The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-12-19

had been found to tally in the minutest
details with the facts, it would continue
consistent throughout. II was therefore
with renewed zest and with the burning
impatience which torturcs the soul when
one is confident Of the result and sees the
desired object almost in his grasp, that the
doctor seized a pick-axe and ordering his
men to follow suit, broke ground in the
last stage Of the quest after a treasure
which his feyered fancy pictured as more
and more colossal as the rapturous mo
ment approached when il would be opened
to view. Such was his impatience that
he was the first to make discovery. The
point Of the pick, after turning up the
soft soil almost noiselessly for some anxious
minutes, at last struck something hard
with a most decided click. The next
stroke the sound was repeated, and at the
same time a bit of red pottery was thrown
up. The doctor perspiring with excite
ment, flung aside the pick-axe and, falling
on his knees, began to draw out the earth
with his hands, while every one stopped
his work and looked on with breathless
expectation. 1t took but a minute to
bring to light an carthen jar, but on try
ing to raise it they found it was cracked
in several pieces, and that the bottom had
fallen out. What was more important
the jar was empty Here was disap-
pointment, to be sure but they would not
yet give up heart there were still many
jars, and perhaps this one was only
"blind.' But jar after jar was turned up
and all were found more or less broken,
and not dollar did one Of them contain.
Last of all the searchers cut down the
central tree and unearthed the last jar
over which il stood. This also, crowning
disappointment of all, was in the same
condition and contained only earth worms.
Bafiied, but not quite disheartened the
treasure seekers, as last resort, dug
several feet below where the central jar
had been. They did not find the treasure
they ought, but they ascertained where ii
had gone.
They came to water, and thus discover
ed the solution of the mystery, and what
had robbed them of the gold They stood
on mere alluvial crust of oozy soil, under
which the water percolated at some depth
below. The moisture of the earth had
softened the jars, and the weight of the
treasure had carried away the bottom and
caused it gradually to sink lower and low
er, as in quicksand, until it had dropped
into the water, and Of course out of sight.
There was nothing more to be done but
to abandon further operations for the time,
as such result had not been foreseen and
the means for raising the money were not
at hand. But the following year the doc
tor returned to the bayou with pumping
machine and ample apparatus for his pur-
pose, and after much labor was partially
rewarded for his trouble.
Doubloons and guiueas, vases and cask-
cts Of precious metals elaborately chased,
the handiwork Of skilled artisans Of various
races and ages, gems of price, which had
long lain concealed in the slime of the
forest again flashed in the sunbeams. But
all the lost treasure was not regained;
some of it eluded the closest scrutiny of
avarce and enterprise, and still lies buried
forever under the waters and the sod of
Florida.