The National tribune., 1881-11-12
iTRIF.
THE DUTCH CAPTAINS DEVICE,
Sail on the starboard bowl"

THE DUTCH CAPTAINS DEVICE,
"Sail on the Starboard bowl"
"What is she?" asked Captain Martin Peters
zoon, looking anXiously in that direction; for in
the Eastern seas, two hundred years ago, every
strange sail was terror to the captain of a we'll
ladened Dutch merchantmen Cant quite make
her out yet" answered the lookout at the mast
head. Looks like a brigantine-very rakish
cut, altogether" The captains face darkened
and his lips frightened They frightened still
more a few minutes later, when the lookout
hailed again, 'She's an armed brigantine, bear
ing right down upon u.s."
Every face among the crew seemed to harden
suddenly but no one spoke. Indeed, what need
was there of words? All on board understood
in moment what was before them They were
about to be attacked by pirates; and there was
not a single cannon, not even an old musket
aboard the vessel.
1t was terrible moment for them all, more
terrible still for the poor captain. For years he
had been toiling and saving, bearing every kind
of hardship and facing every kind of danger until
he had made money enough to become part owner
Of the ship that he commanded. He had made
home for good to settle himself in snug lit
tie house the great canal at Amsterdam
with rosy-cheeked Gredel WORT, his old neigh
boris only daughter, for his wife. And now, all
= --~~0or+ he fnnnd himself face to face with
p Ell=aa~ peril which threatened .r IL l5ss
u 80 ae hal IA .he s-o-lt .af his j g. f-a.
Iae crew Stood l- -dir Sac au-
prac11z vessel. ..- came sweep p. over he
Hs. eEl stUs s.a- with It's sUEa sal na.rn...G
like the wings of a swan, d pcIIv, 81.
beauty, though it brought death along with it.
Some Of the holder spirits were beginning to
mutter to each other that it would be better to
set fire to their own ship and die like men than
to be flung into the sea like dogs, when the cap
rain's gloomy face suddenly lighted up as nobody
had ever seen it light up yet and he burst into
such loud, hearty laugh that the doomed men
stood amazed to hear him. Cheer up lads" he
cried, still laughing. AIS not over with us yet
Come, knock the head out of that cask of butter,
and smear the deck with it. Sharp now!o
The men only stared blankly at him, thinking
he had gone mad and even the stolid mate
opened his heavy mouth in amazement. "Do
yOu hear?" shouted the captain. Look sharp,
viii you? There is no time to lose Grease the
whole deck, fore and aft, and the rigging too. as
high as you reach. Well give the rascas a
slippery job Of ii, anyhow
Then the sailors began 10 understand; and the
shout Of laughter that broke forth would have
nightly astonished the pirates, had they been
within hearing. In a twinkling the deck was
creased until it fairly shone buIwarks and all |
u" Now boys" cried the captain, Il on with your !
sea-boots, and put sand on the sOles TO keep Won /
from slipping, and then each OF you take a hand
spike and be ready"
The pirate was now so near that they could see
plainly the rabble of gaunt sinewy Malays. |
negroes, and sallow, black-haired .
Portuguese that crowded her decks A few min
utes more, and she ran alongside; and almost !
before the two vessels had touched, three wild
figures Ieaped from the pirates rigging upon the
deck. But ii was very unIucky
Jump for all three. The first man spun across
he slippery deck as if it had been a skating
rink, and went right out on the other side. The
second tumbled head foremost down the hatch
way into the cooks gallery, where the black
,ook considerably piled heap of iron pans on
i'm to keep him quiet. "Aha, Massa Pirate
aid he, grinning " dis ship no de Flying Dutch
nan him de Sliding Dutchman!"
The third pirate had leaped on board as fiercely
IS if he meant to kill the whole at one
dow; but the only man he hurt was himself, for
lie hit his head such whack against the mast
nat he almost knocked his brains out and fell
Town roaring with pain. All this so frightened
he other pirates that they thought the ship must
re bewitched, and rushing back TO their vessel
With howl of dismay, made OFT as fast as posi-
he For many years after one of the familiar
fights OF Amsterdam was portly old gentleman
With a Jolly red face, at sight of which the boys
'sed to begin singing:
Captain Martin Peterszoon
Made his ship buttered bum
ana HIS VIE was never tired Of showing the
nge SILVER outfer-dlsh presented TO him in honor
MS repulSe OF the pirate with cask of butter.
Jaoid Ker in Horper,s Young People.
A II trades are good ia good 4raSarc .