Bridgeton pioneer., 1916-05-11
The LO0TING or
A TREASURE SHIP
A Sea Episode In the Harbor
of Rio de Janeiro.

spdiglcd dome, while southward blaZed
the constellation of the Southern Cross.
We were to sail the next morning for
New York, and it was known among
as that we were to carry 100000 of
| gold coin to New York. No one should
have i:nown of this treasure except
the officers. The secret came out in
this way: The men wanted to go
ashore for final spree. The captain.
who was weak man, in order to eX-
cuse himself for not permitting them
to 20 told of the treasure. But the
weakest thing he did was to let them
go after telling them the reason why
they should stay. The captain, the
first nate and Second matel remain.
ed aboard. The captain was smoking
on the poop deck; the first mate was
pacing the forward deck: was lean
ing over the gunwale amidshps look
ing down into the water Slipping off
my clothes, l descended by the ladder
and plunged in for a swim.
l was some 200 yards astern when |
heard the sound of oars and. raising
my head, saw a dark object coming
from the city. l did not doubt that il
was the boat containing the crew COM
ing from their spree. | was surprised.
however, that they were so quiet. Usu-
| ally ON such occasions they were very
| noisy.
| l started to swim to the ship, but
they reached it before me. / heard
the mate sing out Boat ahoyr' but
did Il 1t hear the answer. The boats
| crew climbed the ladder and went
| aboard. | heard a scuffie. and a mo-
! ment later heavy object dropped in
| the water. The tide was going ont.
but | kept ahead of it in the direction
Ut the ship. Presently something float
| I'd by me. BY the light of the moon.
which by this time was well up above
| the horizon. | saw the upturned ashen
| lace OF the first mate. l soon heard
| second splash and knew that the cap
| tain he'd met similar fate.
1t Was now all perfectly plain to me
| The men who had gone ashore had
| been tabbling in their cups and had
| been overheard by some person or per
| sons who had taken advantage of their
absence to capture the treasure they
| had talked about. knew the robbers
| had possession of the ship, and what
| to do myself | could not determine
| PoSSibly | might swim the distance to
| the shore, but l didn't like the idea
or leaving these men to make away
with the treasure, there being no evi-
dence of their 'entity. While l was
deliberating I rd the anchor chain
rattlin% through the hawse pipe and
ktcW the captOrs were intending TO
make sail, or. rather drift out of the
larbor, for there was no wind. | lis
tened, hoping TO hear the sound of
| oars Indicating the return of the crew,
| but heard no such sound. The shin
| drlfted toward me stern on, and. not
| knowing what else to do. clung to the
| rudder. But realizing that there was
| nothing there to support me for any
| length of time, l let go my hold and.
Keeping close under the side of the
ship waited till the bow drifted to me.
| then grasped chain under the bow
| spirit There L was better protected
| from Being seen and might cling for
long while.
When day dawned a breeze sprano
| up. ana the ship hove away westward
| Keeping close to the coast. About six.
| ty miles from Rio they ran her ashore,
| bow on. Knowing that | should he
| discovered where l was, I swan back
| TO the rudder, keeping under water all
| except my eyes, with which | saw the
| robbers carry the treasure ashore.
There were five of them. one with red
| ha1r and beard directing their move.
ments. | noted his face and that of
every one of them, so that | should
know them again. AS soon as they go.
ashore each man started off. stagger
ing under bag of gold. l gave them
time to get start, then swan to the
ladder climbed aboard and after get.
ting provisions followed them. They
were talking most of the time. which
enabled me to keep at safe distance.
They moved eastward and after going
about ten miles stopped at a deserted
hut, went inside and when they came
out had left the treasure. l knew they
had hidden or buried it inside.
After hurried lunch from basket
they had brought with them they start.
ed on to the eastward, walking rapid
ly. l felt cure they were going to Rio
and wished to get there as soon as DOS
sible in order that they should not be
missed Strikin@ road, they hired a
countryman to drive them and were
thus lost to me.
However | made my way to the city
and hunted mp the crew who had seen
the ship sailing away. Soon after they
had left the dock to return to her |
took them to where the treasure had
been placed: then after securing it we
went on to the ship. which at high tide
we managed to "et afioat, and set sail
for Rio. | assumed command. an
pointed TWO of the best men as mates
and on arrival at Rio went ashore
alone and to the office of the chief of
police. For week walked the streets
with detective and visited the dives
On fhn njnbth I ~