The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-03-06
OFFCAPE HORN
tcopyrisht, 1901. by c. b. Lewis.I

tu:L we KHcW tncre must be tfOutte
aboard. Sha was under pl;iiti sail only.
and we ran down to her to discover
that she was abandoned and taking
care Of herself. was one Of the four
hen sent Off In the mates boat to
board her, und when we had brought
her to the wind our captain came
aboard for personal inspection. Nhc
brig WAS the PriHcess of London. out
ward bound. and q new craft and q
fine one. We could find nothing wrong
with her. She was as dry as bone;
all right Cloft. with water and provi-
sions in plenty. She had carried
crew of twelve. and there had been
| no sickness or mutiiiy. The crew had
simply provisioned tho BEATS and
Showed o.. leaving stanc,i craft to
drive about until some gale sent her
to the bottom or current carried her
ashore on a rockbound coast. Her
log was written up to three days he.
fore we found her, and it had nothing
to say of any trouble aboard.
Here was knotry problem to solve.
! That a good ship loaded with Il val,i-
abe cargo should be Abandoned by d
full crew in nidocean without Seem
ing excuse was puzzle beyond our
ken. After search lasting, For three
hours ands with nothing few coming
to the surface the mate and eight men
were put aboard as q crew. and it was
The salvage would pay better than
looking after whales. when we got
SAL OH her. she was found to be very
fast. ard those Of us who made UP the
crew felicitated ourselves on having
regular picnic in taking her up the
coast. All day long we kept a sharp
lookout for the boats W ,licli had left
her. but darkness fell without our hav-
Ing caught sight Of them. OF course
| there had been talk and argument and
speculation all day long. but never
man had limited at anything super
natural. Sailors will tell you of haunt
ed ships. but they are always old
craft. With her paint hardly dry and
her rigging Lot yet fully stretched it
was impossible TO connect the Princess
with anything uncanny. A landsman
would have as soon looked for a ghost
! In Il new corner cottage. There was
surprise in store for us. however.
The watches had been chosen. supper
finished and the off watch sent below
when the alarm came. The four men of
the off watch suddenly rushed on deck
/ from the fOrecastlc and cried out that
| murder was being done in the hold of
the ship. Tie hatches had been taken
off during the captains visit in the
morning and men sent down to inspect
the storage Of the cargo. and the idea
that anybody could be below had not
| occurred to any one. The watch re-
ported cries of distress and creams OF
agony, and all of Us except the steers.
man made our way into the forecastle
to investigate. Almost at once we
| heard the cries and groans, and can
tell you that they were OF Il nature to
take the pluck out Of man. The cap
tail ut oacc ordered the fore hatch re-
| moved aud | was ordered to take q
lantern and 20 down among the cargo
with him. We spent half an hour down
there. climbing about and calling out,
and during this time not groan or n
cry was heard from the unknown. No
sooner had we given up the search.
however. than they recommended. and
sail was shortened to allow the wllalef
to come up. Her captain came aboard
and listened to the cries. ami then we
spent two hours hosting out cargo IN
| til the hold could be thoroughly rum
mayed. 1t was given such close III.
spection that not dead rat would have
been overlooked but no human being
was found. Then the cargo was replac-
| ed and the hatch put OIL. and the cap-
tain gave US II piece of his mind. lie
was yet blasting our eyes for a lot OF,
/ towards when Il man who had skplked
below reported the cries again. It was
n knockout for the capta!n :nd an PIP
set for us. We stood right up and re-
! fused to stay another hour aboard the
brig. In this emergency we were, sent
off to the whalef, the secopd hiate and
eight new men were transferred. ind
the craft made sail. Two hours later
the brig lay to and signaled. and 1t was
| the same thing over again.
don't believe that sailors are more
supcrstitious than landsniep. Had this
been a haunted house IN d city tile re-
suit would have been the same. The
cries and groans brought shivers to
every listener. apd tie new crew not
| only refused duty. but, not ANOTHER
| man would leave the whaler fcf the
brig. Captain and mates affected great
| Indignation and were, brAtal In .thetr
| language. but nevertheless we knew