The evening world., 1889-01-08
THE WORLD: TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 8, 1883.

government COlCeBslOn.
I'VE found that digg. ng for buried treasure
had not been uncommon on the keys in that
15iEh5oThoo1 aud that ali old SpanisT1. So:iiS
years before, had exhumed S40O, 600 on this
same 1urneie Cay. We were greatly re-
lieyed when we were shown the spot where
this money was found and ascertained that 1t
was not our plant.
mo attempt was made by us to locate the
money. and no marks left to guide others 10
the spot.
SEEKING FOR A CONCESSION.
Returning TO Belize to apply for q conces-
sion to hunt for treasure. our ignorant boat
man was drunk and ran out OF his course.
and we were benighted on English Cay.
twelve miles from Belize.
There IL o lighthouse on English Cay,
and we discharged our boatman and thought
that we would rely on the light-keeper's boat
to take us to Belize next day. We %reckoned
without our host. The light-keeper's brother
had taken the only boat on the island and
spree and didn't return for ten days, during
which we were practically prisoners.
THE MARIA APPEARS AGAIN.
" II cannot be said either that our position
was made any more tolerable when on the
hfth day of ON Robinson Crusoe existence
we saw the Maria sail bv. almost within hail
ing distance. bound for Belize. and when we
thought of the possibility of John Il. Peek
getting ahead of us and securing a conces-
sion.
lDHI IN luSl WIN III w uo' We itui
to our sorrow, when we finally got to the
town. Peck had returned from Santa Canta-
lima to Key West and was there informed by
telegraph from New York that Davidson and
! had gone to Belize.
He accordingly had the yacht revict-
ualled by Knight ~ Roberts, of Key West,
the cons Iteration being n share i'll the treas
IRE. and sailed for Belize, getting there while
We were stranded on English Cay and secur.
ing an exclusive concession from the Govern
ment and the improvement and Fruit Com
pany to dig on Turneffe Cay for one year
from Jan. IL, 1888.
PECK's CONTRACT.
ITO the Government he was to pay 10 per
cent. of the find, and to the Fruit Company
10 per cent.
Peck told Gov. Roger Tichborne Colds;
worthy that he knew the exact location of
the gold, on the presumption that he would
find Davidson and me there. and that we
would be only too glad to join issue with
him.
He made all manner of verbal proposals,
both TO the Judge and to me, but we de-
clined to have anything to do with him,
knowing him rs we did. We told him that
the plumber was not perishnble that it
would keep II year, when We would have the
concession to dig for it.
THREE MONTHS DIGGING AND NOT ONE CENT
FOUND.
On Jan. 70 Peck got the yacht under way
and went out to the cay and commenced
operations.
81 didn't go near the cay during all his
digging, which occupied three months time.
and resulted in his finding not one cent. |
did, however, keen informed. through men,
bers of the crew, regarding the places where
he was digging. and was perfectly satisfied
that he would not strike the right spot. He
was digging in places where others had IN
| successfully sought for treasure before him.
AFTER digging in this aimless fashion for
ten DAYS. Knight ~ Roberts. who had re-
victualled the yacht at Key West for an inter-
est in the treasure, left in disgust. and Mr..
Hampstead, an American merchant who as
sisted Peck to get the concession, was out
81 900 in consequence.
Peck had been throwing up the sand on
the key for about a month when he came in to
Town with Seaman Jim Mcdonald, who used
to be employed in the public stores in this
city. Mcdonald came to me and told me n
story of how they were within two and one
half feet of the money that the Government
official who was experimenting the operation
had sounded the hole and had hit the casks.
He wound up by telling me that Peck wanted
me TO go over on my old terms.
1.-THE story was too transparent They
only wanted me to locate the plumber for
them. and | told him forclbly, if not politely,
to go tot h devil.
STARVING HIM OUT.
AFTER that Mcdonald told me that Peck
was holding on, waiting for me to get starved
out, SO that | would Join him.
Judge Davidson had i'll the meantime
gone home by way OF New Orleans and San
Francisco, while | stayed 10 look after Peck.
I'm the middle of April Peck gave up. He
couldn't hold out any longer. and brought
the Yacht to Belize. She hadDthumped on
the reefs in shoal water for three months.
until the oakum had been started from her
seams and she was little better than a sieve.
THE MARIA FOUNDERS.
Steward Annett came ashore and reported
the unseaworthiness of the Maria to the
American Consul, Mr.. Morlan. and demanded
a survey on her. This was denied him, and
he was obliged to put to sea i'll u leaky tub.
The natural result was the laundering of the
Maria, which occurred n few days later of the
south coast of Cuba. Two hundred dollars
expended on her would have put the yacht III
repair for her homeward voyage.
Peck LETT for New Orleans. alleging that
he was going to purchase an OUTFIT and return
to the work of tossing up sand IN search OF
gold, but he never returned. and learn that
the poor fellow died the other day.
Colonial Secretary birmingham told Peck
that he would forfeit his CONCESSION il he left
the colony. and after Peck left said that he
would grant me one Immediately if / wished
it. but thought it would be better to wait fol
the return of Supt. Stansmore. of the Fruit
Company. who was absent Ill London for hi,
health.
"Peck's concession expires this week ant
mine will begin. l expect to start for Belize
very shortly and begin operations at once OF
my arrival.
READY TO START ANEW.
This will be n comparatively cheap under
taking. All that will be required is All engin,
aud pump. lumber for n Golfer dam and t.
pay the freight on these. The labor can b.
hired there, and then the work will not las
long. ms hut two points are to be attacked.
MY hopes of wealth will soon be realized
or quickly dispelled. l am firmly grounded
in the belief that mine shall be the first o
these two alternatives"
The pirates plumber is there and l an
going to get it,"