(This report is in the journal of Mina Murray.)
Whitby.
A very big and sudden storm happened here yesterday. The results were very strange. The weather was very hot before the storm started. Saturday evening was beautiful. Many people went for walks near the sea. Sunday was fine until the afternoon.
Then, some old men in the churchyard saw strange clouds in the sky. One old fisherman said a storm was coming. The sunset was very beautiful with many colors like purple, gold, and red. But there were also very dark clouds.
Some captains decided to keep their boats in the harbor. Later that evening, the air was very still and hot. There were not many lights on the sea. People saw one foreign schooner. All its sails were open.
The people on shore thought the sailors on the ship were making a mistake. They signaled to the ship, but the sailors did not take down the sails. At ten o'clock, it was very quiet. Then, a strange sound came from the sea.
The storm started suddenly. The waves became very big and loud. They hit the cliffs and the piers. The wind was very strong. Men could not stand up.
There was a lot of white fog. The fog was cold and wet. Sometimes the light from the lightning showed the sea. The waves were as high as mountains.
The officers used a new searchlight. They saw a ship in the distance. It was the same schooner from before. All its sails were still open. The ship was moving very fast toward the rocks.
Then the fog became very thick again. No one could see the ship. The officers kept the searchlight on the entrance of the harbor. Suddenly, the ship jumped over the waves and entered the harbor.
The searchlight showed the ship clearly. Everyone was afraid. A dead man was tied to the helm. His head moved back and forth with the ship. No other people were on the deck.
The ship hit the sand near the shore. Every part of the ship shook. Then, a very large dog jumped from the ship. The dog ran to the cliff and disappeared into the darkness near the churchyard.
A coastguard went onto the ship. He went to the wheel and saw the dead man. The dead man's hands were tied to the wheel. Between his hands, he held a crucifix.
A doctor looked at the dead man. The doctor said the man had been dead for two days. The man had a bottle in his pocket. Inside the bottle was a piece of paper. The coastguard took the paper.
The storm is ending now. Many people are going home. Tomorrow, we will know more about this mystery ship.
Whitby, 9 August.
The story of the ship is very strange. The ship is a Russian schooner from Varna. Its name is the Demeter. The ship was carrying big wooden boxes filled with earth.
A lawyer named Mr. Billington took the boxes. No one can find the big dog. Some people think the dog is hiding on the moors. This morning, another dog was found dead. It was killed by a very strong animal.
The log-book of the Demeter tells a scary story. Here is what the captain wrote:
THE LOG-BOOK OF THE DEMETER
6 July.
We finished putting the cargo on the ship today. We have five sailors, two mates, a cook, and myself. We have a good wind.
11 July.
We passed through the Bosphorus. Everything is fine.
13 July.
The sailors are unhappy. They look scared, but they will not say why.
14 July.
The sailors are still worried. They are good men, but they are afraid of something on the ship. The mate is angry with them.
16 July.
One sailor is missing. No one can find him. The other men are very sad. They say there is something strange on the ship.
17 July.
Another sailor came to my cabin. He was very afraid. He said he saw a tall, thin man on the ship. The man did not look like our sailors. I searched the whole ship with the men. We found no one. There are only the big wooden boxes.
24 July.
Another man is missing. He disappeared during the night. The sailors are in a panic. They do not want to be alone.
29 July.
Another tragedy. The second mate is missing now. The sailors are very afraid. The first mate and I now carry guns.
1 August.
There is a thick fog. We cannot see any other ships. We are near England, but we cannot stop. The mate is becoming crazy with fear.
3 August.
The man at the wheel is missing. I shouted for the mate. The mate looked very sick and crazy. He told me he saw a tall, thin, pale man.
The mate said, "The man is in the boxes. I will find him." The mate went below deck with a tool. Then I heard a loud scream. The mate ran back to the deck. He looked very afraid.
The mate said, "The sea will save me!" Then he jumped into the sea. Now I am alone. I know the secret now. That tall man killed my crew.
4 August.
The fog is still here. I cannot leave the wheel. I saw Him last night. I will tie my hands to the wheel. I will also tie the crucifix to my hands. He will not touch the crucifix. I will do my duty as a captain. I hope someone finds this bottle.
The log-book ends here, and the people in Whitby think the captain was a hero. They will have a big funeral for him. He will be buried in the churchyard on the cliff. No one found the big dog.
Mina Murray’s Journal.
8 August.
Lucy Westenra was very restless last night. The storm was very loud. She got up twice and put on her clothes while she was asleep. I stopped her and helped her back to bed.
In the morning, we went to the harbor. The waves were very big. I am very worried about Jonathan. I do not know where he is.
10 August.
Today was the funeral of the sea captain. Many captains carried his coffin. Lucy and I went to our favorite seat in the churchyard. The captain was buried near our seat.
Lucy was very uneasy. Also, poor Mr. Swales was found dead this morning. He died on our seat. His neck was broken. He looked very afraid when he died.
While we were at the funeral, a dog began to bark and howl. The dog was very angry. The dog's owner tried to make it be quiet. He pulled the dog onto a flat gravestone near our seat.
Suddenly, the dog became very quiet. It was shaking with fear. It did not want to touch the stone. Lucy felt very sorry for the dog.
I am afraid for Lucy. She is very sensitive. She hears and feels everything. Tonight, I will take her for a long walk. I hope she will be tired and sleep well.