The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-02-25
A BOX OFDIAMONDS.
BY Cuhs. b LEWIS.

kIo Janelro, Brazil, just out Of hospi
tai, not dollar N my pocket, and
ready to ask the American Consul tc
send me to the United States in the
name OF charity. | had been out with
an Amican whaler, and had been lei
there so broben in health that 10 one
supposed l could live two weeks. As
the ship mad taken no oil there was
nothing coming to me. Indeed, [ was
indebted to her, and, but for the few
dollars raised among the men, should
have been pauper on landing.
One afternoon. while [ was on my
way to the consulate to see what heir
L could obtain, l encountered an Eng
llshman whom / at once identified as a
sailor captain OF mate. Te stopped
and inquired nv name, nativity, and
Occupation, and when | had told hlnl
he slapped me on the back and exclaim
ed:
Its biz of luck that l met you
I've got a place for you, and we'll drop
in somewhere and have glass and q
talk"
He was blunt spoken man, but a
cautions one. He aid not unfold his
plans until he had pumped me pretty
and apparently satisfied himself that |
was man he wanted. Even then ]
only got part of the story, and am
| still IN the dark as to many particulars
The strangers name was Capt. Roberts
and he had given up the command of
an English brig on purpose to enter
| upon hunt for treasure. Two years
| before, as he informed me. a coasting
schooner. which was carrying half a
million dollars worth of diamonds, be-
sides large sum in rough gold, be
tween Rio aud Montevideo, had been
wrecked about seventy miles below
Porto Allegro Why this treasure had
been intrusted to a sailing vessel and
whether it belonged to church or state
or some individual ] II never learned.
The captain had nothing to say about
that, and L bound myself 10 secrecy
regarding the whole affair.
How Capt. Robets had located the
wreck was matter did not ask about,
but | bid hear it said that all the crew
were lost. I was sailor and diver,
and he offered to stand all the expense
of the search and give me $4,000 in
gold II we recovered the diamonds on
ly. If we got the gold as we'll | was to
have La ger share. He had charter
ed coasting schooner for threemonths
and was then getting aboard whatever
he thought would be needed. sign
ed with HIM that afternoon as mate,
and three days after we had picked up
all our crew. Fortunately for us, a
| ship came in with twelve seamen res
cued from burning bark at sea, and
We took eight of them and a cook.
This gave us eleven men all told on
the little craft, but wrecking is a thing
demanding plenty of muscle at the
cranks, wlndlasses and tail ropes The
crew proper were not let into the Sc
cret, but signed for a voyage to Buenos
Ayres and return. They were so hap
py at securing a berth that no one ca
red which way we sailed or what was
or object.
There was Rio banker behind the
expedition, as | accidentally discover
ed, but he did not como near the schoo-
en- and Capt Roberts visited him only
by night. We were so well provision
ed and provided that it must have Ia
ken snug sum of money to fit us out
Tins the banker no doubt advanced
and took his chances At the Custom
Horse we cleared for the Plate in bal
last, but some ofthat ballast was taken
aboard under cover of darkness We
had divers outfit, timbers, planks,
spare casks, extra ropes and chains.
and about the last package received
contained a dozen muskets and lot
OF fixed ammunition We slipped out
quietly one night with the tide, and
before daylight were far away.
Cap. Roberts had a pretty fair chart
Of the neIghborhood of the wreck, and
after speedy run down the coast we
reached it one forenoon about 10 o.
clock. When we came TO work inshore
we got sight of the mountain peaks
lald down on the chart, and in a couple
of hours We're satisfied that the wreck
was within a mile of Us north or sonth.
Just there was reef about four miles
off shore ond extending up and down
the coast for thirty miles Behind
this reef in many places was deep wa
ter right up to the shore line 1t be
ing summer weather, with the winds
light, but holding steady, we anchored
off the reef, and then the men knew
that we had come to search for wreck
1t was all right Will, them. and after
dinner two boats were loweredto begin
the search. Taking the schooner as a
centre, We pulled both ways, running
close to the reef The treasure craft
had teen dismasted IN squall and
driven shoreward, and we confidently
expected to find her hull, if it had not
gone to pieces. on or near the reef
Before sundown we had made care.
ful search three miles either way, but
without finding the slightest trace of
her. Next morning we tried it again,
but nothing was brought to light In
some places the reef showed above
the surface at low tide, in others there
was plenty of water to carry Us over
at any time The treasure craft
might have hit the reef at a favorable
spot, and been driven almost to the
beach, but before accepting this theory
we got out the drag and explored the
deeper waters seaward from the reef.
We spent three days at this work,
graphing only The rocks hidden away
from thirty to sixty feet below. and
using up the men with the hard work.
The schooner was then sailed over the
reef and anchored in thirty feet OF wa
ter and we began the search of the
shore waters.
Our process of search was this: Each
boat took certain shore bearings and
covered certain territory between the
reef and the beach. The water was SO
clear that one holding an umbrella over
bis head to shut off the light could see
the bottom anywhere at thirty or thir
tytive feet, and there were 20 deeper
spots inside In fact. the average depth