The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-12-19

who had either fallen overheard or es ciped { om slave.s ship. Nothing, how ever, could ever draw from him any ac- count of his origin. When questioned on the subject, he merely pointed to Gibbet Island, small rocky islet, which lies in the open bay, just opposite to Communi- paw, as if that was his native place, though everybody knew it had never been inh abited.
 In the process of time he acquired something of the Dutch language, that is to say, he learned all its vocabulary of oaths and maledictions, with just wor S sufficient to s:ring them together, Don der CD blicksenl' (,hunder and lightning ) was the gentlest of his ejaculation. For years he kept about the Wild Goose. more like one of those familiar splits or household goblins that we read of, than like human being. He acknowledged hls allegiance to no one, but performed various domestic offices, when it suited his humor; waiting occasionally on the guests; grooming the horses, cutting wood, drawing water, and all this without
 being ordered. Lay any command on him and the stubborn sea-urchin was sure to rebel. He was never so much at home, however, as on the water, plying about in skiff or canoe, entirely alone, grabbing or grabbing for oysters, and would bring
 Wild Goose, which he would throw down at the kitchen door with growl. No wind or weather deterred him from
 launching forth on his favorite element :;
 indeed, the wilder the weather the more
 he seemed to enjoy it. If a siorm was
 brewing, he was sure to put off from the shore; and would be seen far out into the
 bay, his light skiff dancing like feather
 on the waves, when sea and sky were all
 in turmoil, and the stoutest ships were fAin to lower their sails. Sometimes, on such occasions, he would be absent for
 days together. How he weathered the
 tempest, and how and where he subsisted
 no one could divine, nor did any one ven- ture to ask, for all had an almost super-
 stitious awe of him. Some of the Com.
 munipaw oystermen declared that they
 had more than once seen him suddenly disappear, canoe and all, as if they
 plunged beneath the waves, and after
 while come up again in quite different part of the bay; whence they concluded that he could live under water like that notable species of wild duck, commonly called the hell-diver. All began to con- slider him in the light of a foul weather bird, like the Mother Carey's chicken, or s:ormy petrel and whenever they saw him putting far out in his sk,ff. if cloudy weather, made up their minds for storm.
 The only being for whom he seemed to have any liking was Van Yost Wander scamp, and hIm he liked for his very wlckedness. He in manner took the boy under his tutelage, prompted him to all kinds of mischief, aided him in every wild, harum-scarum freak, until the lad became the complete scapegrace of the village; a pest to his uncle and to every one else. Nor were hls pranks confined to the land he soon learned to accom- pany old Pluto on the water. Together these worthies would cruise about the broad bay, and all the neigh boring s'raits aud rivers poking around in skiffs and canoes, robbipg s the set-nets of fishermen landing on remote coasts and laying waste orchards and water melon patches, in short, cirr,ing on complete system ot piracy on small scale. Piloted by Pluto, the youthful Vanderscamp soon be- came acquainted with all the bays, rivers, creeks and inle of the watery world around him; could navigate ftem the Hook to Spiting- g-devil on the darkest night, and learned to set evea the terrors of He'll gate at defiance.
 At length, negro and boy suddenly dis appeared, and days and weeks elapsed, but without tidings of them. Some said they must have run away and gone to sea; othe.s jocosely hinted that old Pluto, being no other than his namesake in dis guise, had spirited away the boy to the neither regions. All, however, agreed in one thing, that the village was well rid of them.
 In the process of time, the good reunis Van Gieson slept with his fathers, and he tavern renamed shut up. waiting for a claimant, for the next heir was Van Yost VAnderscamp, and he had not been heard of for years. At length, one day, boat was seen pulling for the shore, from a long, black, rakish-looking schooner, that lay at anchor in the bay. The boats crew seemed worthy of the craft from which they debarked. Never had such a | set of noisy, roi tering, swaggering varlets | landed in peaceful Communipaw. They were outlandish in garb aud demeanor, and were headed by rough, burly ruff fan, with fiery whiskers, copper nose, a | scar across his face, and great Flaun- derish beaver sloucheo on one side of his | head, in whom, in their dismay, the qliet inhabitants were made 10 recognize their | early pest, Yan Yost Vanderscamp. The rear of this hopeful gang was brought up | by old Pluto, who had lost an eye, grown | grizzly-headed, and looked more like ! devil than ever. Vanderscamp renewed his acquaintance with the old burghers, much against their will, and in a manner not at all to their taste. He slapped | them familiarly on the back, gave them an iron grip of the hand. and was hail fellow well met. According to his own account, he had been all the world over had made money by bags full had ships in every sea, and now meant to turn the | Wild Goose into country-seat, where he a k ~n -.~