Wolfert Webber, or Golden Dreams by Washington Irving
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may land to bother some people on_the other side of_the world; though it's a thousand pities," added he, " if he has gone to Davy Jones's[1] locker, that he had_not left his own locker[2] behind him ."

[1] Davy Jones is_the spirit of_the sea, or the sea devil, and Davy Jones's locker is_the bottom of_the ocean; hence, " gone to Davy Jones's locker" signifies " dead and buried in_the sea ."

[2] chest .

" his locker ! St .Nicholas preserve us ! " cried Peechy Prauw ."I'd not have_had that sea chest in_the house for any money; I'll warrant he'd come racketing after it at nights, and making a haunted house of_the inn . and as to_his going to sea in_his chest, I recollect what happened to skipper Onderdonk's ship on_his voyage from Amsterdam .

" the boatswain died during a storm, so they wrapped him up in a sheet, and put him in_his own sea chest, and threw him overboard; but they neglected, in their hurry-skurry, to_say prayers over him, and_the storm raged and roared louder than ever, and_they saw the dead man seated in_his chest, with_his shroud for a sail, coming hard after_the ship, and_the sea breaking before him in great sprays like fire; and there they kept scudding day after day and night after night, expecting every moment to_go to wreck; and every night they saw the dead boatswain in_his sea chest trying to_get up with_them, and_they heard his whistle above the blasts of wind, and he_seemed to send great seas, mountain high, after them that_would_have swamped the ship if_they had_not put up the deadlights . and so it went on till they lost sight of him in_the fogs off Newfoundland, and supposed he had veered ship and stood for dead man's isle .[1] so_much for burying a man at sea without saying prayers over him ."

[1] probably Deadman's point, a small island near Deadman's Bay, off the eastern coast of Newfoundland .

the thunder gust which had hitherto detained the company was now at an end . the cuckoo clock in_the hall told midnight; everyone pressed to depart, for seldom was such a late hour of_the night trespassed on by_these quiet burghers . as_they sallied forth they found the heavens once more serene . the storm which had lately obscured them had rolled away, and lay piled up in fleecy masses on_the horizon, lighted up by_the bright crescent of_the moon, which looked like a little silver lamp hung up in a palace of clouds .

the dismal occurrence of_the night, and_the dismal narrations they had made, had left a superstitious feeling in every mind . they cast a fearful glance at_the spot where the buccaneer had disappeared, almost expecting to_see him sailing on_his chest in_the cool moonshine . the trembling rays glittered along the waters, but all was placid, and_the current dimpled over the spot where he had gone down . the party huddled together in a little crowd as_they repaired homeward, particularly when_they passed a lonely field where a man had_been murdered, and even the Sexton, who had to complete his journey alone, though accustomed, one would think, to ghosts and goblins, went a long way round rather than pass by his own churchyard .

Wolfert Webber had now carried home a fresh stock of stories and notions to ruminate upon . these accounts of pots of money and Spanish treasures, buried here and there and everywhere about_the rocks and bays of_these wild shores, made him almost dizzy ."Blessed St .Nicholas ! " ejaculated he, half aloud, " is_it not possible to_come upon one_of_these golden hoards, and to_make oneself rich in atwinkling ? how hard that I_must go on, delving and delving, day in and day out, merely to_make a morsel of bread, when one lucky stroke of a spade might enable me to ride in my carriage for_the rest of_my life ! "

as he turned over in_his thoughts all that had_been told of_the singular adventure of_the Negro fisherman, his imagination gave a totally different complexion[1] to_the tale . he_saw in_the gang of red-caps nothing but a crew of pirates burying their spoils, and_his cupidity was once more awakened by_the possibility of at_length getting on_the traces of some_of_this lurking wealth . indeed, his infected fancy tinged everything with gold . he_felt like the greedy inhabitant of Bagdad when his eyes had_been greased with_the magic ointment of_the dervish, that gave him to_see all the treasures of_the earth .[2] Caskets of buried jewels, chests of ingots, and barrels of outlandish coins seemed to court him from their concealments, and supplicate him to relieve them from their untimely graves .

