The Deserted Ship

Early one - plcasant morning in the moutk of Octobor, 17G0, a square-riggod vessel was seon approaching the hurbor of Newport, E. I., trom tho ofling, uuder full sail, with a fresh broeze from tho southward and westward. As this approaehed, niany conjectures were mado respecting her oharacter and name. The course of the brig was still onward, but when tho people expected to see her hauled to the wind and entor the harbor to anchor in front of the town, to their astonishment they found that no change was mado in her course, and no sail taken in. The brig was evidontly running directly for Easton's Beach. The brig was hailed from the shore, but no anawer was retumed. Her danger was pointed out to her, and those on board were warned to chango hor course, or the vessel would be wrecked ; but even this could elicit no answer. It was then remarked, to the eonstemation of the assenibled islandors, and eagerlwhispered around, that no man conjd bo seen on her deck ! The brig was steered by somo invisible hand, and in a few minutes struck the shore within half a dozen rods ofthe wondering crowd who had hastened to the spot. Boats immediately put off from tho shore by mon eager to learn the cause of this extraordinary proceeding. They. found tho flre still burning in the caboose, and the usual preparations for breakfast had been made. The table in the cabin was set, the captain's dressing-gown was lying at the foot of the cabin stairs, as if it had been hastily thrown off, but not a living thing was found on board except a dog, which greoted them with oxtraordinary marks of fondness whon they stepped on deck. Tho boats were both missing, and the long boat had been recently hoisted out, as was evident by the tackles on the yards ; but the baggage of tho officers and crew had apparently not been disturbed. The log book was missing, but the ship's papers and tho captain's writ ings, with tho oxception of nis joumal, were all found in regular order. The questions wero asked, where are the crew F AVhat terrible event compelled them at a moment's warning to 'quit the vesstil, and what has been their fate ? Suspicions of tho most dreadfnlkind were thus aroused - suspicions of piracy or murder. But no bloud or traces of a desperate struggle were seen on the decks. Some thought thiit the crew, alarmed at the approach of a squall, or some iraaginary danger, took to the boats and were lost. But these questions were not satisfactorily answered. Tho facts furnished but slignt grounds for an hypothesis. No traces of the crew were ever discovered during the lifetime of those who witnessed the approach of tho lonely vessel to tho strand ; and many believed, and the belief is entertained by somo to this day, that the brig was guided safely past the reefs and dangers of tho coast, and through the narrow channel to her düstined port and home, by somo mysterioug; supernatural power. In the lines on " The Lonely Ship," published in the pocms of " Thn Two Sisters of the West," the appearance of the vessel as she struck. tiie shore, and thb appalling, affect prdduced by her degerted deck on the miuds of those who boarded her, are thus described : They teil of olitary halls. In IuthLs beyond tho doop :. There waa n thin $0 lo&ö l As that unKtiitaLhip; It wiw u fouriul mofikery Of rec.'ii t hope and li bt , , The very embure on tlic hcnrth, Low glowiug, rcU tiiid rifu. F:milmr objccts met our gnze, The Cuptaiu'g bortl wiw spreml. And seats were rnned uround.for thoso Whcwe fat was wmpiwii in duuxJ ; And on the wnïlu v.-it fi w :■ hung, Thatclioked with cheerful sound, Coníríwtini,' witli the tilent gloom Of eveiythiiii; uruund. Thb ship was ladra heavily, With spiets and with gold, a And not u hand had stirred the piles Of treasure iu tho hold ; There was no trace oí pirucy, Of t r iiKK li's or disinny, Tho arma hung round the cabin walls. In long and bright array. It sa fearful mysteryj That lies unfathonied vet ; There novcr carne a word or sign "i From thoao whO'Still regrct i I dnre not miiHu ii]K)n thcir fate, . lts horror, its dospair, But all anium; tin; gazers kncw Nu mortal hand was thc-re. It was more than sixty yoars after tho event had taken place whieh I have described above, that the ship Soldan, of New York, X3apt. Henry Eobson, on her passage frotu St. Petersburg, struck upon the Falstorbo shoals in tho Baltic, and sustairicd so much damago that the ship was taken