Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1905-12-27
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poisoned. Nevertheless that ounce
saved my life.
my father had been an officer In the
United States navy-not when oul
ships had come TO be big machine
} shops, but light wooden affairs that
SKINNED the waves like a bird. He
went aloft Just before the struggle be-
tween the states, and l, being about
sixteen at the time, preferred TO go In
to active service af1oat rather than to
the Naval academy. AS 1t was. saw
nothing but blockadlng service, and
latter the war was doomed to the mer-
chant service.
"This is only preliminary to what I'm
the sixties was mate of brigantine,
and we were picking up goods in ports
ON the China sea. One evening we
were coming down through the strait
Of Malacca when, after passing one of
the islands at the southern end, we
saw on our port quarter and nearly
abreast Of us as queer q looking little
craft as ever sat Oh the water. She
wasn't a common trader, for she was
shaped for speed. She wasn't yacht;
she wasn't sleek enough for a yacht.
Besides, she didn't carry yachting
faS-or any flag whatever, for that
matter-which set our teeth to chatter
ing In no time, for l never knew but
one kind of craft that didn't show
colors, and when that kind do show
them they invariably hoist the skull
and crOssbOnes.
at wasn't long before we could see
that she was shaping her course TO mar
row the distance between US, and we
shaped ours to keep apart This didn't
suit the suspicious vessel, and she put
her nose closer still and before long
was heading right for us. Then we
could see the smoke bullying out Of her
stack, and she came through the water
like present day motor boat.
You couldn't get me to 60 over what
followed for the biggest farm or the
biggest ship In the world. After the
crew, captain and first mate bad step
ped off the plank and 1t came my turn
one Of the pirate crew came up to the
captain and said something to him.
The captain turned to me.
where's the treasure boxr he
asked.
There was no treasure box worthy |
of the name aboard but l caught at a
straw and pretended to try to remem-
Der.
"'Come, hurry up with your think
ing If you want comfortable death In
cool water. There are hot irons for |
people with poor memories
al don't really know. captain, but /
suspect there's lot Of money In the
ship, and If any one can find it can.
"'Well, hunt for it.
"Since my life depended on finding
money, l hunted for my life. 1t was
dusk when | began, and worked hard
till 0 o'clock, when the captain sent
for ME to come into the cabin. He had
fine dinner set before him and was
Just falling to. He asked me II l had
found the treasure, and 1 admitted that
had not.
"'Sit down here and tell me what
you know about it,
II concOcted Il yarn about suspi-
cious looking box that the captain had
watched while 1t was being brought
aboard and made the story plausible.
let out that had been In the United
States navy. The pirate pricked up his
ears at this and passed me the bottle.
"An idea, a hope, straw to catch att
Could l drink the man drunk? l re-
membered how my father when in the
navy had told me of terrible drinking
bouts between the American and Brit
ish naval officers and how dirty, vel
low faced, pigtalled man had put him
on to secret whereby he could go
through the worst bibular contest and
come out perfectly sober. There was
q bottle of olive oil ON the table-some
we had taken in at Leghorn-that the
pirate had used to make potato salad |
with. / clumsily knocked it over,
picked 1t up and with q spoon ladled
he spilled oil into my wineglass.
Then / looked for something to turn '
It into from the glass and, not see s
ng anything, drank 1t off. Ny host !
that to do such thing would .
make him sick as a dog, but took no /
further notice Of my act. AS l had 9
supposed, he was a hard drlnker, and !
We sat pouring down one bottle after
mother. Now and again would pique
Tim by suggesting that he had had
enough, whereupon he would cali for .
resh bottle. and 1 could see he was I
)ent on laying me out. His original in p
ention was to find out II l really knew e
Inything about the ships treasure, but e
Is we proceeded he became interested b
n showing me that he could put me 4
lnder the table. / drank every time
ie did, and as | did not show any ef-
ect Of the liquor the captain was as
onished. But he wouldn't give up, and
We drank on. / could hear sounds
rom without, indicating that his men
ad got into our liquor and were roar
ng drunk. At midnight had the sat
sfaction TO see the pirate captain slide r.
nder the table. while was compare a
lively sober. h
"What was It? The olive oil. l had =
runk second glass In the middle CT =,
be bout. and the two saved me. :,
ont know whether the oil floats on top =
( the liqror and keeps the fumes from :
he brain or whether 1t forms a coat :"
ng in the stomach that prevents the -
DESCRIPTION of alcohol. All know Is II ~
worked like charm. ~
II waited till there was not sound re
r a whOop on the ship, then stole out, u
into a small boat and rowed
D shore" THEODORE GILSEN.
0Tr~ -,