The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-04-15
Catching n Tartar.
by BLUE JACKET.

." So You want grandpa to tell you
story, do you. Well, you have been u
pretty good boy, my lad, and you shall
have yarl-one that your grandma,
there, will remember, Ill DO bound.
She says | like to spin the yarns as we'll
~ you do to hear them, and to tell tho
truth it does remind me of the days
that are now past and gone.
"Ah, we'll, We can't always be young,
ell, Betty? You and have sailed in
company nigh on to fifty-four years
but you are getting impatient, young
stcr. You'll get over that when you
have drifted about the world as long as
have.
6 1t was in the year 1880, that l took
command of the clipper schooner Ma
bel. She was u beauty, and no mistake
long, low and rakish, with spars and
canvas that would have answered for u
boat almost twice her size. She was
well manned, carried one gun just abaft
the foremost - for You must know,
younSster, she was destined for a dan
gerous trade-at least dangerous at that
time. We were destined for Campoachy,
Lag'ina and Tampico, in the Gulf of
Mexico, which was reported as swarm
ing with pirates.
&c owned an interest in the Mabel,
and your grandma then was anxious to
take voyage with mo ; SO as the ac
commOdations were fine | concluded to
crafty her, but never did approve of
apetticoat on board ship, no how"
You had better tell your grandson
the number of days You spent teazing
me to get ready, before would consent
to CO. replied the silyer-haired dame,
glancing over her spectacles at her an
cient spouse, who, however, paid no at
tcntion to the interruption.
"Well, we got away all right, and
stood to tho southwark with fresh
breeze, no incident occurring until |
reached Catouclle bank. 1t is II danger
GUS shoal, and caused me many an hour
OF anxiety. l was under short sail,
feeling my way along with the lead, and
what with want OF sleep and anxiety, /
was pretty well worn out both in mind
and body.
Your grandma finally prevailed on
me to take some rest and, leaving the
deck ut midnight in charge of the chief
mate, | went below, after charging him
strictly to call mo If any strange sail
hove i'll sight
g. always have thought, and always
shall, that the mate fell asleep, taking IL
pretty long wink, for he came down sud-
denly, rousing me off the transom,
where l was sleeping soundly, saying
there was Il sail close aboard of us.
81 sprang on deck in considerable
alarm, / toll ,1nc,,1x, f.1
by your grandma there, who had heard
the mate call me. Now, you must just
know that in her day Betsy Huntress
was the pretticst craft that ever flung II
ribbon to the breeze. Small, neat and
natty, she was rs rakish clipper as the
Mabel-a lee-tle full in the bows, 1
think, and perhaps trihe heavier on
the cOun--"
"There, grandpa, that will do with
that portion of your story. That boy
probably knows u great deal OF your
sea terms"
You attend to knitting, Betty, and
I'll spin the yarn. Your grandma's
figure-head did not have wrinkle in it
then, and her cheeks were as red as
roses.
"When I got on deck there was the
stranger close under the stern, and no
wonder the mate was excited when
he called me, for more piratical craft
never run across. Bang went a mus
ket shot whining bym ears, and pass
ing through the foresail as he rounded
to under my lee.
He hailed me in broken English, or