iuto the snug little port of Ystad, and thero hove out and repaired. Tho Soldan was detainod soveral weeks in the town of Ystad, which is pleasantly situated on the Swedish coast, overlooking the Baltic Sea. Whilo ia conversation ono dav with Hume oweuisn gentlemen, (Japt. Kobson s curiosity was excitod by an accidental allusion to an eccentric old man who had i resided in the neighborhood of the town for a great Kiany years, had been a sailor in his youth, and was supposed to be a nativo of Ana rica. As somo mvstery wfts supposed to be connocted with "his voluntary oxile from honie, tho worthy captain resolvod to visit him and wake an attempt to solvo the rayetery, if any oxisted. But it is fair to state that he was also influenced by a better motive - a desiro to see, and, if necessary, serve a countryman ; aged, perhaps unfriended, a resident in a foreign land. Captain Robson f ound him living in an huiuble hut, alono. A small piece of land was attached to his residence, which he cultivated by tho labor of his handg, lio was quite old, at least four score, his hoad was thinly covered with whito hair, and his beard was long, also ns white as driven snow, whioh gave him the venerablo appcaranco of a holy anchorite. His figuro was slight, but he stood erect and moved about as if thoro was vigor in his limbs, and tho flash of his keen gray oyó showed that his intellect was not ijapaired. Captain Robson introduced himself as tbo master of the American ship in port, and found the old man quito willing to enter into con versation. He acknowledged that he was an American, but had been fqr marjy years a stranger to his native land. fio aeked niany questions relating to the Unitee States, and soeniod much gratiiiod at the information he received. Capt. Kobson inquired why he loft his homo, abandonad his early occupation as a sailor, nnd sought out this obscure corner iu u foreign oountry, to load a solitary and monotonous lifc. 1 ho hoary-headod sailor said ia roply that he had novor comniunicatcd to mortal mun the circuinstances which led him to dosert his home, his friends and country, and fleo to a distant soil, thero to drop anchor and moor tbr life. But as his sands wero tast running out, ho had wished for an opportunity to relate tho circuinstances attending tho last voyago he had made iu an American vossul, that wero of a nature to cast a dark cloud over hU soul, and enibitter his whole lifc, which he would have gladly laid down many yoars before if God had so willed it, as an uxpiation of his misdceds. " My nume," said he, " is Thomas Hanway. I was bom in a village but a few miles distant from Providoneo, Ehodo Island, and at an early age embraced the occupation of a marmer. I made a nuniber of voyages from Providence or Newport to the West Indies, and when I was about nineteen years old, being strong and active, ablc to do a seaman's duty, and addictod, I regrot to say, to all a Reaman 's Tices, I shipped with Captain IIuxham on board tho Soa Bird, bound to Bristol, England. The brig was a small vessel, tho officers and crew consisting of tho captain, Mr. Bundell, the mate, fout men before the mast, and a cook, who was a young man belonging to Newport, it being his first voyage to sea. Captain Iluxham was a stern man, who cared very little for the comfort of the sailors, and a great stickler for discipline. Mr. Bundell, the mate, was tall and muscular, and prided hi insult' upon his skill and power to knock men about like nine pins, and get out of them the worth of their wagus. If tho captain was disliked, the niate was bitterly hati.-d by tho wholo crew. Unfortu nately for mo, I was placed in tho larboard watch, und my watch-inatn was a middle-aged, burly-looking native of Groat Britaiii, who had soen much of tho world and borne a prominent part in many a strange and desperate adventure. Ho was a bold, reekless follow, case-hardened in rabcality, and, as ho of ten boasted, f'eared neither God nor man. As a matter of courso. Jack Hensdale and Mr. Buudell soon had a falling out ; Jack was insolent, and the mate ar bitrury and ciad with authority. After a terrible pounding from the mate, my shipmate was torced to succumb, but he often throw out dark hints of revenge, and was sulky and ill humored during tho passago across the Atlantic. Occasionally Jack received a forciblö reminder from Mr. BundelL in the shape of a clip on the side cf the head or a heavy rope's