Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-06-16

al otner sorts OF paper money, ana goi-
and silver was heaped up until my eyes
were ready to answer for hat pegs
Strange how human nature worksl
Before finding this wealth would have
given year Of my life to know that
could make the next hundred miles In
safety had no sooner got my eyes on
the great wealth than began to figure on
how could keep every last shilling of it
| would not go without it quarter of
an hour ago was alarmed at the slightest
sound. Now | would have faced and
fought the whole pirate gang never
suspected | had such determination, or
that would care so much for money II
took me good while to cool off and calm
down. and then found myself in favor of
sticking right there 1t was like two men
arguing There wasn't one chance in a
thousand Of my getting off with tenth
of the plunder. and to remain there was to
invite discovery Then the other chap.
as it were. argued that | was a fool to
leave such wealth behind. and that | had
only to remain in the cave to be hidden
from any search the pirates may make
As result ! stayed There was fresh
water at hand. plenty Of wild fruits
around me and the only unpleasant thing
was the corpse As soon as my mind was
made up to stay pulled it out from under
the stone and buried it in the bank as well
as could with only stick and my hands
to work with
There was no alarm that day. but on
the next day | had no sooner eaten a
hasty breakfast and returned to the cave
than heard men in the woods From an
hour after sunrise to sunset the pirates
were constantly coming and going through
the ravine. calling to each other and to
the missing man 1t was the same for
the next three days. and then the hunt
was given up or extended far beyond me
They may have reasoned that the man
had sailed away from the island, and
have no doubt that searching parties were
started out by sea as well as by land
had to lie quiet now. and during the three
days suffered much from hunger and
thirst ! knew the fellows would not
give up as long as there was any hops.
and 1t was well that ! was over castious
On the fifth day 100 or more of them were
in the ravine for several hours. pulling
down rocks. uprooting bushes. and pass
ing so near the mouth of the cave that
held my breath This minute search
satisfied them. and no one came near me
again
II was two weeks to day before | con
tinued my journey On the second day
after burying the body exhumed it and
stripped it Of outside clothing. and when
ready to go ! left my sailor togs behind
me in place of them After handling
everything over and over again fought
down my avarice and used Judgment in
determining what to take. unset and
took over eighty diamonds. upward Of
el6,000 In English paper money, about
s., 600 In English and American gold. and
a little over 81 900 In French notes The
paper money was all bills of large demon
nation. wanted to load myself down.
but had sense enough to realize the
tramp before me. could not, however,
resist selecting three of the finest gold
waSches, one Of which can to this cay be
seen in the Royal museum at London 1t
Is Of French make. but hss never been
further identified.
1t was a terrible trip undertook. For
six days lived on fruits and berries. and
was often without water. and In this time
| did not make ten miles In u straight line
being constantly alarmed and paying no
heed to the compass points On the sixth
night, about midnight. came TO beach
and settlement 1t may have been the
one near which first landed. and prob
ably was. After making sure that no one
was about, | approached the beach. hunted
out a canoe like craft which thought !
could manage with paddle. and launched
it and put into the straits without raising
an alarm Wind and tide were both in
my favor. and at sunrise next morning !
was picked up by the Lord Nelson. an
English ship inward bound. fifteen miles
below and off the island Two or three
years later. when we mad the pirates on
the run. ! headed party to secure the
rest of the treasure. but we found an
empty cave. Accident OF search had at
last revealed the storehouse to others
New York Sun