J----, you have not lost your reason over
this terrible misfortune?"
"Terrible misfortune?" repeated the impassioned owner. "Is
it a terrible misfortune to make a West Coast voyage within
three months?"
"No," said the burly tug master, "I now see you do not
apprehend the position. I didn't care to say to you that the
captain had a vision off Cape Horn which decided him to
return to this port."
"What?" said the almost speechless potentate. "A vision?
Back here, without being to Valparaiso? My God!--I will
never get over it!"
And in truth he nearly collapsed, business, body, and soul,
over the matter.
The vessel was brought into the harbour. The sanctified
skipper did not receive the promised gifts! The vessel
sailed in a few days without him for the same destination;
and until a few years since he could be seen any day walking
the quay, still holding to the belief that it was the Divine
will he had carried out. This faith was strengthened by the
vessel never having been heard of again after sailing the
second time. I never heard of the owner showing any
vindictiveness to the poor captain, who was, no doubt, the
victim of a strange hallucination.
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