Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-01-17


49, long voyages that these
,olos are usually forthcoming. Inc
bark Annie NJ Reid OF Ne" forh
the last vessel to bring in a taie u
mystery.
I'VE were standing by the mizzth
tonsaiI halliards when the shachle
broke and the yards crashed uo""'
said the sailor who told the story
"We came up into the wind ana
hove to. and it was at that niolleH.
that we saw the strange trader-a'
least we thought it was trader proD'
ably TO the Western Islands, on which
We were. We signaled for help' loi
We did not know how we were coming
ont of the souall. The strange steam
ship-a tramp we took her 10 De
was not more than an eighth OF
mile away. but she made no reply
whatever and kept right on he'
course. II there had been "nyoouy
alive on the tramp he certain "ouiu
have seen US. as there was ~ log l"
Interfere There are only two things
to think Of. either every soul on pod'u
was dead or we had seen one OF those
pbantom ships they tell ABOUT
couldn't have been warning vi
death. however, for We came out OF 1t
all right
shin that sails by in the moon
light and does not answer when spoN-
on nor show any light or sign OF Ire
on board. is an even stranger appail
ton of the deep than those MANY
pbantom vessels which have ioomeu
upon the sight of sailor men from on,
the fog or darkness. The crew OF
the Hengist. out of Liverpool, Captain
Thearston of Liverpool IN cofhHahu
once saw such a specter capt >. ~
Norton. who was first officer OF the
bark Hengist. when the phantom snip
passed her by, tells the story OF the
weird vision:
eft was in the Indian ocean ina
we saw her-the strange snip tha'
have never forgotten" said Captain
Norton. I'VE were out OF Calcutta
hound for New York. and although
there was a haze the moon shone am
the haze was so light that we coui'
SEQ perfectly well across the water
The haze was Just enough to make
nice pretty silvery veil that mad
everything look sort OF mysterlou
and interesting without closing us
at all.
"Tbere we're no lights on the vesst
and we couldn't see soul on Doar'
We spoke to her, but she didn't a
swer. She passed right under OF
stern about a biscuits toss away. al
we thought she was going to foul
She was so near that we could Re
the wind of her sails as she passe
but not a sign did she make 10 I
our signaling-just sailed away IN
the bazy moonlight. Next day
had a terrible gale. one OF the wor
that | remember while ] was at 81
and everybody thought the phantc
shin had come to give warning. W
we should have been favored | DO
know: but, of course, there Is alwa
a reason why those ships are seen
one vessel and not by others. Scr
times they mean harm for everybo
on board. and sometimes they CO
simply to give a friendly warm
There was one man on board v
believed that our phantom ship ca
IN warn us of the gale because
captain had been friend of our o
CAPTAIN. and when his ship went 90
with all on board he continued
haunt the sea. Naturally, as he
friendly. he would show himself
his ship before a Storm. | can't
Il believed all that myself. All Una
know was that the phantom ship
come lust as I've described II.
One of the most thrilling tales
the fateful appearance OF phan
ships is told by a retired first m
who in his youth sailed under Z
Jobn Stebbins on the steel tramp
rietta. bound from Madeira to Bri
CAPTAIN Stebbns was blum,
rect matter-of-fact person, said
mate. land he had little tolerance
what he declared was merely su
stition. so the crew were not APP
speak over loud of their supernat
experiences That thew had Il
however, was sure enough. and
was q bit more approachable
most men in nv position, they
very wont to tell their stories to
There was one fellow among
named Gould. whom | could not
watching because of the strained
almost hunted look on his fac'
made friends with him on purpos
get at the reason for his queer
and one day when | caught him '
and shuddering on the forward
got it out of him.
1T seemed that a couple of .
before he had been on the bridl
passenger vessel running bet
Kingston and New York when