Beadle's Dime Library No. 307

Museum Catalog Note *The Phantom Pirate; or, The Water Wolves of the Bahamas* by Col. Prentiss Ingraham opens with a small vessel in a storm near the Bahamas encountering a legendary ghost ship crewed entirely in black. A masked woman in black commands the helm with supernatural composure while the terrified crew debates whether she is a witch. The vessel approaches a rocky island crowned with a massive skull-shaped beacon emitting lurid light from its eye-sockets. After the woman refuses to change course, the ship miraculously passes through breakers into calm water. The narrative then shifts to an ancient mansion where a wealthy money-lender prepares to flee with his fortune through a hidden floor passage, fearing a woman who poisoned him. A young clerk discovers the secret and resolves his revenge. The narrative combines maritime Gothic atmosphere with mystery-adventure elements across multiple plotlines involving supernatural imagery and hidden identities.