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

"What is to be done now p exclaim.
ed Haywood.
"Fill your boots, men," cried Sin.
clair, with energy. Memphis, you
are the youngest jump in the hole and
pass up the stuff"
| did as directed, and soon we had
our boots full of the coin, which was all
old Peruvian gold. We then hastily
replaced the stone, threw back the
sand, and collecting material, made a
fire upon the spot, prepared coffee
etc, and eat lunch, so that no one
might suspect what we had been at
After this we gathered up our imple
ments and started for the tug. Gold
may be very nice thing to have in
| bank, handy to have in the house, and
convenient to have in the pocket, but
it is neither of these to carry in ones
boots. We got on slowly and with diff.
Guilty. | wore large half cavalry boots,
and the weight of gold pressing around
my ankles was exceedingly painful. We
got through the shrubbery and in sight
of our tug just as the crew of the cutter
had landed and was about to start out
i'll pursuit or quest of us. When we came
up Capt. Sinclair haughtily inquired
why it was that the cutter was thus
continually dogging us about, following
us wherever we went, while we were
acting under Spanish papers? The
captain of the cutter replied that he
had his reasons for what he did, and
was responsible only to his superior off
GERS. We exhibited our marble speci-
mems and the captain of the cutter
seemed satisfied, and we prepared to go
aboard the tug, in doing which Capt.
Sinclair's foot unfortunately slipped,
and coming in contact with an iron
point, the side seam of the boot
was torn open at the ankle and
out rolled the yellow boys, scattering
over the sand. O! how those SPAN,
ards eyes glistened at the sight In an
instant their cutlasses were drawn. and
in voice of au hority their captain
called on us to surrender at once. In
less time than it takes to write it, after
the accident to the captains boot, we
were, with our revolvers drawn, stand
ing in line along the waters edge,
fronting the foe, who stood facing us a
few steps out on the sand.
"Upon what terms do you call upon
us to surrender ?' asked our captain of
the Spaniard.
Unconditional"
"Neverr replied Sinclair. Look
to your pistols, men," said he to us.
Prepare to charge!" cried the
Spaniard to his followers.
confess | felt little shaky just
then, for the Spaniards outnumbered
US two to one and their bright cutlasses
cleaning in the clear sunlight present.
ed no inviting appearance; but with a
five-shooter in one hand, and an car
kansaw tooth-pick" (bowie knife) In
the other | was determined to stand or
fall with my friends. The Spaniard,
however, is cautious in rushing on
loaded weapons in the hands of deter
mined men, and this case proved no
exception. "What terms do you ask ?"
questioned he of Sinclair.
"We will give up our gold and arms,
and surrender ourselves prisoners to the
civil authorities, before whom you will
at once bring us for trial"
Granted" replied the Spaniard,
who was only too eager to finger the
gold.
We now drew off our boots and emp
tied them of their contents, and also
gave up our pistols and knives. The
Spaniards searched our tug, and lash
ing her fore and aft to their cutter,
placed us aboard of her (the tug) in our
respective places-Haywood at the
wheel and me at the engine-and or
dered us to make all possible speed for
Havana. They placed a watch or
eant;ral ~, thair lanl tybara tya could
be overlooked and then, thinking all
safe, abandoned themselves to that ease
which the Spaniard so much loves. 1t
was now late in the afternoon. We
had been under way about an hour. |
had been busy trying to devise some
means of escape, but the brass gun
swung on the pivot, and the watch, who
was the rascally mate of the cutter,
were in the way in everything that
could conjure up. While busy cogitat-
ing, Quimbo came quietly up to me and
said,
Massa, got suffin to tell you"
"Well, Quimbo, what is ?'' | care
lessly asked.
"Dat brass gun on dat cutter amt no
count nohow," he whispered.
"What do you know about it?n ex-
claimed.
"I know dis much," replied he /;
" dat while dem Spaniards was busy
wild dat gold, .jes got a rat-tail file out
of de tool box and slipped up under de
tarpaulin dat's ober de gun, an | jes
druv dat file in de vent and de debble
hisself couldent get dat gun off no
how"
Bully for you, Quimbo," exclaim.
ed; "tell Capt. Sinclair to come
here
The captain soon came sauntering
carelessly along. "Cap," called out,
loud enough to be heard on the cutter,
here, Cap, watch this engine, please,
a moment; | want to speak to Hay
wood about the backing bell, which is
out of order"
GAN right" he replied; go along"
| saw from his glance that Quimbo
had told him about the gun. and that
he understood we'll what l wanted
to see Haywood about. soon
returned, and we arranged a
plan of escape, which was this :
We had an axe aboard and Sinclair
had pair of duelling pistols which had
escaped the search. Hayward was to
take one pistol and Sinclair another
and the axe. l was to accumulate a
high pressure of steam and at certain
signal Sinclair was to cut the fore lash
ing and to put on all the steam so as
To bring the two crafts stern to stern as