Wilmington daily commercial., 1874-11-28

relics of extinct life were also visible amid the
rank grass which overgrew the SOIL
Everything, thus far proved exactly as de-
soribed by Richard Blount, and it was reasona-
bic to suppose that, as the story had been found
TO tally in the minutest details with facts, II
would continue consistent throughout. II
was, therefore, with renewed zest and with the
burning impatience which tortures the soul when
one is confident of the result and sees the de-
sired object almost in his grasp, that the doctor
seized pick-axe and ordering his men to follow
suit broke ground in the last stage of the quest
after a treasure which his fevered fancy pic
tured a1 more and more colossal as the raptur-
GUS moment approached when it 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
nolselesely for some anxious minutes, at last
struck something hard with q most decided
CLICK. The next stroke the sound was repeated,
and at the same time 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 theI earth with his
hands, while every one st )pped his work and
looked on with breathess expectation. 1t took
but a minute to bring to light an earthen jar,
but on trying to raise it they found it was
bottom had fallen out What was more import
ant, the jar was empty Here was a..disappoint-
ment to be sure but they would not yet give
up heart there were still many jars, and per-
maps Cnls one was only q '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 it stood. This also, browning dlsappoint-
ment OF all, WAS in the same condition and con-
tanned only earth worms. Baff1ed, but not quite
dlsheartened, the treasure-seekers as last re-
sort, dug several feet below where the central
jar had been. They did not find the treasure
they sought but they ascertained where it had
gone.
They came to water and thus discovered the
solution of the mystery, and what had robbed
them of the gold. They stood on mere allu-
vial crust of cozy soil, under which the water
psrcolated at eome depth below. The
moisture of the earth had softened the
jars, and the weight of the treasure had carried
away the bottoms and caused it gradually to sink
lower and lower, as in a 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 doctor returned to the bayou
with pumping machine and ample apparatus
for his purpose, and after much labor was par
TALLY rewarded for his trouble.
Doubloons and guineas, vases and caskets of
precious metals elaborately chased, the handi-
work Of skilled artisans of various races and
ages, gems of price, which had long lain con
ceaied 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 scru-
tiny OF avarice and enterprise and still lies buried
forever under the waters and the sod of Florida