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instance　they　repaired　to　the　doctor。　　There　was　at　that　time　a

little　dark；　moldy　man　of　medicine；　famous　among　the　old　wives　of

the　Manhattoes　for　his　skill；　not　only　in　the　healing　art；　but　in

all　matters　of　strange　and　mysterious　nature。　　His　name　was　Dr。

Knipperhausen；　but　he　was　more　commonly　known　by　the　appellation　of

the　〃High　German　Doctor。〃＇1＇　　To　him　did　the　poor　women　repair　for

counsel　and　assistance　touching　the　mental　vagaries　of　Wolfert

Webber。





＇1＇　The　same；　no　doubt；　of　whom　mention　is　made　in　the　history　of

Dolph　Heyliger。





They　found　the　doctor　seated　in　his　little　study；　clad　in　his　dark

camlet＇1＇　robe　of　knowledge；　with　his　black　velvet　cap；　after　the

manner　of　Boerhaave；＇2＇　Van　Helmont；＇3＇　and　other　medical　sages；　a

pair　of　green　spectacles　set　in　black　horn　upon　his　clubbed　nose；

and　poring　over　a　German　folio　that　reflected　back　the　darkness　of

his　physiognomy。　　The　doctor　listened　to　their　statement　of　the

symptoms　of　Wolfert's　malady　with　profound　attention；　but　when　they

came　to　mention　his　raving　about　buried　money　the　little　man

pricked　up　his　ears。　　Alas；　poor　women！　they　little　knew　the　aid

they　had　called　in。





＇1＇　A　fabric　made　of　goat's　hair　and　silk；　or　wool　and　cotton。



＇2＇　Hermann　Boerhaave　（1668…1738）；　a　celebrated　Dutch　physician　and

philosopher。



＇3＇　Jan　Baptista　Van　Helmont　（1577…1644）；　a　celebrated　Flemish

physician　and　chemist。





Dr。　Knipperhausen　had　been　half　his　life　engaged　in　seeking　the

short　cuts　to　fortune；　in　quest　of　which　so　many　a　long　lifetime　is

wasted。　　He　had　passed　some　years　of　his　youth　among　the　Harz＇1＇

mountains　of　Germany；　and　had　derived　much　valuable　instruction

from　the　miners　touching　the　mode　of　seeking　treasure　buried　in　the

earth。　　He　had　prosecuted　his　studies；　also；　under　a　traveling　sage

who　united　the　mysteries　of　medicine　with　magic　and　legerdemain。

His　mind；　therefore；　had　become　stored　with　all　kinds　of　mystic

lore；　he　had　dabbled　a　little　in　astrology；　alchemy；　divination；＇2＇

knew　how　to　detect　stolen　money；　and　to　tell　where　springs　of　water

lay　hidden；　in　a　word；　by　the　dark　nature　of　his　knowledge　he　had

acquired　the　name　of　the　〃High　German　Doctor；〃　which　is　pretty

nearly　equivalent　to　that　of　necromancer。　　The　doctor　had　often

heard　rumors　of　treasure　being　buried　in　various　parts　of　the

island；　and　had　long　been　anxious　to　get　on　the　traces　of　it。　　No

sooner　were　Wolfert's　waking　and　sleeping　vagaries　confided　to　him

than　he　beheld　in　them　the　confirmed　symptoms　of　a　case　of　money

digging；　and　lost　no　time　in　probing　it　to　the　bottom。　　Wolfert　had

long　been　sorely　oppressed　in　mind　by　the　golden　secret；　and　as　a

family　physician　is　a　kind　of　father　confessor；　he　was　glad　of　any

opportunity　of　unburdening　himself。　　So　far　from　curing；　the　doctor

caught　the　malady　from　his　patient。　　The　circumstances　unfolded　to

him　awakened　all　his　cupidity；　he　had　not　a　doubt　of　money　being

buried　somewhere　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　mysterious　crosses；　and

