On 16 July the mate reported in the morning that one of the crew, Petrofsky, was missing. Could not account for it. He took port watch for eight bells last night; was relieved by Abramoff, but did not go to his bunk. The men are more downcast than ever. All said they expected something of the kind, but would not say more than there was something aboard. The mate is getting very impatient with them; he fears some trouble ahead.

On 17 July, yesterday, one of the men, Olgaren, came to my cabin, and in an awestruck way confided to me that he thought there was a strange man aboard the ship. He said that in his watch he had been sheltering behind the deck-house, as there was a rain-storm, when he saw a tall, thin man, who was not like any of the crew, come up the companion-way, and go along the deck forward, and disappear.

He followed cautiously, but when he got to the bows he found no one, and the hatchways were all closed. He was in a panic of superstitious fear, and I am afraid the panic may spread. Today I shall search the entire ship carefully from bow to stern.

Vocabulary:

Account for: Explain
Port: Here, the left side of a ship
Watch: Looking out for trouble
Eight bells: Four hours
Relieve: To take over doing a job
Downcast: Miserable
Awestruck: Surprised and very impressed
Shelter: To hide from bad weather
Companion-way: Steps going down into a ship
Bows: The pointy bit in front of a ship
Hatchways: Doors in the floor
Stern: The very back of a ship