The record-union., 1897-08-18

trees, for they were still on the other
side Not bit of dry land upon this
side-not even a knoll upon which to
rest-nothing but floating prairie every
where. I was besides almost played
out, as was my horse, and was afraid
to follow the shore around to where the
shell reef was, so was obliged to turn
back, and with great difficulty reached
the knoTs Here I was obliged to un-
saddle. as my horse was too tired to
go any farther. I got out somehow,
and have been laid up ever since"
Hence the buried treasure rests undis-
turbed under it's iron cross on the desc
late shores of Lake Misere.
About six months later L met a friend
in Lake Charles. After exchanging
greetings, he said:
Come, let US go to some place where
we will not be overheard. have some
thing to tell you" After little while
he said:
do you know where White Lake IS?
I went over there about a week ago,
during the low tide, looking for stray
cattle" he said, with a sly wink. Then
there have been many strange and Gu
rious tales told of the lake and sur
rounding country. That was another
of Lafittes haunts. The lake is only
about twenty miles almost due east
| from my place. This being almost an
| inaccessible route on account of bogs
and blind bayous, / followed the pub
! lie road which parallels the Southern
Pacific to Jennings, where l turned
south to Lake Arthur. There I put up
with a friend for the night. From him
| | obtained a skiff and two days ra-
! tions I left my horse in good hands
and started down the Mermentau Riv-
er next morning by sunrise. About five
miles down / entered a little bayou
coming in from the east and roWed
about two or three miles, until L came
to a ridge on the south bank. Here |
camped, and, after eating late break
fast, pulled on a pair of hip boots,
slung my Winchester over my shoulder
and took an easterly course across the
marsh to White Lake, where [ arrived
about / o'clock. | found the water
very low, so much so that for forty
feet or more the sandy bottom was
exposed. This afforded good walking,
and | followed it around for some dis
tance to a point of land running in
from the south. Rounding this, l look
ed into cove beyond and stopped
abruptly. Surely 1 must be dreaming?
But. no there she was. What did
see? Why, the schooner. Yes, sir,
there she was, about 800 yards from
the shore. The tide had left her bow
spirit and part of the rail exposed. 1
was there once before, but the water
was not low enough to uncover her,
and l had gone home disappointed.
mentally cursing the map" But he
stopped. as though he had said too
much.
What schooner? Why, she used to
belong to Laftte. Being closely pur-
sued by a man OF war. her commander
ran her up the Mermentau, knowing
his pursuer would not be able to cross
the bar He knew perfectly well, too,
that they would lay about the mouth
of the river for an indefinite time. So
he sailed up some bayou and out into
the lake. where he scuttled and sunk
her with most of her treasure. The
crew took to the boats and reached
the upper country. probably finding
their way to the Calcasieu or Sabine.
where they likely found another of
their vessels. You know Lafitte had
quite a number. Oh. there is no doubt
of the treasure being there. Every
body here has heard of it. There is a
safe containing a large quantity of
gold bars and Spanish coin and one of
the small cannons in the bow is filled
bies. emeralds, ete.-and securely seal