Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-07-27
OF THE STRANGE FISH THAT WE
CAUGHT AT SPITHEAD.


One evening in the month of May,
1855, about the end of the first week of
the month, my friend Reuben Lockarby
and | borrowed Ned Marley's pleasure
boat and went a-tishing out of LangstOn
bay. At that time | was close on one
and-twenty years of age. while my conf
panion was one year younger. A great
intimacy had sprung up between us,
founded on mutual esteem: for he, being
a little, undergrown man. was proud of
my strength and stature, while my mel
anchOly and somewhat heavy spirit took
a pleasure in the energy and joviality
which never deserted him. and in the
wit which cleaned as bright and as in
nocent as summer lightning through all
that he said. In person he was short
and broad. round-faced, ruddy-cheeked,
and. in truth. little inclined to be fat,
though he would never confess to more
than pleasing plumpness, which was
held. he said. to be the acme of manly
beauty among the ancients. The stern
test of common danger and mutual hard
ship entitled me to say that no man
could have desired stancher or more
trusty comrade. As he was destined to
be with me in the sequel it was but fit
ting that he should have been at my side
on that May evening which was the
starting point Of our adventures.
We pulled out beyond the Warner
Sands to a place half way between them
and the Nab, where we usually found
bass in plenty. There we cast the heavy
stone which served us as an anchor over
board. and proceeded to set our lines.
The sun. sinking slowly behind fog
bank. had slashed the whole western sky
with scarlet streaks, against which the
wooded slopes of the Isle of Wight stood
out vaporous and purple. y fresh breeze
was blowing from the southeast, flecking
the long green waves with creSts of foam
and filling our eyes and lips with the
smack of salt spray. Over near st. Hell
ems Point Kings ship was making its
way down the channel. while II single
large brig was lacking about quarter of
a mile or less from where we lay. So
near were we that we could catch Il
glimpse Of the figures upon her deck as
she hceled over the breeze. and could
hear the creaking of her wards and the
Tapping Of her weathcr-stained canvas as
she prepared to go about.
Look We. Micah" said my companion
looking mp from his fshngline. THAT
is most weak-minded ship--a ship
which will make no way in the world
See how she hangs in the wind neither
Keeping on her course nor lacking. She
Is trimmer Of the seas-the Lord Hall
fax of the ocean,
why. there is something amiss with
her, l replied staring across with hand
shaded eyes. she yaws about as though
there were no one at the helm Her
main-yard goes aback Now it is for
ward again! The folk on her deck seem
TO me to be either fighting or dancing.
Up with the anchor, Reuben, and let Us
pull to her
Up with the anchor and let us get out
Of her way" he answered. still gazing at
the stranger. why viii You ever run
that meddlesome head of yours into dan
gers way? She flies Dutch colors. but
who can say whence she really comes:
A pretty thing if we were snapped up by
a bnccaneer and sold in the plantations.'
"A buccaneer in the Solent.' cried /.
dcrisively. we shall be seeing the black
flag in Ellsworth creek next. But, bark,
What is that?"
Continued next Week.