Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-03-10


I too. for they al looked extremely
Z foolish. and old Ben subsequently, de-
] elared that he had felt al thar mo-
mens as mean as IL he had been steal
Z IN 'b2ccy -tflat worst Of all crimes
Z in sailors eyes. But he consoled
himself with the characteristic re-
Fiction that - twas no wonder If Mr..
St John couldn't see no ghosts, for
seein as how he didn't blieve in EN-.
il wonldu' Be no sort o use Tor EN- 20
appear to him .
But another and even more striking
lesson upon the subject Of apparitions
was still in store for the Brilannia's
superstitious creU.
The vessel had come within q DAYS
sail Of the cape, and despite the col
lapse OF their last ghost story. the
snpers1itions terrors Of the seamen
began 10 revive as they neared what
al naval traditions agreed in present
ing as the appointed cruising ground
of the redoubtable Plying Dlteh-
nan himself And in truth, il really
eemed as If the same i'll fortune which
had 50 persistently haunted poor Cap
tain Vanderdeeken az this unlueky
phase were destined 70 overtake them
like ssise- for now the weather. which
. AEAA = - AAa4a AF-4Aa4 -
underwent sudden and formida Die
change. ard for several days thee had
TO beat against a furious gale from
the southeast. which blew right in
their teeth, hurting sea after sea
laundering over the deck, bending the
strong mzsts like wings and smashing
nearly all the glass and croekery on
board.
On the morning OF the third day
matters looked 50 threatening that
( the ofzir ers began TO hint at the advis-
ability OF running for Cape Town, and
lying snug ia ha=bor until the gale
had blown itself out Bat the captain
Of the Britannia, though happily less
obstinate than ais terrible Dutch
predecessor, had a pretty firm VIII Of
. his Own: and, confident As he was IN
the power Of his stout bark 20 weather
the storm he determined not 10 lose
time bg running into port, feeling GER
tain that the gale would not last much
+ longer
Sure enough. about noon on the
. Hfth day the violence Of the storm be-
gan 20 aOate and by evening the wind
was falling 50 rapidly that they
thought the danger over and got some
F sail on her once more
But they soon found that they were
re joieing TOO soon During the night,
{ indeed. al went we'll but early on the
+ following morning the wind all At
OEre shifted round TO the northeast.
aud heavy seuau from that quarter
struck the vessel with a suddenness
which hardly gave the crew time TO
I prepare for it
/ Fer few moments all was confn-
sion. The shiD heeled 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 and patter Of the binding
rain. the orders hoarsely bawled b.
the officer Of the watch. the shrill pipe
( Of the poatswain's whistle. the tramp
ling Of many feet 70 and fro across the
planl.s Of the deck. the ceaseless rat
tie of chains and blocks, and the harsh
ereaking and complaining Of strained
tim hers made a maddening din.
But fortunately no one was serious
" hurt. and after awhile the disor-
der abated, and everything was got 10
rights again
Toward evening. however, fresh
| signs Of mischief began 70 show them
selves 20 windward. and, Just a bout
& IL ia iAa EtAE AL5e g44~EA ~ ia
pencd 70 be on duty at the time
thought he saw tokens of another
squad AZ hand. and ordered a couple
Of men aloft 70 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 a board
had just swung himself up BIZ the fnt-
tOca-shrOuds on the maintOD. when
he suddenly uttered loud cry os ter
ror, and came scra milling back again
in such frantic haste as almost 10
knock down his comrade. who was
close at his heels.
"Hullr. jim! whatever are We no to.
you young fool?" growled the old man
Dye want to knock me overDoard?''
But poor Jim was in no mood for
talking. He could only manage to gasr
out, IN tones tremulOus with horror
The devil himsels up in the main
top. / seed him with M own eyes,
Such an announcement, made in the
!, ghOstly twilight, with look and tone
Of overwhelming terror. BIZ one 81
the bravest and most reckless men in
the whole ships company. was quite
enough for Jim's companion, who,
E6LEulAZ tuE lulEELApu OF his mess
mates panic, went down again faster
than he had come up, the two mer
almost tumbliDg over each other il
their hurry to escape.
What's this. moor roared the first
officer. 4 hard. headed old Scotsman.
I'VE looms. did no send yer 70 TAX n
sail? Hoo daur ye shirk yer work like
that
, AK yer pardon sir-wc amt a
shirkin' of our work nohow," an
swered the elder culprit. stung by the
reproach: '.bnt you can't expect us e
face old Nick; he's up there in the
maintop: Jim here seed him hisselE
II did indeed, sir: / seed hIn as
plain as ] see you now" added jim
forgetting that such a comparison
was by no means fattering to hi:
superior officer.
Mr.. MacNab looked nonplussed
/ The terror of the two men was evf.
! IDENTIFY genuine. and with all the cour.
age and shrewdness of his race, tht