Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-05-12
THE DUTCH CAPTAINS DEVICE.
"Sail on the starboard bow!'

"Sail on the starboard bowl"
"What is she?" asked Captain Mar
tin Pieterszoon,. looking anxiously in
that direction; for in the Eastern seas,
two hundred years ago. every strange
sail was terror to the Captain of a
wel-laden Dutch merchantmen.
Cant quite make her out yet" an
swered the lookout at the masthead;
"looks like brigantine-very rakish
cut altogether"
The Captains face darkened, and his
lips frightened. They frightened still
more a few minutes later, when the
look-o out hailed again, "She' an armed
brigantine, bearing 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 single cannon-not even
an old musket--abOard the vessel.
1t was a terrible moment for them all
more terrible still for the poor Cap
tain. For years he had been toiling
and saving, bearing every kind of hard
ship, and facing every kind of danger,
until he made enough money to become
part owner of the ship that he COM
manded. He had made three success
full trips in her, and was now going
home for good, to settle himself in n
snug little house on the great canal at
Amsterdam, with rosy-cheeked Gredel
Wort, his old neighbor only daughter,
for his wife. And now, all in q mo-
ment, he found himself face to face with
a hideous peril, which threatened him
with the loss of all he had in the world,
and his life to boot.
The crew stood looking modify at
the approaching vessel. which came
sweeping over the bright blue sea with
its huge white sails outspread like the
wings of a SWAMI perfect picture OF
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
be flung into the sea like dogs, when
the Captains 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; "alrs not over with us yet.
Come, knock the head out of that cask
of butter, and smear the deck with it
sharp, nowr' l.le
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 hearp" shouted the Captain.
"Look sharp, will youP there IS no
tine to loose. Grease the whole deck
fore and aft, and the rigging, too, as
high as you can reach. Well give the
rascals slippery job OF it, anyhow.
Then the sailors began to understand,
and the shout of laughter that broke
forth would have nightly astonished
the pirates had they been within hear
ing. In a twinkling the deck was
creased until it fairly shone, bulwarks
and all.
"Now. boys" cried the captain, T" on
with your sea boots. and put sand on
the soles to keep you from slipping.
and then each of you take handspike,
and be ready"
The pirate was now so near that they
could see quite plainly the rabbe of
paunt, sinewy Malays, woolly-headed
HeSrOcS, auu Sahow, DioSn- hoh SN ois"-
euese that crowded her decks. A few
minutes more, and she ran alongside.
and almost before the two vessels had
touched, three wild figures leaped from
the pirates rigging upon the merchant
mans deck.
But it was a very unlucky jump for
all three. The first man spun across
the slippery deck as If it had been a
skating rink. and went right out into
the sea on the other side. The second
tumbled head foremost down the hatch
way into the cooks galley, where the
black cook considerably piled heap
of iron pans on him to keep him quiet.
..Aha, Massa Pirate" said he. grin
ming, "dis ship no de Flying Dutch
man. him de 'Sliding Dutchmanr"
The third pirate had leaped on board
"a fiorco1v as ~ bo rpaaut I'm kill tho