The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-06
A BURIED TREASURE.

and it was year and half later when
enc day received a strange visitor with q
stranger proposition. l was In charge of a
large warehouse, and one of my Chinese
employees brought in the stranger and ex-
| planned:
Il told him you would have nothing to
do with him, but he insisted On coming"
| The stranger was s. half breed of some
sort, gaunt, ragged and evidently hard up.
As soon as we were alone be introduced
| himself as Semyo, and stated that he was
| from tho Island of Luzon, ono bf the group
composing the Philippines. lie belonged
to the native population, but had Spanish
| blood in his veins. He had once been a
man of Importance, but the SpahiarGs had
robbed him Of his power, and afterward
feared his influence to such degree that
he had first been imprisoned aud after
ward banished. He had been carried on a
native craft to Japan, and there left ragged
and penniless, and had been moro than a
year reaching Hong Kong.
While he had only o few shillings in his
pockets. he had neither come TO solicit
charity nor a place to work. He had a
straight, square business proposition TO
submit. III approved Of it. well and good;
II did not, then he would be ne worse off.
When be realized that Spanish influence
was plotting his downfall he made such
preparations as he could TO meet the in
evitable. He was a very wealthy man,
and he quietly went to work and converted
everything he could into money, gold dust
and jewelry. He had got about 500 900 to-
gether when the ruling power bounced
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 months he would not
betray the secret.
To get that money by his own individual
efforts was utterly impossible, The mo-
ment he set foot On LnEon he would be ar
rested. he must have partner who would
furnish ship and crew, aud he would go
along to mark down the spot where the
treasure was buried
! looked upon the man with pity and
upon his project with contempt when he
first began talking. When he was through
had agreed TO think ID over. There Is 3
fascination about barred treasnPe or
sunken wreck that will enlist capital to the
detriment of honest speculation. | was
noted as being q conservative man, and the
idea of my going into any such venture
would have been regarded by my friends
as evidence of approaching mental calaa1-
ity. l went TO the American consul, and
In a roundabous way he confirmed part
of Semyo's story. He had heard of him,
and heard of his being depesed and ban
ished. Then / went down 20 the wharves,
and almost the first man rRa 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,
queerly enough. the captain Informed me
that he thought of taking a run over to the
Philippines and try for cargo On his own
account.
outlined my story to Capt Wheaton,
as he introduced hinself SeEnyo retold
bis story in the presence of the captain.
Whsn he had retired the captain drew
down his right eye. slapped his leg and
whispered;
Colonel It's got The heathen's talk
ing straighter than assPaigAs edged board,
and if we can come 90 terms I'm in with
the dealp
There was very little higsling over the
particulars. II was agreed that Capt
Wheaton and myself should bear all the
expense of the adventure, and if the treas
have an equal share. We gave Semyo
money to set himself into decent shape
and then looked 30 ths furnishings of the
brig. She was already provided with small
arms and eRtlasssS, bat we added to the
stock, and then, at the captains sugges-
tion. bought carroRsde which had been
lying in ware house for two or three
years.
With II we got carriage and ammuni-
ton, and by the time the gun was aboard
the brig was watered and prOvisioned and
ready TO sail. Her clearance papers were
for Manila in ballast, and the day of our
sailing Capt. Wheaton brought on board a
shert. seuStty, bescarred white man, who
had just bean turned out of Jail, and who
proved 10 be an English ''eHt sticks" from
H. II. s. the Tempest. II turned cut to be
the luskiest thing in the world shst~e
found him, fos he knew how TO manage
eur esrronade and made it keep US out of
Rn ugly scrspe.
1t was only after we were out Of sight OF
the Chinese coast that Semyo gave rs the
exaet location of his treasure cache. We
were TO round the RaShec islands, lying of
the north coast of LuSon, and strike the
coast at river called the Basanen, sfter
another island Four nailes up this river,
" kich is Eavigable for about twenty miles,
was the cache. We had run of so miles
across tie China sea TO the Bashees, and
along this north coast we found several
traders. In order 70 appear all right in
,sse we were boarded by any Spanish YES (
.el in these waters we Laid la some cargo (
here. ana took our time about sailing to /
Me river,
AfSer ws had passed the Babuyan Islands /
Aksi laid eur course 20 the south we caught I
hight orc day as noon Of felucca ap- /
proacsxizsr rs from the eaSt, having round /
Il the care. she few the SpGalsh flag, and !
SeIEyo said that she belonged 20 the coast /
'eFvice she had the right to board Us and /
exs7nArc Sur papers, ana <shile We had no 1
.Tir of der on our own sceountfs was prob I
s.le that Semyp vo1ld be recognized the 1
they set eye CT him. We had our 1
1lAns laid before she 6-sd u gun as a sig
lal 20 Us 10 heSve e. Semyo vas hidden
Z the forepeaG, and We barAed sulphur Ia
he forecastle behind him. By leaving the
cutie open tho fumes were drawn away
rom the fugitive, and could b scented al
yer the brig. We hove TO 81 tAs order Of
he felUcca, and were preSently boarded BY
Spanish lieutenant. BE was e very
cmpous chap, and IL was probably his in
entioz TO doa great deal OF Blessing around,
at as be came over the rail current %
ir carried hin the smell az sulphur, and
e exclaimed;
Good Lord, but is your brig on FIRE n
he forecastlsy"
It was explained 10 him that we had lost
man Of some malignant bat unknown
isease ana were fanisarzRS the big.