The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-05-07
The Story Of
Captain Graham
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

SNIP a1eWe ana were I'VE Gays out
from the island when the adventure oc-
cured by which we lost the captain
and laid the foundation for this story.
He was swept overheard in the course
of a heavy storm.
Almost before he realized his posi-
ton the ship was a mile away, and he
felt sure that no boat would be lowered
to. make u search for him. Having
found a spar and dashed himself to it.
he drifted away to the west and even
ing came on. Night passed and anoth-
er day came. and toward the close Of
that day Captain Graham lost con-
seriousness. He may have drifted a
day after that-perhaps two days.
When. he came to his senses again he
was lying on a sandy beach with his
feet. in the water. He had been cast
ashore on an island.
Along the beach were oysters and
shellish a-plenty. What struck him
curiously was the entire absence of
life on the island. He had been on
the. island q week or 81 and had twice
walked clear around it. when n day.
as he was gathering fruit in an open
spot, he was suddenly and tiercely at
tackled by a naked man. The surprise
was great. and the captain had not yet
recovered his strength; but. shaking
the man off. he seized a club and laid
about him so vigorously that his as
sailant ran away.
In breaking away from the captain
he ran for the beach. The latter fol-
lowed at his heels. shouting for him to
stop. but the unknown ran to the wa
ter. plunged in and SWAN straight out
to sea. looking back nov and then and
seeming to be in a terrible fright. He
held to bis course until he could no
longer be seen. and there was no doubt
he went to his death. as he did no re-
turn. In a dense thicket the captain
found a rude shelter which the man
had used. and among the dried grass
forming his bed were Il few fragments
of cloth, which had nee been q pea
packet. There We're also 81 sailors pipe
and an empty tobacco box.
The center of the island was con-
siderably higher than elsewhere. and
exactly in the middle was a single tree.
surrounded by a thicket. which the
captain had never yet penetrated. In
carrying out his explorations he en-
tered this copse. finding a hard beaten
path. evidently made by the crazy man.
Piled up at the roots Of the tree the
captain found a great stock Of small
iron bound boxes, and 1t needed but
one glance to satisfy him that they
were treasure boxes. There was the
cavity where they had once been bur-
led. and the boxes were weather beat
en-. as If long exposed. Two or three
large shells lay about. which had
doubtless been used to dig out the
dirt. aud one of the boxes had been
opened.
The captain shouldered this box and
carried 1t down to the spot he called
''home" and there inspected its con-
tents. 1t contained about $4,000 In
gold. In the pile at the foot Of tile tree
were fifteen other boxes Of the same
size. ff
Well. there u u big fortune there.
and 1t. belonged to the finder. but It
might have been so much sand for
all the good it could do him, Days and
weeks and months passed away. and
n day the castaway counted up the
pebbles he had laid in rows along the
beach to mark the time and found be
had been eleven months on the island.
On that day there came a furious. gale
from the east and 4 very high tide.
and. from some wreck at e the waves
brought In u vast quantity Of stun.
There was nothing to eat or
among the %wreckage.. but there were
planks and spars and a carpenters tool
chest. and as soon as the storm had
abated the castaway went to work to
build him a raft He had determined
to leave the island at any ehaxard. and
after four or five days work he had
his raft completed. 1t was a rude but
stout affair. Wild fruits were taken
for provisions. and fresh water was
carried in Il wine key which had come
ashore with the wreckage. From n
Of the boxes the captain took $500 In
gold pieces. and n morning when the
wind was from the west he launched
his raft and drifted OF before II. By
his reckoning. which was probably cor
rect. 1t was seven days before he was
picked up by the John J.. Speed, an
American merchant vessel. homeward
bound.
Captain Graham at once set about
finding a ship to bring the treasure OF.
"A brig was finally chartered and sailed
with him aboard, but after a cruise Of
months she failed to find the island.
h the space Of two years he made
three different voyages in search of
the island. and when the story leaked
ont three Of four other expeditions
were fitted. out. but in all the sailing
TO and fro no human eye could find the
looked for spot. IL 1t had been rnised'
from the sen by a volcanic disturbances
had, second disturbance caused the
sen to swallow It up?' There are many
reasons to believe that this was the
fate which overlook II. About ten
years after the captains last voyage