"Ghost On the High Seas"

n the High Seas"

  Close Your rating was added successfully.

  Close Sorry, an error occurred while adding your rating.

 

  It was in early autumn 1645, when a young lad, Charles Lambert, by name enlisted as a crewman on the merchant ship 'Valiant Lady'. She was a beautiful ship with tall sails and polished brass and wood. Charles stared in awe at the wondrous beauty. He spoke to the captain of the ship, about his duties, and when to report. Captain Darcell Covington decided the young lad was indeed strong enough to pull his share of labor, so he accepted the youth to his crew. Captain Covington announced that the good ship, ‘Valiant Lady' would be setting assail in exactly one week, all who were signed on should be there at the docks one day early. He was excited at the prospect of beginning his new life as a midshipman. By 5 o'clock, on the morning specified, Charles was waiting on the dock near the 'Valiant Lady'. It was October 12, 1645 when the 'Valiant Lady' sailed from her home port of Aunis, (La Rochelle) France. The ship sailed across the Bay of Biscay, to the nearly unknown Atlantic Ocean. The times at first were exciting and profitable as any youth could possibly hope. Soon the 'Valiant Lady' became Charles's only real home. It had been a lot of hard work over the last few months....going to strange new places, seeing new strange lands...seeking business in ports where they were unsure of the welcome they would receive. Getting to know new people, and adjusting to their customs, as well. Just to pass some of his on-shore time, Charles visited a fortuneteller in a new land. The soothsayer told Charles, "Beware the lady which has enchanted you, for her heart is deep and cold." Charles scoffed as he left the tent of the soothsayer. As the crew was boarding to set sail away from Tahiti, Charles glanced over his shoulders with a skeptical smirk upon his lips, and an amused chuckle escaped his mouth. “What is so amusing young Lambert?" Captain Covington asked. Charles told the good captain of the soothsayers warning, they shared a laugh. "I see" the captain began, “do you believe this warning? Have you fallen under the enchantment of such a woman?" "No not by any means, captain. I have not known a lady who has enchanted me so." Charles insisted. " Well if you know for yourself that you have not known a woman who's own heart is as cold and deep as the midnight sea, then you are right to shrug it off." Captain Covington replied. .... That was the first and last mention of the incident. On February 17, 1646 the 'Valiant Lady' had pulled into port at Aunis, France to restock provisions and cargo. Here they took on a few more crewmembers to replace those that were lost due to illness, or simply did not work out. It was around March 21, 1646 when the good ship 'Valiant Lady’ sailed across the Bering Sea, there was a storm front brewing, and the crew made ready for the rough time ahead. As the ship was tossed roughly about, Charles secured himself to the main mast, and rode out the storm. Charles scarcely heard the voices of his Captain and the crew as the waves crashed about the ship. With the ship pitching, and the wind howling, and the storm throwing its all at the 'Valiant Lady', the young seafarer watched the sky as it grew nearly black with the storms fury. With the anchor rope secured around him, Charles felt as safe as he possibly could. He closed his eyes against the fierce storm, and prayed that he would survive. When he woke awhile later, he figured he must have passed out from sheer fright, as the waters were calm now. He tried to stand up to look about to see if he recognized any of his surroundings, but found to his horror that his body had become entangled in the anchor rope and the mainsail lines. He was hopelessly trapped. Charles cried out for help, but there was none to be had. Finally the realization dawned upon the youngster that the crew and captain had been lost to the storm. "These knots may as well have been tied by God's own hands." Charles cried as he struggled to free himself. The knots refused to give way...Charles sighed heavily. He knew he could survive if he could free himself from this rope and wood prison. Charles's stomach growled, and his mouth was parched, reminding him how thirsty and hungry he was. 'The storm must have lasted a couple of days.' Charles thought to himself. He strained to look about; nothing out there seemed the least bit familiar. Charles looked down to his feet, he was truly desperate, there at his foot was a knot of rope, Charles kicked it, and it hit the ships bell. He figured if anyone else survived they would hear it and come to free him. No one came. Again he kicked the knot of rope, again the ships bell rang, still no reply to his urgent call.

  During this time the words of the soothsayer came flooding back into Charles's mind, "Beware the lady which has enchanted you, for her heart is deep and cold." As Charles glanced around, the warning now made sense to him. The soothsayer was not speaking of a woman of warm flesh and blood, but rather of the sea. The sea had enchanted young Charles long ago, and now it did indeed seem as though her heart had become as cold as it is deep. "Cold as the midnight sea." Charles recalled the words of Captain Covington. Tears of sadness welled up in the eyes of young Charles. He knew his fate now, for he had long ago forsaken the company of humankind, in favor of the sea, and tall sailing ships.

