The daily Alaskan., 1913-03-31
OCEAN SPECTERs.
Phantom Craft Tat Are Said to
 Haunt the High Seas.
A CURIOUS ENGLISH RECORD.

The Log of ths Wsrshlp 5aoehantS
 Under Date of July ii, 1881, Bears
 tho Entry, "FIyins 0utohmsn cross-
 ed Our 5ows"-Ths Goblin Ship.
 There are numerous legends and sto- ries of ghostly vessels that roam the brlny deep, and many hard headed mariners, free from the common su- perstitlou of the ordinary sailorman, stoutly maintain that they have at least once in their maritime career en- cOunteFed what was undoubtedly phantom ship.
 Best known of those mysterious craft that haunt the high sels is, of course. the famous Flying Dutchman, or phantom ship of Vanderdecken How the story originated Is doubtful, but it has been ascertained that there was seaman of reputs who many years ago sailed from Holland to the east via the Cape of Good Hope, but was never again heard of.
 Some authorities say that meeting with contrary winds oT the cape, be swore a terrible oath, in consequence of which the divine wrath decreed that he should be occupied till the crack of doom in endeavOring to weather the headland. Others state that thls punishment was meted out to him in retributlon for a terrible murder he committed before commenc' ing his fateGul voyage.
 Whatever the cause of this ancient caDtlemau's mOnOtonous wandering may be. 1t is probably In connection with him that the most authentis cold hloOded record Of any phantom ex- ists either afoat or ashore, for 1t Is stated that in the log of H. Nj. s. Bac- chante while on voyage round the world with the little princes In 1881 there appears on July II the entry, 'Flying Dutchmun crossed our bows The log book of one of the then largest of her majesty's warshlps is certainly the very last place to expect to ind that which Is generally associated with the hystericai of either sex.
 During January, l647. vessel left New Haven, Conn, on her maiden voy. age. but was never again heard of. In the following June, just before the hour of sunset and after severe thunderstorm, the missing ship was seen sailing up the river The inhabit- ants, taking their evening stroll, were overjoyed at her return, but the most obseryant of them noticed that there was something uncanny about her, es' pecially in that she appeared to be sailing up against the wind.
 Then, to the consternGtlon of all, she gradually faded away before their eyes and eutireley disappeared. We may be assured that there were not wanting those who maintained that the vessel In spirit had paid last visit to her port before resting for good on the ocean bed
 In the "Chronicles of the St Law. renee" by Le Maine. It is recorded that on a certain day In the year phantom ship is seen off Cap d'Espolr In Gospe bay. Lights are seen aboard her, and her decks are crowded with men. By the foot of the bowSprlt man Is con spicuously standing and facing toward the shore. with a lady cllnging to his arm. Gradually the lights go out and the vessel sinks. It Is said to be the ghost of the flagship of Q fleet which was sent cut to reduce the French forts, the vessel being lost with all hands.
 To come to British waters. there are numerous instances related in local history of the vlsitatlons of ghostly vessels, the west of England, as might be expected. being most prolific in these records, says a writer in the Lon don Globe Indeed, Cornwall boasts of goblin ship probably unique the world over. as she not only sails the water. but proceeds most unconcerned good distance inland
 This Is the speCter ship of Porthcur' no, and In Robert Hunts book on "Ro' mances of the West of England" are re- lated the experiences of a local inhao- itant who witnessed one of her esca' pades She Is described as n black square rigged single masted vessel, sometimes towing small boat. No crew are ever seen; presumably they are d n below. The personal narra' tive goes on to say:
 "On came the craft. It passed stead fly through the breakers, glided up over the sands, steadily pursued It's course on the dry land as If 1t had been water On It went to Bodelan, where St Leven formerly dwelt. It then steered its course to Chygwiden and there vanished like smoke"