offered　to　join　Wolfert　in　the　search。　　He　informed　him　that　much

secrecy　and　caution　must　be　observed　in　enterprises　of　the　kind；

that　money　is　only　to　be　dug　for　at　night；　with　certain　forms　and

ceremonies　and　burning　of　drugs；　the　repeating　of　mystic　words；

and；　above　all；　that　the　seekers　must　first　be　provided　with　a

divining　rod；＇3＇　which　had　the　wonderful　property　of　pointing　to

the　very　spot　on　the　surface　of　the　earth　under　which　treasure　lay

hidden。　　As　the　doctor　had　given　much　of　his　mind　to　these　matters

he　charged　himself　with　all　the　necessary　preparations；　and；　as　the

quarter　of　the　moon　was　propitious；　he　undertook　to　have　the

divining　rod　ready　by　a　certain　night。





＇1＇　A　mountain　chain　in　northwestern　Germany；　between　the　Elbe　and

the　Weser。



＇2＇　Astrology；　alchemy；　and　divination　were　three　imaginary　arts。

The　first　pretended　to　judge　of　the　influence　of　the　stars　on　human

affairs；　and　to　foretell　events　by　their　positions　and　aspects；　the

second　aimed　to　transmute　the　baser　metals　into　gold；　and　to　find　a

universal　remedy　for　diseases；　while　the　third　dealt　with　the

discovery　of　secret　or　future　events　by　preternatural　means。



＇3＇　A　divining　rod　is　a　rod　used　by　those　who　pretend　to　discover

water　or　metals　underground。　　It　is　commonly　made　of　witch　hazel；

with　forked　branches。





Wolfert's　heart　leaped　with　joy　at　having　met　with　so　learned　and

able　a　coadjutor。　　Everything　went　on　secretly　but　swimmingly。　　The

doctor　had　many　consultations　with　his　patient；　and　the　good　women

of　the　household　lauded　the　comforting　effect　of　his　visits。　　In

the　meantime　the　wonderful　divining　rod；　that　great　key　to　nature's

secrets；　was　duly　prepared。　　The　doctor　had　thumbed　over　all　his

books　of　knowledge　for　the　occasion；　and　the　black　fisherman　was

engaged　to　take　them　in　his　skiff　to　the　scene　of　enterprise；　to

work　with　spade　and　pickax　in　unearthing　the　treasure；　and　to

freight　his　bark　with　the　weighty　spoils　they　were　certain　of

finding。



At　length　the　appointed　night　arrived　for　this　perilous

undertaking。　　Before　Wolfert　left　his　home　he　counseled　his　wife

and　daughter　to　go　to　bed；　and　feel　no　alarm　if　he　should　not

return　during　the　night。　　Like　reasonable　women；　on　being　told　not

to　feel　alarm　they　fell　immediately　into　a　panic。　　They　saw　at　once

by　his　manner　that　something　unusual　was　in　agitation；　all　their

fears　about　the　unsettled　state　of　his　mind　were　revived　with

tenfold　force；　they　hung　about　him；　entreating　him　not　to　expose

himself　to　the　night　air；　but　all　in　vain。　　When　once　Wolfert　was

mounted　on　his　hobby；＇1＇　it　was　no　easy　manner　to　get　him　out　of

the　saddle。　　It　was　a　clear；　starlight　night　when　he　issued　out　of

the　portal　of　the　Webber　palace。　　He　wore　a　large　flapped　hat；　tied

under　the　chin　with　a　handkerchief　of　his　daughter's；　to　secure　him

from　the　night　damp；　while　Dame　Webber　threw　her　long　red　cloak

about　his　shoulders；　and　fastened　it　round　his　neck。





＇1＇　Hobby；　or　hobbyhorse；　a　favorite　theme　of　thought；　hence；　〃to

mount　a　hobby〃　is　to　follow　a　favorite　pursuit。





The　doctor　had　been　no　less　carefully　armed　and　accoutered　by　his

housekeeper；　the　vigilant　Frau　Ilsy；　and　sallied　forth　in　his

camlet　robe　by　way　of　surcoat；＇1＇　his　black　velvet　cap　under　his

cocked　hat；　a　thick　clasped　book　under　his　arm；　a　basket　of　drugs

and　dried　herbs　in　one　hand；　and　in　the　other　the　miraculous　rod　of

divination。





＇1＇　Overcoat。





The　great　church　clock　struck　ten　as　Wolfert　and　the　doctor　passed

by　the　churchyard；　and　the　watchman　bawled　in　hoarse　voice　a　long

and　doleful　〃All's　well！〃　　A　deep　sleep　had　already　fallen　upon

this　primitive　little　burgh；　nothing　disturbed　this　awful　silence

excepting　now　and　then　the　bark　of　some　profligate；　night…walking

dog；　or　the　serenade　of　some　romantic　cat。　　It　is　true　Wolfert

fancied　more　than　once　that　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　stealthy