end over the shoulders, to be more attentive to his work or more rcspectful in his demeanor, all of which only tended to increase the hostility of my watchmate toward the mate. In tho little disputes and troubles between Jack Ilensdulo and Mr. Bundell, the captain of course took the part of tho mate; and moro than once aidod that ofiicer in " taking the prido out of Jack," as ho called it, by the application of an cmollient kuown as tho " oil of hemp." Jack ofteu complained to mo of his wrongs, and expatiatoa on tlie brutal i truatiiiL'iit he received. Nor wero tlie : abuses coufinud to him alono. I was ' soiuetimes mipleasantly mailo awarc of ' tho mates brawny fi&t, and sympathizing i witli luy shipmute, allowed him to ' cise an unhappy intluenco ovor luy actions. Morp. than oncu during thu passage Jack suggested, in a rouiulabout wiy, thu expedieney of taaking the mate " ibod for Jishes," but I was not yi;t prepared for tho delibérate porpotration of tho crim of murdor, even undor suvU. continued provoc&tion, and suggested that as the passage: would soon be over,,wo could dosert on our arrival at Brlptol, and afterwards waylay Mr. Bundell, and with a good flögging pay him the principal and interest af the heavy dobt w owed him ; then traveliug across the country to Falmouth, we could easily fiad another ship, and embark in quest of other advuutures. To this Jjlnn of mi'je Jack Ilensdale, ftfter muitering about the dolay, and a half muttcred thrcat that the llogging should last hiiü for a lifetime, acceded. The Sea Bird arrived safely in Bristol; her cargo was discharged and she was soon ready to return to the United States. Jack and myself had made our calcalations to abaudon the brig a few days before sho was to leftve port, and had taken somo of our baggago clandestinely on shoru. Our shipmates became awaie of our intentions, but rofused tp accompany us, and in order to curry favor with tho captain and mate, informed thoin of our projected movements. A atopixjr was accordingly clapped on our proceedings in tho shapo of an ofHcer, who conveyed us to ja.il, whero we were kept on short allowance until tho brig was ou the point of saihng, when we were taken on board, handcuft'ed, looking unutterablc things. The rebuke of the captain as we passed over the gangway, the insulting jeers of the mate, and tho wiuks and smiles of the crow, were not calculated to solace us for our disappointment, or awakea Christian principies withiu our bosoms, And as tho mate soon resumod his oíd practico of using his fists freely, Jack declared that he " would stand it no longer, but throw tho unfoeling brute overboard." To tho commission of thia terrible crime I offored no argumenta in opposition. A few nights after this wu wero standing iilung on a wind, under double-rc efcd top-aails, in tho middle watch. Tho brig was laboring heavijy in a doad sea, and I was at the helm, my tempor ruillod by the goarso and vulgar epithets with which Mr. Bundell from time to time honorod me, becauBO I could not with the tiller prevent the brig at times from pitching heavily. Suddonly the foresheet was let go, and tho sail fiapped as if it would burst from tho belt rppe. " Hallo ■" ahoutod tEo taato what'a to pay now " The foresheet has slippod olï the cleét, sir," roplied Jack Hensdalo. " Well, liaul it aft thon, and bo hangod to you, and bolay it proporly, you knowuothing son ot a soldier !" Jack took liold üi' the foresheet, but roquested issistuiicf!, being unable to haul it aft alone. Tho mate went forward to the lee waist and seized the rope, when Jack struck hiiu a hard blow upon the head with a heavor, which knocked him against tho bulwarka, and thea seized him to throw him overboard. Mr. Dundell was stunned only for ono moment. Before Jack could accamplish his murdorou work tho mate recovered hia seuses, and strugglod desperately, calling on the captain for assis'.ance. Jack, fluding the work more difficult than he expected, summoned me to his aid. I left the helm and rushcd to tho spot where the combatanU were engaged in deadly strife. I grusped the mate about the body, and by our unitod strength we Ufted him on tho gunwalc, in spito of tis convulsivo efForts to broak away, and just as tho captain, who rushcd up the ccunpanion .way at tho crios of the mate, reached the waist, and whüe tho men belanging to tho starboard watch wore hustoning up tho foro scuttlo to hia rcscue, wo succoeded in