Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-04-27
TALES OF THE SEA.
WEIRD YARNS OF THE suPERNAr.
uRAL SPUN BY THE CAPTAIN.

| Exile From Salvador.
We were eatilS dinner one night OH
'he old cargo ship aad talking of the
| openings at sea and on shore that aro
called Supernatural when the captain
said:
One sees some things at sea not su
pernatural which are fit to make nerv
GUS man see ghosts There was that case
In one OF Green's liners to the colonies.
where a man was sent down to clean
out the chain locker. The locker had
seemed foul all the passage home. and
so they hoisted out the chain and sent
this fellow down with his brush and
soap and bucket with lamp to clean
it out. I'll wager he saw ghosts for a
year after that for when he'd got down
on his knees to begin scrubhing he
found himself bending over the skull of
u dead man.
1t was most likely man that had
slowed away out in the colony and had
been caught under the cable when they
were running it down quickly, and SO
had the life crushed out of him.
However, l did know of a case that
seemed supernatural right enough. 1t
was in the Demerara trade, and was
acquainted with the first officer of the
bark where it all happened.
In the first place, while she was out
there loaded and ready to sail, the cap
tain had trouble with one of the seamen,
who drew out his knife and stabbed him
to death then and there. The mate after
ward took her home, but Oh the way q
passenger took to ailing in some mysteri-
GUS fashion and up and died very sud-
denly.
'Of course she was haunted ship
when she arrived home, and SO the
owners had her name changed, and she
was refitted and painted up entirely
different from what she had BEEN Then
she sailed away with a new captain, but
on the way out he took to drink, and by
the time she reached Demerara he was
off his head and killed himself with
revolver.
"Now she was haunted, sure enough,
if you could believe the mate. Mind
Oh, hIbO1 SlO LOlbtONl tllO lAlIO SttlN
never word to the new captain about
what had happened in her before, and
even when new captain came out from
home to take charge of her, believing
that the last captain was naturally
drunkard, instead of one who had taken
to it after coming on this ship, this first
officer never said word, because he did
not believe in ghosts or even i'll future
state
However, tho first night the new
captain was on board the trouble began.
The captain at about 8 o'clock went tc
his room and retired. An hour later he
was calling the mate and telling that
he had gone to sleep and then had been
awakened by light in the room. On
opening his eyes he saw short, thick
set man, with side whiskers, in the
armchair at the desk, leaning over, with
his elbows on the desk, holding his
head between his hands and saying:
'Oh, my poor headl Oh, my poor headP
"That was enough for the mate. Flo
left the vessel that night with all hands.
This new captain knew nothing Of the
style or manner of the one who bad
killed himself, and yet the picture
ghost or what you may call it-in the
chair was the image in appearance and
dress of the suicide and had complained
in precisely the words and voice Of ihe
dead man.
This brought out the story Of an exile
from Salvador whom the narrator met
in Guatemala Having got into trouble
with the autboritios, Senor Don Sebas-
tian Mojarieta saved his life by fleeing
to Amapala, Honduras, AS many another
exile has done, and there taking a
steamer north 10 San Jose, Guatemala
A friend of bis who was involved in
like manner was TO have reached Amap-
ala by different route in time for the
same steamer. aud 70 prevent any posi-
BILE delays Mojarieta engaged staterooms
and secured passes from the Amapala
for his friend and himself as
soon as he arrived But the steamer day
came without his friend, and Mojarieto
was Obliged 20 sail alone,
"At the usual b0ur, on tho first might
out" the story teller went on, mo
iarieta retired and went % sleep, bni
had no sooner dozed of than he awohs,
hearing his friends voice, as he says,
In the noEt stateToom, which be had
supposed 10 boOmpty. Leaving his berth,
no went out into the passagewhy alo
opened tho door 10 the adjoining ROOM
aud there, he says, he saw lying IN the
berth the body OF his friend fully dressed,
Jut with three bullet holes In tho breast
Of his coat aud one in the right check
"At that MojaFieta tainted and was
found On tho deck by the steward and
put 20 bed again, Thereafter u was 9
most miserable passage for the vessel
touched At both of the Salvador ports
and was about . week reaching san
Jose. MojaTiata Was sure his friend hAa
been shot and expected force 10 come
on from each OF the Salvador ports 20
demand him Moreover, he was haunt
ed continually by that picture Of hl'
dead friend,
"Onoa IN Gaatansla he obtained em
ployment quickly aud theu began 20 fe'
cover something u his former fplIlh
al. ,....fl..a lla II .inu IA his HNNIr