Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-07-17

uuence, az Wolfert concluded, of their
not going to work at the proper time
and with tho proper ceremonials. The
last attempt had been made by Cohis
Ouackenbos. who dug for whole night
and met with incredible difficulty, for as
fast as he threw one shovelful of earth
out of tho hole two were thrown III by
invisible hands. Ito succeeded SO far,
however, as to uncover an iron chest,
when there was terrible roaring, and
ramping, and raging of uncouth figures
about the hole, and at length
shower OF blows, dealt by invisible
cudgcls that fairly bolaborcd him oil
tho forbidden ground. This CobuS
Quackenbos had declared on his death
bed, 80 that there could not he any doubt
Of it. He was q man that had devoted
many years of his life to money diCginT,
and it was thought would have ulti-
mately succeeded, had be not died sud-
denly Of brain fever III the altnshouso.
Wolfert Wcbber was now in Il worry
of trepidation and impotence; fearful
least some rival adventuror should Get "a
scent of the buried gold. lie determined
privately to seek out the negro fisherman
and get him to serve as guide to the place
where he had witnessed the mysterious
scene Of interment. Sam was easily
found; for he was one of those old habit
ual beings that live about neighbor
food until thov wear themselves a place
N the public mind, and become, in man
ner, public characters, There was notan
unlucky urchin about the town that did
AT,,l Co., Gsl ,,.l
think that he had q right to play his
tricks upon tho old negro. Sam was an
anphibious kind of animal, something
moro of a fish than a man; he had led the
life Of an otter for more than half
century, about the shores Of the bay, and
the fishing grounds of tho sound. lie
passed thegreater part of his time on and
in the water, particularlyabou He'll Gate;
and might have been taken in bad
weather for one Of the hobgoblins that
used TO haunt that strait. There would
he be seen at all times and in all
weathers; sometimes in his ski1f, an
chored among the eddies or prowling
like a shark about some wreck, where
the fish arc supposed to be most abund
ant Sometimes seated on a rock from
hour 10 hour, looming through mist and
dri2zle, like solitary heron watching
for its prey. He was well acquainted
with every hole and corner of the sound,
from the Wallabout to Hell Gate and
from He'll Gate even unto the Devils
Stepping Stones. and twas even affirmed
that he knew all the fish in the river by
their Christian names
l. 4 !, l.; IL,
was not much larger than tolcrable dog
house. 1t was rudcly constructed OF
fragments of wrecks and drift wood and
built on tho rocky shore at tho foot of
the old fort, just about what at present
forms the point Of the Battery, A most
ancient and fish like smell pervaded the
place. Oars, paddles and fishing rods
were leaning against the wall of the fort;
a net was spread on the sands to dry; a
skitf was drawn up on the beach, and at
the door Of his cabin lay Mud Sam him
sleeping in the sunshine,
Many years had passed away since the
time OF Sans youthful adventure, and
the SHOWS of many a winter had grizzlcd
the knotty wool upon his head. lie per-
fectly rccollectcd the circumstances,
however, for he had often been called
lpon to relate them, though in his YER
SIGN of the story he differed IN many
points from Peechy Prauw; as is not In-
frequently the case with authentic his
torians. As to the subsequent researches
Of money diggers, sam knew nothing
about them; they We're matters quite out
= | ~ I =. |
fert care 70 disturb his thoughts on that
point. His only wish was TO secure the
old fisherman as pilot to the spot, and
this was readily effected. The long time
that had interviewed since his nocturnal
adventure had c:Iaccd all Sans awe OF
the place, and the promise of tri!ling
reward reused linn at ouco from his sleep
and his sunshine,
Tho tide was adverse to making he OK
petition by water, and Wolfcrt was too
impatient to get to the land of promise
70 waitfor its turning; they ST oil, there
fore, hy land. \ walk cf four or ilv,
miles brought them to the cdgeof a wood
which at that time covered the grcatcl
part Of the eastern side Of the island
1t was just beyond the pleasant region o
Dloomen-dacl. Here they struck into T.;
long lane, struggling among tres auC
bushes, very much oyorsrOwn with weed
and mullen stalks as if but seldom used
md 50 completely overshadowcd as /.
enjoy but d kind Of twilight. Wild vine
eutangled the trees and Haunted in thci
faces; brambles and briars caught thci
clothes as they passed; the garter snak,
ghled across their path; the spotted toa,
hopped and waddled before thcm, auc
the restless cqtDirI moved at thcm from
every thickc,. Had Wolfcrt WcbJer been
deeply read in romantic legend he nigh
hayo fancied himself entering upon for
hidden, enchanted ground; or that thoa
We're some of the guardians BET to keep
watch upon buried treasure. As it was
the loneliness Of the place, and the vii,
stories connected with il, lad their ollcc
upon lis mind.
On reaching the lower end Of the Ian
they found themselves near the shore q
the Sound, in kind of amphithcatrc