overconiing his resistanoo, and dropped him into tho water. The captain saw tho act, slthough he was too lato to prevent it. He shouted " murder I" and allod upon the men to secure the murderors. Wo defended oursolves manfully for a time, but at laat wcre knockcd down, handcuffed, and dragged below into a gort of half-deck, which was entcred for the steerage. A couple of ring bolts were drivon iirmly into the ship's side, to which we wore lashed, and kept on a short allowanoo of bread and water. The captain visited us cvery day, and with a triumphant smilo consolod us with the as8uranco tliat wo sliould soon bc in port, and nothing could save us froin being hanged. Indeed, for a time thore soemed to be no hope of escaping from the gallows. Wo wero seon in the rery act, and under circumstancos which rundercd it alinost certain that the crime was deliberately planned ; and no one could doubt for a momont that I was as guilty as my shipniate, who attempted to do tho deed singíe-handod. But Jack Ilonsdalo had boen in limbo before, and was familiar with the mystery of handcuífs. Before wo had reaebed the American coast, wo eould both luanage to slip off our irons at pleasure, without a great deal of pain, uud wo formod a plan to gain possession of the brig when wo carne in sight of land, and mako a deterínined ofibrt to avoid the hangman's noose. Shortly after daylight, ono morning, land was seen from tho top gallant yard, afar off. The captain was rejoiced, for he and tho threo men with him were almost worn out with their labor and watchings. Tho wind being moderate, and tho captain sleepy, having been on deck the greater part of the night, he retired to his state-room to seek roposc, ussuring us, with a spiteful gñn, that l'oint Judith was in sight, and wo should bo snugly deposited in jail before 12 o'clock. My shipmatu and myself soon aftorward relieved oureelvcs of our haudcutfs and cropt cautiously into the steerage, and then passod stealthily up tho cabin stairs to tho quarter doek. The man at tho helm was torrifiod at the sight of us. With our unshaven faces and uncombed locks, we must have looked wild and wickud, as if bent on tomo dosperato deed. Ho was about to cali out, when we menacod hiui with death if he made any noise. A bucket with a rope attachod was standing near the break of the deck, and Jack told tho helmsman to draw a bucket of wator to " fetch the pump." The poor fellow obeyed, trembling with fcar, but as he was loaning over the gangway, Jack soizcd him by the lcgs and pitohed him headlong into the soa. The cook who was busy in the galley, hearing tho cry of his unfortunato shipuiate as he struck the water, came out to see what was tho matter, but was compellod to sharo his terrible fate. We now had possession of the deck. Horror struck at the atrocious acta of which we had been guilty, and shrinking from the coinmission of furthor crime, I entreated Jack to savo the livus of tho captain and our re ïnahung shipiuate. Ho replied with a demoniaè frown tliat we had gono too far to luok back, that marcy was now out of tho question, unloBs we were willing to ] swing ou a gallows- fordead men teil no ttiltm. Hcnsdalc threw down a coil of rigging on the quarter leek, direetly over the tain's state room. The noise, as we anticipatod, awoke captain Huxliam, who.tumed out, ar.d. putting on his clothus in luiste ascended the cabin stairs, but bofore ho uould put a toot on the deck, or was aware that the mutinoers had taken. pwssession of tho biig, a blow froiu a haodspike in the strong hands of Jack Honsdale felled him to the deck. We at once laid holdof ' hiiu and buudlod him to the quartor rail. üuly onü of tUo crew reinaimxj to be disposud of. Ho was sumnionedondeckand summarily dispatched. " Now," said Jack, " we must be lively and got tackles on the fore and main yard arms, and hoist out the long boat." This was the only boat with the vessel, as tho jolly boat had been stove in in a recent storm. We rigged the mast and fixed the sail in a few minutes, and had little trouble in getting evorytlnng into tlie boat that it was nocesesary to take. The log book and tho journal alono wero destroyed. We then took ill tho silver dollars from the captain' writing desk, but nothing besidos was disturbed. At thiá time Block Island was in sight, not more than eight or niño milos off, ind as we were in the fair chaiytel of Ttttela bound into Jiarragansett Bay, Hensdalo