Wolfert Webber, or Golden Dreams by Washington Irving
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in freebooting history . it_was to him a wonderful instance of_the revolutions of mighty empires, to_find the venerable Ramm Rapelye thus ousted from_the throne, and a rugged tarpaulin[1] dictating from_his elbow chair, hectoring the patriarchs, and filling this tranquil little realm with brawl and bravado .

[1] a kind of canvas used about a ship; hence, a sailor .

the stranger was, on_this evening, in a more than usually communicative mood, and was narrating a number of astounding stories of plunderings and burnings on_the high seas . he dwelt upon them with peculiar relish, heightening the frightful particulars in proportion to_their effect on_his peaceful auditors . he_gave aswaggering detail of_the capture of a Spanish merchantman . she was lying becalmed during a long summer's day, just off from_the island which_was one_of_the lurking places of_the pirates . they had reconnoitered her with their spyglasses from_the shore, and ascertained her character and force . at night a picked crew of daring fellows set off for her in awhaleboat . they approached with muffled oars, as she lay rocking idly with_the undulations of_the sea, and her sails flapping against the masts . they were close under the stern before_the guard on deck was aware of_their approach . the alarm was given; the pirates threw hand grenades[1] on deck, and sprang up the main chains,[2] sword in hand .

[1] " hand grenades," i .e ., small shells of iron or glass filled with gunpowder and thrown by hand .

[2] " main chains," i .e ., strong bars of iron bolted at_the lower end to_the side of a vessel, and secured at_the upper end to_the iron straps of_the blocks by_which the shrouds supporting the masts are extended .

the crew flew to arms, but in great confusion; some were shot down, others took refuge in_the tops, others were driven overboard and drowned, while others fought hand to hand from_the main deck to_the quarter- deck, disputing gallantly every inch of ground . there were three Spanish gentlemen on board, with their ladies, who_made the most desperate resistance . they defended the companion way,[1] cut down several of_their assailants, and fought like very devils, for they were maddened by_the shrieks of_the ladies from_the cabin . one_of_the dons was old, and soon dispatched . the other two kept their ground vigorously, even though the captain of_the pirates was among their assailants . just then there_was a shout of victory from_the main deck ." the ship is ours ! " cried the pirates .

[1] the companion way is a staircase leading to_the cabin of a ship .

one_of_the dons immediately dropped his sword and surrendered; the other, who was a hot- headed youngster, and just married, gave the captain a slash in_the face that laid all open . the captain just made out to articulate the words, " no quarter ."

" and what did they_do with their prisoners ? " said Peechy Prauw eagerly .

" threw them all overboard," was_the answer .a dead pause followed the reply .Peechy Prauw sank quietly back, like a man who had unwarily stolen upon_the lair of asleeping lion . the honest burghers cast fearful glances at_the deep scar slashed across the visage of_the stranger, and moved their chairs a little farther off . the seaman, however, smoked on without moving a muscle, as_though he either did_not perceive, or did_not regard, the unfavorable effect he had produced upon his hearers .

the half- pay officer was_the first to break the silence, for he_was continually tempted to_make ineffectual head against this tyrant of_the seas, and to regain his lost consequence in_the eyes of_his ancient companions . he now tried to match the gunpowder tales of_the stranger by others equally tremendous .Kidd, as usual, was his hero, concerning whom he_seemed to_have picked up many_of_the floating traditions of_the province . the seaman had always evinced a settled pique against the one- eyed warrior . on_this occasion he listened with peculiar impatience . he sat with one arm akimbo, the other elbow on_the table, the hand holding on to_the small pipe he_was pettishly puffing, his legs crossed, drumming with one foot on_the ground, and casting every now_and_then the side glance of a basilisk at_the prosing captain . at_length the latter spoke of Kidd's having ascended the Hudson with some of_his crew, to land his plunder in secrecy .

Kidd up the Hudson ! " burst forth the seaman, with a tremendous oath; "Kidd never was up the Hudson ! "

"I tell you he_was," said the other ."Aye, and_they say he buried a quantity of treasure on_the little flat that runs out into_the river, called the devil's Dans Kammer ."[1]

[1] a huge, flat rock, projecting into_the Hudson river above the Highlands .

