Montpelier examiner., 1912-12-06


Superstition has 1t that the appearance of the
phantom ship leads to certain and swift misfor-
tune
Old sailors will tell of the ship of the Flying
Dutchman bowling along in the very teeth of
the wind and of her overtaking their own ship
which was beating to windward. Some OF them
say they have seen her sail clean through their
ship the swirling films of her sails and rigging
leaving a cold clammy feeling like the touch OF
death
Cornwall in the old days remarkable for
its wreckers, and its rock-bound coast was the
scene of many evil deeds. The Priests Cove
wrecker during his evil life lured many vessels
to their doom upon the cruel shore by means OF
a false light hung round the neck of a hobbled
horse To this day the good Cornish folk will
tell you of the phantom of the wrecker seen when
the winds howl and the seas rage high, carried
clinging to log OF wood upon the cEests of the
breaking seas. and how 1t is sent crashing upon
the rocks. where In the seething foam 1t disap-
pears from sight.
The wide stretching sand-choked estuary of
the Solway has many a ghost story and more
than one phantom ship.
The Spectral Shallop" is the ghost of ferry
boat which was wrecked by rival ferryman while
carrying q bridal party the bay. The
ghostly boat Ia rowed by the skeleton of the
cruel ferryman and such ships as are so
lucky to encounter this ghastly pilot are
usually doomed to be wrecked upon the sands.
No money would tempt the Solway fishermen
to go out to meet the two Danish searovers
whose ships upon clear nights. are seen gliding
up one of the narrow channels which thread the
driedout sands, the high-curved prows and rows
Of shields along the gunwale glittering In the
moonlight. These two piratical ships. 1t seems,
into the Solway and dropped anchor there.
when a sudden furious storm came up and the
ships. which were heavily laden with piunder.
sank at their moorings with all the villains
which composed their crews.
Among the rocks upon the rugged coast of
Kerry was found one winter morning early in
the eighteenth century. large galeon. mastless
and deserted. The Kerry wreckers crowded
aboard, and wild was their Joy. for the ship was
laden with ngots OF silver from the Spanish
Main. They gradually filled their boats until the
gunwales were almost down to the waters edge.
and hastily they pulled to the shore in order that
they might return for further ingots before the
shore huge tidal wave broke boats and
fed women watching on shore saw no sign re-
naming OF boats. men ship
Wild horses would not get Kerry fisherman
TO visit the OF this disaster upon the ami.
versary OF the day the grim tragedy took place.
for only bad luck has come to those who have
seen the re-enactment of the affair, which Kerry
folk believe takes place upon that day.
The Newhayen ghost ship signified her own
doom. A ship built at Newhaven In January
1647. having sailed away upon her maiden voy
age was thought to have been lost at sea- when
evening In June, during furious thunder
storm. the well-known ship was sighted sailing
into the river mouth-but straight into the eve
of the Windmill she neared the town when
slowly she faded from the sight of the people
who crowded on shore to watch her The ap