The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-02-14

II
slapped his leg and whispered:
Colonel, it's a go That beathen's
talking strmghter than a straight
edged board, and if we can come to
terms Pm in with the deal"
There was very little higgling over
the particulars. It was agreed that
Capt. Wheaton and myself should lear
all the expense Of the adventure, and
If the treasure was secured each of the
three should have an equal share.
We gave Semyo money to get him
self into decent shape and then looked
to the furnishing of the brig. She
was already provided with small arms
and cutlasses, but we added to the
stock, and then at the captains sug-
gesion, bought a carrOnade which had
been lying in a warehouse for two or
three years. With it we got a car
riage and ammunition, and by the time
the gun was aboard the brig was
watered and provisioned and ready
60 sail. Her clearance papers were
for Manila, in ballast, and the day of
our sailing Capt. Wheaton brought
on board short, squatty, bescarred
white man, who had just been turned
out Of jail and who proved to be an
English "cut- sticks'' from II. NJ. S.
The Tempest. 1t turned out to be
the luckiest thing in the world that
we found him, for he knew how to
manage our carronade and made it
keep us out of an ugly scrape.
1t was only after we were out of
sight Of the Chinese coast that Semyo
gave us the exact location of his trea-
sure cache. We were to round the
Bashee islands, lying off the north
coast of Luzon, and strike the coast
at river called the Batanen, after
another island. Four miles up this
river, which is navigable for 2 0 milos,
was the cache. We had run of $50
miles across the China sea to the
Bashees, and along this north coast
we found several traders. In order
to appear all right in case we were
boarded by any Spanish vessels in
those days we laid in some cargo here
and took JOUR time about sailing to the
river.
After we had passed the Babuyaa
islands and laid our course to the
south we caught sight one day at noon
of felucca approaching us from the
east, having rounded the cape. She
flew the Spanish flag and Semyo said
that she belonged to the coast service.
She had the right to board us and ex-
anime our papers, and, while we had
no fear Of her on our own account,
it was probable Semyo would be rec
ognized the moment they set eyes on
him. We had our plans laid before
she fired gun as signal to us to
heaye-to. Semyo was hidden in the
forepeak, and we burned sulphur in
the forecastle behind him. BY leav-
ing the scuttle open the fumes were
drawn away from the fugitive. and
could be scented all over the brig.
We hove-to at the order of the fe-
lucca, and were presently boarded by
a Spanish lieutenant. He was a very
ponpous chap, and it was probably
his intention TO do a great deal of
bos ing around, but as he came over
the rail a current of air carried him
the smell of sulphur, and he ex-
claimed:
Good Lord, but is your brig on
fire in the forecastle ~
It was explained to him that we
had lost man of some malignant but
unknown disease, and were fumi-
eating the brig. Two or three of lis
were feeling badly, but hoped to
escape the disease by steaming in the
vapor. We were a trader, and
offered to open the matches and show
our papers, but he was in a hurry.
He didn't even notice our carronade,
but backed to the rail and descended
to his boat, saying;
" Oh, you are doubtless alr right, and
[ hope you will lose no more mon.
As for me, the service does not demand
that | run any risks of epidemic"
Two days after we came to anchor
in the river opposite a spot pointed
out by SemyO. The bank of the
stream was rough and broken. but
thiclIly wooded. Forty rods inland
was a highway running parallel with
the stream, but it was hidden from us.
On the far side of the highway was
the ruin Of an old church and in this
ruin was the treasure cache. As many
boats were passing up and down il
was prudent that we resort to decep-
ton to prevent suspicion. We got
down topgallantmast, Stacked away
some of the rigging, got a stage over
the side for the carpenter, and ap-
peared to be lying for the sole purpose
Of making repairs. We were soon
boarded by natives anxious to
furnish cargo and on the second day a
| government gunboat passed us without
seeming to take any interest in our
case. SemyO had to lie concealed in
the hold during daylight, as men were
coming aboard who knew him we'll
and it was about midnight on the
second night after our arrival that we
pulled ashore for the treasure-that
is, two men pulled Semyo off to the
bank to sec if all was right, and it did
not take him many minutes to make a
disagreeable discovery. A party Of
woodcutters had encamped close to
the ruin. with every indication of a
long stay. Semyo was positive that
he could not get at the cache without
being discovered, as the party had
two or three dogs in camp, and he
was sharply challenged as he secuted
around.
Next day, after some conspiring on
our part, the captain and went ashore
to the camp to make a bold move.
There was gang of 80 natives under
a Spanish boss cutting ebony, and they
had a large lot already for shipment.
This gang had been sent from the
province of Zebu, where the owner Of
the tract resided, and an agent was
daily expected to sell the output
The boss we found to be an ignorant
goodnatured fellow, who could
neither read nor write. While ]
, claimed TO be the real owner of the