Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1913-12-05

the rain II the storm broke. And so
after prayers again and a long look
Seaward we went to sleep.
About midnight, 80 far as / couh
Judge, / was awakened. The storm
broke with all the suddenness ana n
censity OF the tropics. Such peals of
thunder and such flashes Of lightning
! nave never witnessed. although had
been In many storms throughout the
world To sleep was impossible. Mis-
tress Lucy came out from her boat and
stood beside me as we leaned against
the cliff while the storm drove harw-
lessly over our heads.
We could see the ship at intervals Dy
the vivid flashes of lightning. She WAS
making fearful weather of it. She
was always wet ship. and the huge
waves fairly rolled over her. Once she
went over nearly on her beam ends.
and l thought she was gone | didn't
view her position with great deal of
regret either. Presently she drove or
before the wind with a rag of her fore
tops'i still showing. and that was the
last we saw OF her or her men. we
thought.
Storm bound under the lee of the
cliffs. we passed long and anxious
hours the next day. although our only
misfortune was the inclemency of the
weather. for we were completely shell
tered. and we had plenty of the refresh
ing milk Of the cocoanut to vary our
ether food. The second day after \
began the tempest finally blew itself
out, although the great surging seas
still broke tremendously over the bar
rier reef and the spray shot a score Of
rect or more above the crests of the
highest waves. It was only the reflex
or the storm. however for during the
night the wind had subsidized into
gentle breeze.
When we scanned the sea next morn.
Ing there was, of course. no SIGN of
the ship. Our first inclination. and
there was none to say us nay now. was
10 mount the stairs. cross the wall and
look for that cave We had neither
chart nor record left. we had but our
memories to trust to, but we were both
agreed that the cave lay in the inner
wall and that the parchment said if
was the central one of three adjacent
openings which gave entrance to the
treasure chamber. And we could get
bearing on it from the central hill.
NOW l had noticed that the coral
wall both on the outer and inner sides
was honeycombed with openings. riffs.
assures and caves which, by the way.
were more frequent and deeper on the
inside face. why l know not. We
should nave been compelled painfully
ana laboriously to search the whole
race OF the cliff in it's extent of fifteen
miles or so. but for the further direc
uon OF the parchment | was thank
1ul that, sailor like old Sir Philip had
given us the bearing. How did his
words run? Something like this. nv
memory told me-
Toe fynde We mouthe of We tresur
cave take We bearings alonge We southe
OF We three Goodies on We Altar of
skulls on We middel hille. VIII. We line
strykes We bigge knicke in We VALE
with ye talle palm1ne his tree. bee
three hoales. Climbe We stones. Enter
We centre. Vt is th,re.''
Plainly our first duty was to descend
into the inclosed valley and explore
the hillock in the center. l made no
doubt but that we should find some
sort of an altar and more of those curl
Gus stone images there. If they still
remained the rest of our task would he
comparatively easy
With this determination, therefore,
we set out. AS l did not know how
long our exploration would require and
as l rather thought we should have to
make a day of it. we started betimes.
Indeed. as we invariably retired short
~ after sunset we naturally rose at
break of day. took along food
enough for the day, knowing that we
could get water from the brooks and
certain fruits which l judged would
be good for us from the trees.
We went directly to the stairs and
mounted them. Delaying but little on
the crest, we crossed it rapidly and
finally entered the valley. It was with
feeling Of awe that we stood for the
first time within the vast cup at the
foot Of the inner stairs, completely
shut out from the world by the great
towering rampant Of rock witch en-.
t1rely Enclosed us. I had never felt 10
far removed from the world as then.
Outside, OF course, the limitless ocean
ran beyond the barrier reef, but one
could follow 1t unto the dim, faro6
distance with his vision Within the
cup the glance fell upon the rocky
wall on every hand. It was almost