Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-02-01
A Ghost Ship
b. GRACE ETHEL WEEKS
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

In 1885, the American ship Seminole.
making a trip around the world. turned
the Cape Of Good Hope and pointed
northwestward on the Atlantic ocean.
The Seminole had left New York four
years before. trading Along the South
American coast, Japan and other coun-
tries without hearing much. II any.
news from her sailing port. She was
q slow going brigantine and from
whose bottom the barnacIes had not
been scraped since a month before her
departure on her long voyage.
One summer evening she was lying
becalmed or the west coast of Africa.
The captain was playing cards with
the first and second mate to kill time
when the lookout cried:
Vessel atire on port bow"
Now. u ship in storm at sea may
not interest the crew Of another ship.
especially as the latter Is breasting the
same storm. but q burning craft II
a very different matter The game
ceased. and all hands from captain to
cabin boy strained their eyes In the
direction indicated by the lookout. All
they could see was 4 faint trace Of
smoke.
There's wind there" remarked the
captain after making an examination
With a glass. That smokes drifting
to leeward"
It'll help burn her" said the second
skxs,t - I'D kas -
nobody any good. Wen get 1t after
awhile"
Presently a dark speck marking the
hull appeared. but there was no fame.
nor could any sails be distinguished.
The vessel seemed to be coming to-
rection. but the smoke instead Of NOV
ing with her was drifting in her wake.
That beats anything | ever see." re-
marked one of the crew. rs been q
sailor twenty years. and | never see q
burnin' skip movin' without sails and
the smoke BLOWN behind her without
any wind"
"Wot knocks me out" said another.
is there bein' no dame"
They've got the matches battened
down to keep the fire below decks"
said third. "Nothin' but smoke can
git out"
The ship. moving without sails, came
steadily on till to the crew Of the
Seminole she appeared larger. but was
growing faint In the diminishing twi-
light As she drew near she was
pointed directly. toward them. A terror
spread through not only the Seminoles
crew. but the officers. Here was
burning ship coming to run them
down
Great guns!" cried the captain.
Am | dreamin'? Say. you Martin"
addressing her first mate. do you see
a smokin' vessel comm while we're In
the doldrumsY'
THAT do. SIR" replied the FIRST
mate. land | don't understand her,"
shes ghost shipr' exclaimed
sailor with bhnched cheeks.
Been burned at sea and haunts the
place where she went up in smoker
added another.
lit must "a been all smoke and no
damer cried a third.
There Is light on her boww said
the second mate. Some 'un must "a
KEEP bis head pretty cool to put that
out with the ship afire."
How does she manage to keep 80
straight a course without any wind to
steer by"
These and many other comments on
the wonder continued to be made
while the hull of the coming ship was
growing larger and less distinct in the
growing darkness.
Swing out the boatsw cried the cap
tain.
The crew ran to the boats. but were
so mad with terror that they tumbled
over one another lowering one end
while the ropes holding the other to
the davits were left unfastened. FL
nally the boats were all swung out and
some of them In the water when there
Was a fash af light m rho canning