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THE     IIlSPAi^IOLA    PLATE 


liY    THE    SAME    AUTHOR. 


The  Desert  Ship. 

The  Adventuiies  of  Viscount  Aneuly. 

A  Gentleman  Advexttuer. 

His  Own  Enbmy. 

The  Silent  Shore. 

ETC.    etc. 


The  Hispaniola  Plate 


(1683-1893) 


BY 


JOHN    BLOUNDELLE-BURTON 


We  passed  the  tropics,  as  near  as  we  could  guess,  just  luhere  the  Juinous  Sir 
William  Fhips  fislied  vp  the  silver  from  the  Spanish  Plate  ivreck."— 

Defoe  ("Colonel  Jack"). 


CASSELL    AND    COMPANY,   Limited 

LONDON,     PARIS    &-    MELBOURNE 
189s 

ALL   RIGHTS   KESERVED 


©71  H^T 


"(> 


OFFICEKS  OF  THE  EOYAL  NAVY 

AVITU    AVIIOM    I    HAVE,  FOR    SOMf:    YEAKS, 

SPENT    MANY    PEEASAXT    AVEEKS    ANNUALLY    BVRING    THE 

XAVAL    MAN(EUYRES, 

V.IIILE    ACTING    AS    SPECIAL    CORRESPONDENT    OP 

THE    STAXDAUD, 

I   VENTURE    TO    INSCRIBE, 

YTITU    GREAT    CORDIALITY,    THIS    STORY 

PARTLY      TRUE      AND      PARTLY     FICTITIOUS — OF 

Captain,  Sir  William  Phips,  R.N., 

AND    OF 

Lieutenants  Nicholas  and  Reginald  Ci!Afkr,  H.X. 


PREFACE. 


Most  of  the  maps  of  the  West  Indies  published 
during  the  first  half  of  the  present  century  and  anterior 
to  that  date  mark  distinctly  the  spot  where  the 
following  story  prmcipally  takes  place.  Thirty  miles 
due  nortli  of  Cape  Fran^ais,  on  the  north  coast  of  San 
Domingo,  is  a  reef  entitled  "  Bajo  de  la  Plata,  or 
Phips's  Plate,"  while  more  modern  maps  simply 
describe  it  as  "  Silver  Bank." 

This  is,  of  course,  the  spot  where  Sir  William 
Phips^a  now  forgotten  figure  in  history — obtained 
the  plate  mentioned  by  Defoe;  and,  so  far  as  I  am 
aware,  there  is  but  one  detailed  account  in  existence 
of  how  he  found  and  secured  that  plate.  This 
account  is  contained  m  a  duodecimo  volume  entitled 
"  Fietas  in  Fatriam :  the  Life  of  Sir  WilHam  Phips," 
pubhshed  in  London  iii  1697  anonymousl}-,  but 
guaranteed  as  accurate  by  several  people  who  knew 
him.  A  production  entitled  "The  Library  of  American 
Biography,"  edited  by  one  Jared  Sparks,  also  pro- 
fesses to  give  an  accurate  biography  of  Phips,  but  it  is 
simply  a  garbled  and  mangled  copy  of  the  London 
publication.  I  should  also  mention  that  the  "Bio- 
graphia  Britannica"  refers  to  the  expedition  in  the 
article  on  "  Christopher  Monk,  second  Duke  of  Albe- 
marle." So  does  a  work  of  the  last  century  entitled 
"The  Lives  of  the  Admirals,"  by  Lawrence  Echard, 


Till  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

and  so  ulso  do  some  encyclopedias ;  but  all  of  them 
undoubtedly  derive  their  information  from  " Pietas 
in  Patriam." 

This  Avork  I  have  myself  carefully  followed,  because 
in  it  alone  are  to  be  found  the  descriptions  of  the 
"  Frj^gate  Algier  Rose,"  her  eighteen  guns  and  ninety- 
five  men,  of  the  various  mutinies,  of  Alderly's  arrival 
on  the  scene,  of  the  second  voyage  with  the  tender, 
and  so  forth.  Indeed,  beyond  the  requirements  of 
fii^tion  the  account  is  absolutely  an  account  of  what 
happened  until  the  chase  after  Alderly  by  Nicholas 
C'rafer,  Avhen  fiction  itself  becomes  predominant. 
Alderly,  I  should  add,  was  as  real  a  character  as 
rhips  himself.  So  was  the  carpenter  who  discovered 
the  second  mutiny.  The  rest,  with  the  exception  of 
the  Duke  of  Albemarle,  are  imaginary. 

I  may  add,  in  conclusion,  that  "  The  Hispaniola 
Plato  "  appeared  originally  in  The  St.  James's  Budget 


CONTENTS 


-•<>♦- 


CHAPTER    I.  x-ACE 

Nicholas  Ceafee's  Strange  Will 1 

CHAPTER    ir. 
An  Old  Bit  of  History 7 

CHAPTER    HI. 
The  Vanished  Me.  Wargrave 11 

CHAPTER    IV. 
Cazalet's  Bank  .......  .20 

CHAPTER    \. 
Captain  William  Pitips .         .31 

CHAPTER    VI. 
The  Beginning  of  a  Mltiny 3S 

CHAPTER    VII. 
Tm;  Ending  of  It     .         . 4G 

CHAPTER    VIII. 
The  Second  jIuiiny oi 

CHAPTER    IX. 

And  the  PRErAKATioNS  Ag.vinst  It.         .         .  .62 


X  THE   HISPANIOLA  PLATE. 

CHAPTER    X.  PAGE 

And  How  It  was  Ended  . 69 

CHAPTER    XT. 
They  Hate  to  Desist 76 

CHAPTER    XII. 
The  Bark  "Furie" 8t 

CHAPTER    XIII. 
The  Old  Max's  Story 92 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
The  Wreck  is  Found 100 

CHAPTER    XV. 
What  the  First  Search  Revealed 109 

CHAPTER    XVI. 
Ax  HoxEST  Max  Arrives ,119 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
An  Alarm  irom  the  "Furie" 127 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 
Treachery  axd  Flight 134 

CHAPTER    XIX. 
The  "Honest  Man"  ix  His  True  Colours   ....     143 

CHAPTER    XX. 
A  Fight 152 

CHAPTER    XXI. 
The  Villain's  Den 1G2 


CONTENT-:.  XI 

CHAPTER    XXII  PAGE 

Mad  ! .172 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 
TuK  TiiEAsmiE  House 1S2 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

Wjiat  was  in  the  Tueasuue  House         ...  .     1S9 

CHAPTER    XXV. 
The  Middle  Key 200 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 
Nicholas  Leaves  the  Island 210 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 
The  Narrath-e  Ends .        .     218 

CHAPTER    XXVIIT. 
Off  to  the  Virgin  Isles 227 

CHAPTER    XXIX. 
DiiA-wiNG  Xear ...     236 

CHAPTER    XXX. 
Out  of  the  Depths  of  a  Ear  Distant  Past  .        .        .     244 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 
Some  Light  ttpox  the  Past 253 

CHAPTER    XXXII. 
The  Solitude  is  Interrupted 203 

CHAPTER    XXXIII. 
The  Island's  Owner 272 

CHAPTER    XXXIV. 
Joseph  Alderly 281 


Xll  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

CnAPTER    XXXV.  TAGi: 

DANOiiu  Impexdixo 290 

CHAPTEU    XXXVI. 

liliWAKE  : 300 

CHAPTER    XXX VI r. 
"A.NJj  Death  tjie  End  of  All" SOD 

CHAPTER    XXXVIIT. 
The  Oavxfh  of  the  Tkeasiue  .......     318 

CHAPTER.    XXXIX. 
The  Ai'j'uoACHixG  Se.uicii 328 

CHAPTER    XL. 
The  Seauch 337 

CHAPTER    XLL 
The  End 34K 


The  Hispaniola  Plate. 

