The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-04
uscassY STORY OF THE SEA-
A strange Ocean Mystery that Has Never
Been solved.

Prom the Philadelphia Inquirer
A strange. uncanny story OF the sea Is
that which Capt. Smith and the officers
of the Doric have TO tell which recently
reached San Francisco from China.
On the outward-bound voyage OF the
steamer a whole night was spent In search
ing for a phantom ship. Sounds of dis
tress were borne to the Doric across the
waves; then they ceased, and wreckage
was washed up against the side OF the
steamer in full view of the crew and pas
sengers An attempt was made 10 secure
the wreckage, but It eluded the grasp Of
the sailors who were after IL and was seen
no more.
The strange occurrence took place on
the night OF a lost day. The steamer had
just crossed the 1S0th meridian. and Thurs
day. July u. was dropped from the cal
endar, day always being lost as is well
known. when travelling toward the sun.
1t was a moonlight night. but the view
was obscured by a slight haze.
An officer reported to Capt Smith that
he had heard a long blast Of siren on
the port bow. Several others had heard
1t, and Capt Smith, without Stacking
speed, put the vessel about and ran back
over his track for two or three miles and
lAEH came 20 d ASda SiSR. AN h@AA-tAN
was sounded continually and blue lights
were burned, but no answering signal
came out of the haze. The passengers
were nervous with excitement and every
glass on board was sweeping the ocean.
The Doric remained hove 10 for an hour
and then slowly proceeded on her course.
Capt Smith assured his passengers that
the sound of the siren must have been
some trick of the imagination and begged
them TO think nc more of the matter.
Half an hour later the strange sound
was heard again, this time by some OF the
passengers as well as by the officer OF
the bridge. Ii sounded like a moan from
some one in deep pain. Capt. Smith again
ordered the vessel put about. Again blue
lights were burned and the whistle sound
ed every fifteen minutes The air was Iull
of strange fOrebOdings; there was Iny5-
tery here, and the passengers listened
with tense feelings for a repetition 9f the
sound. Through the haze an object was
made out on the starboard size, being
carried toward the DOric on the waves.
The ste1mer was stopped and the wreck
age washed up against It's side. Here
was something strange indeed.
Third Mate O'Neill climbed down the
Jacobs ladder as far aft as he could go.
and reaching down with his foot, touched
the wreckage. 1t resembled the panNlng
of a lifeboat with severed ribs attached.
1t drifted out of reach of ONeill. and the
Doric was sent back a short distance and
lowered.
The wash from the steamers propeller
sent the wreckage away from the ships
side. and all hands on the steamer gath
cred at the rail and endeavored 10 keep
the wreckage in view. When the port
boat rounded the Doric's stern there was
nothing to be seen. For an hour search
WAS made, but the labors Of the boats
crew were unreWarded.
Capt. Smith resolved to remain In his
position all night and kent the whistle
and the blue lights going. There was no
sleep for the passengers that night. They
crowded into the smoking-rOom and
passed the time in speculation on the
mystery of the sea.
When daylight broke the Doric got un-
der way once more, and she made a grid
iron COurse-tlVe miles out and then hack
in diagonal direction The performance
was repeated several times. but nothing
was seen. Reluctantly Capt. Smith at last
gave the order full speed ahead, and the
m~stery of the lost night remained buried
In the sea