[1] aspect .

[2] see story of_the blind man, Baba Abdalla, in Arabian Nights' entertainment . an inhabitant of Bagdad, Asiatic turkey, meets with a dervish, or Turkish monk, who presents him with a vast treasure and with a box of magic ointment, which, applied to_the left eye, enables one to_see the treasures in_the bosom of_the earth, but on touching the right eye, causes blindness .Having applied it to_the left eye with_the result predicted, he uses it on_his right eye, in_the hope_that still greater treasures may_be revealed, and immediately becomes blind .

on making private inquiries about_the grounds said to_be haunted by feather red-cap, he_was more and more confirmed in_his surmise . he learned that_the place had several_times been visited by experienced money diggers who had heard black Sam's story, though none_of_them had met with success . on_the contrary, they had always been dogged with ill luck of some kind or other, in consequence, as Wolfert concluded, of not going to work at_the proper time and with_the proper ceremonials . the last attempt had_been made by Cobus Quackenbos, who dug for a whole night, and met with incredible difficulty, for as fast as he threw one shovelful of earth out_of_the hole, two were thrown in by invisible hands . he succeeded so_far, however, as_to uncover an iron chest, when there_was a terrible roaring, ramping, and raging of uncouth figures about_the hole, and at_length a shower of blows, dealt by invisible cudgels, fairly belabored him off of_the forbidden ground . this Cobus Quackenbos had declared on_his deathbed, so_that there could_not_be any doubt of it . he_was a man that had devoted many years of_his life to money digging, and it_was thought would_have ultimately succeeded had he not died recently of a brain fever in_the almshouse .

Wolfert Webber was now in a worry of trepidation and impatience, fearful lest some rival adventurer should get a scent of_the buried gold . he determined privately to seek out the black fisherman, and get him to_serve as guide to_the place where he had witnessed the mysterious scene of interment .Sam was easily found, for he_was one of_those old habitual beings that live about a neighborhood until they wear themselves a place in_the public mind, and become, in a manner, public characters . there_was not an unlucky urchin about town that did_not know Sam the fisherman, and think that he had a right to play his tricks upon_the old Negro .Sam had led an amphibious life for more than half a century, about_the shores of_the bay and_the fishing grounds of_the sound . he passed the greater part of_his time on and in_the water, particularly about Hell gate, and might_have_been taken, in bad weather, for one_of_the hobgoblins that used to haunt that strait . there would he be seen, at all times and in all weathers, sometimes in_his skiff, anchored among_the eddies, or prowling like a shark about some wreck, where the fish are supposed to_be most abundant; sometimes seated on a rock from hour to hour, looking, in_the mist and drizzle, like a solitary heron watching for its prey . he_was well acquainted with every hole and corner of_the sound, from_the Wallabout[1] to Hell gate, and from Hell gate unto the devil's Stepping-Stones; and it_was even affirmed that he_knew all the fish in_the river by their Christian names .

[1] abay of_the east river, on_which the Brooklyn navy yard is situated .

Wolfert found him at his cabin, which_was not much larger than a tolerable dog house . it_was rudely constructed of fragments of wrecks and driftwood, and built on_the rocky shore at_the foot of_the old fort, just about what at present forms the point of_the battery .[1] a" very ancient and fishlike smell"[2] pervaded the place .Oars, paddles, and fishing rods were leaning against the wall of_the fort, a net was spread on_the sand to dry, a skiff was drawn up on_the beach, and at_the door of_his cabin was mud Sam himself, indulging in_the true Negro luxury of sleeping in_the sunshine .

[1] the southern extremity of New_York city .