CHAPTER    I. 

NICHOLAS   CRAFER'S    STRANGE    WILL. 

"  Gray's  Inn  Square,  Oct.  20tli,  1892. 

"  My  DEAR  Sir, — In  answer  to  your  request,  I  beg 
to  inform  yon  that  the  terms  by  wliicli  you  inherit 
'  Phips  House,'  at  Strand-on-the-Green,  from  your  late 
uncle,  are  as  follows — the  statement  beino-  taken  from 
the  last  will  and  testament  of  your  ancestor  Nicholas 
Crater,  made  in  the  year  1095 : — 

And  I  do  hereby  will  and  bequeathe  that  ye  house  called 
Pliips  by  me,  after  iny  late  captain  aud  commander,  Sir  William 
Pliips,  when  I  purchased  yt  from  Mr.  Ciitlierow  of  Branford,  do 
forever  remaine  in  the  possession  of  some  descendant  of  mine, 
male  or  female,  the  former  for  clioyce  and  preference,  yet  not 
also  debarring,  in  fault  of  any  bearing  the  name  of  Crafer 
existinge,  those  descending  from  the  female  side  to  succeed. 
That  is  to  saye,  it  is  to  so  remaine  forever  unless  througli  it 
whoever  doth  succeede  shall  thereinto  find  the  means  wliereby 
to  obtain  unto  themselves  a  fortune  of  and  equivaliut  unto  the 
summe  of  Fif  tie  thousand  guineas,  the  which  I  do  hereby  testify 
the  meanes  are  forthcoming.  After  whych  the  house  may  be 
disposed  of  as  best  beseemeth  those  who  have  so  found  ye  fortune. 
This,  therefore,  I  say,  "  Seeke  and  ye  sliall  find,  kuocke  aud  yt 
shall  be  opened  unto  you." 

B 


2  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

"  This  will,  ill  spite  of  its  quaintness,  has  ever, 
and  Avill  probably  alvva3^s,  hold  good,  although  not 
law,  until  one  thing  occurs  of  two :  either  that  the 
house  falls  down  of  old  age  (which  it  seemed  very 
likely  to  do  when  I  inspected  it  after  your  late 
uncle's  decease)  or  that  some  descendant  of  Com- 
mander Nicholas  Crafer  shall  find  the  means  of 
making  the  fortune  of  50,000  guineas  in  or  through 
it — a  most  unlikely  thing  to  happen.  For,  as  you 
know,  many  generations  of  Crafers  have  searched 
through  the  house  from  basement  to  garret,  imagining 
that  the  original  testator  meant  to  hint  that  some- 
where about  it,  was  hidden  away  such  a  sum  of 
money  as  he  mentions ;  and  always  without  result. 
Nor  has  the  ingenuity  of  one  generation  after  another 
ever  been  able  to  liit  upon  any  hidden  meaning  which 
mis'ht  be  contained  in  the  words  of  the  will,  or  to  find 
anything  excepting  the  scrap  of  paper  once  discovered, 
of  which  you  know;  while  certainly  the  land  on 
which  it  stands— something  under  three  acres — can 
hardly  ever  become  of  such  value,  or  one-twentieth 
part  of  it. 

"  But  as  you  know  as  nmch  about  your  ancestor 
as  I  can  possibly  tell  you,  I  need  not  write  further, 
and  I  have  only  to  state  that,  during  your  absence 
abroad ,  everything  has  been  done  to  facilitate  handing 
over  the  house  to  you  on  your  return,  and  I  now 
propose  to  prove  3'our  uncle's  will,  and,  after  the 
usual  formalities,  to  put  you  in  possession  of  Phips 
House  and  other  property  left  by  him. — Yours 
faithfully, 

"  A.  Bentham." 


NICHOLAS  chafer's  stran(je  will.  3 

This  was  the  letter  which  Reginald  Crafer  read  at 
his  breakfast,  one  tine  autumn  morning,  as  he  sat  in 
that  good  old  hostelry,  "  The  George,"  at  Portsmouth 
— a  letter  which  he  had  found  at  the  Naval  Club  after 
his  early  morning  walk  on  the  Battery — a  walk  taken 
with  the  view  of  aiding  an  already  exceedingly  good 
appetite,  and  of  having  a  look  at  the  waves  dancing 
out  at  the  Nab  and  sparkling  m  the  bright  October 
sunshine, 

A  better  specimen  of  the  young  lieutenant  of 
to-day  than  Reginald  Crafer  (with  "  N "  after  his 
name  to  show  that  he  had  taken  up  navigation  as 
his  branch)  you  might  not  see  in  any  of  her  Majesty's 
ships.  Tall,  but  not  too  tall  for  a  sailor ;  close- 
shaven,  as  becometh  the  young  naval  officer  of  to-day, 
yet  with  excellent  features  that  required  nothing  in 
the  shape  of  Avhiskers  or  moustache  to  set  them  off ; 
with  clear  grey  eyes  and  a  wholesome  sunburnt  skin 
— what  more  could  a  young  man  desire  in  the  shape 
of  personal  gifts  ?  Nay,  Avhat  more  pleasing  a  sight 
to  gaze  upon  than  this  smart,  good-looking  young 
officer  could  the  heart  of  a  maiden  desire  ? 

Now  Reginald  Crafer — whom  at  this  present 
moment  you  see  eating  buttered  toast  and  a  fried 
sole,  as  he  reads  his  lawyer's  letter — had  just  come 
home  from  the  China  Station  in  the  lanthe  (twin- 
screw  cruiser,  first-class,  armoured,  8,400  tons) ;  and 
she  having  been  paid  oft",  the  young  man  was  on  leave 
for  the  time  being.  He  had  slept  at  "  The  George  " 
overnight  for  two  reasons  (ordinarily  the  naval  officer 
rushes  to  London  by  the  first  train  that  will  bear 
hhn,  when  once  he  has  set  foot  on  shore),  one  being 
b2 


4  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

that  he  wanted  to  qo  to  a  ball  at  the  Commander-in- 
Chief's  to  which  the  otficers  of  the  returned  cruiser 
Avere  mostly  invited ;  the  other,  that  he  expected  to 
find  a  letter  from  the  solicitor,  Mr.  Bentham — which, 
as  you  have  seen,  he  did  find. 

