Seward daily gateway., 1932-04-28
PIRATE BOOZE |s DISCOVERED NEAR
 SEWARD IN CAVE

| dory on the surf-swept shore of ar uninhabited island near Seward for the purpose of replenishing his water supply.
 He set out to search the lonely island for a fresh stream. En- grossed wholly with that thought he advanced attentively along the bluff -skirted beach of the rugged island. His attention was sudden ly arrested by what appeared to be a hollow place or cavern open ing at the base of a broad flat tened front of bluff rising steeply above the jetSam-covered sand bars of tidal waters.
 Prompted by an innate desire to investigate, the intrepid fisherman rested his empty water cask on a boulder and moved cautiously to- ward the cave entrance. He found the portal partly hidden from view by heavy growth of willows and shrubbery. He pressed forward to- ward the passage and safely reach ed the opening.
 Damp, stagnant atmosphere per- meated the cavern. Stygian dark ness pervade d it's mysterious depths. Pendulous stalactites hung from the roof; water percolated through the rocky walls and ceil- ing.
 He entered, directing the rays of a pocket flash lamp on it's dark re- ceSSeS.
 A brilliant gallery of stalactitic ornaments extended far beyond the opening Staligmite rising in ir- regular columns from the floor cast fantastic shadows on the walls. The cavern was extremely pictures que.
 Thoroughly aroused by sounds of the intruder and the glaring flare of the light, a colony of bats beat hasty retreat.
 Some flew in their fright toward the electric torch and fastened themselves on the fisherman's s arms and shoulders. Intuitively defending himself against the sud- den OnruSh of excited bats, he hastily retreated several paces while disposseSsing his hairy an- tagonists.
 Reassured, he made careful survey of the eerie conditions that enveloped him. His torch light flickered He groped about clum- silly. A steady flow of light fol- lowed a rapid adjustment of the lamp. Its penetrating rays fell .on the broken remains of a 10-foot sled constructed apparently from driftWood and fastened with whale bone and rawhide flashing. He min utely examined it; it had straight top and without side rails and steering handles. The sled was shod for ordinary use with strips of bone cut from the whales jaw bone. It contained no marks of Identification of ownership. He at tempted to move it but the sled was firmly imbeded in the calcareous composition of the cavern floor abandoned to the elements.
 Looking farther, he detected the remains of several land otters and other hairy denizens of the coun- try and the animals on whose bones they had preyed.
 On a projecting layer of rock, four feet above the damp floor, the fisherman found remnants of an old straw mattress. Investigating, he found several broken dinner plates, a cracked, oldfashioned cup and twisted fragments of kero- sene lantern. Another interesting find comprised five empty bottles of familiar appearance and anti quarian design.
 A dozen barrel slaves that had composed the sides of a cask were lying across several rusty iron hoops. He seized upon these as a possible clue to a hidden secret. It led him to definite conclusions.
 Flashing his torch before dancing shadows, tarpaulin covered col umn-like pile revealed itself to the fisherman. This was an important discovery. He approached it and carefully drew aside the shroud now in a bad state of decomposi- ton from the all-destroying damp ness of the gloomy cave. He was filled with wonder and amazement at that which lay before him.
 Dimly visible were 13 wooden cases. Inscribed on the end of