“I can’t understand what ship it is,” he said. “Look there! Who is the captain? The ship changes about with every puff of wind.[77] We’ll hear more of this ship before this time tomorrow.”
9 August. Whitby. – As to the strange ship… There was a dead man steering it. The man was simply fastened by his hands, tied one over the other, to a spoke of the wheel. It is a Russian ship, and is called the Demeter.[78] There were some great wooden boxes filled with mould on it. This cargo was consigned to a Whitby solicitor, Mr. S. F. Billington,[79] of 7, The Crescent,[80] who this morning went aboard and took the boxes. There was a dog on the ship, but it ran away and nobody could find it.
6 July. Varna to Whitby. – We finished taking in cargo, silver sand[82] and boxes of earth. East wind, fresh. Five sailors… two mates, cook, and myself (captain).
11 July. – At dawn entered Bosphorus.[83]
12 July. – Through Dardanelles.[84] At dark passed into Archipelago.
13 July. – Passed Cape Matapan.[85] Crew dissatisfied about something. Seemed scared.
14 July. – Somewhat anxious about crew. Something wrong; crew crossed themselves.[86]
16 July. – One of crew, Petrofsky,[87] is missing. Could not find him. Men say that there was something aboard. Mate gets very impatient; feared some trouble ahead.
17 July. – Yesterday, one of the men, Olgaren,[88] came to my cabin, and in an awestruck told me that he thought there was a strange man aboard the ship. He said he saw a tall, thin man, who was not like any of the crew. That man went along the deck, and disappeared. He followed cautiously, but he found no one, and the hatchways were all closed. He was in a panic of superstitious fear, and I am afraid the panic may spread.
We searched everywhere. There were only the big wooden boxes, there were no odd corners where a man could hide. First mate scowled, but said nothing.
22 July. – Rough weather last three days – no time to be frightened. Passed Gibraltar.[89] All well.
24 July. – Last night another man lost. Like the first, he came off his watch[90] and disappeared. Men all in a panic of fear; ask to have double watch,[91] as they fear to be alone. Mate angry. Fear there will be some trouble.
28 July. – Four days in hell, maelstrom, a tempest. No sleep for any one. Men all worn out.