The Lamar register., 1919-08-06
Book l..
CHAPTER Z.

introduces the Secretary Of the Treas-
ury Of His Britannia MaJesty's Gov
srnment at Nassau. New Provl-
dence, Bahama Islands.
During the summer of 1903 1 was
paying what must have seemed like an
interminable visit to my old friend
John Saunders. who at that time filled
with becoming dignity the high-sound-
ing ofiice of secretary Of the treasury
of his ma1estys government. in the
quaint little town of Nassau. in the
island OF New Providence. one of
those Bahama islands that lie half
lost to the world to the southeast of
the Caribbean sea and form a some
what neglected portion of the British
West Indies.
Time was when they had a sounding
name for themselves In the world;
when the now sleepy little harbor
gave shelter to rousing freeboOters
and tarry pirates. tearing In there un-
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 poincianas.
Here . handful OF Englishmen.
clothed In the white linen suits of
the tropics. carry on the government
after the traditional manner Of Brit
ish colonies from time immemorial.
each Of them. like 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
sr of the house. lord high admiral.
colonial secretary and SO forth.
Ny friend the secretary Of the
treasury Is man possessing in an un-
common degree that rare and most at
tractive Of human qualities. compan-
ionableness. 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 q dozen words be-
tween dinner and bedtime, and yet
We have an the time a keen and sat-
isfying sense of companlonship. 1t is
John Saunders gift. Companionship
seems quietly to ooze out Of him.
without the need of words.
And occasionally we have as third
In those evening conclaves big. slow
smiling. broad-faced young merchant
Of the same kidney. In he drops with
q nod and a smile. and takes his place
in the smoke cloud OF our meditations,
radiating without the effort OF speech
that good thing-humanity: though
one must not forget the one subject
on which now and agnin the good
Charlie Webster achieves eloquence
In spite of himself-duck shooting.
John Saunders subject Is shark
fishing. Duck shooting and shark
fishing. 1t Is enough. Here. for SEN
sible men. is u sufficient basis for life
long friendship. and unwearying. in
exhaustible companionship.
II 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. II was who start
ca u5 oh py uskluk JONI WHut ne
knew about buried treasure
At this John laughed his funny little
quiet laugh. Buried treasurer he
said: well. I have little doubt that
the Islands are full of ft--n one only
knew how to get at It,"
"SeriouslyT I asked.
Certainly. Why not7 Weren't
these islands for nearly three centu-
ries the stamping ground of all the
pirates Of the Spanish Main? 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 rogues OF them all-John Tin
ker-the governor when Bruce was
here building Fort Montague at the
east end yonder; building 1t against
pirates, and little else but pirates at
the Government house all the time. A
great old time Tinker gave the poor
fellow. You can read all about 1t In
his Memoirs Nassau was the rem
devious for all the cutthroats of the
Caribbean sea. Here they came in
with their loot. THERE doubloons and
Ioh