The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-08-01

GOOD effects OF the old Jamaica. as
medicine, were soon visible. Jacks
countenance was no longer grave and
iallen--it assumed vivacious appear
ance-he would now pace the deck
with a quick step, aud with rather a
consequential air hum over some ia
vourite tune as he walked up and down
and was observed occasionally to smile
to himself with great compIacency, en-
loying no doubt in anticipation the Pc
cunlary felicity which was soon to re-
ward him for the risks he had run, and
the courage and presumption he had
displayed.
II was soon discovered at the Cattle
dral, the Virgins head was gone. Strict
search was Immediately made by the
police throughout the city for both it
and the author of SO sacrilegious rob-
berry; but no head could be found.-The
vessels in the harbour were now to be
overhauled. At length it came 10 our
hero's ship to be examined. 1t fortu-
nately happened for him, at this critical
moment the cook was boiling his soup
for dinner, and our tar in the nick of
time wisely took the precaution to drop
ms precious reflex into the pot, giving
the doctors to understand, in a few
words, how he came by it-why he
tossed it into the pot, and what he in
tended to do with it, experimenting, and
rightly as it turned out, that would be
the last place they would think of look
ing for lady's head or lump of viz
gin gold. The search was protracted
and particularly close-every hole and
corner of the vessel but the right one,
and nothing was left unexamined but
the caboose. At length the search was
given over as utterly hopeless, and, as
good luck would have it, they left the
ship and our tar to the enjoyment of
his valuable charge and his life. Think
now, said he, if you can conceive, what
anxiety must have been under while
the search was going forward All
those painful anticipatons he experience
ed while shut up in midnight darkness
in the Cathedral were now revived !:
he was suspended in scales of the
most dreadful uncertainty, trembling
and quiyering, with the most fearful
apprehenslons-now inclining to one
side, then to the other. as his hopes of
concealment and prospect of escape
seemed to brighten. and to preponder-
ate. But on!' said he, when the
search approached the caboose, then it
was my hair rose on end my heart in a
moment swelled to the size of an enor-
nous mammoth pumpkin, or surpassed
in dimensions the biggest bellied demi-
John you ever saw, and throbbed and
pounded at such terrible rate, that |
thought it would break down the very
walls of flesh and bone which enclosed
it, and escape from its complementary
lungs rose like the tide waters out of
their bed, and assembled the channel of
my windpipe, and damned up every
inlet to the vital Army blood curdled
and froze in my veins-my eye-sight
grew dim, and all things appeared to
assume ayellow tinge, while | fancied
/ already discovered the shores of eter-
nifty rising into view In aword, actu-
ally thought | should die away with
pure fright, even before my time should
come, which ! believed was rapidly APP
preaching Shortly after the police
had left the vessel, dinner was served
up. and the master Of the ship, who
was not yet let into the secret, highly
extoiled the cookery, declaring to the
cook he had never before tasted such
delicious soup. Well it might be, re-
piled he, smiling. for it is made of the
most costly materials-no less than the
head of Virgin Mary. You rogue now
had you that dangerous article on board
all the while, whose loss set the whole
town in an uproar, and might, if found
with us, have occasioned the loss of
life and confscation of vessel and car
go? A most fortunate escape we have
had . Soon after, the vessel sailed for
and arrived in the United States, where
our tar disposed of bis golden prize at
the national mint, for some thousands of
dollars, having made the best voyage
he ever made in his life +; thus exempli-
flying the truth of the old adage, "noth-
ing ventured, nothing gained.@
y the cook, at sea, is generally called
doctor.