Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-05-13
! Strangely Found Pearls
BY Charles Adams


i
eral years nothing whatever was done
and millions OF dollars worth OF cNpcn-
sive machinery lay exposed TO wind and
weather. and 20 thieves who carried OF
immense quantities of piunder.
At leugth an attempt was made 10
stay these losses Painters were en-
p'oyed 20 coat the eNcavators dredges
cranes. dracucs. LOCOMOTIVES ard other
machines with waterproof paints. ara
guards were sent 20 patrol the line Of
works.
Among the guards were yorrr
American whose name Is given as Ed
mond Harris. a Uollander named Van
Week. from Rotterdam. and orc
Michael Doohey on Irishman Their
business was 20 care FOR the marine
treCges in the "Bocn." or western end
80 the canal trench. near the harlor
uf Panama. 4 swa'l stcam-launch was
provided Ia which they made ths.r
rounds. and orr holidays they sometimes
used this boat FOR cNcurs 'ors 20 othe~
points on the bay. The most interest
inT OF these jauuts. ard one att.rdca
bv q curious adventure. was fothrruirs
of '@nama Niejo fOid Panama.. SIX or
eight miles south OF the modern city.
Old Panama. the city first built by
the Spariards when at the zenith of
their new world prosperity. was taken.
plundercd and burned by The buccaueer
Morgan In 167l- Fer "a century if had
been the richest city OF The western
hemisphere. containing ar one time
fully 10000 Inhabitants. and being
called from its position: "Thc Gate OF
the New World" Hither were brought
the spoils of Peru. by Pizarro. and gold
and silver I'm vast quantities from The
newly opened mines. a well-paved
highway connected it with Porto BF1lo
on the Atlantic side % the isihmus-
or old Panama nothing now remains
except the crumhiing walls OF the
churches and palaces. overgrown by
vines. in the midst OF dense tropical
forest. One lofty tower alone rises
above the tree-tops. that OF the Church
of 81 AnastasiuS.
s.sSluiug "a here at iiah .ie-. our
three adventures entered a bayou or
creek mouth. leading beneath a stone
bridge. the arch OF which IS still stand
ing. 20 land-locled lagoon which once
formed the city's haven for small craft
Here they LETT the launch and first
crossing the old stone bridge. visited
the church tower. Then theywandered
curiously about the site of the old town.
The place is now wholly overerown
with Jungle and 10 move about or 20
follow The lines OF the old streets ii Is
neceSSary that q machctero. or man
working with machcte. should go IN
advance ana literally cicaye out pain
Pablo the half-breed fireman Of the
launch. undertook this task but was
soon covered by garrapata, or wood
ticks While he was clearing himself
% them. Mike Doohcy tooh up the
rachete and cut path for several huu-
dred yards. over old walls and vine
crown masonry. when 20 his great dis
comiturc he suddenly discovered a
large hooded viper clinring 20 his boot.
The reptile had struck its fargs into the
'cath p. but fortunately had not been
able to lite through IT,
TAis was too much for the lrishman
Il wish yez JOY OF Your walk. gen
F tiemen." said he. For mesilf. | shall
lave ye the snakes and The bugs. and 60
/ back 10 the launch and shmoke me
pirei"
lie left them abruptly and Pablo re
sumed the maehete. all keeping sharp
! eve out FOR snakes. They had gone OF
but few yards when a trem endous yell
from Mike caused them 10 turn.
"Ven. 7 Wonder what next shall be &
matter vid de Irishmansl" exclaimed
Van Week
Harris went hastily back Mike,
Mike!" he shouted. What's the mat
ter? Where are you -
~ first he got no reply but heard q
strange gnrElirg. swaShing sound as
OF water, that seemed to come from the
earth near by. Then came a muffleu
cry of Help Help!"
Harris then caught sight of hole in
the thick verdure and vines Of the path
over which they had just come, and
/ approaching. found that Mike had
fallen down the deep shaft Of an old
Spanish 'wef- win Van Weeks aiG
Harris quickly pulled away the vines
and gained better idea of the dimen-
sions Of the hole. Ii was six or seven
feet across; they had walked unsus-
peetingly along the very brink oft
"Is the water deep. Mike? Can you
get foothold. to keep your head out2'
Harris shouted deVvn 20 him.
Little enough!" cried Mike. "Sure
it's deep as the say and eowld as the
gravel"
Harris had a surveyors tapeline in