The National tribune., 1885-07-09
THE GOLD-BUG.
The Cipher-Index to the Pirates
Treasure. z
BY EDGAR A%PoE.
Printed by permission of A. c. Armstrong & Co.,
New York.

What no, what no, this fellow is dancing mad
He hath been bitten 10y the Tarantula.
-AR in the WrOng.
Many years ago contracted an intimacy
with a Mr. William Legrand. He was of an
ancient Huguenot family, and had once been
wealthy, but series of misfortunes had re-
dueed him to want. To avoid the mortifca-
tion consequent upon his disasters he left New
Orleans the city of his forefathers, and took
up his residence at Sulhvan's Island, near
Charleston, s. c.
This Island is very singular one. Tt consists
of little less than the sea sand, and is about
three miles long. Its breadth at no point ex
ceedsa quarter of a mile. 1t is separated from
the mainland by scarcely perceptibie creek,
oozing its way through a wilderness of reeds
and slime, favorite resort of the marshhen.
The vegetation. as might be supposed, is scant,
or at least dwarfsh. No trees of any magni-
sude are to be seen. Near the western extrem-
rty, where Fort Moultrie stands, and where
are some miserable frame buildings, tenanted,
during the Summer. by the fugitives from
Charleston dust and fever, may be found, in
deed, the bristly palmetto; but the whole island,
with the exception OF this western point, and
line of hard, white beach on the seacoast, is
covered with a dense underground OF the sweet
myrtle so much priced by the horticulturists
of England. The shrub here often attains the
hight of l5 or 20 feet, and forms an almost
impenetrable coppice burthening the air with
its fragrance.
In the inmost recesses of this coppice, not
far from the eastern more remote end of
the Island, Legrand had built himself small
hut which he occupied when first. by mere
accident, made his acquaintance. This soon
ripened into friendship-lor there was much
in the recluse to excite interest and esteem. l
found him well educated, with unusual powers
of mind, but infected with misanthropy and
subject TO peryerse moods of alternate enthusi-
haA
books. but rarely employed them. His chief
amusements were cunning and fishing, or
sauntering along the beach and through the
myrtles, in quest of shells or chronological
specimens;-his collection of the latter might
have been envied by a Swammerdamm. In
these excursions he was usually accompanied
by an old negro, called Jupiter. who had been
manumtted before the reverseS of the family,
but who could be induced neither by threats
nor by promises to abandon what he considered
his right of attendance upon the footsteps of
his young" Massa WILL" 1t is not improbable
that the relatives of Legrand, conceiving him
to be somewhat unsettled in intellect, had con-
trived to instil this ohstinaey into Jupiter, with
view to the supervision and guardianship Of
the wanderer.
The Winters in the latitude of Sullivan's
Island are seldom very severe, and in the Fall
of the year it is rare event indeed when a
fire is considered necessary. About the mid
die of October. 1S-, there occurred, however,
a day of remarkable chiiliness. Just before
sunset / scrambled my way through the ever
greens to the hut of my friend, whom / had
not visited for several weeks-my residence
being. at that time, in Charleston, distance
of nine miles from the Island,~ while the
facilities of passage and re passage were very
far behind those of the present day. Upon
reaching the hut ! rapped. as was my custom,
and getting no reply. Sought for the key where
1 / WAS ed N kadf he
went in fine fire was blazing upon the
hearth. 1t was novelty, and by no means an
ungrateful one. l threw off an overcoat, took
an armchair by the cracking logs and awaited
patiently the arrivalef my h IS.
Soon after dark they arrived, and gave me a
most cordial welcome. Jupiter, grinning from
ear to ear, hustled about to prepare some marsh
hens for supper. Legrand was in one of his
fts-bow else shall i term them ?-ef entbusi-
asm. He had found an unknown bvalve form
ing new genus. and, more than this, he had
hunted down and secured, with Jupter's as
sistance, scarab8us which he believed to be
totally new, but in respect to which he wished
TO have my opinion on the morrow.
And why not tonight" i asked, rubbing
my hands over the blaze. and wishing the
whole tribe of sccrabsi at. the devil.
All, il i had only known you were here !" said
Legrand. - but its SO long since saw you; and
how gould | foresee that you would pay me
coming home met Lieut.. G., from the fort,
and, very foolishiy,I i lent hiIa the bug SO it
will be impossible for you to see it until the
morning. Stay here tonight and will send
Jup down for it at sunrise. 1t is the loveliest
thing ia creation !"
WHAT ?-sunrise? ?"
Nonsense. mol the bug. tits of brilliant
gold color-about the size of large hickory
Dut-with two jet black spots near one ex-
tremity of the back, and another, somewhat
longer, at the other. The anteana are" -
= Dey amt tin in him, Massa viii, / keep
a teilia on you," here interrupted Jupiter
de bug is a goole bug, solid, cherry bit Of him,
inside and all, sep him wing-neber feel half SO
hebby bug in my life"
Well, suppose it is. Jup," replied Legrand,
somewhat more earnestly, it seemed to me,
than the case demanded, " is that any reason
for you letting the birds burn? The color
here Returned to me- is really almost enough
to warrant Jupiter's idea. You never saw
more brilliant metallic luster than the scales
emit-but of this you cannot Judge till to-mor-
row. In the meantime l can give you some
idea OF the shape" Saying this, he seated him.
Self at small table, on which were pen aud
ink. but no paper. He looked for some in
drawer, but found none.
Never mind, - said he at length. " this will
answer and be drew from his waistcoat pocket |
scrap of what took to be very dirty foolscap
and made upon it a rough drawing with the
pen. While he did this retained my seat by
the fire, for / was still chilly When the design
was complete, he handed it to me without
rising. As received it. loud growl was heard,
succeeded by a scratching at the door. Jupiter
opened it, and large Newfoundland, belonging
to Lcgrand, rushed in. leaped upon my shoulders,
and loaded me with caresses; for had shown
him much attention during previous visits
When his gambols Were over looked at the
paper, and, TO speak the truth, found myself
not little puzzled at what my friend had
depicted.
Welt / said, after contemplating it for
some minutes, this is a strange scarabaus. /
must con less: new TO me: never saw anything
like il befere-uniess it was Skull or deaths
head-which il more nearly resembles than
anything else that has come under my observa-
ton"
"A deaths head ?" echoed Legrand-"Oh-
yes-weii5 ii has something of that appearance
upon paper. no doubt. The two upper black
spots look like eyes, ell and the longer one at
the bottom like a mouth-and then the shape
of the whole is oval"
Perhaps So" said I; "but Legrand, fear
you are no artist. | must wait until see the
beetle itself, If / am to form any idea of its
personal appearance"
"Well, / don't know" said he, a little net
tied. Il draw tolerably-shoald do il at least
have had good masters. and fatter myself that
i am not quite bockbead.p
But my dear fellow, you are joking then"
sald 1, this is a very passable StatU--indeed
may say that is very excellent skull, according
tn fhp yuigar sanfinus saha ort