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


concerning her. It wss curious
enough that was the first person
he spoke to on landing at Singapore.
/ was a reporter on The Times and
had been aboard of a craft in the
harbor.
Matthews accompanied me to the
Office and gave me the particulars
OF his story, and in return supplied
him with money for his immediate
wants. He said nothing to me of
the wreck in telling his adventures.
1t was three days later before he
eought me out and gave me- that bit
Of information.
He had concluded from the first
that the hulk was that of q Malay
pirate, and he was strong in his be-
lief that she would have treasure
aboard. He could not get at her
alone, and, being penniless and only
a common sailor, he feared that if
he gave his information away he
would not be fairly dealt with. I
think he trusted me simply because
he felt obliged to trust como one,
though having been sailor myself
my heart had warmed toward him
bit.
His plan was to equip craft and
send her to the island to overhaul
che hulk. If there was no treasure,
then it would be daad loss; if any
thing were found, there would be
no one to dispute our claims.
It wasn't a matter to he decided
in day, and az matter Of fact it
was week befoSe I made up my
mind to take the chances. had
bit of money laid by, as did one of
the political editors OF the paper,
AID we took. in az fourth man the
proprietor of marine store. The
three cf us were to bear the ex-
penses and tho four of us to share
and share alike in whatever might
be found.
There was little trading schooner
in port, which we chartered at q
moderate figure, and it was agreed
with the captain thatif any treasure
was found he should have hand
some present in addition to his
wages. I resigned my position on
The Times TO go as mate OF her, and
when we finally sailed away our
crew consisted Of Captain Cross, an
Englishman and the owner of the
craft, Matthews, myself and four
Cinnamon.
had my last dollar ;n the outfit,
as did the editor, and though we
had induced tho merchant to invest
with us he had no confidence that
anything Of value would be found.
In due course Of time and without
adventure we reached the island,
and the first thing before us was
the hulk Matthews had told about.
After a cursory examination Cap
tain Cross pronounced her a native
Ealay craft, and the fact Of her be-
ing armed seemed to prove that she
had cruised as pirate. She had
not moved an inch since Matthews
left the island. and we had 70 face
the question Of how to get at her.
WH had talked THE oveE before
leaving Singapore, however, ana
had come prepared. Just where the
hulk lay the reef made curve to.
.sseEA che s;ssazisssaa ana {: Sc
within a cables length. Outside the
reef there was deep water, and we
could sail the schooner close up.
Our first move was TO take blocks
end tackles ashore end .nslEze esa;eez. esaa;;eez.
fast to the trees and TO the bow OF
the hulk. Then the free end OF q
cable was brought Of to the schooner
and made fest to her stern, and after
sssiting whole day for change
OF wind we got il from Off the island
&c 8 20 Saso al0f ali aaii. Tne idea was
TO make our sail power move: the
hulk up the shore, bnt for half az
hour the scheme was failure.
The cable frightened until it sang
Ike /. telegraph telegraph Wirs, but the hulk
was heavy and imbe6ded in the
ssaaA.. we ,.,s;1 V sT5 a0oiuid0ling witt, each
other over the failure when there
came q heavy gust Of wind and the
schooner began to crawl. Had the
cable been smaller il would have
broken under the heavy strain as
the schooner surged away.
That hulk had to be moved up am
moline q distance OF &C feot, and it
moved almost inch by inch. Some
times the schooner gained, some
times she stood still, and we expect
cd to Gee the sails fly away or the
sszzssasts 90. over Doard. Everything
held, however, and at the end OF an
hour the hulk was go far mp the
hsach that she would be entirely
clear at low tide.
We. secured her in that position
and felt that the heaviest part of
our work was accomplished. Next
day we ran the schooner around
through an opening in the reef and