This  letter  was  in  reply  to  one  that  Ecginald  had 
sent  to  the  lawyer  from  Hong  Kong,  which  in  its 
own  turn  had  also  been  a  repl3\  For  to  the  young 
lieutenant  there  had  come  at  the  Station  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Bentham,  stating  that  his  uncle — also  a  Reginald 
Crafer — was  dead,  that  he  had  left  the  younger 
Reginald  a  foAV  thousand  pounds  (the  principal  part 
of  his  income  having  been  derived  from  an  annuity 
and  a  government  pension)  and  "  Phips  House." 
Then  Reginald  had  written  back  for  further  details, 
had  received  the  above-quoted  answer  at  the  Naval 
Club  this  morning,  and — voilci  toid! 

Of  course,  he  knew  as  much  about  the  mysterious 
entailment  of  Phips  House  as  the  laAvyer  did ;  it 
would  have  been  strange  had  he  not  done  so.  Eleven 
different  Crafers  had  held  possession  of  it  since 
Nicholas  departed  this  life  in  King  William  HP's 
reiii'n :  eleven  different  Crafers,  all  of  whom  had 
sought  high  and  low  for  the  fortune  it  was  supposed 
to  contain,  or  for  some  clue  as  to  how  the  fortune  of 
"Fiftie  thousand  guineas"  was  to  be  obtained  ;  and  of 
those  Crafers  many  had  torn  their  hair  in  vexation, 
and  others  had  stamped  their  feet  and  cursed  and 
sworn — or,  perhaps  I  had  better  say,  grumbled  and 
growled — at  finding  nothing.  Of  such  irate  de- 
scendants the  last,  the  late  lamented  Reginald,  had, 
however,  not  been  one.     Perhaps  because  he  thought 


NICHOLAS   chafer's   STRANGE   WILL.  5 

that  if  his  ten  predecessors  could  find  no  fortune  in 
the   house,  he  was  not  likely  to  do  so ;  or  perhaps 
because  he  was  himself  very  comfortably  off  with  his 
annuity  and  his  pension  from  a  Government  office, 
and   his   few    thousands  of  invested   money — which 
Lieutenant  Crafer  now  came  into — he  bothered  his 
head  not  at  all  about  the  chimera  of  the  house  at 
Strand-on-the-Green.      Certainly  he  cursed  not  over 
it,  neither  did  he  swear — unless  it  was  at  the  damp 
from  the  river ! — and,  being  bald,  he  had  no  hair  to 
tear ;  and  he  never  tapped  panels  nor  prodded  walls 
nor  looked  for  secret  doors  in  the  house,  contenting 
himself  with  letting  young  "  Reg  "  do  all  this  Avlien 
he  came  to  stay  with  him.     For  the  rest,  and  being  a 
bachelor,  he  spent  much  time  at  his  club  ;  he  took  a 
faint   interest  in  the  curiosity  which  the  legend   of 
Phips  House  excited  in  the  minds  of  his  friends,  as 
well  as  of  the  waterside  loafers  of  Brentford,  Kew, 
Mortlake,  and  all  the  immediate  neighbourhood ;  he 
would  even  go  so  far  as  to  invite  people  to  stay  with 
him  and  hunt  about  the  house  for  themselves,  when 
they  were  not  enjoying  the  prospect  from  the  windows 
of    the    market-gardens    across   the    river.      But   of 
excitement  in  the  legendary  fortune,  this  bald-headed 
and  comfortably  situated  ex-Civil  Servant  could  get 
up  not  one  jot ;  and  when  a  burglar  broke  into  the 
house,  determined   on   finding,  as   he   informed   the 
barrister  Avho  defended  him,  "  the  blooming  fortune  if 
it  was  to  be  found,"  he  went  to  see  him  at  Pentonville 
after  his  trial  and  told  him  he  sincerely  wished  he 
had  found  it.     Thus,  to  him,  the  fortune  of  Phips 
House   was   but   an   allegory  or   a  myth,  which  ho 


6  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

resfarded  but  as  a  grown-up  child  regards  a  fair3^-tale ; 
and  so,  unbelieving  in  all  that  pertained  to  it,  he 
passed  away  to  Kensal  Green  and  Reginald  the  Second 
ruled  in  his  stead. 

But  he,  when  he  was  a  child — being  of  a  romantic 
nature — did  believe  in  the  fortune  of  Nicholas  Crafer; 
and  when  he  was  a  man — being  a  sailor — had  not 
lost  all  faith  in  the  romance. 

Whether  that  faith  was  justified,  you  who  read  on 
shall  see. 


CHAPTER    II. 

AN    OLD   BIT   OF   HISTORY. 

Who  is  he,  especially  of  the  London  brood,  who 
knows  not  Strand-on-the-Green  ?  Who  knows  not 
that  it  Hes  beloAV  the  choice  and  savoury  town  of 
Brentford  and  below  Kew  Bridge  also,  on  the  Middle- 
sex shore  ;  that  it  is  composed  of  a  long,  straggling 
row  of  houses,  many  of  them  old  and  most  of  them 
quaint,  which  are  of  all  shapes,  sizes,  and  uses  ?  One 
there  is  in  which  once  dwelt  Zoffany,  the  painter ; 
hard  by  is  a  waterman's  cottage,  where  the  succulent 
winkle  or  shrimp  may  be  purchased  and  eaten — the 
former  with  a  pin  supplied  by  the  vendor ;  then 
comes  a  row  of  comfortable  houses  panelled  and 
wainscotted  within,  then  more  tiny  shops  (with,  inter- 
spersed all  along  the  row,  the  genial  public-house); 
then  more  private  houses ;  and  so  on  to  Phips  House 
— old,  quaint,  gabled,  and  mullioned,  panelled  also, 
and  wainscotted.  In  it  are  fireplaces  in  the  corners  of 
the  rooms — sure  proofs  of  the  early  Charles  II.  period  ; 
it  has  also  carved  wooden  doors  and  carved  balus- 
trades and  banisters  ;  there  are  balconies  to  the  front 
windows  having  bulging  rails  to  fit  the  hoops  of 
women  belonging  to  long-forgotten  days;  and  all 
about  it  is  that  genuine  look  of  latter  Stuart  times 
which  may  still  be  found  in  very  many  houses  in  this 
locality. 


8  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

"What  (lid  it  appear  like  Avhen  Nicholas  first 
boiio-lit  it  ?  "  mused  Re"inald  Crafer  to  himself  a  few 
evenino^s  later  than  the  dav  lie  breakfasted  at  "  The 
George."  "  Even  if  it  hasn't  altered,  its  surroundings 
have."  Then  he  turned  his  eyes  aroiuid  and  went  on, 
oazinij  doAvn  the  river  meanwhile.  "  The  '  White  Hart ' 
at  ]\[ortlake  was  there,  I  think — I  have  read  of  Jacobites 
taking  boat  from  its  steps ;  and  so  was  the  Duke  of 
Devonshire's  and  old  Chiswick  beyond,  with  wicked 
]3arbara  Villicrs  standinsr  at  the  window  of  her  house 
and  shriekiuLj  for  the  return  of  her  lost  vouth  and 
beauty.  But  not  much  else  !  No  main  drainage  then, 
no  horrible  gasworks,  no  District  Railwa}^  bridges ! 
It  must  have  changed  a  good  deal  since  Nicholas  hid 
his  fabulous  fortune,  or  the  story  of  it,  in  the  house — 
if  it  is  fabulous." 

