The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1890-03-08
A TREASURE HUNT.

In the fall Of 1859 a man named James
Shields, who hailed from Charleston, ap-
prarcd in Boston and interested several
capitalists in Il strange adventure. As
near as | was ever able to learn, for rea-
sons which | will explain, he had located
a treasure wreck to the east Of the Can
airy Islands between them and the coast
OF Morocco. What papers he had is
known only to the other members Of the
syndicate. lie must have had a pretty
plausible yarn, for they bought and ont
fitted a brig and sailed away on the
search. | was second mate of the brig,
and all knew about the voyage was that
the articles read "To the Canary ISL
ands and surrounding waters and return.
The first mate knew no more than | did,
and while the Captain, no doubt, knew
all about it, he was as mum as an oyster.
Shields went along as passenger, and a
man named Harper was aboard to act rs
agent for the others.
While the object Of the voyage was
kept secret, we had hardly cleared Bos~
ton harbor before it was understood by
all that it was a 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 to prove
that VIC were going to fish for dollars ly-
ing under water.
! 1t is n long voyage from Boston to the
Canaries, but we had a fairly good run of
It, Our brig was called the Swallow,
,and as she was a good sailer and we'll pro-
visioned, there was no growing among the
linen, when, at times, she lay heaving on the
CLASSY seas without wind enough to flare
IA candle. The object of the voyage had
almost been forgotten when the islands
'werc finally sighted. 1t was not until we
IRAN into Simm's Bay, on the eastern side
Iof the group, that interest was again at
fever heat. Here we took in fresh water,
.overhauled the standing rigging, secured
fresh provisions, and were almost ready
70 sail away when large dhow, such as
tine Arabians use in the slave trade, and
seemingly carrying a large number of
linen, arrived in the bay and anchored
within cables length of us. The West
AFRICAN coast of thirty years ago was not
traYerscd almost daily by the steam war
khips and steamships Of several nations,
land the merchantmen never felt perfectly
isafc outside the Straits of Gibraltar.
Whether this dhow was bound down the
icoast after cargo of blacks or was cr,lis-
ling for nobler fry was an enigma. We
carried an arsenal of small arms, but moth
hng in the way Of cannon. One of our
men, who was sent aloft for the purpose,
reported that he was certain the dhow
carried two pieces Of ordnance forward.
The dhow came in about ten o'clock in
the morning, and as soon as her anchor
was down her boats started for the shore.
What the GRAND was we could not tell,
but guessed they were after fruits. After
hinuer her Captain was pulled aboard of
us. He was an Algerine, with as wicked
= face on him as any pirate ever carried,
and though he tried to render his visit
very pleasant he left nothing but distrust
hnd suspicion behind. One and all be-
ieved that he came as a spy. He asked,
rs natural, our port of hail, whittier
bound, our cargo, and so on, and it was
thought best to tell him that we had been
sent out by the American Government to
rescue a crew Of American sailors ship
wrecked some time before about three
hundred miles below the coast. We had
put in for water and repairs, and would
coon resume our voyage. This story
seemed to satisfy him, and, after 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 were all
glad enough to SEQ him 60, for no man
aboard doubted that he was up to mis-
chief.
i The next morning VIC were ready to
Bail, and now l learned more of the OBJ
fect of the voyage than ever before.
Shields had British chart of the waters,
and midway between the northeastern
island and the mouth of the Draha River
be had made a pencil mark. Whether this
stood for a shoal or a wreck l did not
learn.
At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, having
held course to the northeast since we
left the bay, we took soundings, and
found bottom at five fathoms. This went
to show that Shields had marked shoa;
[ heard the Captain and mate talking
about coming to anchor, but no orders
had yet been given when the.dhow came
stealing down upon us from the east,
coming Gut of the blur which hung over
The water as one might suddenly appear
from behind curtain. She wasn't over
two miles away when first sighted, and
after hurried consultation the briggs
head was permitted to fall off and we
beaded to the north with light wind
abeam. The dhow altered her course to
intercept US, at the same time signaling
chat she wanted to speak us. Her appear
lnce created surprise and CONSERVATION,
and when it was seen that she meant to
lay us aboard consultation was held in
the cabin as to what should be done. A
decision was reached very quickly. She
could sail two feet to our one, and it was
plain that she could board us whether we
consented or not. There was some talk
Of getting up the arms, but this was only
among the men forward. The head Of
the brig was brought forward to the wind,
and as darkness came stealing down over
the sea the dhow came gliding toward US
like a serpent approaching its prey.
From the first appearance of the dhow
| had no doubt that she meant us evil. l
was ready to do my full share toward
beating her off, but when l was told that
there would be no resistance, and when
she was within pistol-shot of us, en-
tered the forecastle, and from thence by
means by means of sliding door in the
hulkhead, passed into the hold. We
l. Ill s.,x LII