Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-25

an misunderstanding gang. sure
enough, those chaps are: look Is If
they might be the remains of some of
DuCasse's pirates, kept alive for their
SINS he added with a chuckle. "Rec-
.ollect l came across some legend to
that effect, IN manuscript chronicle in
my collection. the other day. III look it
up. By dove, that red-feathered fellow
is bound to the deuce, sure enough!
And how he manages to move in the
dead calm. at that rate, is beyond me.
He must be the Flying Dutchman!
He'll be high and dry on the reef in
ten minutes. whoever he is.''
| HES caught in some current, sup
pose, said l.
"Confound this light" growled the
eolonel; Its failing us just when we
want it."
| In fact, the sun was setting: and, as
our outlook was towards the southeast,
the shadow of the gigantic Blue Peak
was thrown upon that part of the offing
where the ship was. She was merged
in it, and it was no longer possible to
| distinguish what was going forward
on her decks. 1t seemed that the
sheets were hauled aft. as If to take ad-
vantage of breeze irnperceptible to
| Us; but the effect was to head the YES
sci directly towards the reef, from
which she now seemed to be but few
hundred yards distant. On she came,
the water ripping from her bluff bows,
and rising and sinking slowly on the
long swell. She was moving obliquely
relative to us, her port side being
half turned to US. Now long line of
white surf broke almost under her
nose.
by Jove, there she goes!" cried the
colonel, jumping to his feet excitedly.
He's done it!'
AS he spoke her forward part was
uplifted by a roller and came down
heavily on the reef. The shock caused
her main topmast to break short off at
the cap. and it hung down amidst a
tangle OF cordage. Meanwhile. unless
my eyes deceived me, flag was run up
to her mizzen; but it was too dusky to
distinguish what device it bore.
Tropical twilights are short; and al
most at the moment the ship struck the
air seemed to become pcrccptiblv
darker. Probably cloud had passed
across the west. On the horizon to the
southeast, however, q mass of cloudy
vapor was beautifully lighted up by
the reflections of the sunset splendor
and colored with tints of exquisite del
icacy. 1t moulded itself into various
similitudes of form, and finally took
that of an antique vessel very much re-
sembling the one on the rcef-a gi-
gantic ghost of ship, which glowed
with phantom fire through it's port
holes, and finally vanished in pillar OF
gray, diaphanous smoke.
The practical and energetic colonel
doubtless did not witness this pictur-
esque ornament Of the scene. His mind
was full of the actual situation down
there on the reef; and though he had
SO vigorously denounced the stupidity
Of the ''red-feathered chap" and even
gone so far as to accuse him of French
mess he now began to consider plans
for succor.
why don't he show any lights,
thought" he muttered. "Has he the
Idea that he has come ashore on an un-
inhabited island?"
eff he has been cruising about since
1894, possibly he has run out of his
stock of rockets and candles?" sug
gested.
''Do you see any signs of his putting
off boat?" continued the warrior.
Hes got boats, for l noticed couple
of them before the light failed. Why,
what the deuce ails him? Anybody
would think that every man-jack of
'em had been struck dead by the same
blow that stove in her bottom"
Indeed, there was not a sign of life
on board the questionable stranger; she
lay dark and inert, as if she We're the
wreck of generations ago. Not so much |
as the fash of a lantern or the report |
of q gun came from her. And yet, |
a minute ago, her decks had been |
.a-swarm with life.
What do you make out of it-eh?"
demanded the colonel, chatting under !
his perplexity.
The case strikes me as very simple"
replied. she Is, as you say, sort |
of Flying Dutchman affair. She has |
been doomed fer certain number of |
years or centuries to sail the seas that |
witnessed her crimes: and tonight her |
season of earthly purgatory has ex-
pircd. Her crew, who of course were |
simply dead bodies animated by de-
mons, having navigatcd her to the point
she started from, have now taken fight !
to their own abode
Here the colonel interrupted me with !
an indignant snort.
Testing is all very well, quoth he;
"but what's to be done about those |
poor devils down on the reef? 1t may |
come on a storm before morning, and |
every mothers son of 'cm be drowned |
before our eyes. I'll tell you what it |
is; if they haven't sent on shore to conf
municate with US by the time we're |
through with our dinner, shall take a
boat and go out TO see what's up, in
person. That's what shall do. Would |
you care to accompany me?'
Nothing would please me better.
have always wanted to board phan-
tom shin colonel and there is no man