The Weekly register. (Ponola [sic] Panola, Miss.) 1843-1844, 1843-10-07

turbed from it; and, directly afterwards,
upon kicking It with my foot, was ,hor-
rifed at perceiying a. hnman skull, to
which some scraps ofcolorless flesh and
ligaments were still adhering, roll down
the inclined plane of sand that covered
the ladder, towards the door: My first
impulse was TO return Immediately; but
rejecting that all had staiven, for was
probably within my reach, my thirst for
gain once more conquered every other
feeling.
With some trouble l made my way
into the cabin. The doors were open
they had probably been Sc at the
time ofthe catastrophe, and the subse-
qucnt accumulation of sand and mud
had kept them so. | drew the air pipe
down towards me, and found had still
length enough to spare for my opera
tons; at the same time was convinced
that my assistant was diligently sup
plying me with the means of respira-
ton. | was now in the centre of the
cabin, and an awful scene presented it
self. Every portion Of the wood work,
| at leastas nearly as could determine
by approaching my lantern closely to it,
was black from the action cf the sea;
and, like the masts above, in"rusted
with groups Of barnacles. The floor
was a foot deep in sand--and on its sur
face lay more oblong heaps, which |
discovered on examination, to be also
human bodies, round whose half-deyour-
ed remains shreds of clothing still float
ed. | could not move a step without
treading upon one--and each that thus
disturbed fell TO pices Immediately, sur
rounding me with q cloud of its sicken-
ing particles, and numbers Of huge she'll
fish, who were enjoying their unholy
meal lherefrom, and who crawled off,
with their long spidery legs, in all di-
rections.
Still, came to no treasure 81 had
fallen in with none Of the bags of gold
which heard were on board at the tins
Of the accident. There were many cor
roded naval Implements lying. about
but these. were not what | wanted.
examined every heap that rose ahove
the general level of the floor, with the
most diIigent investigation, but without
reward. Sometimes l exposed the tat
tered remnant ofan article of clothing, q
seaman's hat, { telescope, or something
equally valueless to myself; but, more
generally, similar objects to the above
mentioned fragments ofmortality shock
ed me with their presence. At the side
Of the cabin was small closet, having
glass door--and towards this | benz
my way, thinking it might be the re
! pository Of sd.he precious articles. Blu
how was | horrifedon approaching it
Ondigocting my Eight through its still
unbroken panesS,Isaw dreadful corpse
that gibbered AMI grinned directly il
my FACET was the body Of some poo
creature, who had perhaps been foreeC
in there at the first. rush Of the water
and the door closing upon him, had KEEP
, cut the sand and marine insects, tina
: everywhere else abounded. The sea
water had acted as q preservative, am
the body still retained the perfect sem
blance of Q humEn form; but the fac
was blanched and coddled--one Of tn
eyes had dissolved, and the other, wa
, Opaque, and apparently CONCEALED; Will
) the relaxed ligaments allowed the low
} er jaw TO fall and rise with every vi
(; bration of the sea, in the mockery of
t dreadful grin. The hair, too, foated i
a the water, giving semblance of motto
t to the whole features, which wore a
{ expression of hideous merriment.
, Faint with terror and disgust, Iturr
: ed from the leathsome object, and move
d slowly and ,laboriously away / al
) preached the table Of the cabin; a hal
: opened drawer was at its extremity, an
5 when I.had cleared away the enveloT
Y of sand, discovered it was nearly I'll
d ed with bags of coin. All, then, W;
s accomplished; the long coveted treasul
). lay in greater part, beneath my grasI
i | raised my lantern eagerly to inspe