The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1890-07-10

W iiSI III iooh'HSS Si'"i = 'A' I" iNA L WI
tell whether hes bamboozling or speak
ing the solemn truth
MADE an appointment, and semyo re
told his story in the presence of Captain
Wheaton. When he had retired tn,
Captain drew down his right eye, slapped
his leg and whispered:
"Colonel, it's a 60! The heathen's
talking straighter than straight-cdscd
board, and if we can come to terms, I'm
in with the deal"
There was very little higgling over the
particulars. It was agreed that Captain
Wheaton and myself should bear all the
expense of the adventure, and if the
treasure was secured each of the three
should have an equal share. We
gave Semyo money to get himself into
decent shape and then looked to the fur
nishings of the brig. She was already
provided with small arms and cutlasses,
but we added to the stock, and then, at
the Captains suggestion, bought car
ronade which had been lying in ware
house for two or three years. With it
we got carriage and ammunition, and
by the time the gun was aboard the brig
was watered and provisioned and ready
to sail. Her clearance papers were for
Manila, in ballast, and the day of our
sailing Captain Wheaton brought on
board short, squatty, bescarred white
man, who had just been turned out of
jail, and who proved to be an English
"cut-sticks" from II. NJ. S. The Temp
est. It turned out to be the luckiest
thing in the world that we found him.
for he knew how to manage our carron-
ade aud made it keep US out OF an ugly
scrape.
1t was only after We were out of sight
of the Chinese coast that Semyo gave us
the exact location of his treasure cache.
We were to round the Bashee Islands,
lying off the north coast of LUXOR, and
strike the coast Mt river called the
Batanen, after another island. Four miles
up this river, which is navigable for
about twenty miles, was the cache. We
had run of $50 miles across the China
Sea to the Bashecs, and along this north
coast we found several traders. In order
to appear all right in case we were board
ed by any Spanish vessel in those waters
we laid in some cargo here, and took
our time about sailing to the river.
After we had passed the Babuyau ISL
ands and laid our course to the south, we
caught sight one day at noon of felucca
approaching us from the east, having
rounded the cape. She flew the Spanish
flag, and Scmyo said that she belonged
to the coast service. She had the right
to board us and examine our papers, and
while we had no fesr of her on on: own
account, it was probable that Semyo
would be recognized the moment they set
eye on him. We had our plans laid be-
fore she fired gun as signal to us to
heavc to. Semyo was hidden in the fore
peak, and we burned sulphu: in the fore
castle behind him. BY leaving the scut-
tie open the fumes were drawn away from
the fugitive, and could be scented all
over the brig. We love to at the order
of the felucca, and were presently
boarded by a Spanish Lieutenant. He
was q very pompous chap, and it was
probably his intention to do great deal
of bossing around, but as he came over
the rail current of air carried him the
smell of sulphur, and he exclaimed:
GOOD gracious, bu. is your brig on
fire in the forecastle?"
It was explained to him that we had
lost man If some malignant but un-
known disease, and were fumigating the
brig. Two or three Of us were feeling
badly, but hoped to escape the disease
by steaming in the 'vapor. We were .
trader, and offered to open the matches
and show our papers, bnt he was in q
hurry. He didn't even notice our car
rouade, but backed to the rail and de-
scended to his boat, saying:
ooh, you are doubtless all right, and
l hope you will lose no more men. As
for Inc, the services does not demand
that 1 run the risks of epidemic" :"
Two days later we came to anchor in
the river opposite spot pointed out by
Scmyo. The bank of the stream was
rough and broken, but thickly wooded.
Forty rods inland was q highway running
parallel with the stream, out this was
hidden from Us. 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 de-
ccption to prevent suspicion. We got
down topgallartmast, Stacked away
some of the rigging, got 4 stage over the
side for the carpenter and appeared to be
lying there TO. the sole purpose of max
ing repairs. We were soon boarded by
natives anxious to furnish cargo, and on
the second day Government gunboat
passed US without seeming to take any
interest in our case. Scmyo had to lie
concealed in the hold during daylight:
rs men were coming aboard who knew
lin, well, and it WAS about midnight on
the second light after our arrival that
We pulled ashore for the treasure that
is, two men pulled Scmyo of to tnc bank
TO see il it was all right, ana it did not
take him many minutes to make a disa'
grceable discovery. A party of wood
cutters had encanped close to the ruin,
with every indication of IL long stay
Scmyo was positive that he could not
get ut the cache without being discov
cred, as the party ha@ two Or three dog;
in camp, and he WAS sharply challenged
as he secuted around.
Next day, after some conspirlng on ou'
part, the Captain and went ashore tt
the camp to make 4 bold move. There
was IL gang o. thirty natives under