The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-06-29
UNDER A SAILORS BAN.
THE STORY OF AN AccURsED
SHIP.

A Spell Put Upon tho Whaler by an In
dian Who Had lsecn Abandoned on IN
Island-A Crow Unobtalnable for Years
and the Craft Burned.
Twenty-Five years ago ono of the
stanchest whaling crafts that sailed
from New London, Conn, was tho
schooner Franklin. She was now
and able. She made several success
full voyages to tho Antarctic and then
sailor put hoodoo on her that re-
suited in her being ted up at q
wharf, AID there she remained until
few nights ago, when she was de-
stroycd By fire.
The story OF tho Franklin. sas sre.
lated b. u correspondent of the
Globe Democrat, is one of the most
interesting yarns that the old whale
men relate. In 1871 the Franklin
was in charge of q man named
Holmes While cruising around the
Antarctic ocean for seals he one day
landed Il boats crew on an island for
tho purpose of killing what seals
they could while tho schooner kept
on prospecting for rookcries. The
captain told the men that he would
return in about ten days, and pro.
visions sufficient to last the men that
length OF time were given them.
The vessel didn't come back, and tho
men concluded that she was lost.
Two hundred and fifty miles distant
was Il locality known as Potter's
Cove. where tho whaling bark Milo
had headquarters. With the idea OF
reaching that point in time to take
pass sage on the Nile. the men took
the carcasses of several seals and in
a small boat started. They arrived
ut Potter's cove tho day after the
Nile left
From an old try works that had
been left there they made q shelter
for themselves, living ON the oil of
seals and sea elephants until the
next spring. when they concluded to
so to Cape Sheriff and kill all tho
seals they could find before the ves-
sells began to arrive They got
damned in the ice and were obliged
TO return. Three OF the crew re.
fused to make another attompt to
cross the strait and were left be.
hind. The four men that went were
lost. The three remaining passed
through terrible hardships. Finally
two OF them died. and. according to
the story of the survivor, IL Montauk
Indian named CARLY, he ate the flesh
Of his companions, He was found
nearly dead lie was finally brought
back to New London on the schooner
7. +. Simmons CARLY learned that
the Franklin had returned all right
The captain told him that he didn't
return for the men on account of
head winds that made it impossible.
The Indian sued the owners OF the
vessel, with tine idea of recovering
damages, but the case went against
him.
This Infatuated the man, and he
ran down to the wharf where the
Franklin was moorcd, and standing
in the midst OF the deck, called
down curse on the craft. Tho man
was arrested and locked up. lie
was called crazy. This charge was
not sustained, and CARLY was set
free. lie suddenly disappeared. and
has not been seen since 1t takes
but little to arouse a sailors super
stition. and when the story of Gar
by's strange action ran along the
water front there was an ominous
shaking of sailor heads. Considera-
bic trouble was experienced in get
ting crew for the Franklin. but one
was finally secured through the mo.
dium of Il shipping office, and the
craft started for the sealing grounds.
Everything ran along smoothly until
the vessel was in the vicinity of
Cooper island. in the South Atlantic
ocean. One night a sailor on
watch ran into tho forccastle
and aroused his mates. Tho
man was laboring under great
excitement, and told the men
that while pacing tho deck he had
seen six skeletons grinning at him
from the bows of tho vessel. The
men ridiculed the sailors fears, but
he refused to return to the deck.
The mate was told tho story and he
ordered the sailor back to his watch.
The man, under q threat of punish
ment if he refused to do duty, went
on deck again. He had been alone
but short timo when he rushed
into the forecastle again with tho
Same story. This time the man was
hysterical, and within an hour was a
raving maniac. lie was secured, bat
before morning managed to get free,
and, running on deck, jumped over
board and was drowned.
Two days later the men in the
forecastle went to the mate with the
story that they had seen the night
before six skulls in the forecastle
hatch. They wanted him to land
them on Cooper island. They had
already had enough of the Franklin.
The captain refused to do US the men
requested.
One night, about midnight, a sud.
den wind arose. and all hands were
called on deck to shorten sail. The
wind rose to hurricane and kicked
up heavy sea. Tho captain stood
at the wheel and tho men were seat.
tered about the decks doing their
best to keep themselves from being
blown overheard. Suddenly one OF
the men cried out in terrified voice
for the others to look over the wind
ward quarter. All eyes were turned
in that direction and phantom boat
containing six flcshlcss bodies was
seen lowering on the crest of wave
headed for the vessel. The captain
watched the strange craft until it
passed out of sight across the bow of