The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-27
CHAPTER XXI.
WE EXPLODE THE MINES.

] don't design 10 weary you with close
account Of our proceedings. How We opened
the main deck hatch, rugged up tackles,
clapping purchases on the falls, as the cap
stan was hard frozen and immovablc; how
we hoistel the powder barrels on deck, and
then 10y tackles on the foreyard lowered them
over the side; how we filled number Of bags
which we found in the forecastle with pow
der. how we measured the cracks in the ice.
and sawed couple of spare studdingsail
Blooms into lengths 10 serve as beams whereby
to poise the barrels and bags-would make
bat sailors talk. half of which would be I'M
ineligible and the rest wearisOmo.
The frenchman worked hard. and ".
snatchcd only half an hour for our dinner
The split that had happened in the ice during
the night showed 10y daylight n a gulf be-
twixt eight and ten feet wide at the seward
end, thinning - a width of three feet, never
les, 70 where it ended, ahead OF the ship, in
u hundred cracks in the ice chat showed as if
a thunderbot had fallen just there looked
into this rent, but it was AZ black as a well
past a certain depth and there was no CLEAN
Of water When we went over the side to
roll our first barrel Of powder 10 the spot
where we meant To lower il, the Frenchman
marched up 10 the figure OF Trentanove, and,
with no more reverence than "a boy would
show in throwing stone at a jackass. tum-
bled him into the chasm He then stepped
up TO the body OF the Portuguese boats vain.
dragged him to the same fsSllre and rolled
him into II.
"Therel' cried he; "now they are properly
buried"
And with this he went coolly on with his
work.
! said nothing. but was secretly heartily
disguised with this brutal disposal of Ms
miserable shipmatcs' remains. However, it
was his doing. not mine; and l confess the
removal Of those silent witnesses was very
great relief 10 me, albeit when considered
how IaSsard had been awakened aud how
both the mate and the boatswain might have
been brought 10 by treatment, felt rs though
after manner the Frenchman had com
mitted murder 10y buryiuS them so
We got our supper and sat smoking and
discussing our situation and chances Tas-
sard was tired, and this and our contemnh-
tion of the probabilities of the morrow So
bered his mind, and ne talked with certain
III ~ tihN 'tdt 'if anu WI bNfif tut
hideOus recOlectiOns or inventions lac was
used 10 bcstow on me, and indeed could find
nothing 70 talk about but the explosion aud
what IT was 10 do for US. was very glad
BE- did not again refer to his project TO bury
the treasure and carry the schooner TO the
Tortugas The subject fired his blood, and
it was such nonsense that the mere naming
OF it was nauscous to me Eight and forty
years had passed since his ship fell in with
thu ice, and not tenfold the treasure in the
hold might have purchased for him the sight
OF so much as a single bone Of the youngest
of those associates whom he idly dreamed Of
seeking and shipping and sailing in command
Of Yet inbecile .; was his scheme, having
regard to the half century that had elapsed,
l clearly witnessed the menace to me that il
implied. His views we're To bc read a. plainly
as if he had delivered them. First and fore
most, he meant that should help him 70 sail
the schooner TO Az island and bury the plate
and money-which done he would take the
first opportunityeO murder me- His chance
Of meeting with a ship that would lend him
assistance to navigate the schooner would be
Us good if he wese alone in her IA if were
on board too. There would be nothing, then.
| in this consideration TO hinder him from cut
ting my throat after we had buried the
treasure and were got north Two motives
would imperatively urge him to make away
with me: first, that | should not be able to
serve as witness to his being a pirate; AMI,
next, that he alone should possess the secret
Of the treasure.
He little kney what was passing in ny