True Stories From History and Biography by Nathaniel Hawthorne Page B

make it
suitable for such a magnificent looking personage.
    But Sir William Phips had not always worn a gold embroidered coat, nor
always sat so much at his ease as he did in Grandfather's chair. He was a
poor man's son, and was born in the province of Maine, where he used to
tend sheep upon the hills, in his boyhood and youth. Until he had grown to
be a man, he did not even know how to read and write. Tired of tending
sheep, he next apprenticed himself to a ship-carpenter, and spent about
four years in hewing the crooked limbs of oak trees into knees for
vessels.
    In 1673, when he was twenty-two years old, he came to Boston, and soon
afterwards was married to a widow lady, who had property enough to set him
up in business. It was not long, however, before he lost all the money
that he had acquired by his marriage, and became a poor man again. Still,
he was not discouraged. He often told his wife that, some time or other,
he should be very rich, and would build a "fair brick house" in the Green
Lane of Boston.
    Do not suppose, children, that he had been to a fortune-teller to inquire
his destiny. It was his own energy and spirit of enterprise, and his
resolution to lead an industrious life, that made him look forward with so
much confidence to better days.
    Several years passed away; and William Phips had not yet gained the riches
which he promised to himself. During this time he had begun to follow the
sea for a living. In the year 1684, he happened to hear of a Spanish ship,
which had been cast away near the Bahama Islands, and which was supposed
to contain a great deal of gold and silver. Phips went to the place in a
small vessel, hoping that he should be able to recover some of the
treasure from the wreck. He did not succeed, however, in fishing up gold
and silver enough to pay the expenses of his voyage.
    But, before he returned, he was told of another Spanish ship or galleon,
which had been cast away near Porto de la Plata. She had now lain as much
as fifty years beneath the waves. This old ship had been laden with
immense wealth; and, hitherto, nobody had thought of the possibility of
recovering any part of it from the deep sea, which was rolling and tossing
it about. But though it was now an old story, and the most aged people had
almost forgotten that such a vessel had been wrecked. William Phips
resolved that the sunken treasure should again be brought to light.
    He went to London, and obtained admittance to King James, who had not yet
been driven from his throne. He told the king of the vast wealth that was
lying at the bottom of the sea. King James listened with attention, and
thought this a fine opportunity to fill his treasury with Spanish gold. He
appointed William Phips to be captain of a vessel, called the Rose Algier,
carrying eighteen guns and ninety-five men. So now he was Captain Phips of
the English navy.
    Captain Phips sailed from England in the Rose Algier, and cruised for
nearly two years in the West Indies, endeavoring to find the wreck of the
Spanish ship. But the sea is so wide and deep, that it is no easy matter
to discover the exact spot where a sunken vessel lies. The prospect of
success seemed very small; and most people would have thought that Captain
Phips was as far from having money enough to build a "fair brick house,"
as he was while he tended sheep.
    The seamen of the Rose Algier became discouraged, and gave up all hope of
making their fortunes by discovering the Spanish wreck. They wanted to
compel Captain Phips to turn pirate. There was a much better prospect,
they thought, of growing rich by plundering vessels, which still sailed
the sea, than by seeking for a ship that had lain beneath the waves full
half a century. They broke out in open mutiny, but were finally mastered
by Phips, and compelled to obey his orders. It would have been dangerous,
however, to continue much longer at sea with such a crew of mutinous
sailors; and, besides, the Rose Algier was leaky and unseaworthy.