The Delta independent., 1889-02-19
coast of Borneo when I was fore the

truuh VIII HIS CuVldSes linen Ill udl
started down to the beach, followin'.
Seemed as though the lorcha hadn't been
long driv' ashore. The stump of her
TO- mast was standin', and the yard.
with a mat sail braided to IL, laid
across the decks.
1.-The whole of 'em clumb up ladder,
soS against the hull, and went below.
see the matches was off where like
enough the boxes was h'isted out as l
passed along. Then seemed to be in
the cabin where the men was sittin'
round table, the cap'n being to the
head.
There was bottles and jugs and
glasses on the table. All huns was
drinkin'. Mebbe they was drinkin' and
laughin'-mebbe guarrelin'-I can't shy
for that. But all to once, two or three
jumped up, and peered as though they
begun fightin'. Then everything was
shaddery like-and woke up.
II was kind of impressed like by
what dremp'; and, after some more
oysters in the mornin', climbed up
by the mangrove bushes on to the deck
of the old hill that was inches deep
with the sand that had blowed over it.
"But it was curtis, that the fo'mast
stump should be standin' and the yard,
with the remnants of mast sail, strung
along deck. Likewise, that the
matches was off jest as l see it in the
dream. So when l came to crawl down
the companion-way stairs-why felt
bit creepy like.
"Well, there wasn't nothin' to scare
fellow. But the table sot there, with
bottles and glasses on it, and they was
thick with dust. There was some flint
lock pistols and n lot of old cutlasscs,
such as might been used fifty years
ago, and clo'es all droppin' to rags-but
no skilitons or sich. And got back to
the open air soon as posserble, for it
was like tomb.
~ couldn't shake off the dream,
though. And that very day, I hewed
out wooden spade with the boat
hatchet, and started for the high part
OF the island.
"Well, the turf was tough, but under
that was dry, sandy soil And all at
once, throwed up bit of rotten wood
with a piece OF iron clampin' on it.
Then knowed my dream was comm
true. Gold! / never see such sight
In all my born days-nor nobody else
outside the mint where money is coin
ed.
''There was gold ginnys-Spanish
pieces of eight and doubloons-all mix
ed together, where the chists or boxes
had rotted, bricks of silver, and don't
know what all, or how many thousan's
on thousan's of dollars wu'th.' And me,
Cy' Forbes, that never had money
enough to buy share in coaster, was
the owner Of it all.
II s'pose, for time, acted like a
crazy man, but cooled down after a
time when 1 begun thinkin' that 1
wasn't much better off with all this
gold, way out herein the South P'cific,
than was before.
"But studied on it from day to day
and finally made up my mind to take
| the chances. There was turtles and
turtle eggs, and l catched fish from
the rocks. dried the turtle meat in
the sun same's the Injuns do in the
Galapagos Islands, and put some fruit
aboard with the two breakers full of
fresh water. This l put aboard the
boat and ballisted her with as much of
the gold as could stow, convenient.
amidships--n having any bags, or
stuff to make 'em of. The northeast
monsoon was blowin' and / sot sail,
headin' as nigh as / knowed by the
position of sun and stars, to the west'ard
to get in the track OF vessels boun' to
Australia or maybe strike some islam
where there are civilized folks.
''Well," said Cap'n Cy', drawing a
long breath, sit was terrible expert
nece. Thunder squalls and calms,
drenchin's and roastin's, and me cramp-
ed and half-dead for sleep; no wonder,
after couple OF weeks got kind of
luny like, which l s'pose was part the
reason that made the sheet fast one
night when it was BLOWN fresh md
sogged down into the bottom of the
boat atop of the gold.
First thing 1 knowed was six foot
under water. A squal strikin' had
rolled her over quicker'n scat! man.
aged to get back into the bottom and
hung on till mornin'. Then / was took
OFF by some of the crew of the mission
ary brig Mornin' Star, ravin' like mad
about pirat's and berried money.
"Of course every dollar went to the
bottom, and it was q long time after l
got over the run Of fever, fore Cap'n
Warner could believe the story l had
to tell. But he did, and six months
after, hem / chartered schooner to
Honolulu and sailed a-scarchin' for the
islam which to this day never's BEN
found, SO far as is knowed for. But its
there, and if had ten thousan' dollars
to-day, I'd put every dollar of it out
a-huntin', and don't you forget IT,
Yankee Blade.
The Close of the Leap Year.
Leap year is dying,