He  put  the  key  into  the  door  and  entered,  musing 
still. 

"  I  wonder  what  Nicholas  did  to  pass  his  time  ? 
There  Avas  no  '  Packet  Hotel,'  no  '  Indian  Queen,'  no 
'Star  and  Garter'  then."  These  places  are,  it  should 
be  told,  hostelries  of  more  modern  date.  "  There  was 
not  nmch  for  him  to  do  to  amuse  himself,"  he  went 
on.  "  He  was  too  late  to  know  Kinde  Kit  of 
Kingston,  who  lived  here ;  too  early  for  the  Georgian 
revels  at  Kew.  Yet  he  mig-ht  have  often  seen 
A\'illiam  of  Orange  (it  was  hard  by  here  they  at- 
tempted to  assassinate  him) ;  he  might  have  smoked 
and  drunk  at  the  'Three  Pidgeon.s,'  at  Brentford,  and 
known  till'  daughter  of  Shakespeare's  brother-actor 
Lowin,  wh(j  kept  the  place.     A\'ho  knows  ? " 

This  young  man,  you  see,  was  well  a('(]uainl(>d  witli 


AN   OLD    r.IT   OF   HISTORY.  9 

the  history  of  the  neighbourhood  in  which  stood  the 
house  he  had  now  inherited.  It  was  not  remarkable 
tiiat  he  should  be  so.  From  his  earliest  childhood 
his  fancy  had  been  strongly  taken  by  all  the  gossip 
connected  with  the  propert}'^  that  must  some  day  be 
his  if  his  uncle  remained  unmarried,  and  never  did  he 
by  haphazard  see  the  names  of  Brentford,  Kew,  or 
Strand-on-the-Green  printed  but  he  studied  every 
word  in  connection  with  them.  Thus,  he  was  neither 
erudite  nor  pedantic,  but  only  very  interested  in  all 
that  concerned  the  spot,  and,  therefore,  very  well 
informed  about  it. 

What  he  did  not  know  Avas — in  common  with  his 
forerunners — much  about  the  mysterious  Nicholas 
Crafer,  who  had  contrived,  by  arousing  the  curiosity 
of  his  descendants  through  the  medium  of  his  strange 
will,  to  keep  his  memory  ver}^  green.  And  not  only 
the  curiosity  of  his  descendants,  but  also  of  most 
people  brought  into  the  slightest  connection  with  the 
spot.  The  waterside  hands,  the  barge-loaders  and  the 
lookers  after  private  skifis  and  gigs,  the  keepers  of 
local  refreshment-houses,  Avhether  "  publics  "  or  those 
chaste  bowers  which  have  upon  their  fronts  the 
mystic  legends,  "  Tea  and  hot  water  9d."  (how  can 
there  be  tea-drinking  without  hot  water  ?) ;  even  the 
hands  of  the  steamers  passing  up  and  down— of  the 
Cardinal  Wolsey  for  Hampton  Court  (which  place 
it  reacheth  not  without  arduous  struggles  and 
terrible  delay),  and  the  captains  of  the  Bridegroom 
and  the  Wedding  Ring  (graceful  names  well  suited 
to  riparian  jaunts !) — all  knew  the  legend  of  Phips 
House   as   Avell  as  its  new  owner.      So,  too,  did  the 


10  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

dwellers  on  Kew  Green,  the  respectable  City  men 
who  resided  on  the  Kew  Gardens  estate  and  were  on 
familiar  terms  Avith  the  parson,  and  the  City  clerks 
who  abode  in  great  nnmbers  in  modern  Gunnersbnry 
and  modern  Chiswick.  All  knew,  I  say,  the  legend  of 
Phips  House ;  all  had  heard  of  Nicholas  Crafer,  who 
was  considered  to  have  been  a  jDirate  and  buccaneer  : 
all — watermen,  City  men,  and  City  clerks — were 
proud  of  their  local  histor}^  of  Nicholas  and  their — in 
a  way — connection  with  him. 

^Vhat  was,  however,  really  known  of  him  by  the 
family — reduced  now  to  Reginald  alone — what  had 
filtered  through  the  eleven  generations  with  regard  to 
him,  was  no  more  than  this  :  He  had  been  an  officer 
in  the  navy  of  the  Commonwealth,  being  but  a  lad  at 
that  time,  and  serving  under  Blake  during  its  last  two 
years  of  existence;  then  under  Charles  H.  in  the  royal 
navy;  and  then  under  James  n.,in  whose  first  year  of 
misrule  he  retired.  IMany  a  tight  did  he  engage  in  in 
those  days,  as  was  well  knoAm  to  his  descendants  :  he 
was  in  the  destruction  of  the  Spanish  ships  at  Santa 
Cruz  in  1657,  and  at  the  defeat  of  Van  Wassenaer  by 
James,  Duke  of  York,  in  1065,  in  the  "four  days' 
fight"  in  1666,  and  he  assisted  in  the  capture  of  the 
(johlen  Horse  corsair  in  16<S1,  and  many  other  valiant 
deeds  besides. 

Yet  were  none  of  these  martial  feats  so  roiiiantic 
as  one  other  thing  he  did,  or,  rather  two  other  things. 
He  accompanied  Sir  William  Phips,  then  ])lain 
Captain  Phips,  in  both  his  expeditions  for  the  fishing 
up  of  the  Hispaniola  Plate — the  second  attempt 
proving  successful.     Now,  as  not  all  the  world  knows, 


AN   OLD   BIT   OF   HISTORY.  11 

but  as  his  descendants  of  course  knew,  'twas  in  the 
Algier  Rose  that  Phips  made  his  first  attempt  to  get 
this  plate  in  the  reign  of  that  most  high  and  puissant 
prince,  King  Charles  II.,  of  ever-gracious  memory. 
'Twas  that  great  monarch  who  put  at  his  dis230sal  the 
Algier  Rose,  after  listening  to  Phips's  tale  in  the 
embrasure  of  a  window  at  Whitehall — what  time  he 
was  playing  with  the  silky  ears  of  a  spaniel  on  his 
knee  and  leering  at  a  young  country  lady  fresh  come 
to  Court — a  tale  narrating  how  the  Spanish  plate 
ship,  or  carrack,  was  sunk  off  Hispaniola — or,  as  we 
now  call  it,  San  Domingo  and  Hayti ;  and  how  he, 
Phips,  felt  sure  he  could  fish  it  up.  But  Phips  came 
back  without  the  plate,  and  the  august  Charles,  being 
dead,  could  help  him  no  more,  nor  would  the  saintly 
James,  his  successor,  do  so. 

