Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-10-17

yer at the bottom of the sea. Up came
the treasure in abundance. Now they
beheld table Of solid silver, once the
property of an old Spanish grandee.
Now they found sacramental vessel,
which had been destined ss gilt 10 some
Catholic church. Now they drew up
golden cup. fit Tor the King OF Spain TO
drink his wine out Of. Perhaps the long
hand OF It's former owner had been grasp
ing the precious cup, and was drawn up
along with it. Now their rakes or iish-
ing lines were loaded with masses OF ST.
yer lulIiop. There were also precious
stones among the treasure gliuerlng and
sparkling so that il is q wonder how their
radiance could have been concealed.
There is something sad aud terrible in
The idea of sna,ching all this wealth from
the devouring ocean which had possessed
it tor such length of years. 1t seems
AS if men had 10 right To make them
selves rich with it. 1t ought to have been
left with skeletons ot The ancient span
ialds. who had been drowned when the
ship was wrecked, and whose bones were
now scattered among the gold aud silver.
But Capt. Phips and his crew were
troubled With no such thoughts as these.
After day or two they Lighted On
another part of the wreck, where they
found great many bags OF silver dollars.
But nobody could hav. guessed that these
were morey bags. BY Iemaining so
long in the salt water they had become
covered over with a crust which had the
appearance of stone, so that II was nee
essary to break them in pieces with ham
mers and axes. When this was done
stream of silver dollars gushtd oct upon
the deck OF the vessel.
The whole value oil The recovered trcG-
sure, plate. bullion, precious stones and
all, was estimated at more than two MI
lions OF dollars. It was dangerous even
TO look at such vast amount OF wealth.
4 seaman. who had assisted Phips in the
en- erp7ise. III ely lost his reason al the
sight. lie died two years afterwards.
still ravlng about the treasure lhs. lsy ct
the bottom of the sea. l. would have
been better for this man, il he had lett
the skeletons OF the shipwrecked Span
iards in quiet posse sSion OF their wealth
Cap. Phips aud his men continued to
fish up plates, bnlioa and dollars as plen-
tiuIly as ever, ill their provisions grew
short. Then, as they could not feed up
on gold and silver any more than old
King Midas could, they found it necess-
airy to go 10 search ot better sustenance.
Phips resolved TO return TO England.
lie arrived there il 1851, and was rece-
ved with great Joy by the Dlke of Alber-
marie and the other E1g!ish lords who
had Eued cut the vessel. well might
they rejpce, Tor they took by fsr the
greater pal. OF the treasure 10 them
selves.
Tue captains share, however. was
20 make bim comfortable for the remain.
der OF his days. /; also enabled him 10
keep his promise to his wife. by building
fair brick house" in the Green Lane o
Boston. The Dnke of Albermarle sent
Mrs. Pnips magnificent gold cup worth
liye thousand dollars Before Captain
Phips left London. kiug James made
him kuight; So that instead OF the OF
scure saip carpenter that dwclt among
hem. the inha bitauts q Bus,on wei
coined him, on bis return, as the rich
and famous SIR William Phips.