The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-06-30
THE TREASURE SHIP.


tbAt fine MOONLIGHT night Al Port Dodega,
| Cal. T9evane was but G1lpll vessel, but
1t bad on board treasure In the shape Of
| gold dust worth over els, 900, and the
next morning had been flxod for It's sailing
| to London.
That nightthe captain had given his crew
leave to go ashore to spend few hours IN
| jollity before commencing their homeward
voyage. They had not yet returned, and
the captain was on board alone, with a
| couple of sailors and the mate to whom
no was speaking.
Saying that lie would turn In, the CAP
tain went below, whilo the mate walked
the deck on the watch.
1t was about in thu morning that two
boats set off from tie shore, having in one
of them z and In the other 10 men, and
In the darkness-for tho moon had now
aet--werc rowod ctf tn the place where the
light Of the Jano glimmered over the dark
water.
boat aboyl Who are your"
1t WIS tho mate Of the Jane who sang
out as he leaned over the side Of the vessel
and saw beat approach.
In answer there came what seemed some
WINS bPohoH us u W utuuhcH inauj anu
thinking the men were the sailors returned
from their jaunt the mate saw the boat
pulled to the side of the ship. He did not
notice that another boat had softly made
Its way to the stern, the men rowing ST.
lently, and the dull sough Of the waves
drowning the splash of their oars.
"1s that Jenkinson9"
The mate was forward watching the
men in the boat Hardly had he called out
before he heard noise behind him, his
arms were gripped, a hand was placed over
his mouth, while tho butt end of pistol
came down with crssh upon his head
There was dull splash in the water mo-
ment later. 1t was the body of the mate
cast into Its watery grave
The Jane had been boarded by robbers
Stealing along like shadows-for the men
had their feet bare-the thieves rushed
across the deck to the ladder leading below.
The lender, tall man, with heavy,
black beard, whose face was almost hid
by piece of black cloth tied across the
upper part, with two holes cut for him to
sec through, grasped his pistol in bis hand
lowers held long, cleaning knives in their
hands.
III you struggle, you are dead man."
Captain Blake had been asleep and
started up as light flashed upon his face,
and looking about him he saw a man
standing beside him, one Of his hands up
on his throat, while In the other he held
pistol.
ave won't hurt you If you don't strug-
gle," said the robber. "But we want the
gold you have on board Give us the keys
of the chest, and I'll swear you shall be
safo.'
Resistance would be useless, and tho
captain was soon lying On the floor of his
cabin bound hand and foot with strong
cord.
While these things were going on on
board the Jane the crew of the vessel had
gathered together on the shore and had
put Off in their boats to return to the ship.
They were astounded as they turned the
quayside to see tho Jane in the growing
daylight far OF at sea, all sails set, and
making way before good breeze at rate
which forbade all hope of their overtak-
ing her.
The sailors were some hours later than
they should have been in seeking the ves-
sci, and now they imagined Captain Blake
must somehow have got others to man her
and ses off without them. They therefore
rowed back to shore.
While some of the men who had boarded
the ship, maIy of whom had been sailors,
set the sails and took her out to sea the
others were busy searching for the treasure.
No threats could make the captain speak
a word as to where 1t lay, and leaving
him the robbers began to look about forit.
"Hurrah!'
With axes In their hands, three or four
men were with fierce shouts breaking open
the stout boarding ut the head of the cap
tain's ca bin.
Behind it, as they peeped through gap
they had burst open, they found a dark
recess. 1t was the place where the treas
ure lay.
They piled their axes furiously, the
board gayew way, and the eyes of the thieves
CLEANED with delight as they saw before
them tho pile Of Bugs and small wooden
boxes in which was the gold for which
they had undertaken the desperate ven
ture, and tho cabin rang with their wild
shout of joy.
"What is here will make us rich for life,
y
now. Let us drink to our good fortune!"
nd he ordered scne of tho men to search
Tho ship for what liquor there was on
board.
A CaslS Of rum was soon found, and
shocking out the head of It tho ruffians
frank to one another in glasses Of the fiery
pirit.
And now to the boats!"
Staggering under tho weight Of their
BURDENS, tho men carried the boxes and
,ags of the precious gold to the side of the
hip and lowered them into the boats
Ilongside
In a short time all the treasure had been
aid in them, and the place where it had
,ecn slowed in the Jane stood empty.
Get ready to push off there, - said the
Hack bearded man, looking over the yes-
cl's sido, to his companions in the boats,
nd as they gripped their oars and waited
or him he disappeared below.
He looked in at the cabin door and threw
glance at the captain lying there, still
'ound hand and foot. Thon he disappear
d and made his way to the hold.
Now row for your livesr'
The man took his place in one Of the
oats, and it flew from the side of the
coined vessel. 1t had not got far before
errible sound rose over the noise of the
waves, and as it caught their ears the men
lid down their oars and looked toward
te vessel they had left
A hugo cloud of smoke hung over It, and
cree flames shot from the rapidly burning
,hooner.
Then there was second explosion. Pieces
burning wood were scattered far and
ear and fell in u shower over tho place
here the jane had floated.
THE gunpowder has done its work, " re-
larkcd tho chief 1.-THE Jane will never
i've evidence against usp'
The disappearance Of the schooner re-
lained mystery for more than IA years,
Il the leader of the band OF robbers con-
ssed the crime on his deathbed.
In the boats he and his associates had
ade their way to land under cover of the
Ight and had dispersed after having
Jared among them the rich spoil, the
'nty of that terrible deed upon the sea-