The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-06

but he was In hETy. he didn't even
notice our carronade, but backed 60 the
iail and descended to his boat, saying.
"Oh, you are doubtless all right, and ]
hope you viii lose 20 more men. As for
me, tho service does not demand that I run
the risks Of epidemic"
Two days Later we came to another in the
river opposite aspot pointed out By Ssmyo.
The bank of the stream was rough and
broken, but thickiy wooded. Forty rods
inland was q highway running parallel
with the stream, but this was hidden from
U.S. On the far side Of the highway was the
ruin of an old church, and in this ruin was
the treasure cache. As many boats were
passing up and down it was prudent that
we resort to deception TO prevent suspicion.
We got down topgallalsmast, Stacked
away some Of the rigging, got stage over
the side for the carpenter and appeared TO
be lying there for the sole purpose OF
making repairs. We were soan boarded
! by natives anxious to furnish cargo and
on the second day a government gunboat
! passed US without seeming to take any in
terest in our case Semyo had to lie con-
cesled in the hold during daylight, as men
were coming aboard who knew him well,
and it was about midnight on the second
night after our arrival thai we pulled
ashore for the treasure-thzt Is, two men
pulled Semyo of to the bank to see if 10
was all right, and &c did not take him
many minutes to make q disagreeable dis
covery. A party of woodcutters had en-
camped close to the ruin, with every indi-
cation Of a long stay. Semyo was positive
that he could not get at the cache without
being discovered, as the party had two or
three dogs in camp and he was sharply
| challenged as he secuted around
Next day, after soma conspiFing on our
part, the captain and INVENT ashore TO the
camp to make bold move. There was a
gang of thirty natives under a Spanish
boss cutting ebony, and they had large
lot all ready for SHIPMENT This gang had
been sent from the psovincs of Zei1u, WHARF
the owner of the tract resided, ana an agent
was daily expected to sell the output. The
boss we found to be an ignorant, good ma
tured fellow, who could neither read nor
write. While claimed to be the real owner
Of the land on which they were at work the
captain offered TO buy some of the logs on
the sly. Between Us We got him to remove
his camp a mile away and to accept about
$50 for logs. We not only accomplished
this during the day, butshewed our friend
ship and good will by sending keg of
whisky to the camp and by night the boss
and his gang were as drunk as lords. As
soon as it was dark four Of us pulled ashore
with Semyo, and he led us q straight trail
TO the treasure. It WIS buried IN two
earthen jars against bit Of wall, and one
of the camp fires Of the gang had been
built within ten feet of the spot We had
the jars out and on board the brig in
half an hour, and an investigation proved
that Semyo had rather figured under the
actual amount. We had neither seen nor
heard anything TO alarm as. but 1t ap-
peared that we had been observed pulling
back to the brig by q native boat, and that
its occupants were faeddlesoae enough to
board a government felHcca lying six miles
above and report our action as suspicious.
About 2o'olock in the morning the fe-
lucca dropped down with the tide, came to
anchor about two cable lengths away and
sent boat 70 board Us on the quiet. They
were foiled Ia this hy the anchor watch,
who stood them off until the brig was
aroused The jars were placed IN the cooks
galley. Semyo secreted himself in the
hold, and then the occupants OF the boat
were invited to corne aboard. The officer
in charge was lieutenant, and he was in
high dungeon over bis reception He de-
manded our papers. inspected the cargo,
and pointed TO the carronade az proof that
we were suspicious charactersi He went
off to report, but was in no hurry TO re-
turn, and soon after daylight we saw a
boat with seven or eight men leave the fe-
hcca and pull up the river. The tide was
still running and there was a fair breeze,
and we determined to cut sticks. Semyo
said the boat had gone to village about
four miles above. probably to consult civil
or military officials, and that If we were
seized it would be all up with allof us
The felucca, as we could plainly see, had
two brass six Founders, but we could not
say that she would attempt to stop US.
The minute we began to make ready we
saw an alarm on her decks. Before we
had the anchor off the ground she sent
boatwith the command that We must wait
the return of our papers. We weighed,
however, let fall and sheeted home and
while they were yelling at US we headed
down the river. We were well out to sea
when we espied the felucca following, and
as she sailed two feet 20 our oue she was
now the Spanish go~ernmena would hang
Us al lO1 ECLhsshf1 every
thing in the shape of sal, loaded Ont ear
ronade and paid NO attention to che feaucoa
until positively obliged TO. Her eannery
was SO poor that we wondered II her guns
had ever been fred before. She had at
least twenty shots at us, but the closest
can was when ball passed through the
flying jih.
She wasn't over q quarter of mile away
when ooF English gunner sighted his piece
and brought down Der entire foremost and
everything with &c. The mast was hit
about six feet above the deck and broken
of, snd the felucca at once fan off into the
trough OF the SEA and confusion reigned
supreme. We kept our course, knowing
that she could not follow Us another foot, |
and when clear of the coast headed up for !
Shanghai. Arriving there thu brig was
and renamed, her big gun drop !
ped to the bottom Of the harbor and 40 /
One could have.Enistrustsd her. saw the |
outrage" detailed a q Manila paper two /
DIT three weeks after it occurred, but II the /
Spanish governments ever Investigated the !
occurrence none Of IT'S movements came TO (
NY attention. We got 81, go apiece out /!
1f the lfosla transaction, and the last knew /
of SoInyp he was tea trader n Japan
New York Sun.
Warning cannot be given too often /
against the bad practice Of 0ysrfeedins the