The Lamar register., 1919-08-06

place much earlier. and there woulu
thus be space of at least forty years
between the burial of the treasure
and his deathbed revelation. II was
natural TO ask: Why during all those
years did he not return and retrieve
the treasure for himself? Various
circumstances may have prevented
him, the Inability from lack Of means
TO make the journey. or what not;
but certainly one would need to imag
ine circumstances OF peculiar power
that should be strong enough to keep
q man with SO valuable II secret In his
possession SO many years from taking
advantage OF II.
For a long while, too, the names
given to the purported sites of the
treasure caches puzzled us. Modern
maps give no such places as Dead
Mems Shoes and 'Short Shrift
island" but at last. in II map dating
back TO 1769. We came upon one of
the two names. So far the veracity
OF Tobias was supported. Dead
Mems Shoes" proved to be the old
name for certain cay some twenty
miles long. about day and II half's
sail from Nassau. one OF the long
string OF coral islands now known us
the "Exuma Gays" But Of "Short
a trace.
'All the same" said /. ''the ndven
ture calls me the adventure and that
million and half dollars-and those
Dead Mems Shoes'-and ! intend To
undertake It. l am not going TO ~
your middle-aged skepticism discour
age me. Treasure or no treasure
there will be the excitement of the
quest and all the fun of the sea-"
"And some duck perhaps" added
Charlie.
And some shark fishing for GER
tain" said John.
The next thing WAS to set about
getting boat and II crew.
After looking over much likely and
unlikely craft we finally decided on
q two-masted schooner of trim but
solid build. the Maggie Darling, AZ
feet over all and 13 beam: something
under twenty t,ns. with an auxiliary
gasoline engine OF "a horse power.
and an alleged speed OF ten knots.
Next the crew.
you will need captain. cook. an
engineer aud a deckhand." said Char
lie. ''and have the captain and the
cook all ready for you"
That afternoon we rounded them
all up. Including the engineer and the
deckhand. and We arranged to start.
weather permitting. with the morning
tide, which set east at six o'clock on
July 13. 1903.
Ships stores were the next detail,
and these, including fifty gallons OF
gasoline, over and above the tanks
and three barrels OF water. being duly
got aboard. on the evening Of July
IL all was ready for the start; an eve
ming which was naturally spent In
parting conclave In John Saunders
snuggery.
"Why. one important thing you've
forgotten" said Charlie. "Machetes-
and spades and pickaxes. And I'd
take a few sticks of dynamite along
with you too. l can let you have the
lot. Well get them aboard tonight
Its pity you have to give II
away that it's treasure hunt" said
John. but then you cant keep the
crew from knowing. And they're
queer lot on the subject of treasure.
have some OF the rummiest supersti
lions. l hope you won't have any
trouble with them"
Had any experience In handling
niggersT asked Charlie.
Not the least"
That makes me wish / were coming
with you. They are rum beggars. Aw-
full towards. and just like pack of
children. You know about sailing
anyhow. That's good thing. You
can captain your own boat, II need be
That's all to the good. Particularly
If you strike any dirty weather. But
let me give you one word OF advice
Be kind, of course. with them-but
keep your distance all the same. And
be careful about losing your temper
You get more out of them by coax
ing-hard as II is. at times. And. by
the way. how would you like to take
old Sailor with your"
7 Oh