Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-12-24
hand to take care of her. we proceeded
IN in vosfinufo

hand to take care OF her. we proceeded
to investigate.
The vessel had evidently been q
clipper. Her skylights were beauti-
fully carved and the companionway
leading to her cabin was as elegant as
that Of a yacht The door. however.
was locked. A thick blue mold in
crrsted the glass OF the skylight on
tho inside and the frames would not
lift up. The hatchway leading to the
forecastle was closely barred and
bolted. while the fore and main
matches were tightly battened down.
Captain CULVER. while cruising
around the decks. stumbled across an
old rusty iron crowbar. and with this
he pried open the doors OF the after
covnpanionway. He peered down be-
low. and it was dusty and murky as
tomb.
He sang out: below there! Is
there anybody below?" and then he
hesitated as If in a quandary.
This was the first time ever saw
the old man show the white feather.
After little while he braced up and
selling the crowbar broke open the
cabin skylights. using. as it seemed to
me, unnecessary force in SO doing. A
mysterious. pestilent odor assembled
from the aperture.
Go down below, Bill" said the
skipper to one Of his boats crew,
and see what there is"
Captain, I'd rather Jump over.
board and never come up again than
go down that there companionway
alone" was the reply of the scared
sailor whose timbers actually shivered
with fear.
You wretched coward, you've
drank your last tot OF grog aboard my
ship" roared the skipper, as he
plunged down the cabin steps.
l followed him at cautious dis
lance, being far more frightened than
he was. The stairs led down into a
handsome aud lofty saloon. beautifully
hung with oriental tapestry. In ma
hogany swinging tray above the cabin
table were decanters and tumblers of
cut glass. Although everything was
covered with blue mould an inch
thick. it was evident that careful
steward had been accustomed to rule
over the destinies Of the saloon.
On either side of the main cabin
were number of doors leading into
state-rooms The skipper tried the
one nearest the stern ON the starboard
side. 1t was locked.
Pass down that crowbar Bill"
said the captain. in quiet tones. He
no longer but on the airs of swag-
gering blusterer. but acted as though
he was in church, listening to sky
pilot.
The crowbar was handed him and
with 1t he pried open the state-room
door, A strange and startling specta-
Gle was revealed. With her head
buried in the cushions OF low couch,
on her knees before the image of the
Blessed Virgin, and with her jet black
hair hiding her cheeks and descending
In raven torrents down her back, was
a beautifully dressed woman. Beside
her were breviary and a rosary.
The skipper started back as though
he had been shot The woman actu-
ally seemed to hear the Excuse me-
madam, for intruding" he began. but
at that moment realizing that she
could not be alive. he took hold of her
gently. At the first touch the form
collapsed and fell to the floor the head
being separated from the body, and
revealing the grinning. ghastly skull
OF skeleton.
We all rushed on deck and found
the Hurkaru within hailing distance.
Twenty sailors were sent on board the
strange ship. and 1t was curious to see
how brave we became when re-en-
forced by such a sturdy lot Of jack
tars. To make long story short we
ransacked the vessel from stem to
stern. In her lower hold We found the :
skeletons Of $50 persons all in iron
There were just $50 OF I,
them. because l and fellow mid !
shipman" counted them by order of |
the skipper.
This accounted clearly for the YES
sci. She had been a SLAYER and had |
OOOu oO0uuOucu tuOuSu IOr WnAt roa-
son nobody could understand. She
had probably drifted for years on the !
African coast far out OF the track OF /
ships and tins accounted for her not !
having been reported before. A sudden !
shift Of wind must have waited her off !
the land and driven her into the high |,
way OF the ocean frequented by home
ward bound East Indiamen.
The mystery Of the woman was
deeper and darker. A brown sheet of
paper with big spots on It, telling
,learly of tears and some faded char
acters which looked like Spanish, was
'ound beside her. Nobody could inter- |,
pref it
The mate wanted the captain to tow
he schooner TO ST. Helena and sell her
or what she would fetch. The skip.
per, being one OF the old school and
at that wouldn't listen
% HIM. He said he was going to burn
ler and burn her he did. A barrel OF
,oal tar and bundle of oakum judic-