The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-11-06
PIRACY ARD Hidden TREASURE


Oct. 10, 1888: The "Japan Weekly
MALI contains a report of the alb
rupt termination of a voyage from
the port of Yokohama in search of
hidden treasure. The British
schooner Nereid had got from Japan
as far as Guam, small island be-
longing to the Marianne group, in
the Pacific Ocean. Here the Cap
tain went on shore, intending to sail
for zap, in the Carolines, but on re-
turning to where he had left his YES
sci he found it had been carried
off either by his mate or two Japa-
nese, or by all three. These were
the only persons on board, and MS
no trace of the vessel has been found
there is still some mystery about the
affair. The voyage which was
brought to a premature end by this
act of piracy was a curious one.
The captain had sailed in search of
a treasure which is alleged to have
been lost under these circumstances
Gin 1928, during a revolution in
Peru, number of wealthy residents
of Lima combined to charter brig
of three hundred tons, on which
they placed their property in money
and jewelry, a large quantity of
monastic plate being also sent off
for safety. The intention was to
convey this treasure to Spain. 1t
is said that there were doubloons to
the value of e. 100000, and vast
sum in plate. But after the treasure
was on board, and when its owners
came down to the beach, they found
the vessel gone. An Englishman,
a lieutenant in the Peruvian navy,
hearing of the intended flight, had
gone on board with chosen band,
and had cut out the brig within hail
of Peruvian man-of-war. He
steered right across the Pacific, and
in course of time reached the Mari
anne islands, where the treasure
was buried, and course was made
for Honolulu. Before reaching this
port quarrels broke out among the
pirates, and the lieutenant, with his
two officers, and cabin boy, got
into boat and left the crew, having
first set fire to the vessel. One of
the officers was murdered and
thrown overheard, before the boat
reached Honolulu, where the party
represented themselves as survivors
of a shipping disaster. The lieu
tenant, before leaving Lima, had
been in love with a lady, the wife of
Peruvian officer who was slain in
the revolution, and before taking
any further steps with regard to the
treasure, decided TO send for her.
The cabin-boy was despatched as
his enIissary to Lima; but on his ar
rival there he was seized and i'm
prisoned, and the lady refused TO
have anything further to do with a
man whom she styled a dctestable
pirate. The lieutenant and his sole
remaining companion accordingly
chartered Il small fore-and aft
schooner, the Swallow, commanded
by one Capt. Thompson, and pro-
ceeded to the Marlannes for his
treasure. Thompson tried hard to
get charter for specified port or
ports, but the lieutenant insisted on
a broad charter, including any or all
the Mariannes. One evening, when
they were in sight of the islands,
the lieutenant, who was sitting on
the lee-rail chatting with his COM
panion, was, it is conjectured, tip
ped overheard 10y the latter and dis
appeared, the usual alarm being
raised; but the lieutenant's body
was hever recovered. Thompson,
from sundry scraps of conversation
which he had overheard, suspected
the object of the voyage, overhauled
the dead lieutenanps effects, and
among them found n chart of the
island on which the treasure was
hidden, but with the name omitted
Soon afterward he sighted another
brig, with tue master of which he
was acquainted, and proposed to
him to search for the treasure ano
divide il between them, giving the
surviving pirate share on condition
that he consented to point on,
the spot, but with threat that II
he did not do SO he would forthwith
be handed over to the Spanish
authorities. At concerted moment
the pirate was seized by both cap
tains, and the. conditions named
He nodded. They asked him il
he would indicate the situation Of
the treasure. He nodded. They
asked him if this was the island
pointing to the nearest of the group
He again nodded. They invited hin
to step into boat which had beer
lowered and guide them TO tn,
treasure. He nodded once more
went below, filed his pockets will
lead and iron, and then going dowI
the Ladder, pushed off the boat will
one foot from the side of TN
schooner, and dropped feet first int,
the sea-" This put an end to tn
treasure hunting; the chart wen
into the possession of the SpanisI
authorities. Meanwhile the captain