Balladeer’s Blog presents another neglected American horror legend in honor of Halloween Month.
THE DEATH SHIP
Every October 31st for over two hundred years Harpswell, ME was visited by a supernatural vessel. Sometime after dark a ship made of blood-red wood and with sails of purest white could be seen offshore.
Slowly but surely the ship would make its way into port. No crew members could ever be seen above or below decks. No one stood at the wheel, no one stood lookout in the crow’s nest. The ship would make its way in even against the strongest gales and the most violent seas.
When the ship docked pale spirits would emerge from the waterfront alleyways and silently make their way to the dock. One by one the ghostly figures – always recognized as citizens of Harpswell or vicinity who had passed away within the past twelve months – mounted the gangplank to board the ship.
When the last figure could be seen to board the phantom vessel it would, against all the laws of nature, back out to sea until it could no longer be seen.
Only one of the residents of Harpswell was ever foolish enough to try to interfere with this annual evacuation of the spirits of the dead. Jack Welch was his name and, ignoring all warnings of his wife and pleading from his children, mingled with the ghostly passengers as they boarded the ship and was never seen again.
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