The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-06-28
THE TREASURE SHIP.
A Story of Naples in the Seventeenth
Century.
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER 1.
II is bright summer morning in the early
part of July, 1647, and the sun Is shining bril-
iantly upon the blue sweep of the bay of Ma
pies. and the little toy towns that stud its
curving shore, and the rocky headlands of the
distant iset of Capri. A ship of war; with
Spanish colors displayed, lies at anchor about
half mile from the Shore her Haunting pen
nant telling to all whom it may concern. that
she has on board no less person than Span
ish admiral.
The anchored vessel is brig-rigged and deep
down in that capacious hold lie, in addition to
her other lading, twenty substantial casks,
hooped with iron, in which are stored three
hundred Thousand ducats of Spanish gold--the
subsidy sent by " his most Catholic majesty :"
to his trusted yiceroy at Naples the Duke Of
ARGOS.
1t is, perhaps the consciousness of this i'm
pOrtant trust which gives such an anxious look
to the pale and dissipated, and still undeniably
handsome face of the young admiral, Don Juan
Fernandez.
At first sight indeed, the apprehensions of
the young noble might seem to be hardly war
ranted by circumstances for with her twelve
big guns and her crew of forty-fve seamen and
twenty soldiers, the Spanish brig appears well
able to take care of herself; and even were it
otherwise what enemy has she to fear in a
harbor belonging to the king of Spain?
But it is notmerely the thought of his valua-
bic freight Wihcu dlStllletS Aunllril eTudllueZ ::
he has another and far more serious cause of
apprehension. In this town that lies before
him. with Spanish garrison in its midst, and
half score of mobiles Of the "bluest blood " IL
Spain. within its borders, some strange COM
motion is evidently taking pace--all the more
alarming because, yet utterly mysterious.
Along the streets nearest the waters edge
crowds of men may be seen rushing, with ges-
lures of furious excitement, and the stiffness
of the summer morning IL broken by the hoarse
IL.
multitude Is itself, when about to second
its word by deeds. Figures in Spanish
dresses scried, ever and anon, hurrying
mp the steep winding path that leads to the
citadel. with the speed of undisguised terror ;
while Ne very air rings with a cry only too
common in the streets of every Italian city,
and always heard as the forerunner of some
fearful tragedy:
"Popolo, popolo moriano tiranni !" (The
people, the people death to the tyrantsD
Mingling with this shout, too, comes the
sound of a name which the naughty grandee
now hears for the first time, but which he is
fated to know to his cost before long:
Long live Masaniello of Amalf"
That morning seemingly trivial dispute in
the fruit-market, arising out of the insolence
of a petty official, had brought down upon the
bewildered Spaniards. as it appeared to them,
the attack of the whole city at once. The SOL
ders had been killed or put to fight--the
splendid mansions of the Spanish mobiles
stormed pillaged, and set on fire--the few sur
vvors forced to take refuge within the walls of
The citadel now the only spot of ground pos
sessed in his own city of Naples by the king of
Spain and in the seat Of judgment, where the
magnificent Duke Of ARGOS had lately sat to
administer injustice, was now enthroned slim,
dark-ove1, bare-footed young fisherman, known
yesterday only al Tommaso Aniello of Amalf
but henceforth memorable to all time as Ma
sanlelo of Naples
That the popular fury was directed against
his own countrymen, the admiral's eyes had
already told him; and it was vitally important
to ascertain which party was gaining the as
tendency, and what share he might himself be
able to take in the struggle. But this was easier
said than done. Although he had lain at anchor
all the morning, in full view of the shore, not
single boat of any kind hadyet come off to him ;
and therefore it was with no small satisfaction
that he at length deserted a huge, unwieldly
barge, loaded with hay. coming slowly toward
him. 1t was propelled by two men, while q
third-a man of colossal stature and powerful
frame-manaSed the helm. But. to his sur
prise and ,chagrin, the barge suddenly veered
and stood away in the direction of Capri.
Plainly this would not do. Don Juan seized
a speaking trumpet and hailed the passing
craft
"Pilot, ahoy"
"Hollow answered the colossus at the
helm, putting his huge hands to his mouth
and sending through them prolonged below,
deep and hoarse as that of a mountain bull.
"Come alongside of me-"
Il haven't time" responded the steersman.
a." Where art thou bound for, then, fellow"
"Capri."
1T is all on the way, then. Come alongside
i want word with thee"
"Not !"
"By st. Yago of Compostella, but thou shalt,
though !" cried the Young admiral, sternly.
"Obey, speedily, or I'll fire ball or two through
that crawling craft of thine !"
=" Fire away" responded the giant, care
lessly. "By-the-bye, though, now l think of
it, have you anything to drink, on board?"
Xeres and Malaga, at thy choice, answered
Don Juan, laughing at this turn of the conver-
sation.
"Ah that's another matter In that case, I'm
quite at your service"
"By St. Antonio, thourt cool fellow !" said
Fernandez whose reckless humor was tickled by
this cool audacity. However, if thoult come
on board and answer me a few plain questions
think we can find wherewithal to satisfy thee,
though thou look st like one that would empty
whole cask at one gulp!"
"Thanks, noble captain !" answered the giant,
altering the course of his craft as directed
And then, as the barge approached the ves-
sci, he bent forward and said in deep under
growl, as if speaking to the mass of hay just in
front of him:
Keep close, can't you, you dogs, till the
time comes? If they were to see you peeping
out !"
Captain" responded a wild face, the
glitter of whose black eyes could Just be
deserted through the hay, we must have air
to breathe, you know. We are all choking in
here !"
"Choke as much as you like !" responded the
inexorable captain "but don't show SO much
as the tips OF your noses until you hear the sig
nal, or you'll spoil all. And if you do
In another moment the barge was in contact
with the side Of the Spanish vessel, and in pei
feet safety from the threatening guns over
head. rope-ladder was let down, and the
gigantic captain, with lurking grin on his