The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-24
A MISFIT GHOST.

Every boy with knowledge OF adyen-
turous literature, otherwise novels of ac-
ton. - knows of the phantom ship, the
spook of the high seas.
But it has not been known that ships
themselves are haunted and that in the
service Of the United States coast survey
there is vessel now in commission that
is by her own officers supposed to be
haunted.
Yet the Esgre, a 140 foot schooner Of the
coast survey, is looked upon in the service
as a very undesirable vessel to be aboard
of. About her there IS an atmosphere Of
gloom that wardroom jest cannot dispeL
DUTY on board her has been Stunned as
would be a pestilence, and stories have
been told by officers who have cruised
aboard her that are not good for timid
people to hear. Officers have hesitated
about telling these uncanny stories, but
they have become sufficiently well known
to make a billet to duty aboard the Eagre
unwelcome among the coast survey men
The Mohawk was launched June 10,
1876, at Greenp0int and she was then the
largest sailing yacht ahoat.
William T. Garner, her young million
aire owner was very proud of his new
craft, and all the then leaders of New York
society were invited to participate in the
good time afloat with which her launch
was celebrated. Commodore Garner. then
but 33 years old, and his young wife en-
tertained charIningly, and the trim, speedy
AOIaWh was CHElsbGHEu WIN UNUSUALLY
merry festivities. Soon after that she wns
capsized by sudden squall off the landing
at StapletOn, \. Y, and six people were
drowned like rats in her cabin and fore
castle.
Then the Mohawk was raised at a cost
of $25, 900 and purchased by the United
States government for the service Of tho
coast survey. Her name was changed TO
Eagre. for Jack Tar is proverbially super
stitious, and with the old name it would
have been impossible to ship crew.
Lieutenant Highly King describes his
initial experience when he was assigned
to duty on the Eagre in this way: She
had her full complement of officers minus
one when I boarded her at Newport to
complete the list Every cabin was occu-
pied but the port cabin by the companion
way, and to that 1 was assigned.
1--WE had a jolly wardroom mess that
night, and 1 retired from it early as l was
tired by my journey to join the vessel. The
others who were still at the table regarded
my retirement to the port cabin in abso-
lutte silence, having bade me good night.
Their silence did not lead me to suspect
anything, though 1 knew that the Eagre
had once been the Mohawk. My cabin
door had the usual cabin lock of brass,
and the portfolio was also securely fas-
tened. There could have been no one under
the bed or sofa, as beneath each was a fac
ing of solid oak paneling-
undressed lazily and left the light
burning dimly in my bracket lamp. [
tried conscientiously to go to sleep for I
don't know how long with my back turned
to the light. The noise ceased in the ward
room after q time, and l knew the others
had turned in, but I felt unacc0untably
nervous and restless. I turned over and
faced the light, thoroughly wide awake,
and there in the single chair sat an elderly
man, seemingly wrapt in deep thought
| He was dressed in blue yachting REFER
and had long, gray beard His hands
were clasped in his lap, and his eyes were
| downcast. His face was not pale and
| CHASTITY, rs the faces of ghosts are popular
| ly supposed to be, but ruddy and weather
| beaten.
Il regarded him in scared silence for
don't know how long, though it seemed
an hour when he or it or whatever it was
disappeared. During that time the ghost,
and such L now believe it to have been,
made not a motion, nor did it say any
| thing. Presently looked again, and it
was gone.
AT breakfast the others watched me
critically as I took my seat. I had not in
tended to say anything about my expert
ence, for 1 thought then l had seen some
sort of hallucinatiOn and strongly suspect
ed that was verging on insanity. Lieu
tenant Irving asked me if 1 had slept
well. l replied that I had. Didn't you
see anything? he inquired. I then frankly
admitted that had and described my ex-
perience. Then I learned that each one
of the seven others present had tried the
port cabin at one time or another, and each
had seen the selfsame apparition. 1t had
acted in exactly the same way in each
case, except in the case of irving who shot
at it with his pistol, when it Immediately
disappeared Some of the others had been
led by their curiosity to inquire if any one
lost on the Mohawk resembled the figure
and found that none of the unfortunate
a+ al ba inn g. bad
been dubbed by them the 'misit ghost
That one experience was enough for me,
and after that / by courtesy shared the
cabin of another fellow.
Lieutenant Irving and others coTrObo-
rate the story of Lieutenant King, and as
additional evidence that the Eagre is
haunted Lieutenant Irving describes a
New Year s eve experience Of the Eagre's
officers that is, to say the least, novel in
| the way of supernatural manifestations.
1T was at mess. The first toast,
| 'Sweethearts and Wives, had been drunk,
as it always is by Yankee sailors the world
over on occasions Of festivity Every one
was feeling happy, or, as Thackeray has
| it, pleasant, when suddenly the sliding
! doors separating the wardroom from the
! companion way closed slowly with a loud,
squeaking noise. They had seldom been
| closed, and 1t took the entire strength of
man to start them from their rusty fasten-
| ings. Yet upon this occasion they started
easily and closed tightly, while the officers
| jumped to their feet in breathless aston
| ishnent. Half a dozen men hauled them
| open in haste but not a soul was behind
| them or anywhere about It must be our
| old friend of the port cabin, suggested
| one, and in awe stricken silence the health
Of the mis(it ghost was drunk. ''-Phila-
| delphia Press.
| Posing FOR Flashlights.