" the devil's Dans Kammer in your teeth ! "[1] cried the seaman ."I tell you Kidd never was up the Hudson . what a plague do_you_know of Kidd and_his haunts ? "

[1] " in your teeth," a phrase to denote direct opposition or Defiance .

" what do I_know ? " echoed the half- pay officer ." why, i_was in London at_the_time of_his trial; aye, and I had the pleasure of seeing him hanged at execution dock ."

" then, sir, let me tell you that you saw as pretty a fellow hanged as ever trod shoe leather .Aye ! " putting his face nearer to_that of_the officer, " and there_was many alandlubber[1] looked on_that might much better have swung in_his stead ."

[1] a term of contempt used by seamen for_those who pass their lives on land .

the half- pay officer was silenced; but the indignation thus pent up in_his bosom glowed with intense vehemence in_his single eye, which kindled like a coal .

Peechy Prauw, who never could remain silent, observed that_the gentleman certainly was in_the right .Kidd never did bury money up the Hudson, nor indeed in any of_those parts, though many affirmed such to_be the fact . it_was Bradish[1] and others of_the buccaneers who had buried money, some said in turtle Bay,[2] others on Long_Island, others in_the neighborhood of Hell gate ." indeed," added he, "I recollect an adventure of Sam, the Negro fisherman, many years_ago, which some think had something to_do with_the buccaneers . as_we_are all friends here, and as_it_will go no further, I'll tell it to_you .

[1] Bradish was a pirate whose actions were blended in_the popular mind with those of Kidd . he_was boatswain of a ship which sailed from England in 1697, and which, like Kidd's, bore the name of_the adventure . in_the absence of_the captain on shore, he seized the ship and set out on a piratical cruise . after amassing a fortune, he sailed for America and deposited a large amount of_his wealth with a confederate on Long_Island . he_was apprehended in Rhode_Island, sent to England, and executed .

[2] a small cove in_the east river two miles north of Corlear's hook .

" upon a dark night many years_ago, as black Sam was returning from fishing in Hell gate--"

here the story was nipped in_the bud by a sudden movement from_the unknown, who, laying his iron fist on_the table, knuckles downward, with a quiet force that indented the very boards, and looking grimly over his shoulder, with_the grin of an angry bear,-- "Hearkee, neighbor," said he, with significant nodding of_the head, " you'd better let the buccaneers and their money alone; they're not for old men and old women to meddle with . they fought hard for their money-- they gave body and soul for_it; and wherever it lies buried, depend upon it he_must_have a tug with_the devil who gets it !

this sudden explosion was succeeded by a blank silence throughout_the room .Peechy Prauw shrunk within himself, and even the one- eyed officer turned pale .Wolfert, who from a dark corner of_the room had listened with intense eagerness to all this talk about buried treasure, looked with mingled awe and reverence at_this bold buccaneer, for such he really suspected him to_be . there_was achinking of gold and asparkling of jewels in all his stories about_the Spanish main that gave a value to every period, and Wolfert would_have given anything for_the rummaging of_the ponderous sea chest, which his imagination crammed full of golden chalices, crucifixes, and jolly round bags of doubloons .

the dead stillness that had fallen upon_the company was at_length interrupted by_the stranger, who pulled out a prodigious watch of curious and ancient workmanship, and which in Wolfert's eyes had a decidedly Spanish look . on touching a spring, it struck ten o'clock, upon_which the sailor called for_his reckoning, and having paid it out of a handful of outlandish coin, he drank off the remainder of_his beverage, and without taking leave of anyone, rolled out_of_the room, muttering to himself as he stamped upstairs to_his chamber .

it_was some_time before_the company could recover from_the silence into which they had_been thrown . the very footsteps of_the stranger, which were heard now_and_then as he traversed his chamber, inspired awe .