feared that some orafta might fall in with us, and our appearanco in a long boat would excito suspicion, and might cause us to be approhendod. It was thorefore thought bosb to pull in towards Block Is land, in order to avoid tho vessels on the coast, thon lay on our oars and remain in tho offing until dark. We accordingly embarked, after oarefully cffacing any marks of a struggle that might appoar on the decks, and without oven a G.hango of lothing. Jack Ws uosurous ot Jeaving sverything ir tho forocastle, the oabiu, md on deck, precisely as it was whcn we , joinmenced our hellish work. " It will U7tzle tUoiu a long timo," said he, " to ind out what has bocomo of tho crew." That night we pulled into Rock Island , md Iandea. Wc found sevural siuall fishmg boats haulod up on the beach. "We ] Launched one of thoui, thon ballasted tho Long boat with h,eayy stcacs and towcd it into doop water, whoro wo pulled out tho plug, when it soon filled and sank. We thon took to our oars and pulled for tho laain land, set the boat adrift, and taking the first road we camo to leading to the wostward, proceodod briskly on our way. j At sunriso noxt morning wo found oursolves but a fuw miles trom Stonington. Qn rcaching that place Jack Ilensdale romarked that it would bo wcllfor oursafoty that wo should separate, and darkly ( timated his inteution of cmbracing the first opportunity to proceed to tho Gulf of Mexico or thu Bay of Honduras, and join a gang of bravo follows who would hot stand For trilles, and whose nunte he well knew. Jack divided with rao tho money he had taken from Captain Huxham's writing desk, and aftor bidding me be of good cheor, assuring mo that the fato of tho captain and othors of tho Soa Bird's crew wo had niurdered could never be discov ered, he shook my hand heartily and tumed down another street. I never saw or heard aught of him again. I went into a slop shop and bought a few articles of clothiug, as tho garnients I wore wero disordercd and out of repair, and thon strolled to thu wharf, where ï found a sloop on the point of sailing for New York. The captain oonsented to give me a passago, providod I would assist in the management of the vossql. On roaching New York I lost no time in aeeking a ship bound on a foreignvoyage. I could not oonvinoe myself that I was safo until I put tho Atlantic Ocean betwoen mo and tho country of my birtl. I was rostless and impationt to be off, for my bosom was burning with tho lires of rc-inorso ; and as I travorsed the streets, I ufton cast a lpok behind to see if tho avenger of innocent blood was not at roy 1 shippod in a brig bound to Copenhagen, but bofore I sailed I heard peoplo Ulking. about a strango event that had peciorred at Newport. Tho Sea Üird had cóina safoly upon the beach, but with not a soul on board. What had becorao of thu oflioern and crew no ono could teil. It was said there was great oxciteiuent at Newport, and messengers wero dispatehed far and wide, and gmall vessels were ohartored to cruise along the coast, hoping that somo clue could bu i'ound to thi.s appalling mystery. On arriving at Gottenburg I deserted, being detormined never to return to the United States. After working along the shore for a time, I got employment in a small vessel which traded bot ween Copen - haguu and Swedish ports in tliu Baltic. B ut f nar of being discoverod, arrestod, ' tried and hanged, followod me wherovor I went, and tho sight of an American nag throw mo into a state of nefvpus agitation pitaous tobehold. At length.I arrivsd at this littlo port of Ystad. I had learned the Swedisb languagu, and found no difnculty in getting Liu[iloyniont on shoro. Here in tiús soeludeil nook, seldim visitod by poople belonging to any other nation than that of the Danos, I rosolvod to romain. My life has boou a sal and lonely ono. Bitterly have I lepented of my misdeeds, and sinco I gut my foot ashore in this part of the world, I havo, never knowingly wronged a human boing, but have sought by my exumplary conduct to atone in somo degroo for tho sins I eonimitted on board tho Soa Bird. I wish I eouM believe that I had mado my peaco with God, for I ain duily expecting the summons to another world." Sucli was tho story found araong Captain Robson's papers aftor his death,some fiftoen years ago, and written with his own hand. It furnishes an oxplanation of the mysterious circumstances oonnected with " Tho Logend of the Desertod Ship.'