was also
accompanied by two feluccas, and was fly
ing huge flag, but owing to he dim
light and the rapidity with which she
passed and disappeared it's nationality
could not be ascertained. No vessel
equipped for war could possibly have any
business in these waters, and both alarm
and establishment were felt over her pres
ence. kilograms were at once sent to New
Orleans and Key West, inquiring if aught
was known at either port of such craft
Nd ,aI Of L., -, -
tive, but i'll a tone of perfect incredulity
Suspicion had from the first pointed to
Mexico or Central America as the mailing
point of the mysterious vessel clearly en-
gagged III no legitimate business, and the
seapOrts of these countries were wired in
regard to her, but reply was made in every
case, and with undisguised surprise, that
no such vessel had or could have left I'M
seen at any point along the coast From
the little port of Santa Maria, however
came an addition to the denial which only
served to deepen the mystery. This was
the statement that the same vessel, or one
answering to the description, had been re-
porsed seen in that vicinity at intervals OF
every few years, but though every facility
at hand had been employed to find out her
GRAND, or even the slightest fact about
her, she still remained a problem to the
authorities. No crew had ever been known
to come ashore, and every attempt made
to reach her, however slyIy planned, had
ended in failure and bewilderment. for
though in plain view of the land, wher
the spot where she had seemed to be
anchored was reached she was found tt
have disappeared as completely and with
out trace as fleck of foam
1t was thought best to pursue irvestiga
tiOns quietly, and not to make common
talk of the occurrence, but Mel ouphlir
and the crew of the Fair Hilda, who haf
also seen the ship that so amazed the cap
tain, openly declared their belief chat she
was supernatural appearance, and spread
the story, which is now the absorb ng topi,
about the wharves. The CORES pondent
visited them yesterday to pick up what in
formation was afioat concerning The mys
FERROUS craft, when, joining a group col
Iected about an old sailor, by name Bel
Davidson and Familiarity known as ''OlC
Larboard," he was entertained by the fol
lowing explanation of the mystery:
give bin alvin on this here island
nearly fifty year now, off and on, 'cep
when a-v'yaging, and this here is the fifth
or sixth time Eve seen that ere craft stir VI
mighty fuss and wonderin', and I'd bet
ships biscuit against a sharks tooth tina
this amt the las time by long snot she'
goin' to dol What is she? She's Lafitte'
Pride, and she amt goin' to quit thes
here waters where she did all her devilmen
till the Judgement day sets her free. TIL
crews she carries is them bloody pirate
that used to carouse over this here island
and who sent many an honest sailor maj
TO Davy .Jones's locker underneath thes
here dancin' waves Lord, Lord, to thinl
O. them a-tryin' to stop her and board her
as hears they're plannin' to! Might a
well think o. ketchin' and holdin' one O
these here witch lights what come q night
and run up and down a ships riggin
Cord help em, ! says, too, if they did worl
it to git aboard o her and face them Their
spectral t&rs she carries.
s'How does | know what she is aud who
aboard her? | knows it cause nv father
who used to know Jim Campbell, LATTE
first mate fore she took to piratin', see
MIN starin over her taffrail onct, wit
his throat cut from ear to ear and tn