A Mysterious Visitor

At a meeting of religious reformers ïeld in the hou e of Mr, Wil.iam II, Banks, East Boston, a few evenings since, 'Japtain C, P. Drisko, who is well known as an able and experienced shipmaker, spoke in substance as folows ; In the .?inter of 1865 I commanded the snip Harry Booth, bouud f rom New Yoik for Dry Tortugas, wita a cargo of government stores and 200 mechanics and laborera to be employed on the fortilïcations theu in the course of construction. When the ship reached the vicinity of Abaco the wind blew a flerce Norther, with heavy rain ; the sun had gone down, and the weather became quite dark. To hau off was impossible, the wind blew too fresh to carry sail, and the only ration al course left was to incur the risk of crossing the Bahama Banks. The ship drew fourteen feet and I could not expect that there was more than üf teen feet of water on some parts of the banks, a foot is veiy little to spare under a ships huil, but I resolved to take the chance, and accordmgly squared away - that is, put the ship beforo the wind - and took my departure f rom Berry Island, Ilaving seen everything lu order on Deck, I lef t the ehief mate, Mr. Feterson, a careful and trustworthy ofllcer in charge, and went below for a little rest, At 10:50 o'clock, I heard a voice, clear and distinct, say : "Go on deck and anchor ?" "Who are you ? ldemanded, and sprung on deck, for I was aot the man to take orders from any one, I found the ship going aloag her true courue, and everything a: I could wish. I questioned Mr. Teterson, if he had seen any person enter the cabin, but neither he nor the man at the wheel had either seen or heard any one, Thinking that it might have been hallucination, I wentbelow again. About 11:50 aman with a gray coat and slouehed hat entered tlie cabin, and looking me straight in. the face, cornmanded me to go on deck and anchor, He lef t rlie cabin deliberately. I heard his heavy tread as he passed before me. Once more I sprang on deck and found the ship all right. Sure of my course, I was not disposed even with this seeond warning to obey any man or anything else, no matter what appearance it might put on. Again I went below, but not to sleep, for I liad everything on ready for a spring on deck. At 12:50 a. m. the same man entered the cabin, and more imperiously than bef ore said: "Go on deck and anchor." 1 recognized at a glance that the speaker was my old Mend, Captain John Barton, with whom I had sailed wheu a boy, and who treated me with great kindness. I sprang on deck, rounded the ship to, and anchored her with fifty fathoms of chain. All hands were called and the sailsfurled. Shortly afterward I feit the ship touch, but neither the mate nor any one else noticed it. A few minutes later, however, all hands feit it. I tlirew the lead flrst trom oue siae, then from the other, ind found üve fathoms (thirty ieet) of water. I was perplexed, aud asked myself whiit it coukl mean, when the same voice sang out: -'Throw the lead over the stern!" I did so, and to my dismay found only thirteen and one-half feet. (The ship drew iourteen feet. 1 immediately set the mizzen topsail and spanker, and backed her clear of the reef, against wliich she siieered every time slie brought a strain upon her chain. ïhe danger was past; the ship rode clear of the reef, and sustained but little age where she struck. A sliip which spoke me in the early part of the evening, and whose captain was not familbr with the tëaharnas, said that he would follow me, and íor this purpose I hung a light over my stern. Watching my movement3 closely, he rounded to almost as soon as I did, and thereby saved nis vessel. No doubt the norther shallowed the water on the banks, and if we liad eontiwued in our course we both might have been wrecked. WiU those who assume that the gpirita of our departe d f rienda do not take an interest in lis please explain ? WLat I have stated is true. It was the spirit of a departed f riend, Captain John Barton, well-known as one of the best shipmasters in the country. He commanded among others the ships ïalleyrand and Superior, and was esteemed by all ■who ever knew him. My voyage in the Henry ]ooth was entirely