{"id":"01KG8AKY4Y854SQS3E60KX6AQ4","cid":"bafkreihbze25nwsvrxpdj3zxppwwbn72p3bhaovkv75jntkpexxidf7kni","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":2198,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:18.534Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 4","source_file":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","start_line":2139,"text":"heavy withal. Regardless of Jarl’s entreaties, I managed to burst the\r\nlid; thereby revealing a motley assemblage of millinery, and outlandish\r\nknick-knacks of all sorts; together with sundry rude Calico\r\ncontrivances, which though of unaccountable cut, nevertheless possessed\r\na certain petticoatish air, and latitude of skirt, betokening them the\r\nhabiliments of some feminine creature; most probably of the human\r\nspecies.\r\n\r\nIn this strong box, also, was a canvas bag, jingling with rusty old\r\nbell-buttons, gangrened copper bolts, and sheathing nails; damp,\r\ngreenish Carolus dollars (true coin all), besides divers iron screws,\r\nand battered, chisels, and belaying-pins. Sounded on the chest lid, the\r\ndollars rang clear as convent bells. These were put aside by Jarl the\r\nsight of substantial dollars doing away, for the nonce, with his\r\nsuperstitious Misgivings. True to his kingship, he loved true coin;\r\nthough abroad on the sea, and no land but dollarless dominions ground,\r\nall this silver was worthless as charcoal or diamonds. Nearly one and\r\nthe same thing, say the chemists; but tell that to the marines, say the\r\nilliterate Jews and the jewelers. Go, buy a house, or a ship, if you\r\ncan, with your charcoal! Yea, all the woods in Canada charred down to\r\ncinders would not be worth the one famed Brazilian diamond, though no\r\nbigger than the egg of a carrier pigeon. Ah! but these chemists are\r\nliars, and Sir Humphrey Davy a cheat. Many’s the poor devil they’ve\r\ndeluded into the charcoal business, who otherwise might have made his\r\nfortune with a mattock.\r\n\r\nGroping again into the chest, we brought to light a queer little hair\r\ntrunk, very bald and rickety. At every corner was a mighty clamp, the\r\nweight of which had no doubt debilitated the box. It was jealously\r\nsecured with a padlock, almost as big as itself; so that it was almost\r\na question, which was meant to be security to the other. Prying at it\r\nhard, we at length effected an entrance; but saw no golden moidores, no\r\nruddy doubloons; nothing under heaven but three pewter mugs, such as\r\nare used in a ship’s cabin, several brass screws, and brass plates,\r\nwhich must have belonged to a quadrant; together with a famous lot of\r\nglass beads, and brass rings; while, pasted on the inside of the cover,\r\nwas a little colored print, representing the harlots, the shameless\r\nhussies, having a fine time with the Prodigal Son.\r\n\r\nIt should have been mentioned ere now, that while we were busy in the\r\nforecastle, we were several times startled by strange sounds aloft. And\r\njust after, crashing into the little hair trunk, down came a great\r\ntop-block, right through the scuttle, narrowly missing my Viking’s\r\ncrown; a much stronger article, by the way, than your goldsmiths turn\r\nout in these days. This startled us much; particularly Jarl, as one\r\nmight suppose; but accustomed to the strange creakings and wheezings of\r\nthe masts and yards of old vessels at sea, and having many a time\r\ndodged stray blocks accidentally falling from aloft, I thought little\r\nmore of the matter; though my comrade seemed to think the noises\r\nsomewhat different from any thing of that kind he had even heard\r\nbefore.\r\n\r\nAfter a little more turning over of the rubbish in the forecastle, and\r\nmuch marveling thereat, we ascended to the deck; where we found every\r\nthing so silent, that, as we moved toward the taffrail, the Skyeman\r\nunconsciously addressed me in a whisper.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 4"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJQXPX7QNG2ZFGY6JY89K","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1HYC04JWXEK48P07WPK","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKY505NH0T0ZKD1Y91NAX","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:20.638Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:27.441Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}