The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-10-13
TIMELY MESSAGE
OF WARNING
ShipWreCk Averted by a
Startling Dream.

This is an age of rationalism. Every
day we are more inclined to condemn
superstition and certain frauds by
which it is supported. But while we
are losing faith in the miraculous there
is a growing disposition to explain
wonders scientifically.
l am especially subject to thought
transference, and so is my wife. When
together a thought no sooner enters
the head of one of us than the other
gives expression to it. l am scien-
tific man and expect the time to come
when one will be able to detect the
subtle cause of this communication.
Some years ago l went as a scientist
on an exploring expedition. We were
obliged to enter into an ocean that was
then comparatively unknown. Our
maps were the best that could be OBJ
tanned, but had not received the same
attention rs other districts. Besides, .
commissions beneath the sea are con
stantly occurring to change the condi-
tons
We were sailing northward within
a hundred miles of a coast running
northeast and southwest. 1t was near
midnight l was sound asleep in my
berth. Suddenly l awoke. What oc-
Cured during this awakening | am
not going to attempt to explain except
negatively. 1t was not a dream. 1t
was not vision. l heard nothing. /
saw nothing. 1t was rather n con-
sciousness. In that infinitesimal bit
of time. during which J passed from
a sound sleep to wide awake condi-
ton. my wife. who was several thou
sand miles distant from me, was ges-
ticulating wildly, conyulsed with ter
ror, pointing and crying, keep off,"
AS l have said, received this as a
brain impression. The moment | was
awake it was gone. There were the
usual roll of the ship and creaking of
timbers, and | looked out of the port
hole. The night was starlight. and
there was but Il fair wind. Neverthe-
less what had occurred had impressed
me thoroughly with a sense Of danger
arose. put on my clothes and went
on deck. The officer in charge. John
jacobson. was pacing the after deck.
There was no land in sight nothing
but Il broad eXpanse of ocean.
What is it," asked the officer as l
joined him.
why DO you ask the question:"
why? You wouldn't be coming up
here at this time OF night for nothing.
Besides, you look as if you'd seen
ghost"
John" | replied. viii you do some
+. thing for me without a reasong
what is it?n #l
That's shorewaFd out there, isn't
it?' 1 pointed westward.
/ Yes
Put her off TO northwest"
Good Lord! What for?''
1T was to be without a reason"
said.
What will the old man Go to meg
I'm take the responsibility. Come,
be quick. There's danger aheadr'
lie seemed to catch an inklng of
my fear from me and gave the neces-
sary orders. As the ship went about
to her new course l walked to the
port gunwale and looked over.
Come here quick" | called to the
officer
He came and looked over the side
with me
What's that?" l asked
81 see nothing" lie replied.
Not that whitish line out there?'
He continued to peer, and suddenly
cried under his breath, Great heav-
ems then gave the order to the helms
man 70 sheer off to starboard. He saw
as l did. n thin white line. 1t could
only be foam and could only come
from submerged rocks. 1t ran north
and south. broken here and there 10y
the dark water to reappear farther on
We got only a glimpse of it, for oui
D change of course served TO take us
| away from it. For time we botl
stood with bated breath, every mo
ment expecting Il shock or to hear The
hold beneath us grating on a reef
Then 1 went below and called the cap
tain
We saw no more evidences of The
sunken reef, but ON reaching the mex
! port learned that it had been recently
discovered by others. It's appearance
1 dated from the last earthquake on thu
G coast
/ 1 made note of the day, hour anC
0 minute, rs near as the latter was pos
sible, that my warning came TO me
e and when some months later | return
e ed to my wife l told her my story
e Without waiting to hear me through
/ she interrupted to tell me that while
h was away she had dreamed she saw
0 our ship sailing toward 4 sunken rect
> She tried to warn us off, but could no
t do so. Her terror awoke her. Sh
: looked up the date and found it tallie
with my memorandum.
/ 4 reference of my warning to scien
q tffic causes may be weakened by it
7 dependence on dream. Dreams ar
4 now believed to be simply mental az