_Item Fifth_
MY one-great-grandfather was a renowned sailor, of such repute his name
was known in all the countries of the earth. It may not be amiss to
relate the occurrences of a single voyage made by him, the like of which
has not been met with since nor had been met with before.
He determined to sail around the earth in a straight line, for it was
known, even by my remote ancestor, the earth was round. It was difficult
for him to get a sufficient crew for his ship, but as he had made a
wager with the king, of a thousand talents of gold, he could do it, and
offered to divide the result with his sailors, he at last had his ship
manned and ready to sail. The last thing put aboard was a great trough
made in sections.
He set sail upon a day in June. After sailing before a stiff breeze for
many days, land was sighted, toward which the ship’s nose was pointed.
At this the sailors became alarmed, for they were sure they would be
dashed to pieces on the shore, which, however, was a sandy beach. But my
forefather kept on his course and when they were within a short distance
of the beach, he made known the use to which he was about to put the
trough, which was to lay it before the ship in such manner the keel
would run in it and as fast as she left one section behind it was taken
up and placed down before.
In this manner they sailed until they came to a large lake, across which
he kept his course, having again placed the trough on board. When they
reached the other side, the trough was again brought into requisition.
And so they sailed across the continent and into the other ocean.
When they had crossed this and were once more sailing along the trough
across the next and last continent the natives appeared in great
numbers, thinking it was an angel or a god, for the white wings above
the boat looked strange and unearthly to them. And so it was to prove
their belief they brought great nuggets of gold and piled them in the
way of the ship in such quantities the boat was soon loaded by the crew
with such a stock of yellow metal my forefather feared she would sink
when she was again launched into the sea. Therefore just before again
embarking he hid away a large part of the treasure, which he afterward
returned and got.
[Illustration]
As they were sailing now toward home he saw the king’s navy ahead drawn
up in battle array. This he could not understand, but it was soon made
plain to him, by reasoning that the king could not afford to part with
so much gold and had sent out his ships to sink him should he ever
appear. But he nevertheless sailed straight toward them, which again
alarmed the sailors, for by the division of the gold now on board and
what had been left behind each was so rich he could hardly wait to get
home and begin to spend his wealth.
Now it turned out the king himself was upon the ship toward which my
ancestor was sailing, and he made ready for battle; for that was part of
the plan he had in mind when he made the wager, knowing my forefather to
be a very determined and wise man. My forebear, however, did not know
the king was on board, and grieved ever after that such should have been
the case.
When he was about a league off he caused to be brought up from the hold
some planks which were then formed into a large rudder, which he put
behind the ship, but not held as a rudder ordinarily is, it being laid
flat on the water. It was now observed the masts were hinged where they
entered the ship.
When he had come within about three ship lengths he put a great force on
the rudder and bent the masts backward against powerful springs. The
pushing down upon the rudder caused the ship’s nose to dip down and to
enter the water, which it did with such rapidity it shot clear below the
other ship and would have passed without accident had not one of the
sailors lost his presence of mind and released the masts just as the
boat was coming up on the other side. The masts sprung upright with such
speed and force they caught the ship the king was on, threw it high in
the air, turning it upside down and throwing all upon it into the sea
and they were drowned.
When my forefather landed he went to the palace of the king to demand
his talents of gold. He then learned the king had been on that
particular ship, and knew he must have perished.
The renown of the voyage spread like wildfire and created such a
sentiment nothing would do but my forefather must be made king, and he
was crowned at once, and having so much gold his kingdom became the
richest in the world.
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