Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-02-14
THE BLACK BUOY.

From Chambers Journal.
"Swinl2" said grandmamma, as we sal
round the cracking billets one evening
Every boy and girl should learn to swim.
Why, could swim like duck when wa $
a girl. Dear me- dear mel"
Grandmamma sat bolt upright in her
high backed chair, resting her elbows on the
arms, and smiling across at grandpapa-
who sat on the other side of the hearth
with q conscious look in her bright old
eyes. Grandpapa, the general, pausing in
the act of raising his tumbler to his lips,
nodded and smiled back at grandmamma.
They Were both white haired, bright eyed,
and rosy checked; both sat, straight and
erect in tall red cushioned oak chairs; and
dunn that smoothed out wrinkles, restored
hyacinthine locks, and blotted out the fifty
years that lay between them and youth.
Now, when We the youthful descendants
of this stately pair, CROPPED in lazy attitudes
around the vast roari ng hearth with its tall
carved chimney piece; saw the meaning
looks that were exchanged between our re-
And when q many voiced appeal for the
story broke from us, grandmamma hesita-
ted for a moment and shook her head, then
looking across to grandpapa, who nodded
again, and after little pressing she thus
began:
You know, young people, that you are of
good family only on your grandfather's side,
and not on mine; for he came of an old and
honorable stock, while my father was only
a ships bos'n. My father was killed in a
great sea fight, when I was only a little
child, and was brought up by Ely grand
father, who was ostensibly beatbuilder
and fisherman, but in reality smuggler.
A successful smugglsr, too! In those DAYS
smuggling meant great risks and enormous
profits for duties, especially on foreign
wines and spirits, were exceedingly high.
IL was not only profitable trade, but it
was reputable in a psszliar sort of way; for
it required great courage and great skill.
England was always at war in those DAYS
and the smuggler ran the risk of being
snapped up by an enemy's cruiser as we'll as
of falling into the clutches of a revenue cut
ter In addition, there were the inevitable
chances and dangers of the sea. So that a
good snuggier had to be not only man OF
great daring but of great knowledge Of nav
igation. He had to work into harbor on
the darkest night, for it was only on dark
nights that he could venture on "a rum
with the utmost secrecy and despatch. To
do that, he must know every inch of his
way, be able to distinguish landmarks and
buoys where an Impractical eye would only
seeindistinct blackness, and know to nicely
the time the tide turned, the twists of the
sandbanks and the position of the sunken
rock.
My grandfather could neither read nor
write, and he had as 1 think for that rea-
son, a wonderful memory. He was assist
ed in his work by my two uncles both illit-
crate men like himself and the three seemed
to find their way, through long practice
and acute observation, as if by instinct.
There was only one channel leading to the
landing place; the mouth of the little river
where we lived being almost choked by
saRdbanks, which ran out to some distance.
1t was necessary to hit this channel con-
siderable way out at sea, and a small black
buoy bobbed up and down to indicate its
commencement. One side of the harboi
was formed by line of rocks, jotting out to
some length and shelving down gradually
into the water; and the buoy was distant
from the extremity of these rocks about
threa quarters of a mile. This headland
Wa Gained the point. xxz
The black buoy, mere speck on the wa
ters was hard enough for any one to fluid in
the broai day; yet my grandfather never
failed to find it in the dark-for of course it
was only on moonless night that he could
hope to run a cargo. The usual course of
was thus: The lugger arrived
off our coast at nightfall, lay TO until sig |
nal was flashed from our friends on shore, |
and then found the entrance to the channel,
and worked in with the tide. 1t was neces- |
'ary to be very careful in hitting off the |
night ultimately run off the sunken rocks |
1t the extremity of the point.
Grandfather and lived in a pretty cot |
age at one extremity of the village. Our |
house was better than most Of the others, |
for grand 'ather had money in the bank, |
and was well 10 do. The cottage was cover
ed with honey-suckles and creepers; at the |
back was well stocked kitchen garden; in |
'front.' was grassy bank sloping down to the
;and, at its junction with which stood our |
wooden boathouse. By the boathouse lay |
hree or four of our boats, broad, strong,
md unwieldly; and opposite the boathouse
we're the moorings of the Little Lady, our
naughty, fast sailing, clever little lugger.
had very independent, irregular kind
If life. Ny grandfather was often away for
lays at a time, and the old woman who
ooked after the house-for grandmother
vas dead long since-would have had little
ime for securing and cleaning if she had
ried to look after me. / got little book
earning from the old vicar, but it was not
enough to hurt me. No, my dears; knew
10 Italian, no Latin, or algebra; but my
yes were none the less bright, my lungs
lone the less clear, my color none the less
blooming, that passed most of my days in
he bright sunshine and free fresh all.
ouh run couple of miles and Jump
ate; could pull an oar with the best, and
cou d swim like duck. I was thorough
y at home either on the water or in it. The
ca had no terrors Or difficulties for me ex-
ept such as it was pleasure to overcome.
o at sixteen, l am told, was fresh col
red, free limbed bright eyed young maid.
those only trouble was her long tresses of
hick brown hair, and who bothered her
IL L IL |
Not but that / had my admirers. But
,ey were limited in quantity and coarse in
uality. mean rough; manly enough, but
,cki1g in that refinement which a young
irl in any rank of life always longs for,
nd with sometimes sad results Anyhow,
ne bold young fisherman who made shee D