Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-01-08
THE HAUNTED SLOOP.

IHE HAUNTED SLUOP.
At one time, not so remote but that
the memory of it still lives in the minds
of some of the older river men of New
York, there were great many sloops
engaged in trading on the Hudson river
between New York and various points
ON the river, and among these was one
that will probably be remembered long
after the others are forgotten.
The Martin Wynkoop was designed
to be one Of the swiftest Of the river
feet, and her builder put into her con-
struction only the very best material that
could be procured, while her designer,
Captain Peter Van Corlear, had model
ed her with such care that when she
was finished she was indeed a thing Of
beauty, but the zeal of her commander
was responsible for the tragedy whit h
blighted the marriage Of the Wynkoop
to the Hudson and seemed to put an evil
spell upon her which followed her
throughout her brief career.
On the day set for the launching Of
the sloop the captain was here, there,
everywhere, issuing orders and guard
ing against anything that might occur
to mar the beauty Of his beloved craft.
He had kept her name a profound secret.
intending to proclaim it as he left the
stocks, and had provided a magnum of
champagne with which to baptize her
as she flew to the embrace Of her bride
groom, but unfortunately for the captain
fate had decided that he was not to car
ry out his plans, for by some mischance
the sloop started from her resting place
and slid into the water before the prep
arations were completed, seeming to
choose a moment, too, when her noble
commander was directly in the way,
and to the horror of the bystanders he
was caught between the vessel and the
stocks and crushed to DEATH He was
not instantly killed, but lived only long
enough to whisper to his mate, 1.-THE
sloop-Martin Wynkoop," thereby sig
nifying his desire to have that name APP
piled to her, and SO she was duly chris
tened
Captain Morris Blocker succeeded the
ill fated Van Corlear and fitted the
sloop out for her first voyage. When she
was ready to sail, she was a craft that
would have caught the eye Of any sea-
man, for she was as buoyant as cork
and graceful as a swan upon the water.
Her quarter deck, like the poop Of man
of-war, stood high above the main deck,
and her immense main boom extended
far and clear beyond her stern.
At last she was finished, and Captain
Blocker took in cargo for Poughkeep-
sic, leaving New York in the afternoon
and continuing under way till night,
when he anchored behind Clermont
point, not caring to cross the Tappan
Zee that night.
About midnight the captain was arous-
ed by the steady clank, clink, clank
Of the windlass, as if some one were get
ting the anchor. Angry and amazed at
this apparent breach Of discipline, ne
sprang from his bunk and ran on deck,
to find the crew coming aft in body.
"What is the meaning of this-mu-
tiny?' he roared. And he backed up
against the poop bulkhead, determined
to fight to the last
''No, sir, answered one Of the men,
his teeth chattering as he spoke, while
his companions crowded about him, pale
and silent. ''It's ghosts!"
"Ghosts?" repeated the captain an
grily. "What do you mean?''
why, sir, we heerd the windlass
goin like some un was gettin the anchor.
and when we runs on deck to see what
the matter was there was nobody there,
and the windlass hadn't been touched. "
The captain had recovered his wits by
this time and saw that he must do some
thing to quiet the frightened men.
Is that alp he said lightly. "Why,
that was some vessel around the point
heaving short, and the sound came across
the water. 1t was not aboard Of us. Go
below and turn in, and Ill look out for
the vessel" The men, seeing that the
captain was not frightened, went below
together, leaving him on deck alone.
Scarcely had they got into the forecas-
tie when there broke ON their ears the
sound Of the chain rattling and swapping
as it paid out through the hawse pipe,
as if the whole cable were coming out
of the chain locker.
Up started all hands again, and the
captain ran swiftly forward to find that
nothing had been disturbed and the
vessel swung to her moorings just as she
had when they anchored her. There was
no more sleep for the crew Of the Wyn-
koop that night, for no sooner did they
leave the deck than the anchor was APP
parently either hove up or let go, and
the noise only stopped when the first
gray streaks Of dawn appeared over tho
eastern shore The men were in state
Of excitement bordering on mutiny, but
as they could not leave the vessel till
she arrived in port they got the anchor
and made sail.
That day will live il the memory Of
the unfortunate mariners oil the Wyn-
koop as the stormiest Of their lives
Three times did the captain attempt to
weather the headland at the base Of
Hook mountain, only to be blown to lee
ward by the gale and swept around the
foot Of the Cliff. The sloop acted as if
she were possessed Of some diabolical
spirit, for when running along close
hauled on tack, with everything draw
Ing a. taut ~ bowstring and the helm
hard Up, sho would 90 about 10 suddenly