The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-20

Stra,en, WIN Jour sailors, were CALAMITY row.
ing the ships only boat through the breakers.
The little bark was fast in the sands A heavy
surf broke over her. The crew-the master,
three seamen, and two boys, all Swedes-
chung to the spars and rigging of the hopeless
craft. They were all rescued, wet, cold, and
nearly famished, and taken on board the
Tristan Vrow." thankful for their preserVa-
ton, but unable to speak q word OF Dutcn.
The skipper gave them dry clothes ana
breakfast, fastened to look alter his snip,
which was already in trouble. The WIND mad
veered due west. and theie was no gettlng the
right course The sailors tackled and reefed
aud hauled up, but the 'Vrow" was utterly
unmanageable against the gale, and there was
nothing but to run before it,
YES" grumbled Kali, II knew how it
would be. The market will be lost and we
shall all be shipwrecked'
But nobody was in the humor TO mind his
gloomy representations; besides, he was not
the only one upon whom fear fell when the
vessel went speeding at a rate she had never
sailed before, straight up the Finnish Cult.
Geographical knowledge was Done of the
clearest at that DAY. Karl had studied the
voyages of the Dutch traders. Revel was to
| him the end OF the world. Beyond these,
cheeses ard gin would be of no account. NO
| wonder, then. that the worthy man took rel
| uge below, to mediate over the TACT tnat
! Auke Stralen was his fathers son, and would
never come to anything but ruin. From this
| contemplation he rose toward evening. The
| wind though it still blew strong, was steady,
and the ship went bravely on. The crew
were manning the rigging. The rescued
Swedes gave hand. Hans was on the look
out and Auke was at the helm. They had
just passed an island where huge piles of
stone were shaping into embrasures and walls,
and where pennant and bunting we're flying
from poles and masts. Before them lay
| swampy shore. On the right was mouth OF
broad river, into which the "Frisian Vrow"
| was standing.
where ale we now, Auke ?" asked Karl,
| holding his breath.
at read the chart right" answered Auke,
this must be the mouth of the Neva."
| II never heard of suca a place in all my
life" rejoined Karl, "nCr any one who traded
there"
| "May be So" replied the skipper, "but there
is report that the car OF Russia is building
| town somewhere on the river, ana perhaps
| he will trade with u.s."
"irade with usw CRIED Kari; she will take
| our cargo and make us work on the walls"
AT this moment Hans cried out from the
mast head:
A town ahead, captain, and boat putting
| Off"
| he Gar Peter was in the midst of that
NOIk WHICH Ddu De6n Cttneu Tue SIed' enter
| prise of the modern world. Fins and Cos
sacks, Calmuck and Swedes, were at work by
| thousands. Piles were sunk into the acres OF
dismal swamps. Solid ground was formed
here and there. A bay was excavated on the
| west Half dozen small houses had been
| erected, streets and squares were marked by
lines of timber driven into the mud. French
engineers, English carpenters, and Dutch
boat builders, superintended hordes of wild
| Russians.
The car was in ill-humor. No bottom had
| been found for the piles on which the imper-
| al palace was to rest Bad news had come
from the north. The soldiers erumbled to
lose their beads. Sweden was raising anoth-
er army. Peter the Great ielt that all was
growing bad, when into his quarters rushed
an English ship carpenter with the news.
PLEASE your majesty, there is ship stand
ing up the river"
"Dunder and bitten" sang out the rough
| car, with an oath that chung to him to the
last, say we so? The captain of that ship is a
hero. Get out my barge, man her, call Men
zikoH, and we will run down and welcome the
first ship to st. Petersburg"
The gale was moderating, and the "Vrow''
| under bare poles, was steadying her course lid
! river, when Auke spied Dutch built Zuyder
Zee boat coming down, rowed bya man in
uniform and steered by tall coxwain in pea
1
"Heave rope!" he cried in sound Dutch.
as the boat came alongside.
AS no arms were seen among them, the
| rope was thrown. The Steelsman was the
first on board. Righting himself as he let 90
the rope, he seized Auke by both hands and
exclaimed.
welcome to you good captain! Welcome
TO the port OF st. Petersburg! The ''Frisian
Nrow" is the first bark that ever sailed up the
| Nnua md hon 81, IL. L.
though she carries Swedes for cargo"
Good Mr.. Russian" said Karl Hoofdt, ell
bowling his way forward, 1--WE have cargo d
cheese and gin. the best in Holland, and have
missed or market in Revel through the Jolly
OF this young man, who would not take adj
vice."
"Silence!, Numbered the steersman. "You
are the fool! will buy the whole cargo my.
self"
'His majesty the czarr' whispered one Of
the rowers, who wore star on his breast.
Auke afterwards knew him to be the Prince
Menzigoff: Tor lis ship was brought 10 anchor
in the bay, and he and Hans had he honor
of dining at the chief of the wooden houses.
The whole cargo was bought at a price
which satisfied even Karl; for Peter the First
kept his promises. Though given to act like
one who feared not God, neither regarded
man, the great car understood the
as the first trader, received under bis hand a
perpetual remission OF all dues for his ship
The "Frisian Vrow'' OH leaving port receiv-
ed salute of twenty-one guns. These honors
affected no one so much as Karl Hoofdt. He
had kept very quiet while in port, but came
exultingly up to the young skipper, who stood
calmly smoking at the helm, as they steered
out OF the Neva, ana cappng him vigorously
on the shoulder, cried.
'Auke, we have made good run by that
west wind"
Eyes mynheer," said Auke, "my mothers
proverb has proved true. Gods work hath
sure wages"
Thy mother is prudent woman" replied
Karl, land l think thou wouldst make pru-
dent son-in-aw."
Auke put away his pipe at this remark, and
| he and Karl conyersed 10 their mutual satis-
faction.
The "Vrow'' made prosperous iun to the
Heisil,gfors, where the poor Swedcs were
landed, and then, with heavy cargo of salt
fish, the good ship sailed to Amsterdam.
The JOY was great at home, and the good
vrow listened to Auke's story with fearful
eyes but happy heart. The family gradu-
ally cast off poverty as voyage after voyage
was made to the rising city of Neva.
How they were all provided Tor by this free
| trade; how Auke and Joan wei prosperously
married: and how Karl magnifed himself on
that single voyage, are still subjects of local
| tradition.
Dutch sailors say that the "Frisian Vrow,"
heeeld and toed. masted and rigeed, so many
times that there was hot splinter of Org-
| nal timber in her, put to sea more than a
! hundred years and never made bad voyage,
| However this may be, it is certain that she
| became the most famous of Holland ships, and
| that on the gable end OF one OF the old houses
OF Shippers lane in Amsterdam, there was to
be seen, twenty years ago. the carving OF the
"Frisian Vrow," with the words in plat
Dutch underneath, Goods work hath sure
| wages"