The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-01-10
\HOSTS ON OUR WARSHlPS.
OLD CAPT. HULL Still SEEN ON THE
CONSTITU1ION'S 0UARTERDECK

CONSTITU1ION'S 0UARTERDECK
A somnambuiist on the FroIic-TaIe
That the Fern Has Been Haunted
Since tho Maine Disaster-the Pay.
master Who Came Back-the Tlcon.
derogs's Ghosts.
Though steam and steel have displac-
ed bellying sail and sturdy oak in the
navies Of the world, Jack Tar is still OF
superstitious soul on every sea. And
young and modern though he be. Uncle
Sam himself possesses fleet of haunt
ed ships. The natural flagship of this
squadron Is the Famous old Constitution
relic of the days when the Flying
Dutchman was as much a reality in the
minds of many mariners as any craft
that ever ploughed the waves.
1t is eighty-seven years since the
Constitution whipped the British frigate
Guerrero, and the stanch old craft has
long been used as receiving ship in
the Navy Yard at Portsmouth. Never
theless, some of the seamen attached to
her say she is still haunted by the ghost
Of Captain Isaac Hull; every midnight
they allege, the wrath of the gallant
old sailor may be seen pacing the quar-
q, IN n 11y,tf
shining cooked hat and famous white
trousers that were split in the memoir
able engagement of August, 1912. He
carries long glass under his arm, now
and then dwelling it at the horizon as
If in search Of an enemy's sail.
The Frolic, an old-fashioned craft of
about 700 tons that was used for years
as a despatch boat and tender, was long
alleged to be haunted, because of certain
extraordinary noises heard in the word
room about the beginning of the mid
watch every night. So persistent were
these sounds that none of the wardroqm
boys could be persuaded to enter the
apartment unless accompanied by
commissioned officer, after 10 o'clock,
when lights were put out. Even the
officers were annoyed, since the noises
not only interrupted the slumber of
men liable to be called for duty at any
hour of the night, but also increased the
natural superstition of the sailor. Mr..
x, the Junior watch officer professed to
have been kept awake several hours one
night, and, on his motion, party was
Fall
intention of surprising the ghostly
visitant The officers sat up to an UNI
usual hour but nothing happened by
! o'clock and they turned in. About
forty minutes later the First Lieutenant
was awakened by the sound of a heavy
body moving stealthily around the
wardroom to the accompaniment of
muttering voice. The Lieutenant arose
and stepped out into the light that came
dimly from single lamp over the CEN
tre-table. On the table itself he beheld
the figure of Mr. x, dressed only in pa
jamas and moving in circle on hands
and knees over the polished mahogany.
Meanwhile he repeated over and over in
sepulchral accents a mystic phrase:
Little pieces of orange peel; little pie
ces of orange peel" Being reused
Mr.. X explained that he had dreamed
he was on the verge of an important
scientific discovery The disclosure that
Mr.. x. was a sleepwall1er was thought
to solve the mystery; but, though he
was carefully watched thereafter the
noises continued and on the F'rolic's ar
rival In New York she was sold and
broken up
The newest of American ships is the !
Fern, used throughout war as a supply
vessel, but now turned over as prac-
tice ship to the naval militia to the
District of Columbia. After the Maine
disaster the Fern was the first United
States vessel to visit Havana; several
of the injured sailors We're taken aboard
and two of the victims died on her |
deck. Now it Is stated that the ship is
pervaded by peculiar and inexplicable /
mystery. Being an old wooden vessel, /
she never went to sea, before her visit |
to the Names wreck without carry
ing a large cargo of rats. On her re-
turn from Havana, it was noticed that
the rats were DESERVING her singly, or
in parties of three or four. Little at
tention was paid to this until one night
q water-tender, came up trembling and
white as sheet, This man, Maine
affirmed that while below he
had distinctly heard the voice of one of
his old shipmates groanng. Several
officers started down toward the coal
bunkers, and, when nearing them dis
tinctly heard, noise such as the sailor
had described AS the party went on
the sounds became fainter and finally
ceased. They are said to have been
heard since on several occasions.
Another Fern ghost story is based on
the alleged apparition of a strange
beast that roams about the coal-bunk-
ers, and, when any one approaches,
takes refuge near the propeller shaft
It is described as a shadowy creature
somewhat resembling wildcat, though
larger with two big yellow eyes that
glare ferociously out of the darkness.
Dogs have been taken down to attack
this mysterious creature several times,
but they have fed to the deck invariab- {
" with bowls of terror after nosing
around a few moments. ;
The Coast Survey schooner Eagle, |
formerly Commodore Gamers yacht
is also declared by the sailors 1
% be haunted. Some twenty years ago 1
he Mohawk was lying at anchor off |
Staten Island, the pres t
mt naval anchorage The weather was 6