The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-10-16
FRIDAY
A YANKEE CAUGHT.

4 number OF years since, an American
brig lay At anchor in little aarbor of Green.
vile on the eastern side Of the fertile isle oi
| Granada.
| The captain Of the brig, named Watson,
Was one day with Mr.. M'Crimmon. the
manager Of the Belmont estate, when the
subject Of negro thieving was discussed, and
number Of instances were mentioned which
the credulons Yankee evinccd no disposition
| TO believe. At length, somewhat nettled
at his want OF faith. MCrimmon offered to
bet Watson hogshead Of Muscovada sugar
against two dozen OF North Carolina hams,
that be would send one or more negroes on
board the vessel that night TO steal his mat
tresses &C., out Of his berth notwithstand-
ing oil the precautions he might use to pre-
vent il. Tue wager was Of course accepted,
aud Captain Watson hurried on board 1t an
carly hour to take measures for gaining his
wager Mr.. MCrimmon meanwhile sum-
tuoned the head driver oil tie estate and
merely explained to him the nature Of tho
wager, relying upon his judgment %. Sc
lecting trom among the slaves on tie planta-
ton proper agents for the enterprise.
Captain Watson advised with his mate
and sagely concluded tina, ~ the brig was
lying nj anchor in the midst Of the hafbor,
and the night would be probably clear ana
uncloudci, il good lookout were kept tie
sable thieves could he discovered before
they reached the vessel, and arrested II pro-
per measures were adopted
Accordingly tie crew were divided into
two watches, at sea, each watch IN charge
Of one Of the mates with orders TO keep q
sharp lookout in every direction, and at an
early hour, Csptaiu Watson went below and
turned in, sbrewdIy imagining that il would
puzzle even the most dexterous thieves 10
cal his bedding from beneath him, with.
out his knowledge.
The first wateL passed away, and nothing
took place. Eight b.lls were then struck
the Chief mate aud his watch were relieved
by the second mate and the captain without
leaving his berth listened 10 th, report Of
his officer; chuekling az the bright prospect
OF earning Logshead OF Musenvado 30 east
~ About ttree o'clock in the morning,
the seeond mate, who was on the look out
near the starbosrd vsngway, saw ripple
on the water at some distance and soon af-
ter a black mass resembling the head Of All
individual, was seen gradually approaching
the vessel.
lie concluded OF ccuse, that the tibet was
swimming towards the brig and ordered
the men To keep motionlcss and silent and
watch the proceeding II the equivocsl look
ing object.
II soon appeared that the suspicious Of
the mate were correct the black mass was
the head of negro. lie swan slowly to-
ward the vessel and then cautiously swan
around IL twice, n il DESTROYS of ascertain
ing whether any persons were on the look
out.
His scrutiny was apparently very ssti-fac-
tor, for he then approached the gangway.
laid hold Of the mainropes, and slowly a.
cendcd the ladder. While standing for n
moment on the gunwaie, he exhibited the
brawny limbs and muscular proportions of
= stalwart negro, entirely naked. lie jump
ell down npon the deck Of the brig and was
seized by the second mate and
two or three athletic soanlen and although
Le struggled desperately % escape from
their clutches, he was iaily -uhdued and Lis
arms fully pinioned
The mate delighted az having not only
prevented the accomplishment ef MCrin.-
mons design, out vi having secured his
agent, could not contain his JOY, called loud
ly:
We've ~, L.m last, captain We've
gained your wager, for we've caught the
thief
The captain, hearing the joyful intelligence
fastened on deck aud hardly a minute
elapsed ere tue whole crew bad collected
around the captive, who seemed quite chop
fallen 1t tho failure Of his enterprise, and
begged IN p.teous accents that they would
l.t Linn go, for that massa NJ Crinmon
would give him good logging Cor allowing
himsclito be taken. Captain Watson laugh
Ell heartily at tile success VI his plan, but
would not free his prisoner, ordering him 10
Lc bound hand AMI foot, and vigilantly guar
dcd till morning, when ~ b. said, be intend
cd to take him ashore, as trophy Of his
victory and to have a good laugh at the
Scotchman Tor supposing that the natives Of
any country, &c they black or be they white,
could outwit true bloeded Yankee.
After talking tLa matter over With the
mates and seeing QGasAee fairly disposed Of,
lie wsnt below 10 Iinish bis nap, but Vie sur
prise, his modification, his horror, may be
imagined when he found that his mattrass,
pillow, sheets. and eoanterpane were miss
ing.
While he was on deck, surrounded by his
crew, examining the poor fellow who had
been captured, canoe with couple ct
black fellows, padded softly under the
stern, and oae Of the blacks entering the de-
serted cabin soon disrobed the starboard
berth Of its furniture, which was easily con-
veysd GA sLole without discovery.
Captain Watson, the next morning took
his captive ON shore-and at the Loun VI
the manager Of tho Eelmot estate, he found
hls bed and bedding safely deposited beneath
the piazza.
lie sooa after reluctantly sent on shore
the two dozen hams, and aeknow ledge that
tho Yankees were no match for roguery
with the negroes Of the West Indies.