The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-02
PHANTOM SHIPS,
How the Bloody Baron Came to Haunt
the German Ocean.
From the Ne0 York Times

From the Nelc York Times,
To the Dutchman we have TO look for the
original phantom ship tales, which form
about the most familiar of sea legends. The
famous phantom ship which remains off the
cape as the harbinger Of wreck and woe is a
Dutchman, whose skipper dresses in yellow,
wears night cap, smokes short pipe and
is always kind enough to heave in sight
when vessel is going to founder or run
ashore. The idea is, Of course, that the Old
fellow has been trying for several centuries
10 double the cape and cannot manage it
with his old tub. He is so jealous of others
who succeed that he delights in doing all be
can TO frighteu away competitors.
There is, however, another specter that
haunts these waters. Years and years ago
ship was homewrad bound from the In
dies with cargo Of specie and spices, but
In consequence of some wickedness on
board she added a disagreeable and un-
welcome individual to the muster list in the
shape Of Yellow Jack, and at no port of
call was she allowed even to enter Quaran-
tine So she cruised about until the crew
all murdered each other, and now she is
doomed to cruise about forever,
manned by the ghosts OF the defunct marin
ers. Sometimes it is said that the ship was
slave ship that was attacked by the
plague, but the facts as gathered point to
her as being an East Indiaman deeply
laden with bullion and well worth hunt
by salvage hunters.
Then there is the story of Baron Falken-
berg, and how he came to haunt the German
ocean. One day he was invited to the we'd
ding feast of a long lost brother, who re-
turned home suddenly with a pocketful of
coin IL order to marry a gentle village
maiden upon whom Falkenberg himself had
his eye. 1t was annoying, but still as the
baron found his brother was the favored
one, and as he himself was short of cash. ne
thought it better to be amiable to his
brother. SO he went to the feast prepared to
perform the "bless-you-my- children act in
true orthodox style. The champagne was
capital, and the menu one that the
soul Of the baron loved. There
fore, by the time the bride withdrew to
don her travelling dress and the guests were
gathered in the hall, the baron was incl
low enough for anything. Unfortunately,
however, his brother touched him up in the
wrong place, and he turned his good nature
to perfect frenzy, which resulted in his
Selling champagne bottle and hitting his
brother on the head. The brother fell Ike
log just as his bride ran screaming into the
room. The baron tried to induce her to ac-
cept his love and fly with him. but she de-
clared she would sooner die. Taking her at
her word, the baron plunged a knife into
her heart
As the guests, attracted by the noise, be-
gan to arrive to inquire into its cause, the
baron thought he had better go out for q
short walk, and he went-in fit of absent
mindedness taking his brothers purse and
pocketbook with him. He sauntered down
to the shore as the quietest place for consid-
erlng what was next TO be done, aud there
he found a boat with her nose on the beach
and man sitting in her, who got up as the
baron approached and respectfully extended
| hand to help him aboard THE
| captain expects you, baron,n said the
boatman; 'our ship lies out yonder.n
The baron entered the boat and
| was rowed off to the ship. from
which he had not landed for 600 years. How
Is this knowns Why, on wild winter
| nights the phantom shig is constantly seen
in the German ocean. heading for the north,
but without helm or helmsman She is
painted gray, has colored sails and flies a
yellow flag, so that she cannot be mistaken
for any modern craft. Upon her deck the
passing mariner can plainly see the baron
sitting alone. playing dice for his soul, while
about the masthead a blue fame can be
seen Pickering.