Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-05-23

liz LAaIe Oh the snip EcDIeus
''We are bound southwest, laden with
goods from Flanders. One of our crew
died this morning; he was q good Catho-
lie; we wish to bury him in consecrated
ground; unless we 90 far out of our
course there is no such spot nearer than
your holy chapel built by the pious Bishop
Of Dol. All we ask is permission TO land
the coffin containing our poor cOmrade
and inter it in the chapel. We Will come
exactly as you see us, without arms of
any sort whatever. If you grant Us this
you can hardly deny, we promise to make
you suitable present Of some Of the
goods we have on board our ship"
After some deliberation, the pirates
ere so impressed by the earnest, contid-
ing manner and straightforward honesty
Of these good sea-folk, who were so will
ing to place themselves unarmed in their
power, that they gave the desired per-
mission, the strangers solemnly promising
that they would allow themselves to be
searched on landing.
The boats crew returned to the ship in
high glee; they hardly hoped for such
success. In anticipation of the plot they
had planned the ships crew had brought
with them a stout coffin of sufficient size
to hold a large man. After dark the
coffin was brought on deck. The lid
was firmly fixed in its place, and yet SO
contrived that it could be quickly de-
tached.
The next morning, the weather still
continuing fine, the coffin was carefully
lowered into the boat and flag was rev.
erently thrown over it. The pirates were
all at the landing to await the arrival of
this unique funeral procession. Each
sailor, as he stepped on shore, was care
fully searched. Relieved to find every
man of the landing party totally unarmed
the canny islanders laid aside all sus-
picion and devoutlY assisted to lift the
heavy coffin out of the boat. The coffin
was large and heavy; evidently the dead
man must have been of portly proper
tions. The seamen seemed tenderly at
tached to their dead comrade. They in
sisted on lifting the coffin themselves. 1t
was most anxious moment for all con-
cerned.
But the invaders still had far more
laborious and dangerous task before them.
Theeummit of the island where the peo-
pie lived, and where the church stood,
was over one hundred feet above the
landing and could be reached only by
narrow, steep steps cut in the rock, up
which it was simply impossible to carry
the coffin. There was only one way of
getting it to the top; this was to hoist it
Nv, 1v
never was a dead sailor buried under
greater difficulties? Not only did the sail
ors have to do this very hard, severe duty,
harder far than hosting a wet topsail,
but it was also necessary that not one of
tbs pirates should lend a hand in haul
ING up the coffin; at the same time the
task had to be done without arousing
their suspicious Death was in the air;
blood must flow before the day would
close.
The pirates were not men to show
mercy, and the least suspicion on their
part meant the massacre of every one of
the invaders if attacked before they were
ready. The landing party contrived to
start up the cliff steps first, and while
some, nimble as cats, skipped up
quickly and proceeded to hoist the coffin,
the others fingered along the steps keep
ing the impatient, but yet unsuspicious
pirates in the rear.
While the above incidents were occur
ring several of the pirates, moved by
their covetous and treacherous natures,
thought it would be a good idea to take
the ships boat and steal on board the
ship, whose crew they supposed to be all
on shore engaged in the funeral cere-
monies They hoped to be able to
anticipate the reward promised them by
ransacking the cabin. But when they
sprang on deck they were fearfully
taken aback to see a number of lusty
fellows spring up armed from behind the
bulwarks, who flew at them with great
fury, overpowered them, and gagged
and chained them to ringbolts in the
deck.
This done, the sailors sprang into the
boat and rowed to the aid of their COM
panions on shore. AS we shall see, they
reached there none too soon. Immedi-
ately on getting the coffin to the top of
the cliff the invaders gathered around it,
and hurried with it to the chapel. The
pirates also fastened to arrive their first :;
it was nip and tuck which party should
first enter the chapel. But the coffin
bearers, knowing we'll the chances at
stake, put forth herculean exertions;
keeping together in a close group the
sailors crowded into the chapel with a
haste most unseemly for funeral, and
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