Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-12-13
I obeyed The saloon was dark. but
khr0l1nh thu tro, nloca thu

I obeyed. The saloon was dark. but
through the transparent glass the
waves were sparkling. looked.
For half mile around the Nautilus
the waters seemed bathed in electric
light The sandy bottom was clean
and bright Some of the ships crew
in their diving dresses were clearing
away half rotten barrels and empty
cases from the midst of the blackened
wrecks. From these cases and from
these barrels escaped ingots Of gold
and silver, cascades Of piasters and
jewels. The sand was heaped up with
them. Laden with their precious booty
the men returned to the Nautilus, dis
posed Of their burden and went back
to this inexhaustible fishery of gold
and silver.
l understood now. This was the
scene of the battle of the 22d of Octo.
Der, 1902. Here on this very spot the
galleons laden for the Spanish govern
ment had sunk. Here Captain Memo
came, according to his wants, to pack
up those millions with which he bur
dened the Nautilus. 1t was for him
and him alone America had given up
her precious metals. He was heir di
rect, without any one to share in those
treasures torn from the Incas and from
the conquered Of Ferdinand Cortez.
did you know, SIR he asked. smil
ing, that the sea contained such
riches?"
II knew" l answered. that they
value the money held in suspension
in these waters at two millions"
DOUBTLESS; but to extract this money
the expense would be greater than the
profit Here. on the contrary. l have
but to pick up what man has lost. and
not only In Vigo bay, but in a thousand
other spots where shipwrecks have
happened and which are marked on
my submarine map. Can you under
stand now the source Of the millions
am WORTH"
II understand, captain. But allow
me to tell you that in exploring Vigo
bay you have only been beforehand
with rival society,""
And which,"
"A society which has received from
the Spanish government the privilege
Of seeking these buried galleons. The
shareholders are led on by the allure
ment Of an enormous bounty, for they
value these rich shipwrecks at 6v<
hundred millions"
"F1ve hundred millions they were.'
answered Captain Memo. but they ar,
so no longer"
Just So" said l. And a warning tt
those shareholders would be an act o
charity. But who knows II it .woult
be well received7 What gamblers
usually regret above all is less the los
Of their money than of their fooltsl
hopes. After all. pity them less tina,
the thousands of unfortunates to whom
SO much riches we'll distributed woult
have been profitable. while for then
they will be forever barren.'-
had no sooner expressed this regre
than l felt that it must have wounde,
Captain Memo.
"Barren!'' he exclaimed, with ANNA
ton. DO you think then, sir. tina
these riches are lost because>I gathe
them? Is it for myself alone. accord
! ing to your idea. that I take the trou
BILE to collect these treasures? VIII
] told you that l did not make a goo,
; use of it? Do you think am ,ignoran
4 that there are suffering beings and or
+ pressed races on this earth. miserabl
creatures to console. victims to avenge
, Do you not understand"
Captain Memo stopped at these las
Z words. regretting. perhaps, that he ha
7 spoken so much. But l had guesse
, that, whatever the motive which ha
4 forced him to seek independence unde
the sea, It had left him still mar
I that bis heart still beat for the sufrel
! ings OF humanity, and that his in
I mense charity was FOR oppressed race
j az well 40 individually. And then vi