Phips  was  therefore  now  on  what  he  w^ould,  per- 
haps, have  called  his  "  beam-ends,"  and  so  were  some 
of  his  officers,  including  Nicholas  Crafer ;  and  on  them 
he  would  doubtless  have  remained  had  not  his  good 
fortune  thrown  in  his  way  at  this  moment  a  friendly 
patron.  This  was  none  other  than  Christopher  Monk, 
second  Duke  of  Albemarle,  a  nobleman  who  loved 
much  the  bottle — which  fondness  led  to  his  death 
shortly  afterwards,  when  Governor  of  Jamaica — and 
Avho  also  took  great  interest  in  stories  of  buried 
treasure,  and  listened  to  tales  of  such  things  with 
eagerness.  To  him,  therefore,  Phips  opened  up  the 
subject  of  the  Spanish  plate.  He  swore  that  though 
he  had  failed  once  in  finding  it  he  would  never  fail 
again  ;  and  he  so  much  impressed  his  drunken  Grace 
with  his  energy  and  sincerity  that,  at  last,  he  sailed 


12  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

oncG  more  for  the  West  Indies  as  captain  of  a  private 
ship  commissioned  to  hunt  for  the  plate,  and  with 
him  Nicholas  sailed  too  as  second  officer.  Much 
money  had  been  advanced  for  the  quest ;  Albemarle 
taking  six  shares,  while  three  were  allotted  to  Phips, 
one  to  Nicholas,  and  one  between  the  other  officers, 
and  the  remainder  amongst  those  adventurer-mer- 
chants  who  had  assisted  in  finding  the  necessary 
capital. 

All  this  is  matter  of  history,  which  may  bo 
grubbed  up  by  the  student  with  little  pains ;  so,  too, 
is  the  fact  that  Phips  did  come  back  with  the  plate, 
having  gone  through  some  considerable  dangers  and 
hardships  to  secure  it.  Then  the  saintly  King,  James 
— who  took  a  tenth  as  his  royalty  for  granting  the 
patent — was  advised  to  seize  all  the  j)!''^^  on  the 
ground  that  "  one  half  of  what  had  been  in  the 
Spanish  carrack  was  missing,"  and  that,  consequently, 
Phips  had  secreted  that  half  somewhere  for  his  future 
use.  But  the  King,  contrary  to  wliat  might  have 
been  expected  of  him,  refused  to  believe  such  to  be 
the  case — perhaps  because  he  had  been  a  sailor 
himself  once,  and  a  good  one,  too ! — and,  instead, 
ordered  the  money  to  be  divided  and  apportioned  as 
had  been  at  first  arranged,  and  also,  at  the  recpiest  ot 
the  graceless  but  goodhearted  Duke,  knighted  the 
captain,  making  him  thereby  Sir  William  IMiips. 

So  Albemarle  got  his  six  shares,  Phi])s  got  his 
three,  and  Nicholas  his  one  :  but  as  to  how  mudi 
each  got  considerable  doubt  has  ever  existed,  since 
some  historians  say  the  plate  realised  only  £00,000, 
and  some  say  £300,000  ;   though  it  Ava,s  thought  that 


AN   OLD   BIT   OF   HISTORY.  13 

riiips  got  £10,000.  Bnt  Avhatevor  it  was  it  was 
sufficient  to  assist  the  Duke  in  ruling  royally  over 
his  colony  (for  a  year,  when  the  bottle  finished  him !), 
to  support  Phips  until  the  time  came  when  he  was 
made  Governor  of  New  England,  and  to  enable 
Nicholas  to  buy  his  house  at  Strand-on-the-Green. 

But  than  this  no  more  was  known,  except  that 
Nicholas  lived  some  years  after  the  making  of  his 
will,  since  he  did  not  die  until  1701,  when  the  small- 
pox carried  him  off.  And  of  what  he  did  in  those 
years  neither  was  anything  more  known,  nor  of  how 
he  and  Phips  really  got  the  treasure,  what  adventures 
they  went  through,  or  what  hardships  they  then 
endured. 

Yet,  as  will  now  be  seen,  the  time  Avas  at  last  at 
hand  Avhen  Reginald  Crafer  the  second,  twelfth  in 
descent  from  Nicholas,  the  so-called  pirate  and 
buccaneer,  was  to  find  out  all  that  there  was  to  be 
discovered  about  him.  He  was  soon  to  learn  the 
reason  of  Nicholas's  strange  will  and  testament. 


14 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE   VANISHED   MR.    WARGRAVE. 

Now,  in  the  letter  of  Mr.  Bentliam,  the  lawyer,  to  the 
present  Reginald,  mention  was  made  of  "a  scrap  of 
paper  once  found,"  of  which  the  young  man  knew. 
And  that  he  did  so  know  of  it  was  most  certain,  as 
all  who  came  after  the  fourth  Crafer  in  descent  from 
Nicholas  had  known,  for  it  Avas  in  the  time  of  that 
fourth  Crafer  and  in  the  first  year  of  the  reign  of 
George  III.  that  it  had  been  discovered.  Only,  when 
it  was  discovered  it  told  nothing,  since  on  it  were 
simply  the  words,  "My  friend  Mr.  Wargrave  has  the 
papers  that  will  tell  all. — Nicholas  Crafer." 

Nothing  could  very  well  have  been  more  dis- 
heartening than  this ;  and  I  fear  that  the  fourth 
Crafer  in  descent,  wdiose  Christian  name  was  David, 
must,  when  he  discovered  that  paper,  have  been  one 
of  the  family  who  indulged  in  hair  (or  wig)  tearings 
and  in  strong  language.  He  was  himself  a  doctor — 
for  the  eleven  descendants  of  Nicholas  had  among 
them  embraced  all  the  professions  and  callings  fit  for 
gentlemen — haviug  a  fair  practice  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Brentford  and  Chiswick,  and  was  consecpiently 
a  stay-at-home  man.  And  during  his  home-keeping 
life,  while  having  a  few  alterations  made  to  what  was 
in  those  da3^s  called  the  saloon,  or  withdrawing  room, 
he  found  the  useless  piece  of  paper.     It  was  in  the 


