The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-09
hUAT|hG HIDDEN WEALTH
Tho Adventures of Mr.. Knight With
the Good Ship Alerte and
Crew.
Their Enthusiasm is Undim1nlshed,
Though Their Long Search
Was Bootless.
r.,,,. - <av;pation in the South Atlantic
Supplies Give Out ana tho
Crew Mut.ny.

supplies WV ~"S
Crew Mut:ny.
The most romantic and eccentric enter
prises OF recent times have come TO an IN
timely end. says the London Field. Inc
.New Treasure Hunt has been definitely
abandoned. Seven or eight months ago
when an article appeared III an evening
naper saving that Mr.. Knight, the well
known yachtsman, would pilot chosen
few. who were prepared to stake tlUo, to
land of unknown but enormous wealth. II
was regarded on all hands as BAD practl-
cal Joke. or chimerical adventure winch
could lead to no tangible result. Ana SO 1t
has turned out. Mr.. knight and his crew
have failed. but it speaks well for their I'M
Ainchinp enthusiasm that they still believe
as firmly as before in the existence OF the
hidden treasure. although it fated not to
fall into their hands.
The treasure was computed to be not less
than a million sterling. and it may well be
imagined that the applicants Tor the post OF
..pentleman adventurer' were not rev: IN
fact. though over 200 applications We're re-
ceiyed. only nine were finally selected, and
these. with Mr.. Knight and four paid
hands. made up the crew OF the
good ship Alerte. The ship was cheered,
the harbor cleared as at o'clock on
Thursday, Aug. 80, 1889. the smart yawl set
sail from Southampton on her romantic
ouest, Santa Cruz, at Jeneritfe, in the
Canaries, was reached on Sept. IL, and st.
Vincent. Cape Verde Islands, on Oct. l,
Then came long run of some 2,5OO miles
to Bahia next to Rio de Janeiro, the most i'm
portant seaport of Brazil which was reached
Az Rnhia all narflpS hpInD had.
lv in want of rest and relaxation, a stay of
about ten DAYS was made, which allowed
some of the adventures to get a glimpse
into the interior and make explorations into
the picturesque surroundings of the hand
some old town. Here, too, the old tale of
the disastrous effect on the broth produced
by too many cooks was unfortunately to be
true. Squabbles arose, with the result that
only five of the original nine proceeded with
the Alerte from the Brazilian seaport.
Leaving Bahia, in seven days they reached
Trinidad, in the South Atlantic (not to be
COMPOUNDED with the West India Trinidad),
but experienced great difficulty in landing,
taking no less than twelve days to disem-
bark all the tents, tools and requisites on
the barren and inhospitable isle. The paid
hands had been augmented at Bahia by the
addition of two negroes to assist in the Ia
before them. The harborage at Trinidad
was so bad that in anything like gale it
was necessary to run out to sea until calmer
weather permitted a return to the road
stead While on the island the stores gave
out, and Knight with an ''adventurer' and
two paid hands, returned to Bahia, 72O
miles, doing the distance IN the very credit
able time of five days and two hours.
Meanwhile digging operations hadn't been
successful, although the main marks as laid
down in the chart we're found to be quite
correct; yet, looking at the intensely vol
canic nature of the island it is only too
probable that internal commissions have put
the treasure far beyond human reach, for
even one Of the crew, writing home, thus
describes life on the island Scamp life
here is very pleasant. Any amount of tur-
tie, all sorts of fish (including shark s)
abound, capital water, and everything else,
much the same as described in the Cruise
of the Falcon which, of course, you have
read by this time.' And again. the same
member of the crew, speaking of the return
voyage from Bahia, says: knight and my
self and two paid hands and a cook sailed
from Bahia about January 10th for Trini-
dad, South Atlantic. We had bad luck, a
strong wind dead against us, biggish sea,
violent squalls and tremendous rain show
ers. After getting half way in about week
OF this our crew mutlnied (bar the cook
We tied one man up and made term s
with the other, and then ran back to Bahia
in three days. Here we discharged one
AAuA4y buo 1iuoa W ASCp uAC oV1CAs do UAOAC
were no others to be got. Then followed g
sad mishap to the faithful cook on the
second return voyage. He lit the fire tc
boil kettle, and IN taking it off succeeded
In scalding himself so badly about hi
arms and face that he didn't turn out O
his bunk for ten days" On reaching tn
island the same writer says:
I'VE had to heave to off it for seven day
before the weather was calm enough to ge
boat off. We found that in the interva
nearly all the likely places in the ravin
had been tried unsuccessfully, and it wasn'
able that the treasure is there, though NJ
doubt earthquakes and land slides hay
altered things considerably. s.
we got most of the things Of
when the sea permitted, and ha'
some exciting surf swimming, taking line
ashore, ETC., most of which fell to my share
until managed to come down rather heav
lily on rock to the detriment of my LET
foot. lived on shore for the next fou
days in sort Of Robinson Crusoe fashion
no one else venturing to come oil except on
OF our black men who was devotedly al
tached to me.''
With fair wind they made good pal
sage to Trinidad, West Indies, in twent
days, and from there will come back to Ell
gland at the earliest opportunity. A lettt
from Trinidad dated the 18th ult. said it WI
possible that Knight might dispose OF II
vessel ana bring back his crew IN tne ne.
steamer. in which case they would be due
England in about a week. But their mo-
likely course will be to return as they wen
In the good ship Alerte, arriving about Il
middle of May. Though disappointed j
the main object of the expedition, the ga
liant adyenturers will be rich in experienc
and will in future be more inclined to loo
before they leap on Treasure island"
Entitled to the Best.
All are entitled to the best that the