still the conversation in_which they had_been engaged was too interesting not to_be resumed .a heavy thunder gust had gathered up unnoticed while they were lost in talk, and_the torrents of rain that fell forbade all thoughts of setting off for home until the storm should subside . they drew nearer together, therefore, and entreated the worthy Peechy Prauw to_continue the tale which had_been so discourteously interrupted . he readily complied, whispering, however, in a tone scarcely above his breath, and drowned occasionally by_the rolling of_the thunder; and he_would pause every now_and_then and listen, with evident awe, as he heard the heavy footsteps of_the stranger pacing overhead . the following is_the purport of_his story:

adventure of_the black fisherman

everybody knows black Sam, the old Negro fisherman, or, as he_is commonly called, " mud Sam," who has fished about_the sound for_the_last half century . it_is now many years since Sam, who was then as active a young Negro as any in_the province, and worked on_the farm of Killian Suydam on Long_Island, having finished his day's work at an early hour, was fishing, one still summer evening, just about_the neighborhood of Hell gate .

he_was in a light skiff, and being well acquainted with_the currents and eddies, had shifted his station, according to_the shifting of_the tide, from_the Hen and Chickens to_the hog's back, from_the hog's back to_the pot, and from_the pot to_the Frying pan; but in_the eagerness of_his sport he_did_not_see that_the tide was rapidly ebbing, until the roaring of_the whirlpools and eddies warned him of_his danger, and he had some difficulty in shooting his skiff from among_the rocks and breakers, and getting to_the point of Blackwell's island .[1] here he cast anchor for some_time, waiting the turn of_the tide to enable him to return homeward . as_the night set in, it grew blustering and gusty . dark clouds came bundling up in_the west, and now_and_then a growl of thunder or a flash of lightning told that a summer storm was at hand .Sam pulled over, therefore, under the lee of Manhattan island, and, coasting along, came to a snug nook, just under a steep, beetling rock, where he fastened his skiff to_the root of a tree that shot out from a cleft, and spread its broad branches like a canopy over the water . the gust came scouring along, the wind threw up the river in white surges, the rain rattled among_the leaves, the thunder bellowed worse than that which_is now bellowing, the lightning seemed to lick up the surges of_the stream; but Sam, snugly sheltered under rock and tree, lay crouching in_his skiff, rocking upon_the billows until he fell asleep .

[1] a long, narrow island in_the east river, between New_York and Long_Island city .

when he woke all was quiet . the gust had passed away, and only now_and_then a faint gleam of lightning in_the east showed which_way it had gone . the night was dark and moonless, and from_the state of_the tide Sam concluded it_was near midnight . he_was on_the point of making loose his skiff to return homeward when he_saw a light gleaming along the water from a distance, which seemed rapidly approaching . as it drew near he perceived it came from a lantern in_the bow of a boat gliding along under shadow of_the land . it pulled up in a small cove close to where he_was .a man jumped on shore, and searching about with_the lantern, exclaimed, " this_is_the place-- here's the iron ring ." the boat was then made fast, and_the man, returning on board, assisted his comrades in conveying something heavy on shore . as_the light gleamed among them, Sam saw that_they were five stout, desperate- looking fellows, in red woolen caps, with a leader in a three- cornered hat, and_that some_of_them were armed with dirks, or long knives, and pistols . they talked low to one another, and occasionally in some outlandish tongue which he_could_not understand .

on landing they made their way among_the bushes, taking turns to relieve each_other in lugging their burden up the rocky bank .Sam's curiosity was now fully aroused, so leaving his skiff he clambered silently up a ridge that overlooked their path . they had stopped to rest for a moment, and_the leader was looking about among_the bushes with_his lantern ." have_you brought the spades ? " said one ." they_are here," replied another, who had them on_his shoulder ." we_must dig deep, where there_will_be no risk of discovery," said a third .

a cold chill ran through Sam's veins . he fancied he_saw before him a gang of murderers, about to bury their victim . his knees smote together . in_his agitation he shook the branch of a tree with_which he_was supporting himself as he looked over the edge of_the cliff .

" what's that ? " cried one_of_the gang ." some one stirs among_the bushes ! "

the lantern was held up in_the direction of_the

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