The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-03-21


. ghost as.d sicker than dog.
Jack. my hearty. how are your" ex-
claimed the captain as he seized hold of
the mates starboard fipper Come
below and take nip"
The mate followed the old man into
the cabin He moved in listless, slip
shod sort of way. His former energy
and snartness had departed. He looked
as limp as a wet swab. Was this the
man that had played the skipper the
practical joke of sailing around him and
making fun of him few short weeks
before?
Why, what's the matter with your
asked the old man, pouring himself ont
half q tumbler Of rum and passing the
deInijohn to the mate.
"I'n tell you what's the matter" re-
piled the mate; "that internal schooner
is haunted. My God. what time put
in aboard of herr
.'Ayast there! Johnny, my lad, soft
ly. softly! There are no such things as
ghosts. Besides. if there are, it is no
use making song about those on the
schooner. / am going to sell her for a
fisherman. and want no ghostly yarns
spread abroad about this craft So just
clap stopper on your jaw tackle until
we get good price for her. And hark
ye. my lad. I'm going to do the hand
some thing by you. If you keep your
tongue between your teeth this schooner
will be matter of 5000 in your pocket.
Take another nip. and when the vessel
is disposed of you can spin me the whole
yarn
About month afterward the schooner
was sold to old Eben Fish, who was the
owner of little feet of fishing vessels.
Some of them used to fish on ST. Georges
bank for the Boston market Others
were engaged in the codfisheries on the
Newfoundland Great banks, and it was
for this industry that the schooner was
fitted out. She seemed well adapted
for this work, being an excellent sea
boat and very fast. as was proved
by her remarkable passage to Glouces-
ter under jury rig. She was hauled
up on the ways and the necessary
alterations were made in her to fit
her for her new business. Her hull
was constructed of live oak and teak
and she was as sound in all respects az
on the day she was launched Old Fish
stuck two beautiful sticks of Oregon
pine in her and her new sails had as
m-ch trcchhlle ..-.,,--ca over them as the
canvas of yacht.
1t was a proud day for old Fish when
the schooner slid off the ways. and his
pretty daughter Polly broke bottle of
wine on her sharp and graceful stola
and shouted at the top of her sweet
voice, 81 christen thee Albicore, and
may you be lucky"
An atS.core Is a fish of the funny
Kind and of remarkable swiftness, and a
gilded head of one carved quite artistic.
ally adorned the bows of the schooner
A crew was shipped, about half Of
them being Portuguese, and under the
command of Captain Peter Ogden she
started out on her first trip to the Great
banks. was aboard, having shipped
as ordinary seaman. We piled the can
vas on her, and with splendid quarter
ing breeze away she flew on her course
/ like some strong and beautiful bird of
the ocean. All hands were delighted
with her.
The skipper went into ecstasies over
her behavior. especially us she passed
every craft she encountered. She made
an excellent passage to the banks and
let go anchor in favorite spot of the
| shippers. where the Goldfish always were
hungry. The ten dories We're put over
board. and the fishermen were soon haul
ing up their finny prey. We met with
so much success that a few of us deter
mined to fish all night. 1t was lovely
night. The moon shone on the placid
water, which was as smooth as a land
locked pool without a ripple There
was slight haze on the silvery sea, ant
the stiffness and silence were actual,
oppressive.
The good luck of the fishermen con
tinued. The Goldfish were biting well
The phosphorescent gleam of the fish a.
they were hauled from the dark depth
of the sea illuminated the water an(
they could be seen struggling wildly OF
the hooks many fathoms beneath tn,
surface. There isn't very much senti
mentalism in fisherman. and the fel
lows i'll the dories smoked their pipe
and spun their yarns in the intervals be
tween bites.
The striking of eight bells on French
fishing vessel anchored a few hundred
yards from the Albicore announced tn,
midnight hour. A dago on one of tn,
schooner's dories began singing in
melodious voice the Hymn to the Vir
gin" 1t was either Spanish or italian
| don't know which (having been edu
Gated in the forecastle, where there wa
precious little book learning). But thi
1 de know, that the strains were tn,
sweetest and most thrilling had eve
listened to. Of course the somber sur
roundings made the hymn more impres
sive.
My dory mate was Portuguese
Suddenly he elutched my arm. m,
Godr' he cried Look at the schooneri
And looked. She was about fifty yard
off, and in the brilliant moonlight every
thing was clearly visible. On her quar-
ter deck, which seemed to be envelope.
! in luminous mist resembling the hal