Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-03-26
A BOX OF DIAMONDS.

A BOX OF DIAMONDS,
In the year 1867 found myself at
Rio Janeiro, Brazil, just out of hos
pital, not dollar in my pocket, and
ready to ask the American Consul to
send me to the United States in the
name of charity. had been out with
an American whaler, and had been
left there so broken in health that no
one supposed that l could live two
weeks. As the ship had taken no oil
there was nothing coming to me. In
deed, l was in debt to her, and but for
the few dollars raised among the men
should have been a pauper on land
ing.
One afternoon, while was on my
way to the Consulate to see what help
could obtain, encountered an Eng
lishman, whom at once identified as
sailor-captain or mate. He stopped
and inquired my name, nativity
and occupation and when had given
him the information he slapped me on
the back and exclaimed:
"It's bit of luck that l met you!
I've got place for you, and Well
drop in somewhere and have talk. :"
He was biunt-spoken man, but a
cautious one. He did not unfold his
plans until he had pumped me pretty
dry and apparently satisfied himself
that l was man lie wanted. Even
then only got part of the story,
and am still in the dark as to many
particulars. The strangers name was
Captain Roberts, and he had given
up the command of an English brig
on purpose TO enter upon hunt for
treasure. Two years before, as he
Informed me, coasting schooner,
which was carrying half a million
dollars worth of diamonds, besides a
large sum in rough gold, between Rio
and MonteVideo, had been wrecked
about seventy miles below Porto Ale
gre. Why this treasure had been in
trusted to a sailing vessel and wheth-
er it belonged 10 church or state or
some individual never learned. The
captain hsh nothing Il say about that,
and | bouSd myself to secrecy regard
ing the whole affair.
How Captain Roberts had located
the wreck was a matter did not ask
about, but did hear it said that all
the crew were lost. | was a sailor and
a diver and lie offered to stand all the
expense of the search and give me
$4,000 in gold if we recovered the
diamonds only. If we got the gold as
well | was to have larger share He
had chartered coasting schooner for
three months, and was then getting
aboard whatever he thought would be
needed. | signed with him that after
noon as mate, and three days after
we had picked up all our crew. For
tunately for us a ship came in with
twelve seaman rescued from a burn
ing bark at sea, and we took eight of
them aud a cook. This gave US eleven
hands all told on the little craft, but
wrccking is a. thing demanding plenty
of muscle at the cranks, windlasses
and tail ropes. The crew proper were
not let into the secret, but signed for
voyage to Buenos Ayres and return.
There was a Rio banker behind the
expedition, as l accidentlly discovered,
but he did not come near the schooner,
and Captain Roberts visited him only
by night. We we're so well provis-
toned and provided that it must have
taken snug sum of money to fit us
out. This the banker no doubt adj
vanced and took his chances. At the
Custom House we cleared for the La
Plata in ballast, but some of that bal
last had been taken aboard under
cover of darkness. We had a divers
outfit, timbers, planks, spare casks,
extra ropes and chains, and about the
last package received contained
dozen muskets and lot of fixed am
munition. We slipped out quietly one
night with the tide, and before day.
light came we were far away.
Captain Roberts had a pretty
fair chart of the neigbborhOod
of the wreck, and after a
speedy run down the coast we
reached it one afternoon about 4
O'Clock. When we came to work in
shore we got sight of the mountain
peaks laid down on the chart, and in
q couple. of hours were satisfied that
the wreck was within a mile of MS
north or south. just there was a reef
about four miles off shore and extend
ing up and down the coast for thirty
miles. Behind this reef in many
places was deep water up to the shore
line. 1t being summer weather, with
the winds light but holding steady,
we anchored off the reef, and then the
men were told that we had come to
search for wreck. 1t was all right
with them, and after dinner two boats
were lowered to begin the search.
Taking the schooner as the centre,
we pulled 10th ways, running close to