Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-05-24
THE BLACK BUOY.

"SGim?" said grandmamma, as we
sat round the cracking billets one even
ing. EVERY boy and girl should learn
to swim. Why, could swim like a
duck when | was a girl. Dear me,
Dear mep
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
or the hearth-with 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, hright-eyed and
rosy-cheeked: both sat, straight and
erect, 10 tall, red-cushioned oak chairs,
and each saw the other through an eff
fac 'ng medium that sm0othed out Wrin
kles, restored hyacynthe locks, and
blotted out the fifty years that lay be
tween them and youth.
Now, when we, the youthful descend.
ants of this stately pair, grouped in lazy
attitudes around the vast roaring hearth,
with its tall carved chimney-piece, saw
the meaning looks that were exchanged
between our respected progenitors, we
scented q story. And when 8 many
voiced appeal for the story broke from
zig, grandmama hesitated for 2 moment
and then shook her head, then looking
across to grandpapa, who nodded ag lin,
and, after little pausing, she thus be-
gan:
You know, young people, that you
are of good family only on your grand
fathers side, and not on mine; Tor he
came of an old and honorable stock,
while my father was only a ships bOs'n
My father was killed 10 d greet sea fight
when [ vas only little child, and was
brought up by grandfather, VINO was
Ostensibly boat-buIlder and fisherman,
but In reality smuggler. A success
ful smuggler, too. In those days snug
Cling meant great risks and enormous
profits, for duties, especially on foreign
wines aud spirits, were exceedingly
high. 1t was not only profitable
trade, but it was reputable in peculiar
sort Of way; for it required great cour-
age and great skill. England was al
ways at war in those days, and the
smuggler ran the risk of being snapped
up by an enemy's cruiser as well as of
cutter. In addition, there were the in
evitable chances and dangers of the
sea. So'that 9, good smuggler had TO
be not only man of great daring, but
of great knowledge of navigation. He
had to work into harbor on the darkest
night, for it was only on dark nights
that ne could venture on "a run" with
the utmost secrecy and dispatch. To
do that he must know every inch of mis-
way, be able to distinguish landmarks
and buoys where an Impractical eve
would only see indistinct blackness, and
know to 8 nicely the time the tide
turned, the twists of the sandbanke,
and the position of the sunken rock.
My grandfather could neither read or
write, and he had, as | think for that
reason, a wonderful memory. He was
assisted in his work by my two unclas,
both illiterate men like himself, and
the three seemed to find their way,
through long practice and accute obser-
Walton, 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 sandbanks which ran out to some
distance. 1t was necessary to hit this
channel a considerable way out at sea,
and a small black buoy bobbed up and
down to indicate its commencement.
One side Of the haTbor was formed by
line af rocks jutting out to some length
and shelving down gradually into the
water, and the buoy was distant from
the extremity of these rocks shout
three quarters of mile. This headland
was called the Piont.
The black buoy, s. mere speck on the
water, was hard enough for anyone to
find IL the broad day: yet my grand
father never failed to find it in the dark
for of course it was only moonless
night that he could hope to run cargo.
The usual course of proceeding was
thus: Tue lugger arrived off our coast
at nightfall, lay to until 8 signal was
flashed from our friends on shore, ard
then found the entrance to the channel,
and worked in with the tide. 1t was
necessary TO be very careful in hitting
OFT the channel at first, where the buoy
was, or they might ultimately run on
the sunken rocks st the extremity of
the Point.
Grandfather and | lived in a pretty
ge at one extremity of the village.
ouse was better than most of the
for grandfather had money in
nd was well to do. The cottage
vered with honeysuckles and
s; at the back was well-stoeked
- garden; in front wss grassy
,loping down to the sand, at its
ION with which stood our wooden
. house. By the boat house lay three
four of Our boats, broad, strong and
-.nwieldy; and opposite the boat house