The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-04-18
IN SEARCH OF A
TREASURE ISLAND
Continued from page So

ITOIn page o.
accepted. They had Brown, and felt
safe
So FIVE thousand pounds was sub
scribed for the venture, and Captain
Brown was given a free hand in the
selection and Quitting of schooner.
1t was set forth in contract that he
was to receive no pay for his services,
but was simply to get twenty-five per
cent of all the treasure recovered. This
contract was duly signed and sealed and
given into the custody of a prominent
San Francisco bank.
A year ago last july the expedition
sailed through the Golden Gate, bound
for the South Seas. Ogden Hoffman
was on board as the representative of
the vessels owners; Frank Luce, George
Sutton, and Attorney Chetwood kept
watch for the company in general. This
vessel, the hundred-ton schooner Her
man, carried an up-to-date treasure
digging outfit warranted to lift the
biggest lot of loot ever slowed away. In
addition she carried a complete smelling
outfit Ito melt down the plate for easy
handling, so that no Government can
claim it," as Brown suggested Oddly
enough, one of the so-called obstacles
that the Adventures now complain of
was the sharp way they were watched
by representatives of the English and
French Governments. Old treasure
hunters also kept logging their course
with view to getting an idea of the
location of the new treasure island.
Besides the seven gentlemen on board,
the vessel carried cook, steward, and
six strapping sailors, all carefully pick
ed for the business in hand. The eight
members of the crew were only permit
ted to carry clasp-knives and were sign
ed on to obey certain regulations, all
pertinent to a treasure-hunting expedi-
ton. The captain and cabin passengers
were fully armed with weapons of the
latest pattern, and their quarters were
stoutly fortified against any attempt to
capture the treasure.
All these careful preparations show
ed with what degree of confidence the
subscribers viewed the outcome of the
expedition, and it must be admitted that
the prospect was certainly alluring. The
voyage Hawaiiward over the shimmering
summer seas passed like dream. Brown
told tales of buried treasures and OF
the joys of life down South. Everybody
was in high spirits
The trouble began just off Honolulu.
|.
and Captain Brown decided to dock the
Herman and strengthen her against any
stress of weather she might meet in
the variable winds farther south.
Go ahead. said one of the represent
tatives. Never mind the cost, for I've
two hundred pounds in this pocket
he tapped his coat-'ard an order for as
much more on firm to pay for any
bills we run up here
On this assurance Brown beached the
vessel and everybody went ashore TO
have a good time while the repairs were
under way. When pay day came, how
ever, the locker yielded only twelve
pounds TO defray the outstanding de-
mandS. he schooner was promptly
llbelled men the storm of wrath
broke
Brown declared he was placed in an
embarrassing position EVERYBODY on
shore knew he was the captain, and that
he was plotting the expedition to lift
an enormous treasure and here the whole
outht was held up for a few pounds.
Everybody he met in the street was
laughing at him. he said.
Sutton. Chetwood, and Dr. Luce. con
coded that he had been badly treated.
admitted the miShap was most unfor-
tunate' and insisted that it was all due
TO the bad management of the Young |
man who had been deputed to handle
the conpany's funds. But Brown 1
though aPpeased by their excuses and |
the promises OF an early settlement of I
the trouble. was a changed man from |
that moment. His pride was badly hurt |
All the voyagers agree on that point |
hereafter ne seemed to regard them /
with suspicion. Later. in a burst OF |
anger, he openly declared that some |
scheme was atloat to trick him ont NJ /
his share Of the treasure. and that he /
would fathO,i II yet. Meanwhile two
OF the party were dispatched back to J
San Francisco for more funds. On