Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-06-28


offensive, in spite of my ridiculous merri-
ment, that his savage nature broke out. He
assailed the English with every injurious
term his drunken condition suffered him to
recollect, and starting up, with his little eyes
wildly rolling, he clapped his hand to his
side, as if feeling for sword, and, calling
me by very ugly French word, babe me
come on and he would show me tho differ
ence between Frenchman and a beast of an
Englishman.
laughed at him with all my might, which
SO enraged him that, swaying to right and
left, he advanced as if to fall upon me.
started to my feet, and tumbled over the
bench had jumped from and lay sprawling;
and the bench overseeing close to him, he
kicked against it and fell too, fetching the
deck very hard blow. He groaned heavily,
and muttered that he was killed | tried to
rise, but my legs gave way, and then the
fumes of the punch overpowered me, for
recollect no more.
When | awoke it was pitch dark. My
hands, legs and feet seemed formed of ice,
my head of burning brass. | thought was
IN my cot, and felt with my hands till
touched Tassard's bald head, which so terri
fed me that uttered q loud cry and sprang
erect. Then recollection returned, and
heartily cursed myself for my folly and
wickedness. Good Godf thought l, that I
should be SO mad as to drown my senses
when never was any wretch in such need of
all his reason as II
The boatswain's finder box was in nv
pocket; | groped, found candle, and lighted
it. 1t was 3;20 in the morning. Tassard lay
on his back, snoring hideously, his legs over
hanging the capsized bench. | pulled and
hauled at him; but no was too drunk to
awake, and that he might not freeze to
death, fetched pile Of clothes out of his
cabin and covered him up, and put his head
on a coat.
My head ached horribly, but not worse
than my heart. went to my cabin and got
into my hammock, but my head was so hot
and ached so furiously, and I was so yexed
with myself besides, that could not sleep.
The schooner was deathly still; there was not
apparently the faintest murmur of air to
awaken an echo in her; nothing spoke but
the near and distant cracking of the ice. 1t
was miserable work lying in the cabin Sleep
less and approaching myself, and as my burn
ing head robbed the cold Of its formidable
ness, | resolved to go on deck and take o.
brisk turn or two.
The exercise improved my spirits; stepped
the length Of the little raised deck briskly.
my thoughts very busy. On a sudden the
ics split ON the starboard hand with noise
louder than the explosion of twcnty-four
FOUNDER. Tho schooner swayed to q level
keel with so sharp rise that lost my ball
ance and staggered. I recovered myself,
trembling and greatly agitated by the noise
and the movement coming together without
the least hint having been given me, and
grasping a backstay, waited, not knowing
what was to happen next. Unless it be tho
heave of an earthquake, / can imagine no
motion capable of giving one such a swoon-
ing, nauseating, terrifying sensation as the
rending of ice under fixed ship In few
moments there were several sharp cracks. all
on the starboard side, like the snapping of
musketry, and | felt the schooner very
slightly heave; but this might have been o
deception of the senses, for though [ set q
star against the masthead and watched it
there was no movement. / looked over tho
side and observed that the split / had noticed
on the face of the cliff had by this new rupt-
ure been extended transversely right across
tho schooner's starboard bow, the thither
side being several feet higher than on this
1t was plain that the bed on which the YES
sci rested had dropped so as to bring her up
right, and was convinced by this circum-
stance alone that il / used good Judgment in
disposing of tho powder the weight of the
mass would complete its own dislocation.
The shock did my head good; went below
and got into my cot, and after tossing for
half an hour or SO fell asleep I awoko at
and went to the cook house, where 1 found
Tassard preparing the breakfast and a great
fire burning / hardly knew what reception
he would give me, and was therefore not q
little agreeably surprised by his thanking
me for covering him up.
"You have a stronger head than mine"
said he; ''the punch used you well You
made me laugh, though. You wero very
diverting.n
cay, much too diverting to please myself, !"
said /; and sounded him cautiously to re-
mark what his memory carried of my in
suits, but found that he recollected nothing
moro than that danced with vigor and sang
well.
I said nothing about my contrition, my
going on deck, and the like, contenting my
self with asking if he had heard tho explosion
IN the night.
"No," cried he, staring and looking eagerly.
"Well, them said /, "there has happened a
mighty crack in the ice, and do soberly be-
lieve that with the blessing of God we shall
be able by blasts of powder to free the block
on which the schooner rests"
"Goodln cried he; ''come, let us hurry with
this meal How is the weatherT'
"Quiet believe. l have not been on deck
since the explosion aroused me early this
morning.
While we ate he said, "Suppose we get the
schooner aaoat, what do you propose7o
"Why,n l answered, eff she prove tight
and seaworthy, what but carry her homer
"Whatl you and alone!'
''No,n said |, certainly not; we must
make shift to sail her to the nearest port, aud
ship q crew"
He looked at me attentively and said;
"What do you mean by homer
England" said l.
He shrugged his shoulders, and exclaimed
in French: "'Tis natural;' then proceeding
in English: pray said he, showing his
fangs, ''do not you know that the Boca del
Dragon is pirate? Do you want to be
hanged, that you propose to carry her to q
port to ship men"
81 have no fear Of that, " said L 'after all
these years she'll be as clean forgotten as if
she had never had existence
"Look we here, Mr.. Rodney" cried he, in
passion, "let's have no more of this snivcl-
ing nonsense ABOUT years. on may be as
mad as you please on that point, but it shant
hang me. 1t needs more than few months
to make men forget craft that has carried
on such traffic rs our hold represents. You'll
not find me venturing myself nor the schooner
into any of your ports for men. No, no, my
friend. am in no stupor now, you know;
and I've slept the punch off also, dye sect
What betray our treasure, and be hanged
for our generosityl"
He made me an ironical bow, grinning
with wrath.
"Let's get the schooner aaoat first said L.
Jay, that's all very we'll, he cried; 'but
better stop here than dangle in chains. No,
my friend; our plan must be a very different
one from your proposal | suppose you want
your share Of the booty!' said he, swapping
his fingers.
II deserve it." said I, smiling, that rnight
soften his passion
Sand yet you would convey the most noted
pirate of the age, with plumber in her to the
value of thousands of doubloons, to q port in
which we should doubtless find ships of war,