The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-19

had dropped anchor within a very
| Few yards of the spot where I had seen
| the strange shadow of what looked like
| a Spanish ship of three hundred years
| ago.
That night Tom and discussed the
treasure ship. At first he was disposed
TO laugh at my idea OF examining her,
but gradually, think, my enthusiasm
affected him little. After all, it was
small matter to make the trial. We
had several suits of diving dresses on
board, and as we were to lie here for
couple of days there was no real diff
Guilty about the matter. 1 was wild 10
make the experiment in person. and. as
Toms principal objection seemed TO
be the risk of being laughed at by the
captain and crew. we hit upon the idea
or making IT appear TO be only my per-
sonal curiosity to explore the wonders
OF the coral beds we had seen from the
deck. If what ] had seen proved to be
the remains of the galleon, we should
run no further risk of ridicule: and if
tt was only rock, as Tom to nv great
annoyance still persisted in. saying, no
harm would have been done. So we
settled it at last, and went to bed TO
cream OF fSpanish treasures lying buried
among the branching corals of Illolo
bay.
Iom, no doubt, dreamed of them. too.
Tor found him in the morning much
more interested in the search than he
had appeared the night before. WhenI
came on deck / found him busying him
self with the diving apparatus and more
Than half inclined TO make the expert
ment himself. We agreed at last, how
over, to stand by our last nights ar
rangement as had had enough practice
in diving to be able at any rate to as
certain whether the object we had seen
was anything that really called for
further investigation.
AT breakfast we bro0ched the subject
TO the captain and mate, and was sur
prised to find that the former at any
rate received the proposal with uneasi-
ness.
THE fact is" he said at last, "I don't
half like these diving experiments. in
these waters, anyhow, for We never
know what'll happen. So far as I've
seen they've way of turning out badly.
You'd hardly believe how many seem 10
get lost ut the game. You take my ad- |
vice, sir, and see oil We can from the
deck, then yen know where We are,
which We don't-not even when We get
hitched up amongst these laundering
corals below"
The skipper, IL not an educated man,
had years of experience, and I couldn't
help feeling that we should have been
wise to listen 10 his advice, but then, of
course, he knew nothing OF the real OBJ
]ect Tom and had in view, that was
surely worth running some small risk
tor AS it was, both Tom and argued
the matter with him for some time un-
tii at last he gave waw as he hnd no very
iehnite reason TO urge against our
making the trial. Even then, how
ever, he didn't like IL. for he said at
the very last: "oh, well, sir. II We must
Try IL L suppose ye must. Take your
own way, only hope Mr. Madison will
bear me out with the owners that Il
y HS"S VI III auNlCt ye went, In \
case any harm comes of H."
After breakfast we set 20 worI, 10
prepare for the expedition. By that
me, however, the brig was surrounded
~ canoes. and the decks invaded bv as
many natives aH could persuade the
suard OF seamen, on any pretext, TO
allow them ON board Tho time was
'learly unpropitious for our purpose,
md we reluctantly postpr Il for a
ew hours. I paced the dcc "a n fever
II impatience all the mori r. wholly
Unable in my excitement o. lind the
which ordinarily did I'm
The manncrs and customs OF our vis-
tors, aud only anxious TO get rid OF
hem that ] might begin my adventure
IN peace. After a twelve o'clock dinner
1 boats crew was ordered out 20 take
he skipper ashore 20 the nearest viii
age, and he wns quickly followed by
NJ but one or two of the canoes. Now
vas the pppOrt unity for which we had | ,