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

keg of whisky to the camp, and by
night the boss and his gang were as drunk
as lords. As soon as it was dark four of
us pulled ashore with Scnyo, and he led
us straight trail to the treasure. It
was buried in two earthen jars against n
bit of wall, and one of the camp
fires of the g&ng had been built within
ten feet of the spot. We had the jars out
and on board the brig in half an hour,
and an investigation proved that Semyo
had rather figured under the actual
amount. We had neither seen nor heard
anything to alarm us, but it appeared
that we had been observed pulling back
to the brig by native boat, and that
its occupants were meddlcsome enough
to board a Government felucca lying
six miles above and report our action as
suspicious.
About 3 o'clock in the morning the
felucca dropped down with the tide,
came to anchor about two cable lengths
away, and sent boat to board us on the
quiet. They were foiled in this by the
anchor watch, who stood them off until
the brig was aroused. The jars were
placed in the cooks galley. Seuyo
secreted himself in the hold, and then
the occupants of the boat were invited
to come aboard. The officer in charge
was Lieutenant, and he was in high
dudgeon over his reception. He de-
manded our papers, inspected the cargo,
and pointed to the carronade as proof
that we were suspicious characters. He
went off to report, but was in no hurry to
return, and soon after daylight we saw
boat with seven or eight meu leave the
felucca and pull up the river. The tide
was still running and there was fair
breeze, and We determined to cut sticks.
Semyo said the boat had gone to a~llage
about four miles above, probably to con-
suit civil or military officials, and that if
we were seized it would call up with all
Of us.
The felucca, as we could plainly see,
had two brass six-pounders, but we
could not say that she would attempt to
stop u.s. The minute We began to make
ready we saw an alarm on her decks.
Before we had the anchor off the ground
she sent boat with the command that
we must wait the return of our papers.
We weighed, however, let fall and sheet
ed home, and while they were yelling at
us we headed down the river. We were
we'll out to sea when we espied the
fclucca following, and as she sailed two
feet to our one she was within range
before ten o'clock. If captured now the
Spanish Government would hang us all
for conspiracy. We cracked on every
thing in the shape of sail, loaded our
carronade and paid no attention to the
felucca until positively obliged to. Her
gunnery was so poor that we wondered
if her guns had ever been fired before.
She had at least twenty shots at US, but
the closest call was when ball passed
through the fying-jib. She wasn't over
q quarter of mile away when our Eng
lish gunner sighted his piece and brought
down her entire foremast, and everything
with it. The mast was hit about six
feet above the deck and broken of, and
the felucca at once fell offinto the trough
of the sea and confusion reigncd su-
preme. We kept our course. knowing
that she could not follow us another foot,
and when clear of the coast, headed up
for Shanghai. Arriving there, the brig
was repainted and renamed, her big gun
dropped to the bottom of the harbor,
and no one could have mistrusted her.
1 saw the "outrage" detailed in Manila
paper two or three weeks after it oc.
Cured, but if the Spanish Government
ever investigated the occurrence, none
of its movements came to my attention.
We got S32, 500 apiece out of the little
transaction, and the last I knew Of
Seymo he was tea trader in Japan
Ne,o York Sun.