Year: 1877




The story Told by the Captain OF Coasting


vesseI..WhRt Helmsnan Saw.-A Moan


10 the Windwnrd.


The captain of the coasting vessel


Mary b., which sailed last summer be.


tween Castine, Maine, and the different


ports in Massachusetts, and Connecticut,


tells thrilling story of his experience


last July with what he believes to be the


identical monster seen in Massachusetts,


bay recently, and furnishes for proof the


names Of the first and second mates and


cook of the vessel He says TREY started


in ballast from Boston for Portsmouth,


N. H., where they arrived all right and


without accident. On the way, however,


the first night out, the boy, who was


taking his "trick" at the helm, called


for the watch below, and when they came


up he was found to be almost speech


less, but he succeeded in telling them the


particulars, rs he was either cognizant of


them or fancied he was, of singular
occurrence. He stated that as the vessel
was going along under easy sail, the
wheel needing little attention, he felt q
slight shock and the vessel paused lit
tie. He went to the bow, and, swinging
ont on the bowsprit, looked eagerly about
him. For some time he saw nothing Mt
all to explain the blow or shock received
by the vessel. Still he did not relax his
attention. At first he thought the
schooner had struck q floating spar, or,
probably, boat. On the supposition
that it might be an abandoned boat he
kept up keen watch. Fully ten minutes
elapsed before he could put about and
60 as near as he could Judge to the spot
where he had noticed the shock. Here
nothing rewarded him for his trouble,
and he again brought the vessel about
and headed her in the direction formerly
held. He had not long to wait for some
thing else to disturb his mind. just as
he concluded that his imagination had
cheated him some dark object rose up
from the water rs high, at least, rs ten
feet, not far aft of the vessel off to the
starboard. 1t seemed to him that the
water was aglow for minute, so brilliant
was the phosphoresence BY this and
by dim light in the galley he saw, or
fancied he saw, a writhing shape which
he said swayed to and fro as nearly as he
could see for q minute perhaps. The
vessel was running before the wind with
a free breeze, and soon had left the spot.
As soon as he recovered from his sur
prise he summoned the watch, with whom
came up the captain. Allhands Thought
this "longshore trick to get rid Of
the wheel. The boy protested that he
had seen what he stated. At Ports
mouth he was discharged, it being be-
leved that he was too tricky, and, as the
captain says, "told too big stories even
for sailor"


On the return trip cargo of tanbark
was taken from Castine, or some other
small port, for Boston. The bark was
loaded both in the hold and on deck, the
pens being short and the weather having
indications OF being pleasant On the
second night out the second mate had
the wheel. Toward dusk it came on to
blow, and by the time darkness set in
there was considerable of chopping
sea. In the middle of the night the sea
increased. Some of the tanbark began
to wash over the rail. He saw that a loss
of part of the cargo must occur unless
it was shifted. The captain was called,
and also Jones, who was hired to cook
and do duty also. All hands, except the
captain, who took the wheel, were busy
at work, when suddenly they heard what
sounded like moan to the windward.
Each of the men heard the sound. The
captain cried out: Halloa !" There
came no answer but the sound of the
waves and the wind. Sailors are natu-
rally superstitious, and before the rest
of the deck cargo was disposed OF few
words of inquiry and comment passed.
The mate Zeidman cried out: Look
there!'' The vessel had all her lower
sails set. To the leeward something was
seen by the contrast to the dim outline
of the sail to rear itself in the water.
The waves were lashed into foam and'the
same low sound, which now seemed more
cultural than before, was again heard.
The oil ject reared and almost instantly
but not until all were sat
stied that they had seen what is now
both an object of interest and terror to
;he pleasure seekers along the Eastern
,OaSt