  As the weather grew warmer the ropes began to tighten around Charles weakened body. He felt that his life was to be given to the lady, which had indeed enchanted him so. Charles and the 'Valiant Lady' drifted around the seas undisturbed for many years.’ ‘Till one day, about mid-June 1657, a Spanish Armada decided they would bring the deserted ship to port… “Maybe we can restore this old girl back to her former glory." one of the Spanish sailors said.

  "And bury her dead." another stated. An experienced sea captain took the wheel of the 'Valiant Lady'. He noticed her sails were not all tattered and torn, as they would normally have been. It was as though someone had been making repairs to her sails with great care. Soon the Armada had the ship in harbor. They unloaded the cargo, and took the bodies of her captain and crew and buried them properly. They were certain they had everyone and everything. They did not, however, remove the body of Charles Lambert, crewman, because they failed to find it under the bailing of anchor rope. How were they to know the lad had tied himself to the main mast? One of the Spanish seamen moored the ‘Valiant Lady' after everything had been taken to the warehouse, to be sold in auction at a later date. The crew of the Spanish Armada decided they would also auction off the ship as well… “We will call all the local merchants to see who would pay the best price to have this good ship added to his line." the Headmaster announced. Soon all of the merchants were present to look upon the tall fine ship. The crowd grew angry as mumbles of, "she's missing", filled the air. Indeed the 'Valiant Lady' had taken her leave of the Spanish port. "The mooring line must have come untied somehow." explained one of the dock workers. The Spanish Government sent forth another Armada to secure and return the 'Valiant Lady'. The armada had been out for 7 days and nights, when they finally caught sight of the missing ship. It was just passed twilight, and growing darker. As the Spanish sailors watched the ship, they noticed the 'Valiant Lady' began to take on an eerie glow. They approached the ship cautiously. From their decks, they could see a ghostly figure at the helm of the 'Valiant Lady'. They watched the figure as it took the wheel of the ship. The ghostly figure pointed at them and said, “Leave me, my lady, and my mistress to ourselves. For I shall never leave them." they all heard him say. But despite the plea of the young ghost, the armada took the ship back to port on the Spanish coast. The sailors moored the line, securing it strongly. Guards were posted to make sure no one came to free the ship. Around midnight the guards heard a disturbing rattle coming from the ship. As they turned to investigate it, they were surprised, and frightened, to find the ghostly skeletal figure of young Charles Lambert walking down the plank to untie the mooring lines. The apparition returned to the ship. The Spanish sailors witnessed the ghostly apparition at the helm
of his ship, and watched him sail away. The guards were hard pressed to convince the government of the events which had occurred that night. The Spanish Governor sent his private armada, with the finest ships, and strong honest men, to bring the renegade ship back to port. When news of the 'Valiant Lady' being spotted reached the governor, he made the announcement that he would be joining the armada, to witness the retrieval of the 'haunted ship'. It took the Governor's Armada 3 weeks to find Charles and the 'Valiant Lady'. All the time, the ghost sighting stories had been running rampant throughout the entire armada. "Don't put stock in such shameful superstitions. They make you seem foolish."

  Said the captain of the Governor's Armada. The sky grew very dark, and the 'Valiant Lady' began to glow, it was past twilight. The Governor himself watched as the ghostly helmsman appeared at the wheel of the ship, and heard as the ghost again shouted out his warning. Charles sailed his ship away at such speeds, it was as though God's own hand were pulling the ship away from its pursuers.

  The Governor and his fleet returned to Spain empty-handed. When asked, "Why?" the Governor proclaimed, "It was an accursed ghost ship. I am merely respecting her helmsman's request that they be left alone." he replied.

  More stories reached the Spanish Coast of the ghostly helmsman, and his'Valiant Lady', which could not be harbored. "I knew as much," the Governor remarked. "She could not be moored 2 years ago, and still can not to this very day." he paused and thought, 'twas indeed an event of an accursed ship.'

  The Governor sent out a decree that the 'Valiant Lady' of 1645, should not be approached when sighted. 'Just leave them be. The Helmsman, his Lady, and his mistress.' Was the final statement on the Governor's decree.