footfall　at　a　distance　behind　them；　but　it　might　have　been　merely

the　echo　of　their　own　steps　along　the　quiet　streets。　　He　thought

also　at　one　time　that　he　saw　a　tall　figure　skulking　after　them；

stopping　when　they　stopped　and　moving　on　as　they　proceeded；　but　the

dim　and　uncertain　lamplight　threw　such　vague　gleams　and　shadows

that　this　might　all　have　been　mere　fancy。



They　found　the　old　fisherman　waiting　for　them；　smoking　his　pipe　in

the　stern　of　the　skiff；　which　was　moored　just　in　front　of　his

little　cabin。　　A　pickax　and　spade　were　lying　in　the　bottom　of　the

boat；　with　a　dark　lantern；　and　a　stone　bottle　of　good　Dutch

courage；＇1＇　in　which　honest　Sam　no　doubt　put　even　more　faith　than

Dr。　Knipperhausen　in　his　drugs。





＇1＇　Dutch　courage　is　courage　that　results　from　indulgence　in　Dutch

gin　or　Hollands；　here　applied　to　the　gin　itself。





Thus；　then；　did　these　three　worthies　embark　in　their　cockleshell　of

a　skiff　upon　this　nocturnal　expedition；　with　a　wisdom　and　valor

equaled　only　by　the　three　wise　men　of　Gotham；＇1＇　who　adventured　to

sea　in　a　bowl。　　The　tide　was　rising　and　running　rapidly　up　the

Sound。　　The　current　bore　them　along；　almost　without　the　aid　of　an

oar。　　The　profile　of　the　town　lay　all　in　shadow。　　Here　and　there　a

light　feebly　glimmered　from　some　sick　chamber；　or　from　the　cabin

window　of　some　vessel　at　anchor　in　the　stream。　　Not　a　cloud

obscured　the　deep；　starry　firmament；　the　lights　of　which　wavered　on

the　surface　of　the　placid　river；　and　a　shooting　meteor；　streaking

its　pale　course　in　the　very　direction　they　were　taking；　was

interpreted　by　the　doctor　into　a　most　propitious　omen。





　　　　　＇1＇　〃Three　wise　men　of　Gotham；

　　　　　　　　　　They　went　to　sea　in　a　bowl

　　　　　　　　　　And　if　the　bowl　had　been　stronger；

　　　　　　　　　　My　tale　had　been　longer。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mother　Goose　Melody。





＇1＇　Gotham　was　a　village　proverbial　for　the　blundering　simplicity　of

its　inhabitants。　　At　first　the　name　referred　to　an　English　village。

Irving　applied　it　to　New　York　City。





In　a　little　while　they　glided　by　the　point　of　Corlear's　Hook；　with

the　rural　inn　which　had　been　the　scene　of　such　night　adventures。

The　family　had　retired　to　rest；　and　the　house　was　dark　and　still。

Wolfert　felt　a　chill　pass　over　him　as　they　passed　the　point　where

the　buccaneer　had　disappeared。　　He　pointed　it　out　to　Dr。

Knipperhausen。　　While　regarding　it　they　thought　they　saw　a　boat

actually　lurking　at　the　very　place；　but　the　shore　cast　such　a

shadow　over　the　border　of　the　water　that　they　could　discern　nothing

distinctly。　　They　had　not　proceeded　far　when　they　heard　the　low

sounds　of　distant　oars；　as　if　cautiously　pulled。　　Sam　plied　his

oars　with　redoubled　vigor；　and　knowing　all　the　eddies　and　currents

of　the　stream；　soon　left　their　followers；　if　such　they　were；　far

astern。　　In　a　little　while　they　stretched　across　Turtle　Bay　and

Kip's　Bay；＇1＇　then　shrouded　themselves　in　the　deep　shad