6. THE VANISHING SHIP: ALASKA
In the fall of 1884, the residents of an island off the coast of Alaska were awakened by shouting. A Russian fishing vessel, the Krachka, had run aground on the rocks off the northern point of the island, an area inaccessible except by boat. One injured fisherman was brought by rowboat to the larger town on the southern end of the island. The rest, it was decided, would shelter with the residents of the northern side until the weather calmed.
The island’s doctor, along with several others, made their way to the northern end of the island in the morning. But there was no one there.
The ship was mired on the rocks offshore. The two lifeboats had been deployed. One was found on the beach. The other was never located. Several pairs of boots, along with sodden clothing, were discovered drying next to the fireplaces in empty homes. Supper still lay, uneaten, on the table; cold cups of tea sat on mantels and countertops. A broken lantern was discovered halfway up a hill. In the schoolhouse, a phrase from a Bible verse was written on the chalkboard: И КАЖДОЕ ИЗ ЧЕТЫРЕХ ЖИВОТНЫХ ИМЕЛО ПО ШЕСТИ КРЫЛ ВОКРУГ, А ВНУТРИ ОНИ ИСПОЛНЕНЫ ОЧЕЙ; И НИ ДНЕМ, НИ НОЧЬЮ НЕ ИМЕЮТ ПОКОЯ, ВЗЫВАЯ.*
The clearest hint of what had happened was found in the captain’s log on the fishing vessel. The second-to-last entry, dated two days before the wreck, read: We cannot seem to escape the fog. Alexei says he hears music in it, and he stands by the rail to listen and will not sleep. The [damaged, unreadable] throw it overboard, but [further damage] too late.
The final entry reads only: I see him now.
No trace of the townspeople or the ship’s crew was ever found.