THE   VANISHED   MR.    WARGRAYE.  15 

leaves  of  a  Wagener,  always  called  b}'  sailors  a 
"  Waggoner  "  (a  book  of  charts,  or  routier,  much  used 
by  old  navigators),  that  the  scrap  Avas  discovered 
pasted — between  the  cover  and  the  title-page.  The 
book  itself  was  in  a  little  wooden  cupboard,  not  a  foot 
square,  that  had  always  been  evidently  regarded  as  a 
secret  receptacle  and  hiding-place,  since  over  and  in 
front  of  the  cupboard-doors,  which  had  an  antique 
lock  to  them,  the  Avainscotting  was  capable  of  removal. 
Yet,  when  last  the  wainscotting  had  been  put  over  that 
cupboard,  it  was  easy  enough  to  perceive  that  the 
person  who  had  so  closed  it  up  had  intended  it 
should  not  be  opened  again  for  some  time,  since  the 
wood  of  the  wainscot  had  been  glued  in  some  manner 
to  the  cupboard-door.  Then,  in  the  passage  of  time 
between  Nicholas  having  closed  up  the  cupboard  and 
the  epoch  of  David  Crafer  arriving,  Avhen  the  builder's 
man  lighted  on  it — Avhich  was  a  period  of  over  lifty- 
five  years— some  stamped  hangings  of  floss  and  velvet 
had  been  placed  over  the  Avainscot  by  another  oAvner ; 
so  that  at  last  the  little  cupboard  Avith  its  contents 
was  entirely  hidden  aAvay.  That  Nicholas  could  have 
ever  intended  his  scrap  of  paj^er — if  the  information 
Avas  really  of  any  use  in  his  OAvn  day,  or  in  days  near 
to  his  time — to  be  so  lost,  it  Avas  of  course  impossible 
to  decide.  Doubtless  he  never  dreamt  that  the  panels 
Avould  be  covered  up  by  the  hangings,  and  perhaps 
thought  that,  therefore,  sooner  or  later,  some  curious 
eye  Avould  observe  that  there  Avas  a  difference  in  their 
size  Avhere  they  enclosed  the  cupboard.  HoAvcA^er, 
Avhatever  he  thought  or  did  not  think,  the  builder  in 
making  his  alterations  had  unearthed  the  paper. 


16  THE   HISPANIOLA    TLA  IE. 

Only,  as  David  Crafcr  remarked,  it  was  of  no  use 
to  him  now  it  was  Ibiind  and  never  would  be ;  which 
Avas  the  truth,  for  when  he  in  his  turn  went  the  way 
of  those  before  him  he  had  never  so  much  as  reallv 
and  positively  found  out  who  Mr.  Wargrave  Avas. 

Yet  he  had  tried  hard  to  do  so  in  the  time  that 
was  left  him.  Knowing  his  ancestor  to  have  been  a 
sailor,  every  record  bearing  on  the  sailors  of  the  past 
fifty  years  was  searched  by  him  or  those  employed  by 
him,  but  there  Avas  no  Wargrave  Avho  had  ever  been 
heard  of  The  Admiralty  officials  of  those  days  sAvore 
no  Wargrave  had  ever  served  in  the  navy ;  Avhoever 
he  Avas,  they  said,  one  thing  Avas  certain — he  Avas  not 
a  King's  officer.  Then  David  Crafer  got  the  idea 
that  the  man  was,  after  all,  a  laAvycr  Avhom  Nicholas 
confided  in;  but  again  he  found  himself  at  bay.  The 
records  of  dead-and-gone  laAvyers,  even  Avhen  they 
had  been  famous,  Avere  scanty  enough  in  the  early 
days  of  last  century  :  Avhen  they  had  not  been  fiimous 
— above  all,  Avhen  they  Avcre  only  attorneys— those 
records  scarcely  existed  at  all.  So,  at  last,  David 
Crafcr  gave  up  the  law  in  despair.  If  there  had  ever 
been  a  Wargrave  in  that  profession,  he,  at  least,  could 
find  out  nothing  about  him.  Next,  he  tried  the  City, 
Avhich  Avas  not  a  very  large  place  in  his  OAvn  day,  and 
had  been  smaller  in  the  days  of  Nicholas.  Yet  it 
Avas  difficult  to  glean  any  information  of  the  City 
even  in  those  times— especially  since  the  information 
desired  Avas  nearer  sixty  than  fifty  years  old.  It  is 
true  there  was,  as  fiir  back  as  the  period  of  Nicholas 
Crafer  and  the  mysterious  Wargrave,  a  London 
])irectory   (such    useful   volume    having    been    first 


THE   VANISHED   ]\IR,   WARGRAVE.  17 

published  in  1G77),  yet  in  the  copies  which  he  could 
obtain  a  sight  of — which  was  done  with  difiiculty, 
since  reference  books  were  not  preserved  with  much 
care  in  those  times,  and  those  which  he  did  see  were 
neither  consecutive  nor  in  a  perfect  condition — he 
found  no  mention  of  the  name  of  AVargrave. 

So  time  went  on,  David  Crafer  grew  old  and 
feeble,  and  had  almost  entirely  desisted  from  the 
search  for  the  name  of  Wargrave — the  man  himself 
nuist,  of  course,  have  been  dead  for  some  decades — 
and  had  lono-  since  come  to  the  conclusion  that  he 
would  never  tind  out  anything  about  him.  Then, 
all  at  once,  when  visiting  a  friend  in  the  Cit}^,  and 
Avhile  turning  over  a  volume  in  that  friend's  parlcnu', 
he  lighted  on  the  name  and  possibly  the  person. 
The  book  was  entitled  "  A  Compleat  Guide  to  all 
Persons  who  have  any  Trade  of  Concern  within  the 
City  of  London  and  parts  adjacent;"  and  peering 
into  it  in  a  half-interested,  half-hopeless,  and  half- 
hearted manner,  old  David  saw  the  name  of  "  Samuel 
Wargrave,  silversmith  and  dealer,  Cornhill."  More- 
over, he  saw  that  the  book  containing  the  name  was 
published  in  1701,  the  year  when  Nicholas  died. 

Therefore  he  thought  he  had  found  his  man,  or, 
at  least,  had  found  the  chance  of  gleaning  some 
information  about  him.  But,  alas  !  the  year  1701 
was  a  long  way  off  the  year  17  GO,  when  the  paper  Avas 
discovered  in  the  little  cupboard,  and  still  longer  off' 
the  year  17 OS,  at  which  period  David  had  now  arrived. 
Moreover,  David  was,  as  has  been  said,  grown  old  and 
feeble  ;  "  he  did  not  know,"  he  told  himself  that  night 
as  the  coach  took  him  back  to  Strand-on-thc-Grcen, 
c 


IS  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

"if  he  cared  overmuch  now  to  go  a-liiintiiig  for  a 
dead  man,  or  even  for  the  knowledge  that  dead  man 
might  have  possessed  of  Nicholas  Crafer's  treasure." 

Yet,  old  as  he  was,  being  now  turned  seventy,  he 
took  the  trouble  to  make  some  inquiries.  He  had  a 
son,  an  officer,  away  serving  in  the  Ame-ican  colonies, 
himself  no  longer  a  very  young  man  ;  if  he  could  find 
something  more  to  leave  him  than  the  money  for 
■which  he  had  sold  his  practice  and  his  little  savings 
and  the  old  house  to  live  in,  Avhy  it  would  be  well  to 
do  so.  So,  once  more,  armed  with  the  knowledge 
that  Mr.  Wargrave  had  been  a  silversmith  in  Cornhill, 
he  began  further  inquiries — which  resulted  in  nothing  ! 
At  least  in  nothing  very  tangible,  though  they  proved 
that  the  man  who  was  in  the  "  Compleat  Guide  "  had 
once  lived  where  he  was  stated  to  have  done.  The 
parish  books  to  which  David  obtained  access  showed 
this ;  and  they  showed  also  that  he  must  have  been 
the  tenant  of  the  whole  house — even  thoucrh  he  let 
off  part  of  it,  as  was  likely  enough — since  he  Avas 
rented  at  £133  per  annum,  a  good  sum  in  those  days 
even  for  a  City  house ;  but  they  told  nothing  further. 
No  one  could  be  unearthed  who  remembered  War- 
grave  the  silversmith,  no  one  who  had  ever  heard  of 
him.  Nor  did  his  business  appear  to  have  survived 
him,  since,  in  the  half-year  following  his  last  payment 
of  rates  and  taxes,  the  next  occupant  of  the  house 
was  a  mercer,  who  in  his  turn  was  followed  by  a 
coffee-house  keeper,  who,  in  J  )avi(rs  own  day — as  he 
saw  with  his  own  eyes^was  succeeded  by  a  furniture 
tlraler. 

