St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-11-14
CAPTAIN NABB.
BY JAMES nuCknAM.

CAPTAIN NABB.
BY JAMES BUCKHAA.
Great was the seafaring fame Of
Capt. Nabb, in the little village back
among the Connecticut hills, from
which he had first gone forth with his
bundle slung on stick. Since that day.
80 years past, when he had set forth
10 seek his fortune, the captain had
been four times around the world,
twice in his own ship. and had visited al
most every known port in civilized and
uncivilized countries: had command
ed the largest merchantmen in the
West India trade, and had won the repu-
tation of first rank among expert and
daring navigators.
What wonder, then, that all Top
sham was agog when the captain, one
fine evening in June, lurched out OF the
rocking old stage and announced in
hearty tones to his former tOwnsfOlk
the majority Of whom were assem-
bled at 1.-THE store"-tfat he had come
home for a two months vacation. 1t
G. rtainly seemed like an act of unpar-
elelled condescension on the part of
the great navigator. aud Topsham felt
duly honored.
It did not take the boys of the village
lcIg to discover thft Capt. Nabb was a
jolly soul, and particularly open to ad-
vances from them: and soon. in spite
- ~ &,pl Gov
proceeded to take possession Of him.
till it was rarely that the old mans
sturdy figure cruised about the village
without being attended by feet of
his boyish admirers. hanging to him as
closely as native canoes under the bows
of South sea trader.
Thus it naturally came to pass that,
when Benny Boarlman and his younger
brother, Carl, became the owners of
. small sailboat on Duck pond, the
first thing that occurred to them was
to ask Capt. Nabb to accompany them
on their maiden cruise. The old sea-
man consented, after . glance at the
four points of the compass, and IN in
auiring sniff of the fresh ip5lnd mir.
Tut first, he said. he must 60 for his
sou'wester, and his oilcloth suit, AMI
certain other things. There was no
telling what sort of weather might
blow up before night.
At the appointed time Capt; :Nabb
came down to the little whaff at the
head of the pond. He carried ins his
arms his waterproof garments, alarge,
five-jointed spy-glass, q compassas big
as the palms of your two hands. speak
ing-trumpetu una sextant. II n6sef 10
to sea without my tools. boys" be said,
"even though it be in a washtab." He
stepped down into the little catboat.
deposited his burden and himself in.the
stern, and proceeded to instruct the
boys in the art of making SAIL. After
considerable bungling. Ben and Carl
got Up their mainsail, the captain cast
of. and away they skinned before y
fresh breeze down the bay.
1t wasn't much of sheet of water
they ;were cruising on, to be sure. The
pond: was about mile long and half
az wide, perhaps; very irregular in
shape, with many little bays and
Floughs, where the water set bacl;
anon wild oats and swamp-grass. Near
one end large brook entered, after
devious windings through the marsh,
snd 1t the other end brook, as like
the feeder rs the next pea in q
pod. formed the outlet Of the pond. II
would be hard to say which was which
(for neither brook had any perceptible
currently. unless you observed the sur.
lovgding shores. On the whole, Duck
k&(Ch was not pretty; but it was USE
k11aftfr it was full Of pickerel and bass.
&6Gjt the shooting season the marshes
ateehSd with wild fowl and plover.
Capt. Nabb showed the boys how to
tack and jib4 hoXtto c22ps Up into the
wind. how tofekf and c{st ianchor, how
to handle the hq0 Dnls stew ropss, Aic
=, sailor's knot, ballast the boat, and
| steer when meeting. passing or CROSS
ing the bows Of another. craft. He had
the.whole nautical code at his tongues
end. and the IBFactice OF .seamanship in
his. f3ger-tipS md II Tie boys did not
Fseath hll he had to teach them, It was
i'6ecSute the limitations of . catboa,
ma9 + Impossible !;
! oEiy: bless my eyes.. exclaimed
the: captain, suddenly, as he finished IN
exciting tale about . walrus hunt among
the 1cfberespfsthe North sea. whats
become ofNhe san1" rs
4 So set" replied Benny Boariiman.
II CIV It 60 down behind the pine hill,
haleah Ao6r ago"
{ you sure?" cried Capt. Nabb,
1kves4g hie i've ointed telescope to-
WAR fhe pine hill. ut can't be more
tl,a4 4pYr o'clock" o.:asS
5fht I heard the whistle blow for six,
lonl go" ventured little Casl1 49, :.
D4s me! the boys are right" ex-
tclalodd the old navigator, ~ he pulled
outo huge silver watch. almost a iarSe
kan saucepan. I'VE must be getting
ADadQr way for home at once. Now then
4rsal6 ready to 60 about"
fxtIAeI ceSfsi4 thffw eyer his A<lh,
R081hs little boat came slowly up into
t. dht breeze, which had been stead
biz 4qinG kaE m hour. Il was almost
tA7nutA befoFe the lazily filling sail
1re1 on. the opposite tack. Capt. Nabb
tlGGld anxiously to windward. Con
{303 your. land hreeses!" Ae said.
What tfstiya.k1. halievsS YpsaFe
10 kexe dsoA eelHss: ..Hse.s :.
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