The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-12-09

~ Hh9 Saucer" as Csdiz is called
Ms@SX What was I in search of?
c~NProof Of former intimacy,
@~a acquaintance, conn Q ction,
W~ more or less close, between
SkoaMr. Peter Ssrsfeld and
SSSe Xavier de Yriarte, alias
q . 0Joseph Cocch; the one,
4 formerly a Cadiz merchant;
the other, till only recently, a sea captain
sailing from the same port.
I decided at length to make inquiries
for Mr.. Sarsfeld. My first visit was to
the British Consulate. The Vice Consul,
Mr.. Matthew Grips, a dried-up little
man Of middle age, received me, MS
chief being for the moment absent on
leave
Although I have but little hope of OBJ
tanning an answer, did you ever hear OF a
man named Xavier de Yriarte, a sailor,
belonging to Cadiz2" I asked him.
"A Spanish seaman and subject, I sup
nose. No, sir, I have never heard OF the
man. You had better apply to the Cap
tain Of the Port"
As I was quite hopeless ct extracting
snything from Don Mateo Grips, l left
the Consulate and returned somewhat
disheartened to my hotel.
Mr.. Sarsfeld for the moment had
eluded my researches, so l determined TO
devote myself to Yriarte. .
Before facing tho certain ye1atlo9 OF
further inquiry, and feeling that, bad as
was my semi British official, the native
Spaniard would be infinitely worse, es-
pecially to n who spoke little OF the
yernacular, I now secured the services OF
- -.5. n~l s~%nrnrnfnr Roman LQnafO
was one Of half . dozen such that hung
about the Fonda del Nal.
Taking the telegraph Office on my way,
whence I dispatched o message to Smart,
asking whether Mr.. Sarsfeld was Protest
ant or Catholic. I went On to see the
Captain Of the Port.
After waiting quite half an hour l was
introduced into the presence of . very fat
old man, who appeared to have been Just
reused from heavy slumber and to be still
half asleep. He wore q thin, short jacket
Of alpaca, showing an open shlrt-front,
white duck trousers and white canvas
shoes.
He was told the object of my visit by
Ramon, but he vouchsafed no reply; he
only stared silently, Indignantly, l
thought, for many more minutes, then
his huge body was c%onvulsed with inter
nal commotion, and he yelled suddenly
ut the top Of his voice:
sManoel!"
The shout summoned q lesser official,
she counterpart Of his chief, but on q
smaller scale.
-Manoel!" repeated the Captain OF the
Port, only a little less loudly, take this
caballero and tell him what he wants to
know. Do not let me be disturbed again,
or, by the ten lives Of my patron saint,
I'll postpone your pay another year.
We were dismissed, and going out Ra-
mon whispered to me:
I'll give him, Manoel, half q doubloon.
He'll be as easy as o glove after that"
And the bride had the desired effect, for
the man was all eagerness to oblige.
Xavier de Yriarte? A sailor? What
ship? Can't tell? Was he a mate. q mas
ter, captain, or WHAT"
He danced about, took down many
brass. bound volumes, wildly turned over
leaf after leaf; but it was near half an
hour before he said:
The only person Of the name was
Captain Of the Dos Eermsnos 1.-TWO
Brothers,, which cleared from this port
On March 10, 1856"
Where bound?"
, Bound for the Havana.
And when did the ship return?"
There was another long pause.
Il cannot find that che ever returned,
uid Manoel, at length. There is no
other entry concerning her"
NO trace of Captain Yriarte?"
No; non whatever, so far as l can
see."
He re-e1amined the registers, with no
more satisfactory result, and I left the
port Office, as I had the consulate, almost
in despair.
But / had no thought Of giving in;
vas determined to prosecute my search
70 the end. I now found Ramon very
useful. It was his suggestion that in
duiries should be made among the sailors
Of the port; the harbor was crowded with
shipping, there must surely be some one
ON board or at the qu'y-side to whom
Yriarte was known. This task I %intruste6
40 the guide, resolving myself to take the
first steamer to Gibraltar, encouraged tc
20 do so by a telegram received that even
, ing from Smart.
It contained the single word Protest
ant: but ! knew now that the -marrl""'
must have peen performed at Gibraltar
and I had some vague, fresh hope thai
Mr.. Sarsfeld would probably be BETTE
remembered there in IN English fortress
town than in Cadiz, the sleepy Spanish
seaport.
l called OF the police magistrate, Majo
Crichton. 1 found myself III the presence
of q man who impressed me favorably q
nee
"A marriage? You want proof of
marriage? Nothing easier. What ar
The names? When did it take placer"
1 confessed my inability to 81 pply al
these details.
sNeyer mind. If you knew all that
probably you would not apply to US. Blu
how mnch do you know"
only one name-that of Sarsieid.'
tits not much. However-here, Ale
iandro." He called in q police inspector
to whom he gave q few brief instruction
in Spanish, and the man immediately!ef
the room. Come back, Mr.-Mr. Leslie
this afternoon. We will have the certih
cate for you. Meanwhile, YOU may TX
TO see something Of the Rock, the gale
1ies, and 80 forth. I will give you a PEI,
NIT. You will get q guide ct your hotel
G0od-dsv."
and I was bowed out, having dom
more in five minutes than in a whole da.
ut Cadiz. 4.
I returned to the police station at
o'clock, and was admitted at once.
All, good afternoon. h Is VIVA