The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-01-24


launched into eternity. All were thought
to have persisted.
Twenty years passed, new generation
grew up, and the story of Manning and
his exploits was well nigh forgotten.
Then, as now, trading vessels from Nova
Scotia frequented the coast to supply the
scattered settlements with the necessaries
of life, receiving in return furs and fish.
In the year 1880 the captain of one Of
! these vessels happened to be in an inn in
Halifax talking over his summer voy-
ages while smoking a pipe with friend.
/ They observed that an old man sitting at
table near them, slipping his whisky and
water slowly, appeared highly interested
( in their conversation.
When Captain Black left the inn, the
old man followed him into the street and
eagerly questioned him about the Labra-
dor coast. Before they parted he made
the captain promise to take him to the
Bay of the Dead the following spring.
Captain Black had harbored there once
during a great storm. In the spring,
when the warm rays of the sun had
loosed the icy barriers of the coast, Cap
tain Black, mindful of his promise, sought
the mysterious old man, but found him
lirium the astonshed and horror stricken
captain was told tale of murder, blood
shed and robbery on the high seas and of
the hidden treasure of the Bay of the
Dead.
Manning (for the dying man was none
other than the notorious ex-pirate), with
blasphemous curses, foretold death and
destruction to any one who should at
. In In
a paroXysm of fear and despair he died
unrepentant, unabsolved. The captain
was too bold man to be deferred from
seeking the treasure by dying mans
curse, so he Immediately set sail for the
Bay of the Dead.
The weather being foggy and the coast
dangerous, he approached with the ut
most caution. Within a few hundred
yards of the coveted goal, the burying
ground, strange faintness came over
him, and his limbs refused to bear him.
Eager to secure the treasure which had
from long brooding become his sole object
in life, he, with great effort, dragged
himself to the bow of the vessel. AT that
moment the ominous words, death.
death, deathp' sounded in his startled
ears.
A mortal fear overspread him, and he
had barely sufficient strength to order the
crew to put about. The sailors, wonder
ing at the strange conduct of their cap
tain. obeyed just in time to prevent strik-
ing sunken reef. Among the crew of
Captain Blacks vessel on this occasion
was lad of some thirteen years of age,
Ricketts, by name. The captain had made
rather a pet of this boy and during the
long voyage had related to him the story
of Manning. Thirty years passed, and no
further attempt was made to wrest the
wealth from its ghostly keeper In the
year 1850 Ricketts, then in middle age
end living in the United States, was a
haunted man.
In dreams and in his waking hours the
apparition of Manning followed him, urg-
ing him to go to the Bay of the Dead and
secure the treasure. Old inhabitants of
the coast say that in that year, 1860, a
strange vessel flying the American flag
sailed into the harbor of the Bay Of the
Dead The captain, whose name was
Ricketts,, hired Il fishing boat and while
ostensibly engaged in fishing operations
spent great part of his time in eXplor-
ing the shore and digging. After month
spent in this mysterious way he departed,
returning, however, the following sum-
mer.
Again he was watched and from the
burial ground at the Bay of the Dead
was seen to unearth a large wooden box
or cask which he carried off with him.
Again. so late as 1880, strange Amer
lean vessel paid mysterious visits to the
bay. Their object was and is a subject of
endless conjecture among the fisher folk
There are now many graves at the Bay
of the Dead. and the good people of the
coast, with their great respect for the
dead, disturb them not to search for hid
den treasures.
1t cannot be asserted positively that the
treasure of Manning has been torn from
its hiding place and the spirit of the muir
dered negro released from his long and
faithful vigil But it is sure and GER
tain fact that a dweller under the cliffs
of the bay has of late, without apparent
effort. become very wealthy, and rumor
hints of treasure trove. Such is the story
of Manning as related by a native of that
bleak and desolate coast, and, though the
mellowing hand of time has thrown
halo of romance over the picturesque Bay
of the Dead and the deeds done there, the
main facts are well established.