Another Appearance of the Phantom Ship (The Flying Dutchman)

“Why, the fact is, I did not see anything but the loom of her hull," replied the other. "It was very strange; the night was fine, and the heavens clear; we were under top-gallant sails, for I do not carry on during the night, or else we might have put the royals on her; she would have carried them with the breeze. I had turned in, when about two o'clock in the morning the mate called me to come on deck. I demanded what was the matter, and he replied he could hardly tell, but that the men were much frightened, and that there was a Ghost Ship, as the sailors termed it, in sight. I went on deck; the entire horizon was clear, but on our quarter was a sort of fog, round as a ball, and not more than two cables' length from us.

We were going about four knots and a half free, and yet we could not escape from this mist. 'Look there,' said the mate. ‘Why, what the devil can it be.' Said I, rubbing my eyes. ‘No banks up to windward, and yet a fog in the middle of a clear sky, with a fresh breeze, and with water all around it ; ' for you see the fog did not cover more than a dozen cables' length, as we could perceive by the horizon on each side of it. ' Hark, sir ! ' said the mate — ' they are speaking again.' ‘Speaking ! ' said I, and I listened ; and from out this ball of fog I heard voices. At last, one cried out, ' Keep a sharp look- out forward, d'ye hear? ' ' Ay, ay, sir ! ‘replied another voice. ‘Ship on the starboard bow, sir.' ‘Very well; strike the bell there forward.' And then we heard the bell toll. ‘It must be a vessel,' said I to the mate. 'Not of this world, sir,' replied he. ‘Hark! ‘‘A gun ready forward.' ‘Ay, ay, sir! ' was now heard out of the fog, which appeared to near us ; ' all ready, sir.' ‘Fire! 'The report of the gun sounded on our ears like thunder, and then.”

‘Well, and then? '', said the captain of the Batavia, breathless.

‘And then,’ replied the other captain, solemnly, 'the fog and all disappeared as if by magic, the whole horizon was clear, and there was nothing to be seen."

The Phantom Ship, Frederick Marryat.