Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-07-05

decided tnaC the latter part at least was
Look under stone six PAGES due north"
Sending for the boat compass, placed it in
the center of the spot, and with anxious step
paced off the distance. The men soon cleared
space of several feet in diameter. Almost
i'll the exact spot where my footsteps landed
me found fiat piece of coral, evidently
shaped by man, and beneath it, in a hole
carefully lined with coral, l found small
tin tobacco case. Opening this, produced a
-dingy roll of paper, its edges ragged and
torn, the body well nigh destroyed by rust
and moisture I saw at glance that the
most careful handling would be necessary in
unrolling it, and as there was slight breeze
blowing over the top of the island l decided
to take it off to the ship and examine it there.
Assuring myself that no further evidences of
the mystery were to be found, l returned on
board ship. Repairing to the cabin, report
ed my discovery and displayed the box, ask
ing the captain to appoint some officers to
examine the writing and report upon it. He
ordered another officer and myself as board
to examine the roll, using the utmost caution
in handling it. We had thin paste made,
provided ourselves with note paper, and as
each layer was carefully unwound from the
roll it was transferred to a stiff sheet of
paper, over which we had first spread thin
coating of paste. Great delicacy was neces-
sary; the sheets had little more consistency
than burnt paper, but after an hours patient
labor we were rewarded by seeing all the
contents of the roll safely transferred and
ready for deciphering. Traces of writing
were dscernible, but they were so obscured
by the blackened surface of the paper
sheets, by the way, from some pocket diary
or memorandum book-that it was only by
the aid of a magnifying glass that we wero
able to read them at all. Each of us read
separately, and after examining together
some disputed words we produced the accom-
panying story:
81 am Robert Harley, master and sole sur
vivor of the bark Acasta, from Sag Harbor,
knocked down by white squal near this
island. Charles Bennett and myself drifted
ashore on some gratings and capstan bars.
He died from exhaustion in the surf l re-
main long enough to write this record, which
the grace of God permits me to do. I shall
die very soon-by the side of Bennett if my
strength permits me-but l want before
die to implore the good people who find this
record to take it to Miss Gardner, and tell
her that still love her and her alone, and
that her name will be on my lips when death
comes to me on this desert island. hope to
meet and wed her in heaven"
There was no date and no further Informal
ton to be gathered The letter had evidently
been written in pencil, and was in plain
hand, large letters, well spelled, and carefully
adjusted to the limited amount of paper.
There seemed to be nothing to do except to
preserve the letter. Its evident age pre-
cluded any possibility of the writer being
still alive, so, with the permission of the cap
tain, l took personal charge Of it, and laid it
away among my papers.
l returned from this trip in April, 1881, and
wrote at once to the collector at Sag Harbor
relating my experience, and asking him for
any light that he could throw on the subject
He replied to the effect that the bark Acasta
had sailed from Sag Harbor in 1919 in COM
mand of one Robert Harley. There was no
record of her crew to be found, and the vessel
had never been heard Of since The name
Gardner was very common one in that To-
cality, and inquiries in several directions
failed to elicit any information of the one
mentioned in the record. He begged that !
would preserve it for their historical society,
and he assured me that the village authori
ties would bear the mystery in mind and try
to uuravel it.
II.
The winter of 1882 found me again in San
Francisco, awaiting the fitting out of the
jamestown for voyage around Cape Horn
to Newport, R. l. Great difficulty had been
experienced in securing servants for the
officers messes; Europeans and Americans
scorned our offers of $15. SO per month, while
Cinnamon were unwilling to take the voyage
to New York without a guarantee that they
would be sent back to Frisco again. The case
was growing desperate. l. as caterer of my
mess, had exhausted all the employment
offices, and had descended from the level of
respectable means to enter into an arrange
ment with couple of murderous looking
shanghaiers, who, on consideration of 500,
had promised to deliver to me sixteen able
bodied Cinnamon, who, they assured me,
"would be only too happy to enlist" I was
to meet the conspirators in saloon at the
foot of - street-a locality that BODIED little
good for their characters. 1t was with some
misgivings for my own personal safety that
agreed to the rendezvous, but there seemed
to be no other way of securing these necessary
adjuncts to ones comfort at sea. Before start
ing out, however, l secured the services of a
private detective, who was to station himself
near the door after l had entered, ana be
ready to respond to any call; and with pistol
in pocket, repaired to the neighborhood
The place fit the deed There was an air Of
squalor and wretchedness about it that smelt
of crime, and my heart shook within me as l
shifted it. was considerably ahead of time,
but thought would take look at the place,
at any rate. 1t proved to be corner grog-
gerry near the bay, and surrounded by all the
evidences of a seafaring population. There
was curious hitching post on the corner,
and an uncouth villianous looking individual
was leaning against it, smoking black, short
stemmed clay pipe. He raised his head at my
inquiry as to whether this was No. =, and
snarled out, 'Can't ye sees" then softened a
trife as he asked, ''Be you the young Teller
what's to meet my chums here this after
noon?" On my replying that was to meet
Messrs. - and -, he said, "Well, you're
on time, sure enough" and then relapsed into
his position of evil soliloquy.
was at loss for something to say, but in
casting about for some subject of remark
hit upon the curious hitching post as topic,
and Remarked: ''That's very curious post,
is it not? 1t looks like a figurehead of some
ship"
"And what might you be KNOWN about
fggerheads!" he quickly retorted.
''Oh, nothing much," I answered, "but be-
ing q seafaring man myself, its shape sug-
;,esred the idea to me. Do you know any
thing about to" cautiously asked.
He took his pipe slowly from his mouth,
glanced at me curiously from head to foot,
and then inquired, with touch of fierceness
in his tone:
"What do you want to know fora"
There was strange mixture Of fear and
cunning about his bearing that seemed to
be reused by my question.
''No reason in particular" said; "only it
is odd that an old ships figurehead should
come to be hitching post"
This reply seemed to satisfy him, for he
resumed his pipe and careless attitude. He
pulled away slowly for several minutes.
That something was working away in his
mind was evident The smoke rolled out in
thick blush clouds and coiled about his head,
intensifying the devilish expression of his
face. AT last he paused.
'Youre right" he said; sit was a figger-
head, and of as neat little bark as ever
dipped in brine. l come to Frisco in her
thirty-two year ago"
''Did you indeed?" exclaimed. "And what
was the barks name!"
Again he paused to scrutinize me. There
was suspicion in his look that could not