The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-03-04
THE PHANTOM SHIP.
by MAY GUTHRIE ToNz1ER.

!
acapa. The island is five miles long by one
half mile in width and is separated from the
mainland by the shimmering waters of San
ia Barbara channel.
The northern coast rises sheer out of the
ocean 300 feet in height A popularity of
the island here is the absence of surf along
the shore. There is no roar of breakers to
warn seafaring folk of the treacherous reefs
which underlie the placid waters near at
hand. Only the gentle wash of the waves
at the foot of the crags is heard. 1t was
| at this point that there occurred now nearly
| half a century ago, one of those maritime
tragedies which have so frequently shocked
the world.
The Winfield Scott, an ocean steamship
plying between San Francisco and the is
thmus, went aground upon Anacapa reef
and sank within 100 yards of the shore.
1t was in the month of September and at
two o'clock in the morning. The sea was
| perfectly calm, but in the dense fog which
prevailed the captain, who evidently thought
he was in the regular course outside the is
lands, and desiring to get still farther out
to sea, turned the PROV of his vessel south
ward and ran bluff into the rocky shore of
Anacapa.
The ship was total loss, and of the $50
passengers aboard it is stated that 40 per-
ished in the waves.
The survivors effected landing upon the
island, where they remained for upwards of
fortnight.
About ten years ago wrecking party
succeeded in recovering from the Inflated
Scott treasure valued at $20,000
The location OF the sunken ship is an OBJ
jective point of interest to the sightseers
who from time to time visit the island, and
many are the eerie tales that cluster around
the spot.
Among these is one which has gained
credence in the mind of few.
1t is related that sometimes in heavy
fog phantom ship, supposed to be the
Winfield Scott, is sighted off the north
ern shore of Anacapa and that the tragedy
of so years ago is reenacted with all the
gruesome details of a wreck at sea-
Apropos, one September evening a few
years back, a party of young people who
were spending week at Anacapa under
the careful eye of chaperone, were sit
ting about big bonfire exchanging remin-
iscences and spinning yarns galore. Juan
Ramirez, Spanish sailor, who was acting
as Major Domo for the party, had just fin
ished vivid word painting of the phan-
tom ship, which he claimed to have seen
upon more than one occasion. Consider
able skepticism was manifested by his hear
ers, and one soung man irreverently sug-
gested that in Juan's case the apparition
was probably due to disordered mental
condition, induced by an overdraught of
aqua diente.
'Muy bien," said Juan, with shrug of his
shoulders and a deprecating outward fling
of his hands. 'Muy bien. 1t shall be upon
such night as this the ghost ship will APP
pear. At midnight l will take the boat and
row to the spot. Those who doubt will &c
with me and we shall see-quien sabe?'
The challenge was promptly accepted by
two OF the young men and one young WON
J an with heart tor any fate.
, And so it came to pass that at the moor
, of the night small rowboat with the
swarthy figure OF the redoubtable Juar
at the oars, and his three fellow adventures
: variously disposed about him, left the little
pier and felt its way cautiously around the
, island to the scene of the wreck.
The night was indeed propitious for the
purpose.
A dense fog shut out the sky, envelop
ing the land and shrouding the sea in an i'm
penetrable gray mystery. Save for the dip
of the oars and the soft lap, lap of the
waves against the cliff, the silence was un
broken.
The conditions could not have been more
favorable for ghost seeing
| The young woman with heart for any
fate shuddered visibly, AMI the young mar
who had "pooh-hooed" the loudest, started
at the flight of lone sea bird upon the
shore. Noiselessly the little boat glidet
through the gray mystery of the fog Sud
denly Juan ceased rowing with a low
: "hist!"
In a moment every sense was strained
: and every nerve was tense with interest
!, Then, distinctly, close at hand, there sound
ed the "kerchunk, kerchunk" of the pad
dies of side-wheel vessel.
With his oars at rest, Juan sat silent anC
statuesque and the other occupants of the
boat were rigid with attention.
"Kerchunk, kerchunk, kerchunk!" Al
l at once the outlines of great ship, headed
due south, doomed up through the fog
, Black clouds of smoke poured from her fun
nels, and the light at her PROV was plainly
discernible.
The apparition quickly faded and was fol
lowed by rasping grating sound and the
noise of a mighty shock.
j. Then there We're cries of alarm, the voice
. of officers shouting orders to the crew, thu
+ clang of bells, and the shuttle of hurryin,
1eet upon tne deck Inc cOHmotlOn III
creased, more cries rent the air and tn
splash, splash of bodies leaping into the Sc;
Y was heard.
Then all was still again.
'Madre de Dios!" cried Juan, and h
: dropped his oars into the water, ant
: pulled back toward the island with long
: steady stroke.
, 1t may have been an optical illusion, eth
: baseless fabric Of dream" or the oh;
, mera of excited imaginations- probabl.
{ was nothing more. But there are few
i persons in southern California who do no
cavil at the story of the phantom ship o
S Anacapa.-Los Angeles Herald.
= Not Quite What She Meant.
The pitfalls which the English languag
offers to the foreigner are many. A French
e woman who has undertaken housekeeping il
: New York thought she had good work
: ing knowledge of the language, but she 500
+ discovered her mistake. One day this sum
+ mer she called carpenter and planned wit
:, him to have some work done about tn
house in the way of uniting up shelves cas-