Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-12-12
GHOSTS OF THE SEA.
SAILORS DREAD TO SEE THE su,ee
THAT NEVER SAILED.

An Old Salt Tells of His first I,vru,.
WIN Fhantom ship-Whle n Terri
BILE Hurricane Howls It Rides Eo.u
with All Sails Set.
"Iheso tales of the ships that novo
came back arc sad enough, hut it's tb
ship that never went out, the obosts =
tho sea, that give tho sailor man
c2e 'py feeling when he meets them ON
NHeie the waves are rolling high nnt
the winds are singing funeral SONGS -
Tho speaker was Mate Bob AIliro
who has followed the sea as bov and
man Tor nearly 80 years Surrounded bv
group of interested listeners IN the
public room of the Sailors Happv home
III South street, Mate Bob, as all tbo
sailors call him, was telling stories Of
strange sights that he has witnessed at
sea- Alling is now mate of ooast,vise
hshinG schooner, but in the old days he
sailed IN some of the largest trading sbins
and the strongest whalers that ever
sailed out of an American port flvinp
the stars and stripes.
LAS l said, boys" the old man wont
on, it's the ships that never went ont
from any port that a sailor never forpets
when he sees one of them. We NAV 70.
member the ships that went out and
never came back for time if we had n
shipmate aboard, but we can FORGET
But there's no forgetting q ghost of the
sea.
1t was back in the early fifties that
saw my first sea ghost, and today |
can shut my eyes and SEQ it Just as plain
as l could sec it then. l was n sailor ON
a fishing schooner, and we were catch.
ing cod off the coast of Newfoundland
We had been out ten days and wcyo al-
most ready to start for home with a full
cargo when q nasty off shore breeze
came on late one evening. We stood ont
to sea, for there was heavy fog along
with the wind. 1t was u stiff and steady
blow, so we rode the waves under bare
poles during the night waiting for day
light and the fog to lift before shaping
our course for home
"All through the night we sent up
rockets at intervals and kept the ships
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
made out signal light q short dis
tance ahead on our port bow. 1t was
strange light pale blue in color, and
1t 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 OH deck and point
ed to the strange signal light. He look
ed at it long tine, and, with n shake
Of his head, said he could not make it
out at all. The lights showed that the
vessel could not be far away, so we
changed our course little, and then
fired gun. There was no answer, and
we fired again and again with the same
result.
By and by / saw that the mate was
very grave and queer looking, He was
pacing back and forth on the deck, not
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
IT,
4" It's a ghostp he said, looking at
me with plying look,
" A ghostY" says l.
"'Yes, a ghost of the sea, Wait till
the fog lifts, You may SEQ il then,
1.-THE fog lifted bit when daylight
came and then ! saw the ghost as tho
mate said ! would,
Rising grim and white out OF tho
fog and waves that were rolling high, !
saw a full rugged ship Of queer design
Tho wind was blowing half gale, but
not mast or pole Of the ghost ship |
bent an inch, aud not ono Of the broad |
white sails seemed tostTain nj the ropes
'"lhe phantom was close on our port |
bow, aud as tho fog cleared away we |
had a splendid view from her water line |
90 tho top Of nor masts With the waves
pitching aud rolling mountain high, and |
tho wind bowling around our poles, She |
ghost ship was riding out tho storm ~ |
steady as paipIed ship on a painted
canvas ocean,
Every man On board crowded op
deok, snd while thoy had % bold on %
che railing 10 keep from helnR washed
overheard they stood and galed "a ihe
phaniom ship 90 long as d wac Va slshi
Some ~ lhela that WWo a bii religious
like made iho sign ~ thooro apd on
cas- lried 20 say bic ni prayer lAe
fact ~ ihai eyWy mul on board llpukNl
iho phantom fhlp u warning NJ ara'l
"'lhe captain Npnt hrloN ana afaht
bot gog nll he Was chat l'ahloss ho
Rh0ai had Ruy fnlTors fu hlm lhrp 40
ihe Wind went dpNp a bll hp Aawnl
us 90 make pail and bfar down ol lAs
phantom ship
Nup Neuf 0ur ssil in linyl pnN Na
N.lu nIllu l.ft4s flr Mimi Nul no