The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-08
GOOD STORIES OF THE PRESENT DAT.


OF n certain English manu- facturer. and It was
n year and a half later when one day received
strange visitor md stranger proposition.
was in charge Of large warehouse. and one
of my Chinese employees brought In the
stranger, and explained:
Il told him you would have nothing to do
with him, but he insisted on coming"
Tho stranger was n half breed OF some sort,
gauht, rRggod. and evidently hard up. AS
soon rs we wero alone he introduced himself
rs Semyo. and stated that he was from the
island OF Luzon, ono Of the group composing
the Philippines. 10 belonged to the native
population, but had Spanish blood in his veins.
He had once boon n man OF importance. but
the Spaniards had robbed him Of his power
and nfterward feared his influence to such
degree that he had first been imprisoned and
afterward banished. lie had been carried on
native craft 10 Japan. and there lott ragged
and pcnnless. and had been moro than year
reaching Hong Kong While, he had only n
neither CONS to solicit charity nor nor a place to
work. He had a, straight. square business
TTSposdSS d. iqH If Ts Of It,
no worse oil. When he realized that Spanish
influence was plotting his downfall. he made
evitable. io was n very wealthy man, and he
thing he could into money. g9id dust, and
Jewelry. He had got about $4,000 together
whom tho ruling power bounced upon him.
but not, quick enough to get It. ,lio had cached
abused aud threatened by I the Spaniards I for
m9nths he would NOT betray the, secret;
forts was utterly impossible, The moment he
set foot on Lu2ou he would be arrested He
mus have a partner who would furnish, ship
the spot whore tho treasure was buried.
looked unon the man with pity and upon
talking. When he was through had agreed
70 think 1t over There is fascination about
enlist ca itaI TO tho detriment Of honest specu-
man MAJ, ana The ide% Of my going int any such
friends as evidence of approaching mental
calamity. l went to the, American Consul.
OF Semyos story He had heard Of hun, and
heard OF his being depose and banished. Then
FIRST man ran against WINS he Yankee Captain
OF n brig called The John" which was thon
having some repairs made. She mad been run
ping IN the tea trade up and down the Yellow
sea hut now. queerly enough. tho Captain in
formed ne that he thought If taking run
his own account. Tho products of the islands
are ebony. logwood. gumwuod, bamboo, cocoa
nuts. al SORTS Of fruits cote on. tobacco indigo.
coffee, Nc. and many trading vessels are en-
ployed in the traffic; His craft was manned by
q mate and four sailors, and found all of them
surprise at this he explained:
You SEQ, they arc rupawnys from American
up one at a time and AS none Of them has q
wife back home they are content to stay with
nm E1t h Wtb OF
] outlined my story to Cap. Wheaton, as he
introduced himself. he heard me through
Don't sound SO very fshy. but won't tell
you what think Of i nnti! hear the heathen
NJ man | can tell whether hos bumboollng
OIL, sIeaking tho solemn truth"
| made an appointment and Semyo retold
n hp
When he had retired the ATTAIN drew down
his right eve. slapped hi leg, and whispered:
straighter than a straiGht-edgcd board. and II
We AN come TO terms, I'm in with the deal"
Ts ~Is wary S dh tEa, S
and myself sh uld bear all the expense OF the
adventure. AMI il tho treasure was secured
ca Of tho three should have an equal share.
Wo gave SemyO money to get himself into do
cent shape and then looked I" the furnishings
o. the brig. sh" was already proIided. with
stock, and tnHn, at the CAPTAINS suggestion,
bought n carrona!e which had been Wing in
warehouse tor two or three years With 1t We
got II carriage and ammunition, and by the
time the gun WAS aboard the brig was wntcred
a CO papers We're for Maniln!, In ballast and
the day Of our sailing Cant. Wheaton brought
man who had iu-t ne?n turned out OF Jail and
who ~ oyni 10 be IN English " cut-sticks" from
II. NJ. $. The rcmTest II turne.i ont to be he
for no know how t. manage our carronade
and made i keep US out Of an ugly scraps a.,
Chinese const that Semyo gave US the exact
location OF his trcasure cachh We were TO
round The Bashre Islands lying OF the north
const OF Lu2on. ana strike the coast Mt u river
called the Eatanen after anot hor island. Four
miles up this river. which l. ,naviHablo tor
run OF $50 miles across tho China Sea to tho
Basnens AMI along this north coast we found
IN case we we're boarded By any Spanish vessel
in those waters We laid IN some cargo here.
and took our time about SAILING 70 the river.
and lnll our cour-o to tho south. we caught
sight ono day AT noon of a ieucca approaching
She few tho Spanish Nag and SemyO said that
She belonged TO tho coast service. She had tho
right to board us and examine our papers. and |
Willie we had no fear OF her on our own ac-
count. 1t WAS probable TINT Semyo would he
Tccogni2ed tho moment they SGT eye on him.
as n -lgnal to US to hcaye To-. Semyo was Md
don in tho forepeak aud wo burned sulphur in
ecnttl" opcn the, fumes we're drawn away from
the fugitive. and could be secuted al over the
We hoys to q nG 9T bv The
tenant. lie WAS u very pompous chap and II |
was probably his, intontl9n to DO great deal !
Of bussng around. but as no came over the rail
"A current OF air carried him the smell OF sui |
phur and he exclaimed:
Good Lord. but is your brig on fire in the
it was explained to him that wo had lost n
man OF some malignant but unknown disease. |
OF Us were feeling badly. but hoped to escape
the disease by stcaming in the yapor. We were
q trader. and offered TO open the atches and I
show our papers. but he wa! in hurry. lilo f.
didn't oven notice our cnrronndc. but backed to |
the rail aud descended TO his boat. saying:
"Oh. you are doubtless all right, and hope |
you will lose no more men. As for me. tho |
seryIc" does not demand that run tho risks OF
epidemic"
Two days later we came to another in tho
river opposite spot pointed out by SemyO. |
Tho bnnk of the stream was rough and broken. |
but thickly wooded. Forty rods inland was a |
highway running parallel with tho stream. hut |
this was hidden from MS. ON the far side OF |
the highway wa1 tho ruin of an old church. |
and IN this ruin WIS the treasure cache. As |
many boats woro rassing ~ and down, 1t was |
or dawn nv peGo1IUn H. pTT1Snt
Stacked away some OF tho rigging got II stage |
over tho side for the carpenter. and appeared |
70 be lying thee for the sole purpose OF max |
ing repairs. We were soon boarded, by natives |
anxious to furnish cargo and on tho |
SECOND day n Government .Gunboat
interest in our case. semyo had to lie con-
ceaIed in the hold during daylight, as mon |
we . coming aboard who knew HIM we'll, and |
it WAS about midnight on tho second night |