The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1890-02-20
A TREASURE HUNT.

"a treasure Nrctk tD tlp cast Of the Cdu
ary Islands between them and the coast
Of Morocco. What papers he had is
known only to the other members of the
syndicate. He must have had pretty
plausible yarn, for they bought aud out
fitted 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 maze knew no more than did
and while the Captain, no doubt, knew
all about it., he was ~ mum rs an oyster
Shields went along rs passenger, aud u
man named Harper was aboard tJ act "a
agent for the others.
While the object OF the voyage was
kept secret, we had hardly cleared Bos.
ton harhor before il was understood by
all that it was treasure hunt. We were
in ballast only, had q full crew and one
man over, aud the chains aud cables aud
diving bell put aboard all went to prove
that we were going 10 fish for dollars ly-
ing under water.
II is a long voyage from Boston TO the
CanaricS. hut We had fairly good run Of
it. our brig was called the swallow.
and ~ she was good ,ailcr aud well pro
yisionci, there was no growing among the
men, VIXEN, at times she lay hcayiug ON the
CLASSY sea-, without wind enough To fare
candle The object of the VOYAGE had
almost been forgotten when the islluds
were finally sighted II was not until we
mu into Simm's Bay, on the eastern side
of the group, that intcrcs, was again a.
fever heat Here we took in fresh water,
ovcrhaul"d the standing rigging secured
fresh provisions, and were almost ready
to sail away when large dhow, such as
the Aribans use in the slave trade, and
seemingly carrying II large number OF
men, arrived in the bay and anchored
within cables length of Us. The West
African coast of thirty years ago was not
travCrscd almost daily 10y the steam war
ships and steamships of several nations,
and the merchantmen never felt perfectly
safe outside the Straits of Gibraltar.
Whether this dhow was bound down the
coast after Il cargo of blacks or was cruis-
ing for uonlcr fry was an enigma. We
carried an arsenal Of small arms, but moth
ing in the way of cannon. one of our
men, who was sent alOit 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. aud rs soon rs her anchor
was down her boats started for the shore
What the crrlnd was We could not tell,
but guessed they were after fruits. After
dinner hrr Captain was pulled aboard of
us. He wa, an Algcriuc, with u. wicked
u face ON him rs any pirate ever carried,
and though he tried Ia render his visit
very pleasant he left nothing but dStruSt
and suspicion behind. One and all be
licvcd that he came ~ It spy. lie asked,
rs natural, oar port OF hail, whittier
bound, our cargo aud So on, and it was
thought best go tell him that we had been
sent out hy the American Government to
rescue crew of American sailors ship
wrecked some time before about three
hundred miles below the coast. We had
put in for water aud repairs, and would
soon resume our voyage. This story
seemed 10 satisfy him. aud, after u 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 10 see him go, tor no man
aboard doubted that hc was up to mis-
chief
The next morning we were ready to
sail. and now | learned more Of the OBJ
jcct 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
neutrality-suspicious., Whether this
stood for shoal or wreck | did not
learn.
At o'clock in the afternoon, having
held course to the northeast since we
left the bay, we took soUudings, and
found bottom at five iathoms Thi, went
to show that Shields had marked shoa,.
| heard the Captain aud mate talking
about coming to anchor, hut no orders
had yet been given when the dhow came
stealing down upon us from the east,
coming ont of the blur which hung over
! the water rs one might suddenly appear
from behind curtain. She wasn't oven
two miles away when first sighted, and
after II hurried consultation the brig,
head was permitted to fall off and We
headed to the north with a light vino
abeam. The dhow altered her course tC
intercept MS, at the same time signaling
that she wanted to speak us. Her appear
ance created surprise and CONSERVATION
and when it was seen that she meant tC
lay US aboard consultation was held il
| the cabin rs to what should be done. 4
decision was reached very quickly. Sh,
could sail two feet to our one, and it wa,
plain that she could board us whether W,
consented or not. There was some tall
of getting up the arms, but this was onl.
among the men forward. The head %
the brig was brought forward to the wind
and us darkness came stealing down owe
the sea tho dhow came gliding toward u
like serpent approaching its prey.
| From the first appearance of the dhov