Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1890-02-27
A QUEER QUEST.
The Debt Uncle Sam Contracted
with Jonny Crapeau
Search for Buried Treasure Ends IN Capt
ure ~ Moorish Pirates who In Turn
Receive Their Desert. from
Frwn~h Frigzf~-


was making inquiry az the state Ue-
rarsmens in Washington the other day
sbolt a debt which our Uncle sam in
Cured on land and Sea in the spring Of
fssia. and ] fels much disappointed 20
learn that No steps had been taken ~
pay it-nos even 10 acknowledge its ex-
istence- The French Government il
the creditor IN this instance. and so
much has occurred 70 excite the pablo
mind in both countries since the date !
mentioned that it has doubtless formed
an excuse for our state Department -
perhaps pigeonhole and forget the mat
ter entirely
In the fall Of 1853. 4 man named James
Shields. whO hailed from Charleston
appeared in Boston and interested sew
eral capitalists in strange adventure
As near a ! Eas ever able To learn for
reasons which | will explain. he bad
loca-ed a treasures wreck 10 the East of
the Canary ISlznds-bstween them and
the coast Of MOrucco. What papers he
had is known only TO the other members
Of the syndicate He must have had 4
pretty plausible yarn. for they
bought and oUtfitted brig and sailed
away on the search I vas second mate
Of the brig. and all knew about the
voyage was that the articles read To
ne Canary Islands and surrounding
waters and return The fir. mate
kne~ no more Than did. and while the
captain no d0ubt. knew all about it. he
was as mum IS any oyster shields
went along n passenger. and a man
named Harper was aboard 10 act a.
agent for The others
While the object OF the voyage was
kept secret. We had hardly cleared Bos-
ton harbor before IL Eas understood BIZ
all that it Was = treasure hunt We
were in ballast only, had full crew
and one man over. and the chains and
cables and diving bell put aboard all
went % prove that we we're going 10 fish
for dollars lying under the water
IL Is a long vOyage from Boston to the
Canaries. but we had fairly good run
of it. Our brig vas called the swallow.
and a. she was good sailer and we'll
provIsi0ned- there WAS no growing
among the men, when at times. she lay
heaving on the CLASSY seas without
wind enough 70 care 4 candle
The object Of the voyage had Al
most been forgotten when the islands
were finally sighted Il vas not until
We ran into simm's bay. on the eastern
side OF the group. that interest was
again AZ fever heat Here Wa took in
fresh water, overhauled the standing
rigging, secured fresh provisions. and
were almost ready 10 sail away when a
large dE0w, sach as the Ar7bians use in
the slave trade and seemingly carrying
a large number Of men arrived in the
bag and anchored within a cables
length Of Us The West African coast
Of thirty years ago vas not traversed
almost daily By the steam war ships
and steamships Of several nations. AMI
the merchantmen never felt perfectly
safe outside the Straits of Gibraltar
Whether this dhOw wzs bound down the
Coast after 4 cargo Of blacks or was
cruising for nObler fry was an enigma.
We carried an arsenal of small arms.
but nothing IN the Way Of cannon One
OF our men who Was sent aIofs for the
purpose. reported that he was certain
the dh0w carried txo pieces Of ordnance
forward
The dhow came in about ten o'clock in
the morning. and a. soon Is her anchor
was down her boats started for the
shore What the errand was we could
not tell but guessed they we're after
fruits Afser dinner her captain was
pulled aboard of Us He was an Al
gerine. With As wicked 4 face on him a.
any pirate ever carried and though he
tried 10 render his visit very pleasant.
he left nothing but distrust and sHsui-
eion behind one and all believed that
he came a. a spy He asked. As xas
natural our port of hail. whittier bound.
our cargo. and 50 on and it was thought
best 10 tell him that Ee had been sent
out by the American Governments 70
rescue a crew OF American sailors shin
wrecked some time before about tbrva
hundred miles down thecoast We haf
put In for water and repairs. and would
soon resume our voyage This story
seemed 20 satisfy him and after a lunch
IN the cabin he took his departure.
That afternoon he dropped Out Of the
bay with the tide. and we expected We
had seen the last OF him We we're ali
glad enough ~ Sc hfm 20. for no man
aboard dOzbted that he xas ID 10 mis-
chief
TIE next morning Ee we're ready %
sail. and nov learned more OF the OBJ
lect Of the voyage than ever before.
Shields had British chart Of the "a
rsrS. and midway between the north
eastern ISLAND and the mouth Of the
llr1ha river be bad made a pencil mark
whether this stood for a shoaI or a
wreck did noe learu-
A. I've o'clock In the afternoon hav-
~ bid q oo9rss - the northeast since
se eff ne hAy. sc took soundinxS- ard
t92H4 t-sttom az Eve fathons. This
~sut - show thas ShlelAs had marked
Asaa@4 seAr1 The captain Aaa nate
s@-k1nx aaspas coZlz- % 2nrhor. bat no
cr<i~rs bad PES beea xivsa- Ehen the
ane~ cane s1eaAlzx 1s~n upon as from
tse e@<& ecmimx ogt q rhe hlzr whi-h
h4as oFer to wAs~r A. ons auirht sid
esnly 4rpFsr fruH h@hlad a -ar-zfn
Sac s2@nt over tEo niles away shsu
rrst sagnt@4 azA Alter a hurried con-
s~itAEa0a Ene srag's bead ~1s permitted
- t4ll 81 and - ke2Gez % tie uorrb
sta . LxhE sist abeam- TIE dhow
Altered her eourse - intercept =. AZ The
zane time signaling that she Eanrs,a %
pax 60 Her 4Ppearznce created sg--