The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1881-11-17
The Dutch Captains Device.

"Sati on the starbOard DOW
"What is he 7" asked Captain
Martsiu Pietersszoon. looking anx.
iously in that direction for in The
Eastern seas, two hundred years ago
every stranger sail. .was.a terror to
the captain Of q well-laden Dutch
merchantmen. Cant quite make
her out yet" answered the lookout
at the masthead. "Looks like a
brigantino--very rakish cut, alto
gether." The captains face darkeu-
cd and bis lips frightened. They
tightened still more q few minutes
later. when the lookout hailed again,
'She's..au armed brigan tine, bearing
right down upon u.s."
Every face among the crew ceem-
cd to harden suddenly, but no one
spoke. ILdecd, what need was
there OF words All on board un.
derstood 10 q moment what was be.
fore them. They we're about to b.
attacted by pirates and there was
not single cannon, not even an old
musket, aboard the vessel.
Ii was terrible moment for them
all, moro terrible for the poor cap
tain. For years he had been toilipe
aud saving, bearing every kind o
hardship and facing every kind oI
danger until ho had made money
enough to become part owner Of The
ship that he commanded, He hat
made three successful trips in {
snug little houseon the great cana
at Amsterdam, with rosy-cheekeC
Gredel WORT, his old neighbours on
ly daughter, for his wife. And now
all in q moment he found himsel
face to face with hideous peril, whicl
threatened him tho loss Of all he ha
in the world, aud his life to boot.
The crew stood looking moodil,
at the approaching vcssol, wbicl
came sweeping over tho bright blu,
sea, with it's huge aails outsprea
, like tue wings OF u swan, o perrec
picture of beauty, thouIh il brough
! death along with it. Some # th
, holder spirits were beginning t
! mutter to each other that it woul
; be better to set fire to their owl
ship and die like men then to b
flung into the sea like dogs, whe
/ the captains gloomy face suddenl
, lighted up as nobody had ever see
, it lighted up yet, and he burst int
r such loud, hearty laugh that th
doomed men stood amazed to hea
: him-"Cheer up, lads" he criet
still laughing. "All's not over wit
I us yet. Come knock the head ou
A OF that cask OF butter, and smear th
deck with it. Sharp now ~
The men only stared blankly a
A him, thinking he had gone man
n and even the stolid mate opened hi
1 mouth in amazment. "Do 20
/ hear I" shouted the captain. "Loo
q sharp, will you There is no tim
to lose. Grease the whole deck
fore and aft. aud the rigging. too
as high as you can reach. Wei
give the rascals slippery job Of i
q anyhow.
Then the sailors began to under
stand and the shout Of laughte
that broke forth would have nigh
!, lily astonishod the pirates, had the
, been within bearing. In twink
2 ling, the deck was creased until
I; fairly shone, bulwarks and al
, "Now, boys' cried the captain, 90
2 with your sea boots, and put sand oI
t the soles to keep you from slipping
| and then each Of you take q hand
spike and be ready.
The pirate was now so near tina
they could see plainly the rabble @
r gaunt, sinewy Malays, woolly.head
= cd negroes, and sallow, black-haire'
{ Portuguese that crowded her decks
A few minutes more, and she ra
: alongside and almost before th
two vessels had touched, three will
, figures leaped from the pirates rig
ging upon the merchantmen
l.. deck But IL was q very uuluck,
} Jump for all three. The first maj
spun across the slippery deck ssif !
had been . skating rink. and wen
right ont on the other side. Th
second tumblsd head foremost dow,
the hatchway into the cooks galley
where the black cook oousideratel,
piled . heap Of iron pans on him h
tkaan him nnink- oAha. Masaa pi