Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-11-23

tuat N'btt rubuiu pilOt US w tus irAaha
and take another jar of gold dust for his
share. He would then be landed at Ba-
tavia to 20 where he pleased. The rest
Of the treasure was TO be recovered for
the owners Of the bark, but We were
told that they would be liberal with all.
IL was hard bargain the Scotchman
irove with the rescued sailor, but Scott
fell in with the idea and the course Of
the ship was changed. We were 200
miles 20 the south Of the Chagos, hav-
ing passed them so miles 10 the east,
and rs the wind was from the north we
had 10 beat back This was slow work.
and we had not yet made half the dis
tance when we got gale from the
west which sent Us driving away to-
ward the Javanese coast until We were
almost in sight Of it, We had then to
recover our lost ground. but what with
the loss Of two topmasts and several
sails i'm squall and continuation Of
bad weather it was 10 days before a
man was sent to the masthead to look
for land.
The Chagos archipelago consists Of a
score Of islands, banks and reefs. Scott
believed that his island was the eastern.
most one Of all, but AS he could not be-
sure of il we had To examine all. Run.
ming between them aud around them
was slow work, and we had To feel our
way, and it was six or seven days be-
fore we reached the last. We had found
no such island Us described by the sail.
or, and in our disappointment and
chagrin he came in for plenty Of abuse.
He retaiiated by pointing TO his treas
ure. II there were no island, no cave and
no treasure. how did he come by the
ivory and gold dust? IL was a convinc-
ing argument, and our captain decided
10 bear away Ia the east and search at
haphazard At the close Of the fourth
day, sailing back and forth across u sea
supposed 90 contain no land for hun
dreds Of miles in every direction but
the west, we sighted Scott island. Our
man identified il as soon ~ IL could b.
seen from the deck, and we ran in and
came TO anchor for the night within q
mile from the beach. Had the night not
been 80 dark believe the captain would
have had boat down, but as IL was he
dared not chance IL. Such was the ex-
citement aboard that no man slept for
al hour, and as soon as daylight had
come and the men had bite to eat we
set of To secure the treasure.
q, 81 90 H. 10,
and rowed into IL. Scott had been on
the island for over year aud the hut
he occupied and the flagstaff he erected
were in plain sight. At the end Of the
bay we came 10 the cave, and, leaping
out Of the boat, the captain was the first
to enter A moment later he reappeared
and for the next quarter Of al hour he
cursed as never heard a seaman before
or since. The cave had been plundered.
One broken tusk had been left behind.
and there was perhaps All ounce Of gold
dust lying on the spot where Scott emp
tied the jars. That was proof enough
that he had told straight story. When
we landed and went up to the hut We
soon solved the problem. Some whaler
had touched there for wood and water.
For wood they had used all the wreck
stuff lying about and had also partially
pulled the hut TO pieces. They bad filled
their casks at the spring, and we could
still see the marks where they had been
rolled down hill 10 the boats.
Then the Scotchman did mean thing
by the rescued sailor. He made great
ado Of how he had deviated from his
course and lost fortnight's time and
insisted that Scott divide with him.
believe he threatened TO leave him on
the island il he didn't. There was trou.
BILE for few hours, and then the sailor
came TO terms, but not so much as a
worth was ever handed over 20
the owners or distributed among the
crew Scott was transshipped 10 craft
bound for Java and that was the last
ever saw or heard Of him. A year later,
however, met al American runaway
sailor In Batavia, and he told me that
his craft, the Bessie Herrick Of Marble
head, put in at the island, remained for
two days, and her captain discovered
the cave and the treasure while fishing
in the bay. He gave every man aboard
800 in cash rs present, but kept the
dust and the ivory and turned them into
cash at Singapore. Ii was rich haul
Of treasure, and the captain must have
been made independent for life. How
old the island was, how the treasure
came to be- deposited there, who We're
the rightful owners Of it-well, those
Are questions ! cannot answer. 1t was
1t least two years after We visited the
place before il was surveyed and char.
tered.-C. b. Lewis.