Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-25
DAILY SHORT STORY
Treasure AfIoat.
Copyright. 1902. by c. 3. Lewis.l


copyright. 1902 by C. 2. Lewis.l
We were coming down the White
sea in the Liverpool bark Silver Spray
after landing a cargo at Il Russian port
when we fell in with and boarded q
brig which had seemingly been aban-
doned for a week or more. The fore
castle and cabin were empty of bed
ding and not a single article of cloth
ing could be found. We searched in vain
for the logbOok and the ships papers,
nor could we find a scrap of writing or
any sort. The flag locker was empty.
but we should have known the brig to
be Russian without seeing her name.
Her clock, chronometer OF she had
One), log line and officers instruments.
together with her charts and the COM
pass from the pinnacle, had been re-
moved.
We thought that we might learn
something by a look at her cargo, but
when we got the main hatch off we
found she was only in ballast. We
made a discovery of Importance in the
cabin. however. She had shallow
lazaret reached by u trapdoor, and
from out of this recess we hauled four
large leather sacks of silver plate.
About half of the lot was church plate,
while the rest had belonged to some
private individual. Every piece was of
solid silver, but many of them had
been bent and hammered to get them
into the sacks. These latter recepta-
cles were made of cowskin, with the
hair still on. and were laced up at the
seams. 1t took our united strength to
md xlyoc
little wonder. though. as there was
about 400 pounds of dead weight to a
sack.
Here was something worthy of the
name of loot, and in the course Of an
other hour we had the sacks aboard
of the bark and had left the derelict to
her fate.
AS to the silver, it seemed plain
enough that it was the proceeds of
robbery somewhere in Russia. 1t was
given out that it would be taken home
with us and sold for the benefit of the
crew, and for two or three days we
were busy figuring out our respective
shares.
Then we encountered a Swedish mer-
chairman in distress and stood by him
| for a portion of the day TO render as
| sistance. He had come out of the
White sea and while conversing with
our captain incidentally inquired If i'll
cruising about we had ever got sight
OF d small brig named the Grodno.
That brought out the story and solved
the mystery, and it also got our entire
crew into a peck of trouble.
The Grodno was owned at the port of
| in no I
that while she was waiting for a cargo
band of eight robbers plundered a
church and also the residence of the
governor of the province on the same
night In getting away from the ter
place they had fight and killed VIC
of their pursuers. They had carts il
which to carry off their booty, but in
stead of proceeding inland they tool
forcible possession of the brig. Only
her mate and boy were aboard, but
two or three of the robbers were also
sailors. They compelled the mate tC
put to sea, and. though pursued the
next day, they had the luck to get cleal
off
The idea was to get to England will
the booty, but after getting around OF
the north coast it was thought better
to go into hiding until there was nC
longer fear of pursuit.
The island of Tana, at the entrance
of Tana bay, was selected. 1t wa:
the intention to strip the brig of every
thing and live ashore for a few months
but when this had been partially &C
complished and while all hands were
ashore one day the craft broke loost
h.
boarded by us four or five days later
1 don't know whether the captain in
tended to put into any Russian port o
not, but If so he was saved the trouble
Two days after we left the Swede
Russian man-of-war which he spok
and put on our track overhauled u
4, and demanded the plate. When tina
was given up, we were commanded t
accompany him to KEN and were vir
tualIy under arrest during the voyage
When we reached KEN, every mai
2 aboard. from captain to cook. wa
} marched off to Jail. The captain wa
liberated on bond of some sort afte
: q few days, but the rest of us wer
l treated like dogs.
! 1t was five weeks before we wer
taken before the governor and n judg
| to be examined. Two of the robber
!. had been hanged, one sent TO Siberia
t and the others imprisoned at home
e You will think it a very funny thing
e but these latter actually charged u
with having robbed them. While the.
had been convicted of robbery, the.
e claimed the booty as legally theirs.
e One of the questions asked me by tn
e judge was by what authority 1 board
), ed and searched the brig. The captain
was asked by what authority he or
| dered and assisted in the removal o
: the silver. And when he gave them
n piece of his mind he was fined $50 an,
d sent to Jail for two days as punish
5 ment 1t looked for time as If on
!. entire crew were to be sent to prisol