The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-17

| little one which stood stocked with sinai
arms. and lifting the lids of two or three OF
the Others. They were perfectly satisfied
fully believed the chests 10 bc tillel with
small arms and nothing else and 50 We came
away and returned To the cabin, where tt
please them, put down the value Of the
cargo at a venture, setting figures against
each article, and making cut total OF G5'Dlo'
This, Of course, included the ship.
"How muchll dat bc man, masaa 9
asked Cromwell.
"Six hundred and sixty pounds" an
swered.
The Door fellow was 50 transported that,
after staring at mo in silence with the cor
, ncrs of his mouth stretched to his ears, lac
tossed uD his hands, burst into roar of
LAUGHTER, and made several sairs about the
deck.
"Of course said l. addressing Wilkinson,
"my figures may be ahead or short Of the
truth. But ii YOU arc disposed 20 take the
chance. III tell YOU what II DO; Ill stand by
my figures, accepting the risk Of the value of
the lading being less than what say it is,
and undertake 70 give each man Of you q COO
for your share"
! "WelI sir" said he, ~ don't know that /
ought to object. But few pounds is mat
ter of great consequence 10 me, and reckon
if these here goods and the vessel should turn
ont to he worth more than VI offer, the loss
nd 90 agin the grit-ay, if twcrc so a man. y
/ laughed, and told him to 1t the matter
rest; there was plenty OF time before US; l
should be willing 10 stand 10y my offer even
| if | lost by it, 50 heartily Obliged was | 10
them for coming TO my assistance. And IN
this spoke the truth, though, rs You will
understand who know my position, lad to
finesse. 1t went against my conscience 10
make out that the chests were full OF small
arms; but | should have been mad 10 tell
them the truth, and perhaps by the truth
make devils Of men who were, and promised
to remain, steady, temperate, honest fellows
| was no. governed by the desire 10 keep all
the treasure 10 myself; no, | vow 70 God |
should have been glad 10 give them moicty
Of il had not apprehended the very gravest
consequences if ! were candid with them
But this, surely, must be 50 plain that Il Is
idle TO 20 on insisting on IT,
The fine weather, the golden issuo that was
10 attend our successful navigation, the salts
factory behavior Of the schooner, put ~ into
high good humor with one another; and
when il came 10 my collecting all the clothes
in the after cabins, and 20 distributing them
among the three men, thought Billy Pitt
and CromHcll would have gone mad with
delight 70 the best OF my recollection, the
apparel that had been left us 10y the Am,rl-
can captain (who, rs you know, had cleared
the forcclsflc of the clothes there consisted
of several coats of cut velvet. trimmed with
cui and silver lace. Sonic frocks Of white
diab with large plate buttons, hrocade waist
coats of blue satin and green -iik. crimson
and other c0iorcd cloth brcocho- along with
some cloak,, three corner hats, black and
white stockings a number of RULED shirts
and other articles of which ] recoIlect the
character, though my ignorance of thc COS
TUNES OF that period prevent me from nam
in them.
ANY one acquainted with the ncgros de
light in colorcd clothes, viii hardly need 10
BE- told OF the extravagaut joy raised in The
blacl, breasts ot Cromwell and iitt by my
distribution of this fine attire The lace, 90
BE- sure. was furnished, and some Of tic c0lors
faded, but all the same the apparel furnished
a brave show; and such was the avidity
with which the poor creatures matched az
the garments rs | offered them first 10 one
and then another. that believe they would
have been perfectly satisfied with the ciothcs
alone as payment for their services ! made
this distribution on the quarter deck, or little
poop. rather, that all might be present.
Wilkinson was at the tillcr and appeared
highly delighted with the bundle allotted
him, saying that he might reckon upon a
hearty welcome from his wife when she came
% know what was j., his chest. The negroes
were wild 10 cloihc themselves al once. !
advised them 10 wait for th, warm weather,
but they were too impatient 70 pat on their
fine feathers 60 heed my advice They ran
below. and were gone half au hour, dor-
ing which time | have no doubt they
ir.el On all they had; and when 40 last
they returned their appearance was SD
cxlui,itely absurd that laughed fiil came
near 10 suiloclting Each negro had tied a
silver laced hat on to his woody head. ono
wore pair of crimson, The other pair OF
black velvet Lrcechcs. over their cucumber
shlnks they had drawn white silk stockings,
regardless Of the cold; ;hoir feet were IN
cased in buckled shoes, and their costumes
We're completed by scarlet and blue waist
coats, which tcll TO their knees and crimson
and blue coats with immense skirts. What
struck ne as most astonishing was their
gravity Their self competency was pro
dicious; they eyed each other with dignl,ied
APPRECIATION and strntted withs the air Of
provincial mayors and siIermen newly ar
rived from the presence Of royalty.