[2] see Shakespeare's the tempest, act ii ., sc .2 .

many years had passed away since_the time of Sam's youthful adventure, and_the snows of many a winter had grizzled the knotty wool upon his head . he perfectly recollected the circumstances, however, for he had often been called upon to relate them, though in_his version of_the story he differed in many points from Peechy Prauw, as is_not infrequently the case with authentic historians . as_to_the subsequent researches of money diggers, Sam knew nothing about_them; they were matters quite out of_his line; neither did the cautious Wolfert care to disturb his thoughts on_that point . his only wish was to secure the old fisherman as a pilot to_the spot, and this_was readily effected . the long_time that had intervened since his nocturnal adventure had effaced all Sam's awe of_the place, and_the promise of atrifling reward roused him at once from_his sleep and_his sunshine .

the tide was adverse to making the expedition by water, and Wolfert was too impatient to_get to_the land of promise to wait for its turning; they set off, therefore, by land .a walk of four or five miles brought them to_the edge of a wood, which at_that_time covered the greater part of_the eastern side of_the island . it_was just beyond the pleasant region of Bloomen-dael .[1] here they struck into a long lane, straggling among trees and bushes very_much overgrown with weeds and mullein stalks, as_if but seldom used, and so completely overshadowed as_to enjoy but a kind of twilight . wild vines entangled the trees and flaunted in their faces; brambles and briers caught their clothes as_they passed; the garter snake glided across their path; the spotted toad hopped and waddled before them; and_the restless catbird mewed at them from every thicket . had Wolfert Webber been deeply read in romantic legend he_might_have fancied himself entering upon forbidden, enchanted ground, or that_these were some_of_the guardians set to_keep watch upon buried treasure . as it_was, the loneliness of_the place, and_the wild stories connected with it, had their effect upon his mind .

[1] at_the_time this story was written Bloomen-dael ( flowery valley) was a village four miles from New_York . it_is now that part of New_York known as Bloomingdale, on_the west side, between about Seventieth and one hundredth Streets .

on reaching the lower end of_the lane they found themselves near the shore of_the sound, in a kind of amphitheater surrounded by forest trees . the area had once been a grass plot, but was now shagged with briers and rank weeds . at one end, and just on_the river bank, was a ruined building, little better than a heap of rubbish, with a stack of chimneys rising like a solitary tower out_of_the center . the current of_the sound rushed along just below it, with wildly grown trees drooping their branches into its waves .

Wolfert had_not a doubt that_this was_the haunted house of father red-cap, and called to mind the story of Peechy Prauw . the evening was approaching, and_the light, falling dubiously among_the woody places, gave a melancholy tone to_the scene well calculated to foster any lurking feeling of awe or superstition . the night hawk, Wheeling about in_the highest regions of_the air, emitted his peevish, boding cry . the woodpecker gave a lonely tap now_and_then on some hollow tree, and_the firebird[1] streamed by_them with_his deep red plumage .

[1] orchard oriole .

they now came to an inclosure that had once been a garden . it extended along the foot of a rocky ridge, but was little better than a wilderness of weeds, with here and there a matted rosebush, or a peach or plum tree, grown wild and ragged, and covered with moss . at_the lower end of_the garden they passed a kind of vault in_the side of a bank, facing the water . it had the look of a root house .[1] the door, though decayed, was still strong, and appeared to_have_been recently patched up .Wolfert pushed it open . it gave a harsh grating upon its hinges, and striking against something like a box, arattling sound ensued, and a skull rolled on_the floor .Wolfert drew back shuddering, but was reassured on being informed by_the Negro that_this was a family vault, belonging to one_of_the old Dutch families that owned this estate, an assertion corroborated by_the sight of coffins of various sizes piled within .Sam had_been familiar with all these scenes when a boy, and now knew that he_could_not be far from_the place of_which they were in quest .

[1] " root house," i .e ., a house for storing up potatoes, turnips, or other roots for_the winter feed of cattle .

they now made their way to_the water's edge, scrambling along ledges of rocks that overhung the waves, and obliged often to hold by shrubs and grapevines to avoid slipping into_the deep and hurried stream . at_length they came to a small cove, or rather indent of_the shore . it_was protected by steep rocks, and overshadowed by a thick copse of oaks and chestnuts, so as to_be sheltered and almost concealed . the beach shelved gradually within_the cove, but, the current

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