The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-02-15
HO,c Sir Wm. PHips Found the
Treasure tn the Sea.

very large treasure. His means not being
sufficient for this expedition, Phips sailed
Tor England and made direct application
to the Admiralty to aid him in his search.
So ably did this true son of the sea repre-
s. ut his cause, that he was given command
o. the 'Rose Algier,' ship mounting
eighteen guns and carrying a hundred
men.
The exact position of the wreck was not
known, aud the Enthusiastically character of
the crew added great difficulties to the
Undertaking. l. should be remembered
that diving bells, diving-armor, and the
like, were then unknown. But the courage
aud indomitable perseverance of PhipS now
came iuto play, aud he had IA capital chauce
to show the stuff of which he was made.
Soon after they had saiied the crew came
aft, armed. aud determined to force Phips
tO yield TO their wishes, which probably
| were that they should all turn pirates-
Without giving them time to deliberate;
Phips flew at their leader, hurled him to
the deck and dispatched him on the spot
Il deed SO prompt and daring that it awed
the mutiheers into submission for the time.
One who has never seen mutiny at sea
can form but little idea of it's desperate
character, and the fapidity of action and
untiinching nerve required where men are
shut up alone on the wide ocean with a
quarrel 50 deadly III It's nature that no com
promise can tie thought Of for a moment,
and no quarter can he allowed with safety
| to him who gives it.
But the next plot to seize the ship was
even more dangerous. The Rose Algier,"
being i'll need of repairs, was taken to a
cove ill a small unuhabited island. and
careened on one side in order to reach the
damaged place. Most of the stores were
moved on shore, the ship was hove down,
| and a bridge was laid between the deck
and the land. Under the pretense of pas
| time most of the crew now betook them
| selves to the woods, aud there plotted to
! return at seven in the evening, seize the
| ship, force Phips and eight faithful men on
| shore, leave them there to perish, aud
! themselves sail away on piratical cruise.
! But the carpenter was one of the few who
stood by the captain, ana yet they could
| not risk putting ~ sea without him. They
| sent for him, therefore, on some pretext,
! and, having him i'll their power, offered the
| choice of Instant death of Joining his
| fortune to theirs. He b gged for half au
| bour TO think about it, and said that at
! any raIe he should have to return on bOatd
| for his tool-chest. They granted his re
quest, and sent two men with him to watch
! his movements. Soon after, me was sud
] denly taken with a pretended cramp or
| collie, aud in great seeming agony rushed
! into the cabin for medicine; there he found
| Phips. and i'll a few rapid words revealed
/ the plot. In less than two hours the nu-
| tineers would be marching on he sliip
/ Not an Instant was 10 be lost. lmmed-
| ately the guns were loaded and trained to
| command the shore and all the approaches
| to the stores the bridge was taken iE, and
when the mutineerS appeared they found
/ themselves caught. In tones of thunder
/ Phips bade them not To stir or lie wpulG
! NOW them down with his batteries; nor did
| they dare to dlsobey. The bridge was
again laid down, and the eight loyal men
| bI ought back the stores to the ship. When
ali WAS safely Oh board again, the mutinee ers
| were told that they were to be left to the
| fate they had intended for their command
| er. In despair at SD terrible II prospect,
the miserable men threw down their aims.
| and protested their willingness to submit if
| PhIpS Won ld but Telent and not sail away
! without them. After a long parley, lie
| agreed TO let them come OH board, they
! having first given up their arms. But,
| with such crew, further search after the
| treasure useless. Phips, therefore
| sailed for jamaica, changed the crew, and
| again weighed anchor for Hispaniula. -
| There he was lucky enough to find an old
| SpauiaId who told him that the wreck was
somewhere about reef few leagues
north of Puerto de la Plata. Phips imme
diately went to the spot, But his search
for the wreck was long aud unavailing the
season was changing and the Rose Al
| II.
seaw orthy condition, was unfit to prov
around dangerous reef in The hurricane
season. So, without having accomplished
| the object of SO much exertiou and anxiety
! Phips was obliged to return 10 England, a
baffied, but not discouraged man.
Very naturally, it was impossible fo- our
adventurer To obtain another English ship
| of-war, althongE he received much credit
for the courage and skill. shown in contr,I.
| mn. aud ono "a
that the treasure of the Did Spanish galIeop
| would after this have rena ned al the bot
! tom OF the sea. the exclusive possession of
the turtles and tt e 5arricudas. But with
rare pertinacity Phips returned TO The
charge, and at last persuaded the Duke of
Albemarle ano several other wealthy no.
bemen to his views. They formed a com
pany and cb aimed a patent from KING
james H., giving them the sole right to ALI
wrecked treasure they might find during a
! certain number of years. They then fitted
out ship aud tender, the latter to cruise
! in coves and shoal water, and Phips invent
ed several rude contrivances for draggiuo
and diving, far inferior to the means now
used for such purposes. Thus prepared
he sailed once more for HiSpaniula There
a small, stout boat was built, and with it
and n crew of Indian divers the tender was
| despatched to the reef where the wreck
| was said to be. The tender was anchored
in good holding ground at safe distance
from the reef, and the men then rowed
slowly in the boat around it, carefully ex
amining the depths below for signs of the
| wrecked galeon. The waters in the West
Indies are very clear, and during a calm
objects can be seen at considerable depth.
The rocks were of regular form, rising
nearly to the surface, but wi h sides so
steep that any vessel striking them would
be liable to go down many fathoms below
the reach of the most expert diver. The
only hope was that the wreck might have
lodged ON some projecting ledge. But the
closest observation, long continued, failed
TO reveal any sign of the object so eagerly
sought, although the water was perfectly
calm.
At length, a curious sea-plant cropping
out of crevice in the sides of the reef
caught the eye of one of the crew, and he
sent down an Indian tn bring it up. When
the diver returned to the surface he report.
ed that he had seen a humber of brass