Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-03-05
THE TREASURE SHIP.

cts pity we don't sail tonight
There's capital wind We should have
made good distance before morning"
Captain Blake stood on the deck of the
schooner, the Jane, which lay anchored
that fine moonlight night at Port Bodega,
CAL The Jane was but small vessel, but
1t had on board treasure In the shape of
gold dust worth over 412,000 and the
next morning had been fixed for its sailing
to London.
That night the captain had given his crew
leave to 60 ashore to spend a few hours in
jollity before commencing their homeward
voyage. They had not yet returned, and
the captain was on board alone, with a
couple Of sailors and the mate, to whom
he was speaking.
Saying that he would turn in, the cap
tain went below, while the mate walked
the deck on the watch.
1t was about in the morning that two
boats set off from the shore, having in one
OF them and in the other IL men, and
In the darkness-for the moon had now
set-were rowed off to the place where the
light Of the Jane glimmered over the dark
water
Boat ahoy! Who are your"
1t was the mate of the Jane who sang
out as he leaned over the side of the vessel
and saw boat approach.
In answer there came what seemed some
words spoken as if by drunken man, and
thinking the men were the sailors returned
from their jaunt the mate saw the boat
pulled to the side of the ship. He did not
notice that another boat had softly made
its way to the stern, the men rowing 81
lently, and the dull sough of the waves
drowning the splash Of their oars.
els that Jsnkinson?"
The mate was forward Watching the
men In the boat Hardly had be called out
before he heard noise behind him, his
arms were gripped, a hand was placed over
his mouth, while the butt end of pistol
came down with a crash upon his head.
There was dull splash in the water mo-
ment later. 1t was the body Of the mate
cast into Its watery grave.
The Jane had been boarded by robbers.
Stealing along like shadows-for the men
had their feet bare-the thieves rushed
across the deck to the ladder leading below.
The leader, a tall man, with heavy,
black beard, whose face was almost hid
by piece of black cloth tied across the
upper part, with two holes cut for him to
see through grasped his pistol in his hand
as he prepared to 90 below, while his fol-
lowers held long, cleaning knives in their
hands
IF you struggle, you are dead man."
Captain Blake had been asleep and
started up as light flashed upon his face,
and looking about him he saw a man
standing beside him, one of his hands up
on his throat, while in the other he held
pistol.
'We won't hurt you If you don't strug-
gle, said the robber. "But we want the
gold you have ON board. Give us the keys
of the chest, and I'll swear you shall be
SAFE
Resistance would be useless and the
captain was soon lying on the floor of his
cabin bound hand and foot with a strong
cord.
While these things were going on on
board the Jane the crew of the vessel had
gathered together on the shore and had
put off in their boats to return to the ship.
They were astounded as they turned the
.quayside to see the Jane in the growing
daylight far of at sea, all sails set, and
making way before good breeze at a rate
which forbade all hope Of their overtak-
ing her.
The sailors were some hours later than
they should have been in seeking the YES
sci, and now they imagined Captain Blaks
must somehow have got others to man her
and set off without them. They therefore
rowed back to shore.
While some of the men who had boarded
the ship, many of whom had been sailors,
set the sails and took her out to sea the
Others were busy searching for the treasure.
No threats could make the captain speak
a word as to where it lay, and leaving
him the robbers began to look about for it.
"Hurrahv'
With axes In their hands, three or four
men were with fierce shouts breaking open
the stout boarding at the head of the cap
tain's ca bin.
Behind it, as they peeped through gap
they had burst open, they found dark
recess. 1t was the place where the treas
ure lay.
They piled their axes furiously, the
board gave way, and the eyes of the thieves
CLEANED with delight as they saw before
them the pile of bags and small wooden
boxes in which was the gold for which
they had undertaken the desperate VEN
ture, and the cabin rang with their wild
shout Of Joy.
''What is here will make us rich for life,
boys!' cried the leader cts in our grasp
now. Let us drink TO our good fortune!"
And he ordered some of the men to search
the ship for what liquor there was Oh
board.
A cask of rum was soon found, and
knocking out the head of it the rutfians
drank to one another in glasses of the fiery
spirit.
"And now to the boats''
Staggering under the weight Of their
burdens, the men carried the boxes and
bags of the precious gold to the side of the
ship and lowered them into the boats
alongside.
In short time all the treasure had been
laid in them, and the place where 1t had
been slowed in the Jane stood empty.
"Get ready to push off there, " said the
black bearded man, looking over the YES
sells side, to his companions In the boats,
and as they gripped their oars and waited
for him he disappeared below.
He looked In at the cabin door and threw
a glance at the captain lying there, still
bound hand and foot. Then he disappear
ed and made his way to the hold.
"Now row for your lives!''
The man took his place in one Of the
boats, and 1t few from the side Of the