Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-02-10

oilslin--for heavy squall of rain had
just broken over the vcsscl-ut the
spot indicated, just where the red
glare of one OF the ships signal Lam
tcrnS fell right athwurt the forccnstle.
Scarcely had he come within the
circle of light, when his transformed
figure started out against the gloomy
background before TIL, very eyes OF
his startled comrades, as u tiNrv spec
ire, wrapped from head t. foot in u
Quivcriug sheet of red flame, beneath
the uncarthly glare of which his dark,
bearded face looked unuttcrably grim
and ghastly.
"Nou see now, lads" said Mr.. St
John quietly, as he looked round
upon the crcstfallcn scamen, that
the ghost was only one of yourselves,
after ALL The dog must have come
rust just as Layton crossed that line
OF light, and darcsay it did take
him for something horrible, poor
beast. because it knew no better; but
you who are not dogs, but reasoning
men, ought to have known better, |
think
The sailors appeared to think SO
too, for they all looked extremely
foolish, and old Ben subsequently de-
clurcd that he had felt ut that mo-
/ HiNllb uiNti IL ll'lN DCCu SICdl-
I in 'baccv"-thut worst of all crimes
in n snilor's eyes. But he consoled
! himself with the characteristic re-
| Election that twas no wonder If Mr..
| ST. John couldn't see no ghosts, for
scein' as how he didn't b'lcvG in 'em,
IL wouldn bc no sort o use for en- to
/ aprcar to him.
The vessel had come within days
sail of the cape, and despite the col.
! lapse OF their last ghost story, the
! suucrstitious terrurs of the scamen
| began to revive as they neurcd what
all naval traditions agreed in present
| ing us the appointed cruising ground
of the rcdoubtable Flying Dutch
man" himself And in truth, it really
: seemed as ii the same ill fortune which
had 50 pcrsiStcntlv haunted poor Cap
tain Nanderdeclien ut this unlucky
! place were destined to ovcrtulle them
| likewise: for now the weather, which
had been magnificent up To that point,
! underwent II sudden and formida ble
/ change. and for several days they had
| to beat against furious gale from
! the southeast, which blew right in
| their teeth, hurting sea after sea
! laundering over the deck. bending the
strong masts like whips aud smashing
nearly all the glass and crockery on
board.
And so it was that the captain
OF the britannia. though happily less
obstinate than his terrible Dutch
predecessor, had n pretty firm will of
his own: and, confident as he was in
the power of his stout bark to weather
the storm. he determined not to lose
time by running into port, feeling GER
tain that the gale would not last much
longer
Sure enough, about noon on the
fifth day the violence of the storm be-
gan to abate and by evening the wind
was falling SO rapidly that they
thought the danger over and got some
sail on her once more.
But they soon found that they were
rejoicing too soon. During the night,
indeed all went well, but early on the
following morning the wind All at
once shifted round to the northeast.
and Il heavy s'Iuall from that quarter
struck the vessel with suddcnness
which hardly gave the crew time to
prepare for it.
For few moments all was confu-
sion. The shin hceled over. the sea
swept the deck. everything was let go
on the run: and the howl and scream
of the wind, the roar of the waves the
fierce hiss ard pattcr of the binding
rain, the orders hoarsely bawled by
the officer of the watch, the shrill pipe
of the poatSwain's whistle, the tramp
ling of many feet to and fro across the
planlls of the deck, the ccascless rat
tie of chains and blocks, and the harsh
creaking and complaining of strained
timberS made maddening din.
But fortunately no one was serious
ly hurt and after awhile the disor-
der abatcd and rything was got to
rights again.
Toward evening, however, fresh
selves to windward, and, just about
nightfall, the first officer (who hap
peued to be on duty at the time)
thought he saw tokens of another
squall at hand. and ordered couple
of men aloft to take in the maintop
gallant sail.
The foremost of the two hands-a
bold, active young "Geordie" from
the good old north country, who was
one of the smartest seamen aboard
had just swung himself up by the fut-
tock-shrouds on the maintop, when
he suddenly uttered loud cry of ter
ror, and came scrambling back again
IL su'h frantic haste as almost to
knock down his comrade, who was
close ut hIs heels.
''llulic, Jim! whatever are We up to,
you Young fool?" growled the old man
"D'ye want to knock me overboard?"
But poor Jim was in no mood for
talking. He could only manage to gasp
out, in tones tremulous with horror
"The devil himscl's up in the main
top! | seed him with my own eyes"
Such an announcement, made in the
ghostiy twilight, with look and tone
of overwhelming terror, by one of
the bravest and most reckless men in
the whole ships company. was quite
enough for Jim's companion, who,
catching the infection of his mess
mates panic, went down again faster
than he had come up, the two men
almost tumb'ing over each other in
their hurry to escape.
Whats this, noo?" roared the first
officer, hard-hcaded old Scotsman.
"Ie looms, did | no send yer to talk IN
sail? Hoo daur ye shirlt yer work like
that?"