The Northern Pacific farmer., 1881-11-17
The Dutch Captains Device.
David Ker, in Harper's Young People.
"Sail on stnrboard how!'


Sail on starboard bow!'
"What is she?" asked Captain Martin
Peterson, looAing anxions in that direc.
ton; for the eastern seas, 200 years ago,
every strange sail was terror to the cap
tain of we'll laden Dutch merchantmen.
Cant quite make her out yet," answers
the lookout at the mast head. Looks like
brigantine-she has very rakish cut al-
together"
The captains face darkened and his lips
tightened. They tightened still more few
minutes later, when the look k-out hailed
again:
"shes brieantine. bearing right down
upon us"
Every face in the crew seemed to harden
suddenly, but no one spoke. Indeed, what
need was there of words? All on board un-
derstood in q moment what was before
them-they were about to be attacked by
pirates, and there was not a single cannon,
no, not even an old musket aboard the yec
sci.
1t was terrible moment for them air
more terrible still for the poor captain. Fo
years he had been telling and saving, bear
ing every kind of hardship and facing every
kind Of danger, until he had made money
enough to become part owner of the shipr
that he commanded. He had made three
successful trips in her, and was now going
home for good, to settle himself in
snug little house, on the great canal. at Am
sterdam, with rosy checked, Gredel WORT,
his old neighbours only daughter for his
wife. And now, all at a moment, he found
himself face to face with a hideous peril,
which threatened him the loss of all he had
in the world, and his life.
The craw sfOo1 rnoo1ilv 1ooL;oc. ~ ~
approaching vessel. which came sweeping
over the bright blue sea, with it's huge
sails spread out like the wings of swan,
aperfect picture of beauty, though it
brought death along with it. Some of the
bolder spirits were beginning to mutter to
each other that it wouli be better to SO,
fire to their own ship, and die like men,
than to 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 a loud laugh, that
the doomed were struck with the greatest
surprise.
Cheer up, lads, he cried, still laughing,
All is not over with US vet. Come, now,
knock the he ID out of that cask of butter,
and thoroughly smear the deck with it. Be
sharp!"
The men only stared blankly at him, as
they tLonght he had gone mad; and even
the stolid mate opened his heavy mouth
in amazement.
do you hear?' shouted the captain.
Look sharp, will you? there's no time to
lose. Grease the whole deck, fore and aft,
and the rigging. too. as high as Won can
reach. Well give the rascals slippery job
Of it anyhow."
Then the sailors began to understand:
on ff,o oh 0E
would h We astonished the pirates had they
been within hearing. In twinkline the
deck Was creased until it fairly shown, bull
warks and all.
"Now boys" cried the captain, "on with
your sea- boots, and put sand on the soles
OF them, to keep you from slipping, and
then each one of you take hand-pike and
be ready"
The pirate was now 80 near they could
see plainly the rabble of giant. sinewy
Malays, wooly- headed negroes, and sallow,
black haired Portuguese that crowded her
decks. few minutes more, and she ran
alongside; and almost before the two vessels
had touched. throe wild figures leaped
from the pirate's rigging upon the merchant
mans deck. But it was an unlucky lump
for all three. TIE first man spun across
the slippery deck as If it had been a skating
rink. and went right out on the other side.
The second tun.bled head foremost down
the hatchway into the cooks galley, where
the black cook considerably piled heap
of his iron pans upon him in order to keep
him quiet.
Aha. Massa Pirate, said he, erinning,
dis ship no de "Flyine Dutchman,, him
de Slip'ry Dutchman!"
The third pirate had leaped on board as
fercely as if he ment to kill tho whole crew
at one blow; but the only man he hurt was
himself, for he hit his head such whack
against the mast that he almost knocked his
brains out, and fell down roaring with pain.
All this so frightened the other pirates that
they thought the ship must be bewitched,
and rushing back to their vessel with
howl of dismay, made off as fast as possi-
BILE.
For many years after, one of the famil-
lar sights of Amsterdam was a portly old
gentleman with jolly red face, at the sight
of which the boys we're used to singing,
Captain MARTA Pieterszoon
Made his chip buttered bum
And his wife was never tired Of showing
the hugh silver butter-dish presented to
him IN honor of his repulse of the pirate
with cask OF butter.