And    then,  as   the   old    iDan    reflected,   this    IMr. 


THE   VANISHED   MR.    WARGRAVE.  19 

Wargrave  iniglit  not  be,  probably  Avas  not,  tlie  man 
who  was  Nicholas's  friend. 

At  this  period  David  «(Jrafer  died  ;  and  ere  his  son, 
the  officer  in  the  American  colonies,  could  be  apprised 
of  his  death  he  too  was  dead,  being  shot  through  the 
heart  in  a  skirmish  with  some  Indians  near  Boston. 
Confirmation  being  received  of  his  death,  the  pro- 
perty passed  to  another  Crafer  belonging  to  the  elder 
branch,  which  was  still  existent  in  Hampshire ;  and 
by  the  time  he  in  his  turn  had  passed  awa}^  the 
finding  of  the  scrap  of  paper  in  the  Wagener,  and  the 
hunt  for  Mr.  Wargrave,  were  almost  forgotten,  if  not 
entirely  so.  In  fact,  as  generation  continued  to 
succeed  generation,  not  only  did  these  incidents 
become  forgotten  but  the  whole  thing  became  almost 
a  legend  or  a  fairy-tale.  One  inheritor  even  went  so 
far  as  to  scoff  at  the  will  of  Nicholas,  saying  that  he 
was  a  romantic  old  sea-dog  who  had  taken  this 
manner  of  keeping  his  memory  before  his  descend- 
ants ;  while,  as  you  have  seen,  the  late  Reginald 
regarded  the  whole  story  with  a  pleasing  indifference. 
But  the  present  Reginald,  who  was  himself  of  a  ro- 
mantic tendency,  could  by  no  means  regard  the  story 
in  anything  but  the  light  of  truth,  and,  if  he  ever 
indulged  in  any  hopes  at  all,  they  were  more  that  the 
mystery  might  be  cleared  up  in  his  time  than  that 
the  fortune  of  £50,000  should  come  to  him. 

And  it  is  because  in  his  time  the  mystery  was 
cleared  up,  that  the  whole  story  of  Avhat  Nicholas 
Crafer  did  leave  behind  him  "  equivalint  unto  the 
summe  of  fiftie  thousand  guineas  "  can  now  be  told. 


c  2 


20 


CHAPTER    IV. 

cazalet's  bank. 

Now  this  is  the  manner  in  Avhich  the  mystery  Avas 
at  hist  cleared  up  in  the  time  of  Reginald  Crafer, 
Lieutenant,  R.N. 

There  was,  and  still  is,  in  the  neighbourhood  that 
lies  between  Chancery  Lane  and  Cheapside,  an  ancient 
bankinof  establishment  that  is  as  old  as  the  Bank  of 
England  itself — if  not  some  years  older — and  that  has, 
from  its  creation,  been  known  as  "  Cazalet's."  Yet 
there  has  been  no  Cazalct  in  the  firm  for  nigh  upon  a 
hundred  years,  but,  instead,  the  partners — of  whom 
there  are  noAV  two — boast  the  ancient  patronymic  of 
Jones.  These  Joneses  are  descendants,  on  the  female 
side,  from  the  last  Cazalct,  and  in  this  way  have  be- 
come possessed  of  the  old  business ;  and  it  was  when 
their  father — for  they  are  brothers— died,  at  almost 
the  same  time  that  Reginald's  uncle  passed  out  of 
existence,  that  a  change  took  place,  which  led  in  a 
roundabout  way  to  the  writing  of  this  narrative  of 
"  The  Hispanioia  Plate." 

Old  Mr.  Jones  had,  I  say,  been  gathered  to  all  the 
other  Joneses  who  had  gone  before  him,  and  the  two 
young  lyiessrs.  Jones — one  aged  forty-five  and  the 
(itlui-  thirty-nine — decided  that  his  decease  marked  a 
period  in  the  existence  of  Cazalet's  Avhen  a  change 
ought  to  be  made.     Tiiat  change  was  to  take  a  shape, 


cazalet's  bank.  21 

however,  in  the  first  instance,  which  caused  a  vast 
number  of  the  people  who  banked  with  them,  as  well 
as  all  their  senior  clerks — many  of  them  nearly  as  old 
as  the  late  Jones  himself — to  shake  their  heads  and 
to  wonder  why  that  late  Jones  did  not  burst  forth 
corporeally  from  his  grave,  or,  at  the  very  least, 
appear  in  the  spirit,  to  forbid  the  desecration  that  was 
about  to  take  place.  For  the  old  house  was  to  be 
pulled  down — ruthlessly  sacrificed  to  the  spirit  of 
the  times,  and  a  bran-new  one  was  to  be  built  up  in 
its  place ! 

"Well,"  said  the  ancient  chief  cashier — who  had 
been  there  boy  and  man  since  1843,  and  had  grown 
old,  and  also  tobacco-and-spirit-stained,  during  the 
evenings  of  a  life  spent  in  the  service  of  Cazalet's — 
when  he  received  the  first  intimation  of  this  terrible 
news,  "  if  that's  going  to  happen  it's  time  I  was  off". 
Lor'  bless  me !  a  new  house !  Well,  then,  they'll 
require  some  new  clerks.  They  don't  Avant  a  wreck 
like  me  in  such  a  fine  new  modern  building  as  they're 
going  to  shove  up." 

"  Why,  Mr.  Creech,"  said  a  much  younger  emiiloye 
of  Cazalet's,  a  youth  who  came  in  airily  every  morning 
from  Brixton,  and  was  supposed  to  be  the  best  lawn- 
tennis  player  in  that  suburb,  "  that's  just  why  you 
ought  to  remain ;  you'll  give  the  new  show  a  fine  old 
crusted  air  of  respectability ;  you're  a  relic,  you  are, 
of  the  good  old  days.  They'll  never  be  able  to  do 
without  you." 

