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

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

"I tell you ," said the other "Aye, say he buried quantity of treasure little flat that runs out river, called the Devil's Dans Kammer "[1]

[1] huge, flat rock, projecting 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 plague of Kidd haunts ? "

[1] "In your teeth," phrase to denote direct opposition or defiance

"What do ? " echoed the half-pay officer "Why, in London 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 fellow hanged as ever trod shoe leather Aye ! " putting his face nearer officer, "and many landlubber[1] looked might much better have swung stead "

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

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

Peechy Prauw, who never could remain silent, observed gentleman certainly was right Kidd never did bury money up the Hudson, nor indeed in any parts, though many affirmed such the fact Bradish[1] and others buccaneers who had buried money, some said in Turtle Bay,[2] others on Long Island, others neighborhood of Hell Gate "Indeed," added he, "I recollect an adventure of Sam, the negro fisherman, many , which some think had something buccaneers all friends here, and go no further, I'll tell it

[1] Bradish was pirate whose actions were blended popular mind with those of Kidd boatswain of ship which sailed from England in 1697, and which, like Kidd's, bore the name Adventure absence captain on shore, he seized the ship and set out on piratical cruise After amassing fortune, he sailed for America and deposited large amount wealth with confederate on Long Island apprehended in Rhode Island, sent to England, and executed

[2] small cove East River two miles north of Corlear's Hook

"Upon dark night many , as Black Sam was returning from fishing in Hell Gate--"

Here the story was nipped bud by sudden movement unknown, who, laying his iron fist table, knuckles downward, with quiet force that indented the very boards, and looking grimly over his shoulder, grin of an angry bear,-- "Hearkee, neighbor," said he, with significant nodding 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 ; and wherever it lies buried, depend upon it tug devil who gets it !

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

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

company could recover silence into which they thrown The very footsteps stranger, which were heard as he traversed his chamber, inspired awe

Still the conversation they engaged was too interesting not resumed heavy thunder gust had gathered up unnoticed while they were lost in talk, 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 the tale which so discourteously interrupted He readily complied, whispering, however, in tone scarcely above his breath, and drowned occasionally rolling thunder; and pause every and listen, with evident awe, as he heard the heavy footsteps stranger pacing overhead The following purport story:

Adventure Black Fisherman

Everybody knows Black Sam, the old negro fisherman, or, as commonly called, "Mud Sam," who has fished Sound half century now many years since Sam, who was then as active young negro as any province, and worked farm of Killian Suydam on Long Island, having finished his day's work at an early hour, was fishing, one still summer evening, just neighborhood of Hell Gate

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

[1] long, narrow island East River, between New York and Long Island City

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