The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-12-27
GHOSTS OF THE SEA.
SAILORS DREAD TO SEE THE SHIPS
THAT NEVER SAILED.

An OLD Salt Teils Of Iris First Experaenc.
With . Phantom ship-while . Terri
BILE Hurricane Howls II Riden Eaail,
with All sails Set.
These tales of, the ships that never
came back are sad enough, but it's tht
ship that v went out, the ghosts oa
the sea. that give the sailor man
creepy feeling when he meets them out
where the waves are rolling high and
the winds are singing funeral songs.''
The speaker was Mate Bob Alling,
who has followed the sea as boy and
man for nearly 90 years. Surrounded BY
. group Of interested listeners In the
public o Of the Sailors Happy home
in South street, Mate Bob, as all the
sailors call him. was telling stories Of
strange sights that he has witnessed al
sea. Alling is now mate OF o coastwise
fishing schooner, but In the old days be
sailed in some Of the largest trading ships
and the strongest whalers that ever
sailed out OF an American port flying
the BbArs ana 6er1poA
"As I said, boys, - the old man went
ON, Its the ships that never went out
from any port that q sailor never forgets
when he sees one of them. We may re-
member the ships that went ont and
never came back for q time II we had q
saipmate aboard, but we can forget.
But there's no forgetting q ghost OF the
AeA
ut was back in the early ffties that
i saw my first sen ghost and today I
can shut my eyes and see IL Just as plain
as ! could see it then, was Q sailor ON
o fishing schooner, and we were catch
ing cod OF the coast Of Newfoundland.
We had bsen out tan days ana were al.
most ready to start for home with O full
cargo when o nasty of shore breeze
came on late one evening. Westood ont
to sea, for there was q heavy fog along
with the wind. TWAS . stiff and steady
blow, so We rode Chs. wavss under bare
poles during the night, waiting Tor day
light and the fog TO lift before shaping
our course for home.
AL thronsh- sls night we sent nb
rockets at intervals and kept the ship3
bell going, because we could not see
ten feet ahead at times ON account Of
The fog. But it was nearly morning be-
fore we heard or saw an answering sig
nal to warn us that another vessel was
near.
II was ON the early morning watch,
and about half an hour before daylight
I made out q signal light q short dis
lance ahead on port bow. It was q
strange light, a pale blue in color, and
it flashed up and down at irregular in
tervals. The fog was still thick, and it
was impossible to tell how near we were
TO the vessel.
II called the mate ON deck and point
ed to the strange signal light. He look
ed at it a long time, and, with q shake
of his head, said he could not make IL
out at all. The lights showed that the
vessel could not be far away, SO WI
changed our course a little, and then
fred a gun. There was no answer, and
we fired again and again with the same
result.
by and by I saw that the mate was
very grave and queer looking. He was
pacing back and forth ON the deck, not
minding the cold, misty rain that was
falling, and all the time he kept his
eyes fixed on that queer looking blush
light that flashed up out OF the fog and
darkness ahead. At last / made SO bold
as to ask the mate what he thought Of
IL.
Its a ghostr' he said. looking at
me with a plying look.
"a ghost?'' says ].
Eyes, a ghost of the sea. Wait tin
the fog lifts. You may see it then,
''The fog lifted q bit when daylight
came, and then / saw the ghost, as the
mate said ! would.
Rising grim and white out Of the
fog and waves that were rolling high, !
saw q full rugged ship Of queer design.
The wind was blowing half o gale, but
not q mast or pole Of the ghost ship
bent an inch, and not one Of the broad
white sails seemed to strain at the ropes.
'4The phantom was close ON our port
bow, and as the fog cleared away we
had a splendid view from her water line
to the top OF her masts. With the waves
pitching and rolling mountain high, and
the wind bowling around our poles, the
ghost ship was riding ont the storm as
steady as a painted ship ON q painted
canvas ocean.
Every man on board crowded On
deck, and while they had to hold on 10
the railing to keep from being washed
overheard they stood and gazed at the
phantom ship as long Al it wa in sight.
Some of them that were a bit religious
like made the sign Of the cross, and 9TH
ers tried to say . bit of a prayer. The
fact is that every man IN board thought
the phantom chip a warning OF death.
"The captain went below and drank
hot grog till he was that reckless no
ghost had any terrors for him. Then. as
the wind went down a bit, he ordered
us to make sail and bear down ON the
phantom ship.
up went our sail in a jify. and we
few along before the wind, but wa
could Uek NO nearer tha nhantom shin.