Year: 1875

swered, derisively-from the maintop,
now.


1t was broad daylight, and all could
see that there was no one up there.
was quite as much startled and mysti-
fed as my tyrant could possibly be
but the diversion served as good pur-
pose as on the previous occasion, for
he did not attack me again. Had he
done so, / meant to resist, and grapple
with him, if it cost me my life.


That night the captains slumbers
were disturbed by fierce cry, which
appeared to come in at the side-hght in
his stateroom, left open for fresh air.
The cry had been heard by the mate,
on the quarter. deck, and by Hastings,
at the wheel, who could give no expla-
nation of it, and seemed to share his
astonishment and fear, when he rushed
on the deck and looked vainly over the
quarter in search of the cause.


From that day he was harassed and
persecuted at every turn by an "in-
visible presence" which gave him no
peace of his life. Whether on deck or
below, he found no escape from it, and
especially when he began to abuse or
swear at any of the ships company, the
voice of the hidden champion invariably
took their part. The lnsolent laugh
rang in his ear on every such occasion,
seeming to come from overhead.


But no such manifestations ever
troubled us in the forecastle, nor did
the unearthly voice ever address any
one on board but Captain Phelps. The
more superstitious part of our crew
would rather have borne his tyrannical
treatment than have lived in haunted
ship, while some of ,us welcomed a
firm friend in this unaccountable
spiritual presence, or whatever it
might be.


The captains angry passions were to
sone extent checked by it; though,
now and then, they broke forth so sud-
denly that the object of his fury re.
ceived blow before it could interfere.
We had arrived within couple of days
sail of the English cost, when, becom-
ing exasperated at some blunder of
Hastings, he hurled a Delaying pin,
which struck him on the head. The
poor fellow suddenly clapped both
hands to the spot, with wild yell, and
rushed into the forecastle. The cap
tain, after having thrown the missile,
appeared, as thought, surprised at not
hearing anything, and / noticed him
glance nervously aloft. But, still hear
ing nothing, he recovered his courage.
and ordered Mr.. Raynor to "call that
man on deck again."


The mate, getting no answer to his
call, went below, and found Hastings
delirious. He reported that he believed
kln 30 lA
and the captain directed him to do
whatever he thought best for his relief.
l think Captain Phelps, like some other
hard cases that have sailed with, did
not dare to venture into the forecastle
himself, for fear he might never get out
again alive.


That night, it became necessary to
call all hands out to reef again; and
while we were on the yards, thrilling
cry arose from the bows, such as might
we'll have been raised by maniac. A
human form was seen by several of us
erect on the rail, near the fore-swifter,
and then loud splash was heard in the
water under our lee.


Mr.. Raynor and the captain, who
were on deck, rushed to the side; O hat
was seen for q moment, bobbing up on
the crest of sea, and the same dread
full yell of insanity was repeated, even
more shrill than before. Captain Phelps
echoed the cry, but family, and fell in
sensible to the deck.


Mr.. Raynor hailed us on the top.sail
yard with voice like trumpet blast
Lay down from aloft ! Clear away the
small boatp


We thought the mate was quite as
mad as the poor suicide and so he was,
for the moment. BY the time we
reached the deck, he was ready to
countermand the order. Everything
was hidden in darkness, the wind and
sea fast increasing and it was hardly
possible, even then, for the clumsy lit
tie boat to live. The captain, still un-
conscious was carried below, with many
muttered wish that he might never
come up again and bitter were the
oaths of vengeance, mingled with kind
words and tears for our departed mess
mate, that went round our wakeful
little circle during the stormy, dismal
night.


When the Hull pilot boarded us,
| forty-eight hours afterward, Captain
uolps was ~ uiS pOSI, tryluB JO LOOK
like himself, but still pale and trem-
bling. The mate had told us that he
should have him arrested as soon as
we arrived import. But / think he
must have relented, and connived at
his escape, for he was missing before
the ship was fairy secured. / don't
think he was ever brought to justice,
though 1 did not wait to see. / was
glad enough to shake the dust of the
Norway off my feet, and to forget, #
possible, the history of the voyage.


But l often found myself, while on
subsequent voyages, puzzling my brain
to account for the strange phenomena
of which / have spoken. Five years
passed away, and was none the wiser
in that respect, when fonnd myself in
Liverpool, where / arrived from
South American voyage, and been paid
off with fifty pounds-a considerable
sum for me to have in possession at one
time.


Stroliing along the streets at early
evening, ready for anything in the way
of amusement that might turn up, my
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