The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-21
EVIL OMENS OF THE SEA.
Some Things That Sailors Dread to
See While on Board a Ship.
Boston Transcript.

About Vineyard Sound there are numerous
legends Of famous Indian gaut. 1t is said
that the rocks at SeacOnnet are the remains OF
his wife, whom he threw into the sea there
He turned his children into fishes, and empty
Ing out his pipe one day, formed Nantucket out
OF the ashes. This latter story of Nantuckeps
source must account likewise for the we'll
known story OF that old Nantucket captain
who was accustomed to make bis reckonings
by tasting the earth brought up by souDdiag.
One day the lead was dipped In some earth
brought on board the ship from the island, and
tne captain, after tasting. leaped from his
berth 10 great excitement, exclaiming: Man
tuckets sunk, and here are right over
Marin Hackelrs garden" Naturally lie would
recognize the taste of tobacco ashes.
Mermaids work dire mischief whether in
the shape Of the famous Loreci OF the Rhine,
or as frequently seen by sailors, and are some
times regarded as the sign OF coming disaster.
Naturally, many terrible disasters have fol-
lowed the discovery OF these beautiful crea-
lures and as people are always waiting TO put
cause and effect together, the result has been
growing too common, but, together with every
thing else of kindred nature, The appearance
of this monster is associated with Impending
disaster in the mild of sailor.
sailor always regards the presence of a
shark about ship as a most fatal omen to the
sick on board: The highest exultatiOn ever
witnessed on man-of-Wa was occasioned by
happening shark that was hanging about
while fayorite was sick; but the appearance
of a shark is often fatal 10 the life of bather
In the ocean well as sailor upon IL, and ii is
quite as much to be dreaded.
Ghosts Of all sorts and kinds prefer travelling
by water 10 almost anv other mode, and our
own Cotton Mather tells US OF a specter that
visited colonial ship, carrying off in ghostly
canoe seven OF the crew al time. he also
says: MANY persons who have died at sea
nave been seen within day of their death by
Irlenus al bome." AS late as the seventeenth
century they tell stery of ship about 10 sail
Tor Eng and that had as passengers strange
man ana girl OF great beauty. SO mysterious
were tnelr actions that they were supposed 10
De demons, and many feared to sail In the ship.
The vessel sailed on Friday aud never reached
her destination, but appeared as narrated, after
storm That lasted three days.
Near and more near the ship came on
WITH all her broad sails spread;
The night grew thick. but phantom light
Around her path was shed
And the waters shuddered as on sbe came
For against the wind she sped
Longfellow also tells similar story in his
"Phantom Ship" while all lovers OF good mnsic
will remember the story of the opera. "The
Flying Dutchman."
There is a superstition that shin no Ionoer
seaworthy. just before breaking up between
the strains of wind and wave, has been known
to give forth wailing sounds ike moaning
The sailor cannot account for this, but he
knows too well its import, and loses heart az
the melancholy sound. This Is also noticed by
Cooper In his Red Rover" where one Of the