"Ghost on the High Seas"
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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.