The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-14

"a froasn 10 ON seats, and the strange
wsirdne0 Of the whole proceeding cast
tn sams speli over the mate and me
alike, and We were both unable 10 move
or speak. Slowly the figure proceeded
into the cabin and glanced around with
out word, but with the same expectant
look on hts face. His form was even
more wasted, his cheeks sunken, and bis
eyes seemed almost ont Of sight SO deeply
were they set In their sockets. As his eye
fell. on the open chart look Of supreme
Joy fairly irradiated his features, and, ad-
vanciDg to the table, he placed one long
bony finger on the chart, held 1t for mo-
ment and then again disappeared from our
sight.
"For i've minutes after he had left us
we sat speechless. Then managed to say,
What do you think of that, Mr.. Morris?'
my God, sir, don't know. It's beyond
me- Then my eyes fell on the open chart,
and there where the finger. had been was u
tiny spot Of blood, exactly on the point Of
longitude 63 degrees west and latitude
81 degrees north. We were then only
about 50 miles distant from that position,
and Immediately there came to me the de-
termination to steer the ship there, so
laid her course accordingly and posted
lookout In the crows nest. At 8 o'clock
In the morning, just as the east began to
grow gray, the lookout called out, Boat
on the leo bow, and as we came up to 1t
We found four men in it-three dead and
one with just remnant Of life left In
him. We sewed the three bodies in canvas
and buried them in tho ocean and then
gave all our attention to restoring life to
the poor emaciated frame, which, then
recognized, was the very man who for
three successive nights had visited me In
my cabin.
"By judicious and careful nursing life
gradually came back to him. and In four
days time he was able to sit up and talk
with me in the cabin. 1t seems he COM
manded the ship Promise, and she had
taken fire and been destroyed, md all
hands had to take to tho boats. Ten were
In the boats at first, but their food had
given out, and one by one he had seen
them die, and one by ono he had cast the
bodies overheard. Finally he lost con-
seriousness and knew not whether his three
remaining companions were dead or alive.
"Then he said he seemed in q dream to
OCo anu tiiCti w So ~ AVA
but just as he would DO going on board Of
her something would seem to keep him
back. Three times in his dreams he tried
to visit this ship, and the last time there
seemed to come to him certain satisfac-
ton, and he felt that no had succeeded in
his object. Turning to my table, he said:
Let mo take your chart I'll show you
just where VIC were.
"'Stop,' said l.; don't take that chart;
1T is an old ono and all marked over.
Mark your position on this new one He
took my pencil and knife and carefully
sharpened his pencil. Then, taking my
dividers, he measured his latitude and
longitude and placed pencil dot at n
point on the clean chart. As he lifted his
hand he said: 'Oh, excuse Inc, captain.
cut my finger in sharpening the pencil
and have left Il drop Of blood on the chart.
"'Never mind, said l; leave it there,
and then produced tho old chart, and
there, in an exactly corresponding place,
was the drop of blood left by my ghostly
visitor"
Then, looking steadily into my face, the
mate solemniy added, ~ can't explain
this, sir; perhaps you can, but can tell
you, on my honor, it is Gods own truth
that have told you. ~ Philadelphia
Times.