The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-22
: PART III.

It had been deeper than it looked,
or at least felt as If it were. When 1
reached the bottom, the deck which /
had left was quite out of reach and
seemed to be several feet above my
head. had alighted on one of the
shapeless looking heaps I had noticed
from sbove, and was surprised to find
that in spite of its covering of shells
and seaweed 1t felt nearly level TO the
touch. I looked around. and 1 was
lconssiouslof strange. new feeling Of
oppression. For the first time since
left the brig. / felt shrinking sensa-
fion that was almost like fear. 1t may
have been the sudden change from the
broad freedom of the ocean bottom
to the narrow limits of the place in
which found myself; it may even have
been merely the effect of the DINNER
light in which stood and the darker
shadows that surrounded me on every
side; but whatever the cause, the ef-
fecr was something worse than un-
pleasant. 1 looked around, and as I
looked shuddered.
1t was only by an effort that re-
covered myself. and considered what
my next step should be. The question
was where 1 should be most likely to
find what / was looking for. There
had been.no effort required, when at o
distance, to picture untold heaps of
treasure lying ready TO my bands. but
lit was different now that was face to
face with realities. might indeed be
lstanf1ing' upon a heap of gold or silver,
Ibut now that 1 found myself in con-
tact with it the reality of the whole
thing seemed hard TO grasp. i stopped
and sfruck several blows with the TOM
ial,awk upon the beaD on which I was
standing Whatever the heap was COM
posed Of, dt resisted the edge of my
i,yeapon as il il had been stone.
stopped tO consider. After all, nothing
was to De gained by merely bunting
the edge of the tomahawk unless there
yyas a reasonable chance that should
find what / WINS looking for. But was
lit likely? The heap might have con-
sisted Of wooden cases hardened In
some way by the action of thesea water
during the centuries. Even df it were
lso. wan ths Treasure likely TO be slowed
I'm this part ofthe ship? Hooked round
lme aUain. and the answer seemed clear
;enourh--t was not. Where / stood
must have beeHnearly amidship; sure
lly tho most vallaaae part Of what she
carried would have been placed under
the poop deck near the stern.
The heap sloped dDwnwards towards
khA stern, go rnunch so that the water
hooked fafk and caverncus as stopped
forward to peertinto tho ehadows that
1rooded over it, There did not appear
to b snyohstac1e in anyway, however,
nnd AFTER . mouaentary hesitation !
moved csntiouAly down the slope I
was doubtful Of mysfootng and moved
Step by step with my face
set towards the darker shadows that
lur9eed under Ehe ofter .deck--step by
ytop I felt my way. It'was less dark
than feared it would be. Myeyes had
grown sccnstDmed to the soft pervad!
ing light that came downwarhthrough
the watery atmosphere, and now I
found thst they quickly accommodated
themselvcs to the DINNER light that
stole obliquely into the inner recesses
Of tho after hold. Looking from side
10 side @ went cautiously forward
could make out my new surroundings
almost as well a. I had done outside
The place was like a cavern, and step
by step as i descended, the illusion be-
came more completa Under my feet
tho floor sioped steeply downwards.
thiclxiy paved with SHELLS; on each side
coral plants had taken root, and ais
though they, had not attained the size
and luxuriance of those outside, they |
seemed almost moro strange and beau-
tiful as they stretched their colored |
branches towards me on every side,
overhead long -resses Of colored SEQ
weed hung downward in disheveled |
masses and swayed softly in the cur,
rents made by my progress.
I bad decided that under the poop |
deck was the most likely place to find |
what was looking for. The most |
precious part Of that Inflated cargo
so I argued with myself--would be
placed where il would be most imme- |
diately under the eyes Of the officers
who, no doubt, were qtnrtered on the |
poop, and was anxious 70 get some
thing undeniably precious, gold II pos
Gible, TO take back with me. Ny eyes
searched She place as went for signs
of gold. Silver. I supposed, might tar
rish, but gold would be proof against
decay; IL IL were not hidden in cases,
should see it oven in that dim light.
And who that Gees it car, be mistaken in
goldR - 80 u |
The hold wss longer than I had |
Thought Little by little ~ 1 went on
the light grew DINNER. The shadowof |
The coral shrfbs began 20 look ghostly.
and the waving seaveeds overhead more
md more suggested mcdusa faces half
hidden behind these tangled trecses. 4 |
r1ust surely BE near the place whsre tho
treasure had been stored, and IL was
worth while TO take few steps more
even though they led into those eerie
shadows. seemed to be oil eyes. My
glsnccs peered into each darker hollow