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

his treatise de re MCtalliCa, lays ariCular stress
the mysterious words pronounced by those
persons who employed the dlviuing rod during his
time. But make not o doubt that the dvininC rod
is one Of those secrets OF natural marie, the nys-
terry Of which Is to be explained by tho
sympathies existing between physical things
operated upon by the planets and rendered
cilicacious by the strong faith Of the individual
let the dvining rod be properly gathered at the
proper time of the moon, cut into the proper form,
! used with the necessary ceremonies and with a
| perfect faith in its efficacy and can cuuii lently
/ recommend it to my fellow citizens infa
bic means of discovering the various places
/ the island Of the Manhattoes where treasure hath
| been buried in tho oldcn time. j.. K'l
Wolrerts heart lespcd with joy at hav-
ing met with SO learned and able Il coad-
| jutor. Everything went on secretly, but
swimmingly. The doctor had many CON
situations with his patient, and the good
women of the household lauded the COM
forting effect of his visits. In the mean
time the wonderful divining rod, that
great key to natures secrets. wa7 duly
prepared. The doctor had thumbrd over
all his books of knowledge for the ucCa-
sion, and Mud Sam was engaged to take
them in his sliif to tho srone of cutcr-
prise; to worI; with spade and picLax IN
his bark with the wcish,y spells they
were certain Of finding.
At length the appointed night arrived
for this pcrilous undertaking.. Tho
great church clock strucl, 10 as Wolf
ert and the doctor passed by the
churchyard, and the Waterman bawlod
in hoarse voice a long and dolcful ANS
wellw
They found the negro fisherman wait
ing for them, smoking his pipe in the
stern of his skiT, which was moor1d
Just in front of his little cabin. A pick
AK and spade were lying in tho bottom
of the boat, with dark lanthorn and a
stone Jug of good Dutch courage, in
which honest sam, no doubt, put even
more faith than did DR.. Knippcrhauscn
in his drugs. Thus then did these
three worthless embark in their cookie
shell Of skiH upon this noctur-
nal expedition, with q wisdom
and valor eQualcd only by the three wise
men Of Gotham, who went to sea in a
bowl. The tide was rising and running
rapidly up the sound. The current bore
them along. almost without the aid Of AN
car. The profile Of the town lay all in
shadow. Here and there light feebly
glimmcrcd from some sick chamber, or
from the cabin window Of some vessel
at anchor in the stream, Not cloud
obscured the deep starry armament, the
LIGHTS of which wavered on the surface
of the placid river; and a shooting meteor,
strcaking its pale course in the very di-
rection they were taking, was interpreted
by the doctor into most propitious
omen.
In lttlo while they glidcd by the
point of Corlears Hook with the rural
inn which had been the scene Of such
night adventures. The family had re-
tired to rest, and the house was dark and
, still. Wolfert felt chill pass over him
as they passed the point where the buc-
cancer had disappeared. lie pointed it
out to DR.. Knipperhausen. While re-
garding it, they thought they saw 4 boat
, actually lurking at the very place; but
the shore cast such a shadow over tho
border Of the water that they could dis
Germ nothing distinctly. They had not
, proceeded far when they heard the low
sounds of distant oars, as if cautiously
, pulled. Sam piled his oars with re
| doubled vigor, and knowing all the
. oddics and currents of the stream
0 soon left their followers, If suci
they We're far astern. In LITTLE
l while they stretched across Turtle bay
I and Kip's bay, then shroudcd themselve.
= in the deep shadows of tho Manhattan
Shore and glidel swiftly along, sccur.