Wichita eagle., 1890-02-21
A DEBT OF UNCLE SANS.


was making inquiry at the state depart
nlent III " ashington the other day about a
debt which our Uncle Sam incurred on land
ana sea In the spring of 1SG0 and | felt much
disappointed to learn that no steps had been
taken TO pay lt-not even to acknowledge its
existence. The French government is the
creditor in this instance, and SO much has oc-
CURED to excite the public mind in both
countries since the date ! mentioned that it
has doubtless formed an excuse for our state
department to perhaps pigeonhole and forget
the matter entirely
In the fall of 1859 man nened James
Shields, who hailed from Charleston, ap-
peared in Boston and interested several capi-
talists in a strange adventure. AS near as
was ever able to learn, for reasons which
viii explain, he had located a treasure wreck
to the east Of the Canary 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 and outftted
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 Islands and surrounding waters
and return" The first mate knew no more
than did, and while the captain, no doubt,
knew all about it, he mum an
oyster. Shields went along as passenger, and
a man named Harper was aboard to act
agent for the others.
While the object of the voyage was kept
secret we had hardly cleared Boston harbor
before it was understood by ali that it was a
treasure hunt We were III ballast only, had
full crew and one man over and the chains
and cables and diving bell put aboard all
went TO prove we were going to fish for dol
lars lying under water
1t Is a long voyage from Boston to the
Canaries, but we had a fairly good run of it.
Our brig was called the Swallow, and as she
was good sailer and well provisioned there
was no growing among the men, when, at
times she lay heaving on the CLASSY seas
without wind enough to fare a candle. The
object Of the voyage had almost been forgot
ten when the islands were finally sighted.
1t was not until we ran into Simm's bay,
on the eastern side of the group, that inter-
est was again at fever heat. Here we took
in fresh water, overhauled the standing rig
ging, secured fresh provisions, and were
almost ready to sail away, when large
dhow, such as the Arabians use in the slave
y
Der of men, arrived in the bay and anchored
within a cables length of US. The west
African coast of twenty years ago was not
traversed almost daily by 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
cargo OF blacks, or was cruising for nobler
fry, was an enigma. We carried an arsenal
of small arms, but nothing in the way of
cannon One of our men, who was sent aloft
for the purpose, reported that he was certain
the dhow carried two pieces of ordnance for
ward
The dhow came in about 10 o'clock in the |
morning, and as soon as her anchor was
down hor boatS started for the shore What |
the errand was we could not tell, but guessed |
they were after fruits. After dinner her |
captain was pulled aboard of US. He was an |
Algerine. with as wicked face on him as |
any pirate ever carried, and though he tried |
TO render his visit very pleasant he left moth |
inc but distruSt and suspicion behind. One |
and all believed that he came q spy. lie |
osIed, rs was natural, our port of hail, |
whittier bOspd, our cargo, and so on, and it |
was thought best to tel him that Ue had |
been sent out by the American government
TO rescue a crew Of American sailors ship
wrecked some time before about $50 miles
down the coast. We had put in for water
and repairs, and would soon resume our voy-
age. This story seemed to satisfy him, and,
after lunch in the cabin, he took his de-
partare. That afternoon he dropped out Of
toe bay with the tide, and we expected we
had seen the last Of him. We were all glad
enough TO see him go, for no man aboard
doubted that he was up to mischief.
The next morning we were ready TO sail,
and now learned more of the object of the
voyage than ever before. Shields had
British chart of the waters. and midway be-
tween the northeastern island and the mouth
of the Draha river he had made a pencil |
mark Whether this stood for shoal or
wreck did not learn.
At o'clock in the afternoon. having held
a course to the northeast since we left the
bay we took soundings and found bottom at
five fathoms. This went to show that Shields
had marked shoaL heard the captain and
mate talking about coming to anchor, but no
orders had yet been given when the dhow
came stealing down upon us from the east,
coming out of the blur which hung over the
water as one might suddenly appear from be-
mind a curtain.
She wasn't over two miles away when first
81 lighted, ard after q hurried consultation the
briggs head was permitted to fail eff and we
headed to the north with a light abeam. The
dhow altered Ler course 10 intercept US, at
tie same time sig QGiling taat she wanted to
speak US Her appearance created surprise
and CONSERVATION. and when it was seen that
she meant TO lay us aboard a consultation
was held in the cabin as 10 what should be
Zone. a decision was reschaG very quickly.
she could sail Two feet TO oRr cna. and it was
plain that she could board Us whether we
or not There was some talk OF
setting up the arms, but thiS was only among
he men forward. The head OF the brig was
brought to the wind. and as darkness came