The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-30
A STRANGE YARN.
HalluCinatiOn of an Old
Sailor.
He Thinks He Recognizes the Old
time WhaIer Octuras i'm the
Bark Arcturas.

There Is mystery connected with ISL
lent row" and pretty good story, too.
silent row" is over in Oakland Greek,
close to where the Davie COmpany's steam
ers land. 1t is composed of those barks,
schooners and other manner of craft which
cannot secure charter and which are
hauled up on the mud banks of the estuary
waiting better times in shipping circles.
Among the vessels in "sllent row" is the
bark Arcturas. of which Carl Stensen, a
waterfront character. has story to tell.
Stensen is an able seaman, or rather he
was an able seaman some years ago. Since
that time he has constantly shipped as a
whaler and years of toll aud privation
have somewhat shattered his mind. He
told queer story to gang of listeners at
Frederick Nobmann's place on East and
jackson streets yesterday morning.
AND Stensen'S story Is not altogether
fiction. There is enough fact in it to lend
verisimilitude to his yarn.
For months he has been keeping vigil
over the Arcturas, and for going on ninety
days he has travelled across the bay every
evening at o'clock and kept lonely watch
over the ArcturaS from the beach close by
in the vain hope of seeing shadowy figures
creep over the bark's side with bags well
filled with glitterlng gold.
Stensen in his peculiar way has con-
founded the Arcturas with New Bedford
whaler called the Octuras. so say his
friends. He shipped in the Octuras at
New Bedford about twenty-One years ago,
made lot of money, Invested 1t in New
York City, accumulated quite little for
tune, which he changed into cash and
took it with him when he shipped on the
Octuras for another seasons hunt.
This part of the story does not bear
rnuah hi m tho tTnth
insists that what he told really occurred.
He hid his money away in the fOrecastle,
and said nothing TO his shipmates about
it until the Octuras went ashore on the
Atlantic coast.
The crew was rescued from death with
difficulty. They were sent TO New Bed
ford, and the Octuras reported to be a
total loss.
Stensen gave up all hopes of ever regain
ing his lost coin, which he says amounted
to about $1,000.
He came to the Pacific Coast, then went
back to New Bedford. returning TO San
francisco about one year ago in Deep
water ship around Cape Horn.
One day when returning from trip to
Alameda he spied the Arcturas, and al
though that vessel bears no resem blance
to whaler he has since labored under the
hallucination that the Octuras of New
Bedford was saved after she was deserted
by her crew and brought to San Francisco.
where her name was slightly changed.
He thinks that some of his old shipmates,
who know about the money he hid in the
forecastle of the old whaler. will sooner or
later hear about the old bark having been
converted into merchantman, and will
try to board her some night in Oakland
Creek to find the toughest wealth.
He has searched himself but could not find
it, and does not want to take any chances
on any one else getting ahead OF him.
He has kept silent watch for three
months past over the Arcturas. and would
perhaps have continued 10 do so had not
his acquaintance taken him in charge yes
terday with the intention of sending him
home to q well-to-do brother who resides
in New York, VINO has written concerning
him to several persons of this city.
Such is the strange, disjointed story of
a sailor whom the terrOrs of the frozen
north have converted into a harmless
Individual with penchant for spinning
uncanny yarns.