The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-15

least the rusting remains. In the
sand on the floor we found skulls
and bones and bits of clothing. but
not coin or jewel of any sort. If
there was Il treasure room in the
hulk, the entrance would be from
the cabin, and there was nothing to
do but clear away the sand.
1t took us day to accomplish
this, but our labor was rewarded
by finding trapdoor leading to
lazarette. There was an iron bar
across this, fastened with two huge
padlocks, but all were so rusty and
weak that they gave us no trouble.
The trapdocr fitted 20 closely that
no mud had filtered down, and the
water had been drained off by the
auger holes bored from the outside.
The lazarette was little room
just the size Of the cabin overhead
e length and breadth, out not over
4 feet high. was fret into it, car
rying light in either hand, and
after one glance around I cried out
in exultation. Even on the floor at
my feet / caught the glitter OF dia-
monds from broken box. Bales Of
what had been choice goods had
been etored here, but oil had been
reduced to pulp. Piled up at the far
end against the bulkhead were is
stout boxes, about O foot equare,
and to port and starboard were two
iron chests just trifie smaller than
the trapdoor above. Leaving one
OF the candles behind, picked up
three loose diamonds, a large pearl.
and a sapphire ring and made my
exit, and when I had gained the
cabin there was much cheering and
handwriting.
I will tell you exactly what we
took out of that hulk, for I made
the list with my own hand. Each
Of the 18 wooden boxes was packed
with gold coins amounting to about
$4,000. Every nation was represent
ed in these coins. In the iron chest
1 were silver and gold amounting to
S73, GOO, and in the other jewels to
the value Of $4,000 Nearly all
the stones were set, and it was plain
that at least a hundred women had
been robbed to get such a lot to-
gether. There were score of gold
watches, ten gold snuffboxes, fivs
jeweled sword hilts and Chinese
idol of solid gold weighing four
pounds.
You may judge Of our citation at
coming across such stora of
wealth 1t took us two days to over
haul it and pack i away ON the
schooner, and We were then ready
to get sail for Singapore. We had
to wait for change of wind, how
ever, and this could not be expected
before morning.
At about o'clock at night Cap
tain Cross suggested u last visit to
the wreck for the purpose of setting
her on fire. 1t struck me that il
would be good idea to get the hulk
out of the way, and Matthews
agreed. He was to remain and look
after the schooner, and we left him
! with all going well on board. We
had walk Of half mile down the
beach and around point. and once
/ we were aboard OF the hulk we
/ N,alss @ less search ee her before ap.
| plying the torch.
We were gone about four hours
In all and returned to the bay. at !.
| O'clock Il tie morning TO iind the
sch schooner Eono. a favorable breeze
had sprung up during our absence
and Matthews had taken advantage
OF it to get the schooner out and run
away with the treasure. She was
out OF sight when daylight came,
| and neither Of us ever set avea on
her again or heard of the sailor.
The craft may have been lost at
Eea, or she may have landed him in
Siam, China, Bo. neo or Java. had
in my pocket some jewels which ]
had been cleaning up, and Captain
Cross had others, and at Singapore
these sold for more than enough 60
recoup us. That wae poor consola-
ton, however, when we realized
that we had been basely defrauded
OF a fortune.
At the end Of ten days we were
taken OF the island by a native
craft and year later there was no
leland there. A submarine disturb
ance opened the bottom. of the sea
and sucked it down. and along with
It went the oharreG timbers Of the
pirate craft we hsa ;5o;sti looted ala s5ess1
robbed in turn, by.a man who de-.
served hanging for his treacheryi
and ingratitude.
While Peter Carson. of .Kalama,
Wash, was eating his dinner yellow
jacket got into his mouth and was
swallowed, or at any rate went down
his Gsophagus, and, according to the