The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1901-07-04
AN ISLAND
STOREHOUSE.
BY M. Quad.
copyright. 1900. by c. B. Lewis

e g sssesssesa0
Two thousand miles due north of the
island of Mauritius and almost mid
way between that and the Seychelle
group is the lone island Of Agalegas. 1t
is an island about six miles in circum
ference, with its highest point about
100 feet above the sea. There were no
Inhabitants up to 1882, though traders
and shell gatherers often called there
for wood and water. A part of the is
that date, but it is now little better
than tumble of broken rock.
1t was in the year 1881 that the cap
tain of a trading schooner entered the
port of st. Louis, in the Mauritius, to
tell wonderful story about this island
of Agalegas. He had called there to
wood and water and make repairs, and
while his crew was at work he eXplor-
ed the island Amid the rocks he
discovered a great cave, and from that
cave he had taken and brought away
two elephants tusks, box of silver
bars and jewel handled sword. He
was a cunning chap, this trader, and
he had got the stuff aboard without
his crew being the wiser and had said
nothing about the caves. He did not
report his find to any consul or other
official at st, Louis, but after hanging
about for awhile he decided to make a
|confidant of the firm of Daypne & Co.
This was a French trading and export
ing firm, and as 1 was in it's employ
came to hear the story first hand. II
the trader, whose name was Barcas
and who was a half breed Frenchman,
had not brought evidences of his find,
his story would have been booted at.
Even with the evidences before us we
|could hardly credit his statement.
The plumber Barcas had brought
AWAY was worth $4,000, but he as
|suredsus that this was mere flea bite
compared to what had been left be-
hind. He had counted 25O tusks, which
did not include all. He had counted
$50 boxes of silver bars, worth over
81 900 per box, but there were others
behind them. There were bales, boxes
and barrels he had not attempted to
open, and he believed the contents of
fthee cave would pan out 81 100000 and
ballast trading brig. 1t was a very
dignified and respectable firm, that Of
Daypne & Co., but it got down off it's
high horse pretty fast to make bar
gain with Barcas to bring that treasure
away and dodge customs officials and
government authorities. What they
offered to do after consultation was
to fit outsa ship. bring the stuff off,
convert 1t into cash and give him
quarter. 1t wasn't a liberal offer on
their part, but Barcas closed at once,
and the enterprise was turned over to
me to engineer.
The firm had a trading brig called
the Foam. and as soon as she arriv-
ed in port she was cleared of cargo and
her crew discharged. ! then began to
pick up Madagascar sailors and soon
had ten of them, with an English A. Il.
who had cut and run from merchant
man. Barcas was to act as captain, and
I was to go along as supercargo. 1t was
easy enough to deceive the Madagas-
carites, while the sailor was satisfied
with an offer of double wages and $500
extra We left Mauritius with the os-
tensible object of visiting the islands
to the east to establish trading stations,
but when we had made good our Offing
we headed for the nogth and the island
of Agalegas. We were on our way to
fill our craft with plumber from store
house filled hundreds of years before
and worth hundreds of thousands Of
dollars, but the voyage was prosaic.
None of us was excited over 1t until
the last day, and then it was through
fear that the cave might have been dis
covered by some other caller.
| We ran into bay and dropped an
Choir at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, and
before midday Barcas had visited the
treasure house and reported all safe.
After dinner the three officers of us
went up together. The mouth Of the
cavern had once been sealed, but had
been uncovered by fall of rock and