Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-06-28
Book l..


UfY of MS bfttanniC Waiesty-s NpF'
eminent at Nassau, New Provl.
deHee, Bahama Islands.
During the summer OF 1903 l was
paying what must have seemed like an
intermlnable visit to my old friend
John Saunders, who at that time filled
with becoming dignity the hlgh-sound.
ing office of secretary of the treasury
of his majesty's government. In the
quaint little town Of Nassau, IN the
island Of New Providence. one of
those Rahama islands that lie half
lost to the world 10 the southeast of
the Caribbean sea and form a some
what neglected portion Of the British
West Indies.
Time was when they had sounding
name for themselves In the world ;
when the now sleepy little harb0r
gave shelter to rousing freebooters
and tarry pirates, tearing In there un-
der full sail with their loot from the
Spanish Main.
But those heroic days are gone, and
Nassau Is given up TO a sleepy trade
in sponges and tortoise shell, and
peace is no name for the drowsy tenor
Of the days under the palm trees and
the scarlet poinelanas.
Here n handful OF Englishmen,
clothed IN the white linen suits Of
the tropics. carry on the government
after the traditional manner of Brit
fish colonies from time iminemorial,
zach Of them, Ike my friend, not with
out an English smile at the humor Of
the thing, supporting the dignity Of
Offices with impressive names-lord
chief justice, attorney general, speak
er Of the house. lord high admiral
colonial secretary and so forth.
My friend the secretary OF The
treasury Is nun possessing IN an un-
common degree that rare and most at
tractiye Of human qualities. compan-
condolences. As we sit together In the
hush Of his snuggery of an evening
surrounded by guns, fishing lines and
old prints, there are times when we
scarcely exchange a dozen words be.
tween dinner and bedtime, and yet
we have all the time a keen and sat
isfylng sense Of companlonshlp. II Is
John Saunders git. Companlonshlp
seems quietly to ooze out Of hin,
without the need OF words.
And occasionally we have rs third
in those evening eonclaves a big, slow
smiling. broad-faeed young merchant
OF the same kidney. IN he drops with
nod and smile. and takes his place
in the smoke cloud Of our medltailons
radlating without the effort Of speech
that good hing-humanity; though
one must not forget the one subject
on which now and again the good
Charlie Webster achieves eloquence
in spite Of himself--duck shooting.
John saunders subject is shark
fishing Duck shooting and shark
fishing II Is enough. Here. FOR sem
sible men, Is a sufficient basis Tor life
long frlengship, and unwearylng, In
exhaustible companlonshlp.
Il was In this peace Of John saun-
ders' snuggery one July evening In
1908, the three OF us being duly met
and ensconced In our respective arm
chairs, that we got onto the subject
Of buried treasure. Il was who start
ed Us on by asking John what he
knew about buried treasure.
At this John laughed his funny little
Qulet laugh. eBuried treasurer he
said; -well, | have little doubt that
The islands are full Of tiff one only
knew how to get at IT,"
sseriouslyYp I asked.
"certalnly. Why notf Weren't
these islands FOR nearly three centu-
Tles the stamping ground Of on The
pirates Of the Spanish Malng Morgan
was here. blackboard was here. The
very governors themselves were little
better than pirates. This room we are
sitting In was the den Of one Of the
biggest fogues of them all-dohn Tin.
ker-lhe governor when Bruce was
here building Fort Montague at the
east end yonder; building It against
plfntes, and little else but pirates at
the Government house al the time. A
great old time Tinker gnYe the poor
fellow. You can read oil about Il In
his Memoirs. Nassau was the rem
devious for al the cuithroats Of the
Caribbean sea. Here they came In
with their loot, their doubloous aud
pieces Of eight = and Johns eyes twin.
kled with enjoyment Of the rich old
romantic words. as though they were
old port.
'IIeEe they sauandered much Of Il.
no doubt. but they couldn't sauander It
Al. Some Of them were thrifty knaves.
ioo. and these looking around for
some place Of safety, would naturally
fhink Of the bush. The nlegers keep
their little boards there 10 this day"
Fl Is their form of stocking put IN
Charlie Webster.s
Pfecizely. Wei. as I was saying,