The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-10-07

Tie found the opening large enough
to admit Il llnSshead. and there was
every reason to believe that it once had
been blocked up With stones squared
for the purpose and ccmentcd IN.
These stones had been shaken loose by
some great Jar and had rolled DOWN
into the bay. The cave was thirty feet
long. twenty feet wide and ten feet
high. dry and airy. and a far better
house than Robinson CrlSoc had. Now
comes the astonishing part OF the sto-
ry According to Scott. he found DIG
elephant tusks stacked mp in the cave.
together with five jars OF gold dust.
Two jars were emptied Of their con-
tents that lie might use them for food
and water. He had samples OF the
gold and the ivory on the raft.
1t WAS Il queer story. but with proofs
Mt hand to back it what could we do
but believe: Our captain was Il
Scotchnan. ana he toO. Il whole day
to think the matter over and assure
himself that the stuff before him was
actually gold and ivory. Then he made
Scott proposition. The matter was
talked over. and it was finally agreed
that Scott should pilot ns to the island
and take another jar OF gold dust for
his share.
At the close of the fourth day. sail
Ing back and forth across sea sup
posed to contain no land for hundreds
OF miles, in every direction but the
west. we sighted SCOTS island. He
identified ii M soon as it could he seen
from the deck. and we ran in and
came to anchor for the night within II
mile from the bench. Had the night
not been so dirk'sI believe the captain
would have al9UoiNd9wn. but as
1t WAS lie dared not chance it. Such
was the excitemeftt--,sb0ard that no
man slept for an hour. and rs soon as
daylight had come and the men had
had Il bite to eat we set OF to secure
the treasure.
We soon found the opening of the
bay and rowed into it. Scott had been
on the island for over a year, and the
hut he occupied and the flagstaff lie
erected We're in plain sight. At the
end Of the bay we came to the cave.
and. leaping ont Of the boat. the cap
tain WAS first to enter. A moment
later he reappeared. and for the next
quarter OF an hour he cursed IS ! new
er heard seaman before or since.
The cave had been plundered. One
broken tusk had been left behind. and
there was perhaps an ounce OF gold
dust lying on the spot where Scott had
emptied the Jars. That was proof
enough that he had told straight
story. When we landed aud went up
to the hut we soon solved the prob
lem. Some whaler had touched there
for food and water. For wood they
had used all the wreck stuff lying
about. and had also partially pulled
the hut to pieces. They had filled
their casks at the spring. and we could
still see the marks where they had
been rolled down Hill to the boats.
Then the Scotcllman did Il mean
thing by the rescued sailor He made
Il great ado of how he had deviated
from his course and lost Il fortnight'S
time and insisted that Scott divide
with him. | believe lie threatened to
leave him on the island If he didn't.
There was trouble for Il few hours.
aud then the sailor came to terms. but
not so much as penny's worth was
ever handed over to the owners or
distributed among the crew. Scott
was transShipped to craft bound for
Java and that was the last ever saw
or heard of him. A year later. how
ever, | met an American runaway
sailor in Batavia. and lie told me that
his craft. the Bessie IIerrick OF Mar
bellead. put in at the island, remain
ed for two days, and ler captain dis