The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-04-11

The sun had just set. the sea breezS
was rustling and tum bling in this
woods, and ruffing the gray surface Of
the anchorage; the tide, too, WIS far
out, and great tracks OF sand lay I'M
covered the air, after the heat of the
day, chilled me through my jacket.
The "Hispaniola' still lay where she
had anchored: but, sure enough, there
was the Jolly Roger-the black flag of
piracy-fiying from her peak. Even as
/ looked there came another red flash
and another report, that sent the
echoes gathering, and one more round
shot whistled through the air 1t was
the last of the cannonade.
l lay for some time, watching the
hustle which succeeded the attack.
Men We're demolishing something with
axes on the bench near the Stochade:
sthe poor jolly-boat, l afterward dis
covered. Away, near the mouth of the
river, a great fire was glowing among
the trees, and between that point and
the ship one of the gigs kept coming
and going, the Nen, whom l had seen
so gloomy, shouting at the oars like
children. But there was a sound in
their voices which suggested rum.
At length l thought l might return
toward the stociade. I was pretty far
down on the low, sandy spit that in
closes the anchorage to the east, and is
JOifleu dl iltill-WalGT 10 ShSlSloii
and now, as | rose to my feet. ! saw,
some distance further down the spit.
and rising from among low bushes, an
isolated rock pretty high, and peculiar
ly white in color. 1t occurred to me
that this might be the White rock of
which Ben Gum had spoken and that
some day or other a boat might be
wanted, and / should know where to
t look for one.
Then l sIiirted among the woods un-
til had regained the rear, or shore
ward side, of the stockade, and was
soon warmly welcomed by the faith
! tul party.
had soon told my story, and began
to look about me. The Lighthouse was
made of unsquared trunks of pine
roof, walls and floor. The latter stood
in several places as much as q foot or
q foot and a half above the surface OF
the sand. The was 4 porach at the
door, under this porch the little spring
welled up into an artificial basin of a
rather odd llind--no other than a great
ships kettle of iron, with the bottom
knocked out, and sunk ito her bear
ings." as the captain said, among the
sand.
Little had been left beside the frame
work of the house; but in one corner
there was q stone slab laid down by
way Of hearth, and an old rusty iron
| basket to contain the lire.
The slopes of the knoll and all the
inside of the stockade had been cleared
Of timber to build the house, and we
could see by the stumps what a fine
and lofty grove had been destroyed.
Most OF the soil had been washed
away or buried in drift after the re-
moval of the trees; only where the
| streanlet ran down from the kettle
thick bed of moss and some ferns aGl
| In iprr l,11S ct
among tne(sand. Very close around the
| stockade--too close for defense, they
said--the wood still flourshed high and
! dense, all the fir on the land side, but
| toward the sea with a large admixture
| of live oaks.
The cold evening breeze, Of which l
| have spoken. whistled through every
chink of the rude building, and
! sprinkled the floor with a continual
| rain Of fine sand. There was sand in
| our eyes, sand in our teeth, sand in our
1 supper sand dancing in the spring at
| the bottom of the kettle, for all the
world like porridge beginning to boil.
| Our chimney was square hole IN the
/ roof; it was but a little part of the
smoke that found its way out, and the
! rest eddied about the house, and kept
| us coughing and piping the eye.
Add to this that Gray. the new man,
| had his face tied UP in a bandage for
cut he had got in breaking away from
i the mutineers: and that poor old Tom
| Redruth. still unburied, lay along the
wall, stiff and stark, under the Union
Jack.
| If we had been allowed to sit idle,
we should all have fallen in the blues,
but Captain Smollett was, never the
man for that All hands We're called up
i before him. and he divided us into
watches. The doctor. and Gray, and I,
=. 4 1,T fnr nd
upon the other. Tired as we all were,
two were sent out for firewood two
more We're sent to dig a grave for Red
ruth; the doctor was named cook; 1
was put sentry at the door; and the
captain himself went from one TO an
!, other keeping up our spirits and lend
ing hand wherever it was wanted.
From time to time the doctor came
to the door for a little air and to rest
his eyes, which We're almost smoked out
of his head: and whenever he did SO,
he had word for me.
THAT man Smollett," he said once;
lis Il better man than [ am. And when
l say that it means a deal, Jim
S Another time ne came and was silent
for awhile. Then he put his head on
one side. and looked at me.
rs this Ben Gum a man?'' he asked.
Il do not know sir said I. Il am
not very sure whether he's sane"
..'1f there's and doubt about the mat
ter, he is,'' returned the doctor. " A man
who has been three years biting his
nails on a desert island, Jim, can't eX-
pect to appear IS sane as you or me- IT
doesn't lie in human nature. Was it
cheese you said he had Il fancy for?"
Yes, sir, cheese" ! answered.
well, Jim" says he, Just see the
good that comes of being dainty in
your food. You've seen my snuff box
haven't you. nd you never saw me
take snuff; the reason being that in my
snuff box / carry IL piece of Parn1e-
son cheese-a cheese made in Italy
!. very nutritious. Well, that's for Der
j 49,,