The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-08-23
XXI.

But new prospect of freedom, in this re.
>pect, was about to open upon him. One morn.
ing. whilst our wealthy Maroon was still engag.
ed in the cleansing and asserting Of his treas.
urc. close 10 his cavern, he was surprised by
the sudden and ume Xpec;ed r,ilrance of Anava
with! words ot wonder on her tongue, and looks
of,error in hcr face. He hastily put his pearls
from sight and hurried with her to The entrance
aI the cavern. There, in the sea .Inunsler
wh:ch alarmed her with nancless leur, he
hehed an object of scarcely less terror 10 him.
self. This was an European vessel. llmight,
il must he Il Spun;ard but it was still at too
great distance to enable him to solve his
doubts, or to relieve or increase his apprehen.
Sion>. Ii was evidently approaching his i>lel {;
aud for what visitor other than Ve'asQuez should
he look!
In secure cover, on thr top OF his cavern,
Our Maroon. with the trembling Amaya beside
him. watched The cOu'sc Of Tho stranger. The
Indian girl Drhrd the anxiety o her compan-
ion, 10 describe the feeling al his bcar,, emhod.
led in his looks and actions, by lis gentest
name; and her own terrors increased accord.
nS!y. In the brief space oil time between the
first appearance OF he vessel and his discovery
oi' her true character, Lopez de Lcvya rapidly
ran over in his mind the prospects Of his condi.
ton; the probable object OF the Dian de Bur.
gos, aud The effect of this return upon his for
tunes. What bad he To hope from Eelasqucz or
The npacahle Juan, his rival! What motive
but that OF mockery and d cruel curiosity would
have brought either Of them back to the spot
where they mad marooacd him! And should
they search lor hitn what WIS his hope OF con.
cealment! He could hide from the Carbide
ans, wh" had no suspicion Of any presence but
their own, hut from the people Of the Dian de
BurgoS there was no concralmrnt. They
would search lIc island thry would discover
the cavern, and not one OF lis crevices could be
made safe against their penetrating eyes or their
probing !ances.
4 culd sweat covered the limbs of the mscr.
able creature rs his rapid thoughts coursed over
the whole ground OF his condition. And yet,
it will scarcely be believed that, thus doubtful
ot his own fate, he could yet think of conceaing
his newly gotten treasure. He hurried back
into his cave, cnunscliiHS Amaya still! to main
lain her watch upon the stranger. In secret
lie Ioilrd 10 place his pearls in security. The
cIevice which let in the light on one side the
vault, he busiy cramnch with the sol rnuss
aud leaves taken from the couch in which he
bad slept. The light being excluded, he placed
his baskets Of treasure along lhr led ..c ard con.
cra.cd lhrln in like manner. Nolllug but the
closest sra!cIl, under the stimulating influence
oi 4 suspicion that something was concealed,
could have led to the discovery "i his posses.
sions. There was no way nI hIliug himself in
tue same manner and, full o the most horr-
be arprehensluns hr joined AuIaya upon the
eminrnct.
Ii was now necessary 10 think OF her. Should
Fciasqucz suspect The treasure, should Juan oh.
tain sight oI' her, or any Of the Spaniards, she
would he torn from his arms with INSCRIPTIONS
violence. 10 conceal her, it was necessary
that the cave should he kept from their know-
edge. He conducted her Into lis recesscs. He
showed her whern hc himself had been hidden,
and easily persuaded her 10 seek shelter in its
dusky recesses. She might hope to escape un-
noticed, even if,he cave were penetrated; hut
her safety, should the bark be the Dian do Bur-
gos, lay only in showing himself Upon this
policy, trembling still to encounter the cruel