The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-08-30
An Isl 9 Of Gold.

1 H. -
One day in 1877 a carpenter stopped o.
Panama on his way home from Califor-
MIA, where he had earned a fair meas
ure of success in the gold fields.
In such places men are not discrim-
| mating as regards the acquaintance
they make, and he fell in with a couple
Of rough-looking sailors, who had de-
| serted from a whaIer that put into port
| for provisions
One evening, upon learning that he
was a miner. and therefore familiar
with metals. they showed him strong
bag filled with some hard substance,
which they asked him to examine and
pronounce judgment upon.
He examined the contents, which he
found to be gold of the finest quality.
whereupon, after imposing an oath Of
| strict secrecy, they told him that shortly
before arriving at Panama their ship
had touched at an island to take IN
water. The casks were RATED ashore
and quickly filed, the ship meanwhile
standing off and on.
While waiting for the ship to stand
in these two sailors strolled along the
beach for about two miles, until they
eamc to a place where a ravine or water
course came down from high mountain.
passed under a natural stone arch, and
emptied into the sea. Here they noticed
that the sand of the beach was filled
with a, number of shining particles re-
sembling gold, and that the crevices or
seams of the water course also seemed
full of it. Not sure whether it was gold,
they gathered a small package and re-
traced their steps 10 the boat, saying
nothing, however, to their companions
of the discovery.
Being assured by the carpenter that
they had discovered genuine gold the
sailors proposed that the three of them
should fit out small vessel and return
to the island. The plan was agreed to
at once, and vessel was purchased.
There were so few men available that
they had to take such as they could get.
There were two big negroes, two villain
ous-looking Spaniards, who could not be
trusted out of sight; hunchbacked,
snaky-looking fellow. who. Il was aICer-
ward learned, was an escaped convict
from the penal colony in French Guiana,
and a surly, SCARED old fellow who had
been warned out of California by a yigi-
lance committee.
He was feared by every member of the
crew, and even before the coast Ines
had sunk below the horizon he had let
out little suggestions that filed the car
penter with premonitions that he was
going to make serious trouble
A man and woman were taken along
as cook and stewardess. Toward even
ing of the second day out they sighted
the island.
1t was a lonesome, cherries looking
spot with a rough, irregular beach,
along which the surf was tumbling in
long curls Of creamy foam.
That night there was a grand carousal
aboard the vessel in celebration of the
successful termination of the voyage,
during which rum flowed freely and
quarrels were frequent. The carpenter
and one Of the sailors, however, held
aloof from these orgies, remaining on
deck, prepared to leave the vessel should
matters come to a crisis. Matters did
come TO a crisis with crash when one
of the Spaniards dragged the poor,
frightened stewardess into the cabin and
insisted that she should sing a Spanish
song for the company.
The big ruffian with a livid scar, who
Claimed to be an American, declared
that she should sing nothing but yam
kee Doodle" The Spaniard attempted
10 force matters by drawing a knife
but the American anticipated him with
his gun" which he began to discharge
right and left