Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-02-23


piled the don, had 90 pirate crafts
afoat and manned by many hundred
men, though rarely more than two OF
three crews would be here at one time.
But come" And we retraced our steps
to the council room.
Arrived near the center of the room,
noticed two large black flags hanging
from either side Of the door we had en-
tered, while above them one largo flag
was suspended by two corners and hung
straight down. The flag was black. l
could just discern in its center tho let
tiers |. ID. f. The pirates tlags-I. D.
Floremo, said Don Ignace.
placed my hand on the folds of one
of them. 1t fell to dust.
Now for the vaults, said the don,
one hand behind it, seized a lever and
pulled, but without any result.
Pull with your younger arms.
Claud. Here; stand here. "
seized tho lever and pulled and
pulled again, and right in front of the
sideboard an iron plate of some by s
feet sank gradually down until it hung
suspended by straps, which were Sc
cured to the plate from the under side.
Holding my lantern, | could see an
iron ladder, which leaned against the
stone on which we stood,
Let us descend" said the don.
But the airr' | exclaimed; tho
atmospheric"
PLENTY Of ventilation there, " he re-
piled, from the outside"
81. I
der, some 12 feet below. The vault was
a large one, solidly walled up with
stone. The floor was solid stone, and
ranged along the walls We're barrels,
casks, boxes and moldy packages with
out number Most of them, at kick,
would drop to pieces. In number of
the boxes We're bottled goods, old wines
and brandiCs.
Here, said l, lis where our wine
comes from.
Here is where it originally came
FROM" said the don. "Old Martell
moved it up above before he died, but
he must have left great quantity here.
These boxes and bales contain all man
ner of goods, now surely worthless. "
We had reached one end of the vault.
DO you care to see the resting place
of my ancestors? You must, as | de-
sire to be laid beside them.
He grasped lever sunk in the wall
and pulled, and sheet IRON plate some
12 feet in length sank slowly into the
ground and revealed three stone steps,
which we mounted and stood in room
Of, | judge, - feet square. | nearly
tainted The don drew from his pocket
a flask of brandy. We took Il swallow
EACH and it revived us.
There, extended on two sides of this
room were marble Slabs somo 6
feet wide and elevated on a stone
foundation about four feet from tho
floor. On these slabs and side by side
lay long objects. | held my lantern
close. They were evidently bundles of
some kind. Cloth or canvas was wrap
ped around them, and they had been
wrapped with care. OF some of them
there was evidently little substance left,
as the packages were almost flat
My ancestors, said the don. No
coffin even confined their limbs. Each,
wrapped in oiled silk and canvas, has
there been laid at rest, father and son,
for generations back, except such as
lie beneath the ocean waves. This one,
the last in this row, was my father.
Each of these frames was once master
of Chanson and pirate chief. The
women of the race all lie in the ceme-
terry at Coquombo, as does my own son.
| desire to be the last of my race to be
laid here. When | die, place me here,
next my father. Pedro will assist you.
He knows where the oiled silk and can
vas can be found. Now for the treas
ures.
He stepped to the end of the room, and
from underneath the marble slab pulled
out another lever. A slab sank from
the side of tho wall and disclosed a
small space of 6 feet in length and per-
haps 3 deep. There on the floor stood
a brass or iron bound box, and on it lay
a form similar to those on the marble
slabs.
'Old Martell," said the don. Let
us remove him.
We each seized one end of the bun
die. A handful of rotten canvas moth
ing more. | set down my lantern and
took hold with both hands. The can
vas and silk came away, and the dry
bones of old Martell rolled from the cas-
ket, rafting as they struck the stone
floor. The vertebra snapped asunder,
and the grinning head of the silent SEN
tinel rolled down the three stone steps.
Poor old Martell.' said the don. Il
will soon keep you company.
He fitted a key to the casket, and we
ho1
what l judge, was once Il pirate flag
told wcalth-dialnonds, rubics. pearls,
gold coin of every nation. raised Il
handful Of tho jewels. How they spar
kledl
when l am Dead" said the don,
remove them. They are yours. No
crowned head of Europe possesses their
value. Stay! Put these in your pocket,
that after you have slept this may not
seem dream. And now bring back
the head of old Martell. 1t was ever
a true one, and, old friend, we will
leave it with you"
l did so, and he closed the casket.
We placed the skeleton again on its lid.
"Now mark my movements we'll,
Sd1u IIlC uOIl, DIS ne SllONC Di(h luC lev
er. The slab arose to its place. We
passed out of the tomb, he pushed back
the lever, and naught but wall con-
fronted us. Back through the vault,
another pushing back of a lever, and
the entrance was closed. We were soon
out of the council room, the door lock-
ed, and back in the library.
The clock struck 2. The don was
very pale.
Here, Claud, are the keys. 1 never
desire to see them again. You have OBJ
served all.
q have observed all and can scarcely
believe what have seen, but God grant
that it may be yet many years before
you are laid with your ancestors be-
low"
Promise me, Claud, to fulfill my