Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-03-27
NEW SERIES, NO. IL.
YEDMS $3.50 strictly In advs@sss
1EnNN, $500 at the years end.

and to supply the necessary brain-power for the
sloop from his own private skill.
One night, Captain Jerry having been up all
the previous night, and having just worked the
soop out of Hampton Roads, against wind and
tide. and being quite overcome with fatigue,
thought he might venture to trust Mopus with
The helm for few hours, the sloop course being
now due North, up Chesapeake Bay, wind light
and quartaring, clear sky, and nothing in the
way for fifty miles.
Mopus knew the North Star very well, as
niggeis generally do, and telling him to keep
the bowsprit pointing straight to it, and not TO
disturb him till he saw land to starboard, Capt.
Jerry put out the binnacle light to save oil, and
turned in.
Captain Jerry had the habit, which small craft
men are apt to get, Of consulting aloud with
himself. No sooner had he closed the compan-
ion scuttle than Mopus, with head to the stove
pipe, heard Moon fulled Thursday-slack wa
ter at sx-North Star-that'll do till daylight,
sartln-due Norh-Tanger Island-not after
merldian-can't go wrong till arter daylight, no
how-good snooz this time-go in-off boots.'
Mopus was capital helmsman and for two
hours, while the breeze held, he kept on bee-
line to the northward. Then it fell calm; and
then there came little catspaws from Northwest,
and Mopus after giving pull of the main sheet,
left the helm minute to hatten the lib. While
he was forward, flaw from the Northeast took
him all back. Delaying jib sheet, he came
aft, and put helm up to wear round. Just as he
Jlbed, came another flaw from the Southeast, and
a pretty smart one. Mopus met it. trimmed
close, and seeing it was going to be steady, left
the helm again, and showed down the centre.
board. Then he went to the hatchway and got
his coat, after which he took pull at the scutte
butt, and struck light for a smoke.
All this time old Abby, with her head South
east was shaking like nail mill. Mopus
finally hauled the jb up to port till the mainsail
filed then took the helm again. and kept her
rap full heading south, but running off to the
Westward, now and then, in searching for the
North Star, which as he could not see it any.
where else, he thought for long time must
have got behind the mainsail.
tie had smoked out two pipes before he found
it, and then it was right ouer the sterm which at
first struck him as singular circumstance
There it was, pointers and all > he could not be
mistaken. But how did it get there.
Mopus pondered over it for two pipes more, all
No w ilp irwin har n f,lI
He was at first inclined to treat it as mystery
but when, about two o'clock, the moon rose, he
grew bold, knotied his eyebrows, clenched his
teeth, took off his tarpaulin, and struck his res
fective organs with his clenched fist.
At length the problem was solved, and his
lips trembled and gathered inward and puckered
back with that pleasure which niggers, in COM
mon with human beings, enjoy, when they are
conscious OF having acquitted themselves we'll
OF trying and honorable responsibility. He
Immediately hauled the hoom down close to the
taiirall he went forward and Delayed the jib to
windward, lighted his pipe again, and kept a
good lookout till, as day broke, he made land to
starboard just as he expected land to starboard
and-why didn't he see it before IA light right
ahead and not very far ahead either.
'All right thought Mopus, daylight, humph.
let an old niger alone to find the way to the
North and be let the jib draw away when aft.
took the helm and called the skipper.
The skipper turned out.
Halo, uncle, close hauled Winds come ont
O. norard, has it? Why Mopus why what the
devil what lights that? Why, Mopus why
you-where have you been taking the sloop to
now, you black rascal there's the North Star
over the stern =
Oh yes, massa, past the Norf Star an hour
ago; all right, sar, here's de land right off here
to Inward. Made fine run, sar Oh ! | knows
how to folch 'em along, does myself, ha ha |!
Takes old Mopus arter ALL don't it? ha ha !!
hal
Ye.es Through his teelh) mighty fine run .
Old Point, just where I'd got her last night at
sunset! you GRIMM catamount Takes old
Mopus You bloody old cuss I'll sell you
for chaw of tobacco to the first white man that
ii take you eff my hands,