Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-02-03

when translated, as there was no con.
nection whatever between the words
but each seemed to have been written
independent of any and every other
word. Our utmost efforts failed, even
after writing the whole thing out in
English, to make any sense or even a
single sentence out of it. The more we
were unable to decipher the meaning
and purport of the document, the more
we determined to make it out, yet we
were for the present completely at fault
" But where did you get this p
asked.
cone of the hands found it among
the rubbish, in tearing down the old
house," replied the Captain.
"Evidently left there by old Pedro,
chimed in the Colonel.
"Probably q pirates private memo.
randum, to which we have no key" |
added.
l have neglected to state that old
Pedro was generally considered as hav-
ing been one of Lafitte's piratical crew
We were thoroughly puzzled, and re,
tired for the night, but | could not
sleep; my mind was ever on the strange
document. Toward morning fell into
an uneasy slumber and dreamed that
saw old Pedro and Gait looking over the
paper, Pedro speaking all the time in
German, and Gait in English, both of
which languages each seemed to under
stand. Pedro was explaining to Gait
how to understand the document, or
rather how to read it so as to understand
it. Occasionally they spike in a Ian
guage which l did not understand, but
enough was said that l did understand
to give me the key of the puzzle, and
that was to read each word in each Ian
guage in connection with the same word
in the same tongue, regardless of what
intervened. Eureka" l cried, forget
ting where | was. In an instant old
Pedro jumped up, seized pistol which
laid on the table, and in less time than
| have taken to write it, discharged it
at me. A deafening report, a terrible
conclusion on my head, and-I awoke
to find that l had fallen out of bed and
struck my head on the heel of one of
my boots as | reached the floor. "Well,
this is better than pirates bullet
soliloquized, "and now for the applica-
ton OF the key"
After breakfast asked Capt. Sinclair
if he had any new thought about the
pirates memorandum. He replied that
he had not. / asked him to let me see
it again. He handed it to me. | applied
the hint given me in my dream to the
German characters, and made out, when
put together. the following: "En hundert
schrihen von der NaSe Steht cine Fichte, md
s,oei hundert schrihen gerade suedHch daron
legt der verStorbene in einem steinernen sarg
begrabenW which being translated is
"One hundred steps from the nose
stands a pine, and two hundred steps
exactly south from it lays the dead man,
buried in a stone coffin"
The other parts of the document
stated that vessel had been taken,
then scuttled and sunk with all and
everything on board, excepting only an
old friend who was found there, dead,
however; him they took to the ''Devil's
Notch," in the Isle of Pine, and what
was then done with him have already
detailed in German. We further
learned that Chase" (nose) meant a
marble ledge. Much more was mixed
up with this statement, and all was so
interviewer and at the same time so dis
connected that we were whole day and
part of the night getting what we did
out of the faded, old and musty paper.
Moreover, some of the writing and
words were extremely faint and illegible.
We fell to cogitating and looking over
the map, and easily found the Isle of
Pine, but as to the "Devil's Notch" we
had no clue but of this we were salts
fed, that old friend" meant treasure,
"dead man buried" meant that treasure
hidden and that on the Isle Of Pine,
but where on that island was the ques-
ton. Col. Haywood said that there was
plenty of marble on that island, but
there lay the difficulty. He and Capt.
Sinclair then withdrew, and | went over
to a neighboring plantation. The next
day they came over and asked me if |
felt disposed to join them in a search
for the treasure. asked them if they
had formed plan. They replied that
they had.
"But," said |, 81 have not the means
to take hold of this as you can"
"Never mind the MEANS" said the
Colonel "listen to our plan, first prom
ising secrecy"
l made the required promise, when
Col. Haywood said:
81 know of an old negro in New Or
leans who was for long time a sailor
among the West India Isles. it is even
limited that he more than once sailed
with Laftte | think that he can find
the Devils Notch Then again have
an old friend in New Orleans who was
some years since quite chemist, and is
possessed of magnet of his own in
vention and construction-a most won
derful instrument, which is irresistibly
attracted toward any deposit of the pre-
cious metals. propose that we lay the
matter before Professor Aldrich, and il
we can enlist him, then hunt up the
negro, and all of us 60 over to Cuba,
hire propeller and go treasure hunt
ing"
Now" said Capt. Sinclair, 1--WE must
have you to manage the engine on the
tug; the Colonel will be pilot, the negro
can be fireman, and l will be general
roustabout. What do you say?"
| assented, and asked when he wished
to start.
Tomorrow, if possible, or on the
first down boat" replied the captain.
We went to New Orleans, found Prof
Aldrich-a little old man, but showing
more\ than ordinary intelligence. He
was satisfied that he could find the
treasurs if large, if he could get within
mile df it; "but," said he, 81 have
money AID means enough tolast longer
| n I