Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-03-22

Il
some months yet, and that the twelvemonth
should begin from when 1 was well and
strong. So her father said, "It's autumn
now; I'll give him twelvemonth from
Christmas y And with that he stalked out
of the room to give orders about the cows
medicine.
Polly and had a long consultation, and
persuaded her at last that the sooner I
started the better was my chance of getting
a good position. So she very unwillingly
gave way to my going at once. So pack
cd up my few things in handkerchief
my bag had been brought ashore from the
wreck of the schooner at -water-and
with couple of pounds in pocket, which
Polly insisted on my taking of her, if only
as loan, I set out to London.
"I shall come, never fear !" said / as /
turned from the door.
$50 will Christmas ~ said the farmer
crustly, as he came in the gate just as
get to 1t.
$50 will the Christmas after ~ said 1 I;
and strobe out with the best appearance
of hope and cheernulness 1 could muster,
until 1 was out of sight. Then all my
pluck left me, and tramped along dreari-
ly enough, till at length I saw the long
lines of gas lamps, and knew was in Lon
don once more.
They are uncommonly hard and pitt
less things; the London streets, as l found
them. All that autumn l tried my best to
get something by way of employment.
But it was all no use. l applied over and
over again, but always met with the same
remark, 1--WE want man with some knowl-
edge of the bu iness," as If every body
mustn't begin at some time or other. Men
can't be born with "a knowledge of the
business" or put 1t on ready-made like a
livery.
Every now and then was obliged to go
back TO the old sailoring, and ship on board
some vessel for trip, just to get some
thing to live on. How my heart used to
ache as The ship, dropping down the river,
passed along by this ferry!
In the spring I shipped on board a trad
er bound for Wales for copper ore. We
had one assenger on board, friend of the
captains. They were shareholders in sew
eral mines, and had done business together
for severh years. The passenger-his name
was Turton-was very rich, but very spec
ulative. The captain used often to rate
him for such gambling rashness, as he call
ed it.
"You'll sink all your money some of
these days as deep as the doubloons in the
ships over there" said he to Turton one
day as we were sailing along the Cornish
coast
"What ships?-where ?" said the other.
"Do you see those breakers yonder," said
the captain, "about half mile to the wind
ward of the southern point of that low,
rocky island? That's called Galleon Reef,
and it is said that fleet of Spanish treas
ure-ships were sunk there, TO prevent their
falling into the hands of our men-of-war
that were after them"
"Has any of the money ever been found?"
ask ed Turton.
ayes, few pieces now and then. There
was company started once-by some such
speculative madcaps as you-but somehow
or another il all came to nothing"
"Egad don't see why it shouldn't be
done nowadays, with all our modern in
ventions."
"Oh, if you're for diving" said the cap
tain, "here's your man. and he turned to
me. had just come aft to relieve the man
at the wheel. was a bit of a favorite with
The captain for steadiness and sobriety, and
he had asked me questions, and had told
him who and what was.
"Are you a diver, my man ?" asked Tur-
ton.
"I believe you-John Hurst is one of the
best and most skilful divers we have" said
the captain, who then called for another
hand to take the wheel in my place.
Turton asked me many questions, and
often during the rest of the voyage would
come to me and talk about the probabili
ties of recovering the treasure from the
Spanish wrecks. He left us at Swansea
where we had to take in our cargo, afteI
landing the freight we had brought out
In due time we returned to London, anC
my engagement being up, | left the ship
and forgot all about Mr.. Turton and thu
Spanish galleons.
One day, however, as l happened to b,
passing across Tower HILL heard som,
one hailing me. l looked across the stree
and saw it was my late captain. I wen
over to him, when he took from his pocll
ct bit cut from the Times, containing al
advertisement, in which was requested t.
communicate at once with T. T. at his offlc
in old Board st.
"Thars Tom Turton," said the captain
she's going to fish for the treasure-ships
Lose no time in going to him. If he's foe
enough to throw his money into the SEE
You may as well get the benefit OF it as an
one else."
set off at once as he directed me. sa,
Mr.. Turton, who showed me the prospect
, us of a company which he had raised 70
the purpose of trying to recover the mon
ey in the lost treasure-ships. The advent
urers were not many in point of numbers
he told me, but they were all wealthy, ant
like himself, they delighted in speculatio
for its own sake. He wished me to repol
what would be required to set aboutith
search with.
In few days I sent in what estimate
= as necessary for the attempt. l propose
D TO begin in as economical manner as 20,
slble, and with n small staff. A couple
= divers would be sufficient to examine Ii
0 reef, and see what truth there was in II
4 report, and If II proved true to calcula
b what amount of money could be got out
l the vessels. 1t would then be easy to sen
o as many additional hands as necessary.
, Mr.. Turton declared himself great
4 pleased with my scheme, and offered n
n tho command of the divers with yery goC
wages. He said that I should be accon
= panied by diver on whose behalf one
K the shareholders had applied TO him for
f post.
e He told me that in order to carry on Il
= exploration with as little delay and inte
o mission as possible, they had rented Il
o small island situated near the reef and tn
| L .a.,l hL,ta 10 Ia. !.