Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-02-14

round table, the cap'n being TO tn
head.
There was bottles and jugs an,
glasses on the table. All hans wa
drinlzin'. Mebbe they was drinkin' ant
laughiB'-mebbe quarrelin'-I can't sa,
for that, But all to once, two or thre'
jumped up, and peered as though the,
begun fghtin'. Then everything was
shaddery lilSe-and / woke up.
Il was kind of impressed like BY
what dremp'; and, after some more
oysters in the mornin', | climbed uI
by the mangrove bushes on to the deci
of the old hull that was inches deer
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 | see it in the
dream. So when | came to crawl down
the companion-way stairs-why l 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 a lot of old cutiasses,
such as might a been used fifty years
ago, and clo'es all droppin' to rags-but
no skilitons or SIGH. And | got back to
the open air soon as posserble, for it
was like tomb.
II couldn't shake off the dream,
though. And that very day, I hewed
out wooden spade with the boat
Ratchet, 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 a bit of rotten wood
with a piece of iron clampin' on it.
Then l knowed my dream was comm
true. Gold! l 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 THOUSANDS
on THOUSANDS Of dollars wu'th. And me,
Cy' Forbes, that never had money
enough to buy a share in a coaster, was
the owner of it all.
Il s'posc, for time, | acted like q
crazy man, but cooled down after q
time when | begun thinkin' that
wasn't much better off with all this
gold, way out herein the South Petite,
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 | 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 | put aboard the
boat and ballisted her with as much Of
the gold as / could stow, convenient,
amidships-not having any bags, or
stuff to make EN- of. The northeast
monsoon was BLOWN and | sot sail,
hCadin' rs 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 Cyl, drawing
long breath, lit was terrible expert
niece. Thunder squalls and Gains,
dronchin'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 | s'pOse was part the
reason that | made the sheet fast one
night when it was BLOWN fresh and
sOggcd down into the bottom of the
boat atop of the gold.
First thing | 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 l was took
off by some of the crew of the mission
airy brig MOrnin' Star, ravin' like mad
about pirats and bcrried money.
"Of course every dollar went to the
bottom, and it was long time after |
got over the run of fever fore Cap'n
Warner could believe the story had
to tell. But he did, and six months
after, hem | chartered a schooner to
Honolulu and sailed a-scarchiu' 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,