The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-03-24
SOME PIRATE PLUMBER.
STRANGE DISCOVERY MADE
BY A SEA CAPTAIN.
A Chest Full Of Silverware-The Free
hooters Rendezvous In an Is
land Harbor in the Gulf
OF California.

one OF the islands in the gulf of Cali
fornia. according to the statements
made by Captain S. D. Metcalf.
Zone hundred years ago very little
was known about the gulf of Cali
fornia, so you can see that there was
an extreme probability that the
cautious pirates would grasp the OPP
portunity of making it a place to go
and make repairs and store their
plumber.
s.While poking about the gulf
made researches. and about five years
ago hit on startling discovery.
.'While sailing about in my schoon-
er for hides and other things I acct
dentally came across scIosed' harbor
at one of the islands where | touched.
Although my schooner was a small
one | feared to take her in, and so
went in a small boat.
The precipitous coast line hid from
view an entrance into the island.
Through this entrance I went in my
boat found the passage about 400
feet wide and about mile in length.
1t then took q sudden turn and broad
ened out into fair-sized harbor, with
about two fathoms of water at the
lowest tide.
'.At the northern end of this har-
Dor, where the water maintained it's
depth to the very edge Of the bank,
were the evidences of small settle
ment.
cit consisted of score Or more
Of log and adobe houses, with
which time had dealt very kindly.
''In some of the houses were arti-
cles of furniture, such as tables,
chairs and cooking utensils.
Il returned to my schooner. and
plotting her up to the settlement
remained there several days, making
extended researches.
Il found several old-fashioned pis-
tolls, cutlass and some other trinkets
which have retained.
''While rummaging about in one of
the adobe houses ran across chart
that was folded away in lot of
papers, which at first did not con-
slider of much value.
CATER | sailed out of the place the
idea kind of struck me that the chart
might possibly tell where the pirates
hid their treasures.
''Ihe map was on parchment and
though the lines had been marked in
indelible ink it had faded consider
ably.
I'm some places the lines were SO
indistinct as to be almost untrace-
able.
IA month afterward [ returned to
the spot where l had made the dis
coveries and I determined upon find
ing what the map led to-.
Il spent several weeks trying to
make that map fit the surroundings
of the harbor, but could not do it.
but somehow or other / could not
go away. The idea of unearthing
private treasure held me to the
place.
Il resolved to remain a little
longer and if / could not make head
nor tail of the map | would give it
up.
Several days afterward, though,
had solved the mystery of the maps
tracing.
There was high hill somewhat
back OF the abandoned settlement,
and from it the pirates had evidently
taken their bearings.
''From this spot a line ran on the
map due south. The tracings on the
map followed this imaginary line
began to see daylight ahead.
lin few days more I solved the
mystery, and was able to reach the
spot where the map indicated some
thing was located.
1.-The bay had shoaled during the
century or so that had elapsed since
the map was made, and the water
over the spot l had selected where
the pirates had concealed their plum
der was only few feet at high tide
and a bare mud fiat at low water.
went away and for several months
continued to trade until / could col
lect some machinery to delve into
the mud fiat.
'.After had gotten together some
crude appliances l returned to the
scene of the mystery.
..Well, to cut long story short, 1
worked off and on over that mud bank
for nearly three years.
81 never let my crew into the
secret. and they supposed I had gone
crazy on the subject of coal oil.
.sWell, few months ago made a
strike. fished up chest contain
ing about 81, 500 worth of silver plate.
This started me going. / have an
old friend in this city who is a capt.
alist and l came here to enlist him in
the enterprise of recovering this hid
den treasure.
Il have been successful, and he
has provided me with the necessary
means to get the machinery and to
allow me to devote my whole time
and attention to the enterprise.
..Wickliffe Matthews has just drawn
up the papers of co-partnership be-
tween my rich friend and myself. Nv.
friend has the plate recovered.
II will leave in the latter part of
this month for the South.
II believe I have discovered the
rendezvous OF the pirates who once
terrorized the Pacific and either laid
tribute on every vessel that they cap
tured or run down or plundered them
outright. If | have you may just wa
ger that have struck the richest and