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

In 1865 went to Hong Kong in the
interests of certain English manufac.
turer, and it was q year and half later
when I one day received strange visitor
and strange proposition. l was in
charge OF large warehouse, and one Of
my Chinese employees brought in the
stranger, and explained:
II told him you would have nothing to
do with him, but he insisted on com
ing"
The stranger was half.breed of some
sort, gaunt, ragged, and evidently hard
up. As soon as we were alone he intro
duced himself IS Semyo, and stated that
he was from the Island of Luzon, one of
the group composing the Philippines.
He belonged to the native population,
but had Spanish blood in his veins. He
had once been man of Importance, but
the Spaniards had robbed him OF his
power, and afterward feared his infu-
cncc to such degree that he had first
been imprisoned and afterward banished.
He had been carried on o native craft to
Japan, and then left ragged and penni-
less, and had been more than year
reaching Hong Kong. While he had
only few shil.ings in his pockets, he had
neither come to solicit charity nor q
a place to work. He had straight,
square business proposition to submit. If
I approved of it, well and good; If I
did not, then he would be no worse off.
When he realized that Spanish influence
was plotting his downfall, he made such
prep ions rs he could to meet the in-
evi' ie. He was very wealthy man,
q ne quietly went to work and con-
tied everything he could into mouey,
sold dust and jcwc!ry. He had got
about $40, 900 together when the ruling
power pounced upon him, but not quick
enough to get it. He had cached or
buried his fortune, and though he was
abused and threatened by the Spaniards
for mouths lie would not betray the
secret.
TO get that money by his own individ-
ual efforts was utterly impossible. The
moment he set foot on Luzon he would
be arrested. He must have a partner
who would furnish q ship and crew, and
he would go along to mark down the
spot where the treasure w2s buried.
looked upon the man with pity aud
upon his project with contempt when he
first began talking. When he was through
I had agreed to think it over. There is
fascination about buried treasure or II
sunkea wreck that will enlist capital to
the dctriment of honest speculation. l
was noted as being conservative man,
and the idea Of my going into any such
venture would have been regarded by my
friends as evidence of approaching men
tai calamity. I went to the American
Consul, and in roundabout way nc con-
frmed part of Scmyo's story. lie lad
heard of him, and heard of his being de-
posed and banishcd. Then went down
to the wharves, and almost the first man
I ran against was the Yankee Captain OF
brig called "The john" which was
then having some repairs made. She
had been running in the tea trade up and
down the Yellow Sea, but now, quecriy
enough, the Captain informed Inc that he
thought of taking Il run over to the
Philippines and try for Il cargo on his
own account. The products of the
islands are ebony, lo-wood, gumwood
bamboo, cocoaluts, all sorts of fruits,
cotton, tobacco, indigo, coffee, etc, and
many trading vessels are e.nploycd in the
traffic. His craft was muaa.l by Il matt
and four sailors, and found all of then
to be Americans. When l came to ex
press my surprise ct this he explained:
"You see, they arc rIa%"ays iron
American war vessels, mate and all.
have picked them up oae vt time, an;
as none Of them has Il wife back HON
they are content to stay with me. rv
got a Chinese cook, bur outside of him
want no truck with foreigners.
I outlined my story TO Captain
Wheaton, as he Introduced himself. II
heard me through without interruption
and then quietly said:
.Don't sound 50 very h=ly. but