But  Mr.  Creech  only  grunted,  and,  it  being  one 
o'clock  in  the  day  when  this  conversation  took  place, 
he  lifted  up  the  lid  of  his  desk,  took  some  sandwiches 


22  TPIE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

out  of  a  paper  packet,  and,  applying  his  lips  to  a 
small  flask,  dift'used  a  genial  aroma  of  sherry-and- 
water  around  him.  Yet,  as  he  thus  partook  of  his 
lunch,  he  wagged  his  head  in  a  melancholy  manner 
and  thought  how  comfortable  he  had  been  for  the 
best  part  of  his  life  in  the  old,  dingy,  dirty- windowed 
house;  it  having  been  a  standing  rule  of  Cazalet's 
that  the  windows  were  never  to  be  cleaned,  and 
rumour  had  it  that  they  had  not  been  touched  since 
the  house  was  built. 

That  the  firm  "  would  never  be  able  to  do  without 
him,"  as  his  cock-a-hoop  junior  had  remarked,  seemed, 
indeed,  to  be  the  case,  and  received  exemplification 
there  and  then.  For  at  that  moment  a  bell  rane  in 
the  inner  sanctum  where  the  brothers  sat,  and  a 
moment  afterwards  the  office-boy  who  had  answered 
it  told  Mr.  Creech  that  the  "  pardners  wanted  to  see 
'im;"  whereon  he  gulped  down  a  last  drop  of  the 
sherry-and-water,  wiped  his  mouth  with  the  back  of 
his  hand,  and  went  in  to  them,  wondering  "  what  was 
up  now  ? " 

"  Sit  doAvn,  Creech,  sit  down,"  said  the  "  pardners  " 
together,  "  we  want  to  have  a  talk  with  you  about  the 
new  house."  Here  Creech  grunted.  "  Or  rather,"  the 
elder  one  went  on,  "  the  old  house  ; "  whereon  the 
cashier  smiled,  as  much  as  to  say  that  that  was  a  for 
more  congenial  subject  to  liim.  Then  Alfred,  the 
elder  brother,  continued : 

"  You  know  more  about  this  house,  Creech,  than 
anybody  else."  Creech  gave  a  grunt  again  here, 
which  tailed  off  into  a  sigh.  "Why,  Moss  my  soul! 
you've  been  here  five  years  longer  than  I've  been  in 


cazalet's  bank.  23 

existence — there's  no  one  else  knows  as  much  about 
us  as  you  do." 

"  I  came  here  a  boy  of  sixteen,"  said  Creech,  look- 
ing at  the  clock  on  the  wall  as  though  it  was  a  kind 
of  calendar  of  his  career,  "and  I'm  sixty-five  now. 
That  makes  forty-nine  years.  Come  Easter,  I've  been 
here  fifty  years.     It's  a  long  while  !" 

"  It  is  a  long  while,"  said  the  younger  partner, 
Henry,  "  But  you're  all  right,  you  know,  Creech. 
Cazalet's  look  after  those  who  have  served  them  long 
and  well.  When  you  feel  like  retirement  and  a  pen- 
sion, you  say  so.  Only,  I  don't  know  how  we  shall 
get  on  without  you.  However,  the  retirement  is  a  long 
way  off  yet,  I  hope.     Let  us  talk  about  the  present." 

"  What  we  want  to  know  is  this,"  said  Alfred, 
"and  you're  the  person  to  tell  us.  What  is  there 
stored  away  down  in  the  vaults  below  the  strong 
room  ?  We  haven't  been  down  there  for  years ;  not 
since  we  Avere  boys  and  our  father  used  to  let  us  go 
down  sometimes.  There  seemed  to  be  only  an  awful 
lot  of  mouldering  rubbish,  and  it'll  all  have  to  be 
gone  over  and  either  destroyed  or  fetched  up  before 
the  builders  go  to  work  on  the  foundations." 

"  So  there  is  a  lot  of  rubbish,"  replied  Creech, 
"  though  I  haven't  been  down  there  myself  for  over 
twenty  years.  The  last  time  I  was  down  was  Avhen 
the  Prince  o'  Wales  went  to  return  thanks  at  St. 
Paul's.  I  remember  it  because  I  found  a  bottle  of 
port  wine  on  a  ledge,  and  we  drank  his  health  as  ho 
went  by.  I  told  your  father  about  it  afterwards,  and 
he  said  it  must  have  been  some  of  the  AVaterloo  port 
his  father  had  had  given  him." 


2i  THE   HISPANIOLA   TLATE. 

"  What  else  is  there  ? " 

"  A  lot  of  rubbish,"  repeated  Creech.  "  There's 
several  old  boxes,  most  of  them  burst  open,  with 
leases,  I  should  say,  belonging  to  dead  and  gone 
customers  of  the  bank,  and  a  heap  of  broken  okl 
furniture  that  belonged  upstairs  Avhcn  the  family 
hved  over  the  bank.  I  found  a  fine  copper  warming- 
pan,  that  Mr.  Jones  made  me  a  present  of;  and  I 
think  there's  an  old  spinet  down  there,  and  broken 
chairs  and  tables,  and  otlice  stuff,  and  a  basket  full  of 
broken  glass  and  crockery,  and  that  sort  of  thing." 

"  Humph  !  "  said  the  elder  brother.  "  Leases,  eh  ? 
We  ought  to  look  into  those.  If  they're  ours  we 
ought  to  preserA^e  them,  and  if  they  belonged  to 
customers  Avho  have  left  descendants,  they  should  be 
returned.  They  may  still  be  of  the  greatest  value. 
Who  can  tell  ? " 

"  My  wife,"  said  the  younger,  "  has  been  filling  the 
new  house  at  Egerton  Gardens  full  of  the  most  awful- 
looking  gimcracks  I  ever  saw.  She'll  want  that  spinet 
directly  she  hears  of  it,  and  if  she  could  only  find 
another  warming-pan  she'd  hang  it  uj)  in  the  bedroom 
passages  as  an  ornament." 

"My  wife,"  said  Creech,  "warms  the  beds  with 
ours  in  the  winter.  It's  a  very  good  one,  but  Til 
send  it  back  if  Mrs.  Jones  wants  to  decorate  her 
landing." 

"  No,"  said  Jones  Junior,  "  we'll  say  nothing  about 
it.  There's  far  too  nnuh  rubbish  in  the  house 
already.  Suppose,"  to  his  brother.  "  we  go  down 
into  the  vaults  and  have  a  look  i-ound." 

This   was   agreed   to,   so   down    they  went,  after 


cazalet's  bank.  25 

Creech  had  armed  himself  v;ith  a  large  paraffin 
caudle  and  had  rnmmaged  out  a  bag  full  of  keys  of 
all  sizes  and  shapes,  while  the  elder  Jones  carried 
with  him  the  more  modern  and  bright  keys  that 
opened  the  safes  and  strong  room.  This  latter  they 
were,  of  course,  in  the  habit  of  visiting  every  day,  but 
the  trap  door  leading  to  the  vaults  below — which  was 
in  the  floor  of  the  strong  room — testified  to  the  truth 
of  Creech's  assertion  that  it  possibly  had  not  been 
opened  for  twent}^  years.  First  of  all,  Avhen  the  key 
was  found,  the  lock  Avas  so  rusty  that  it  could  not  be 
turned  until  some  oil  had  been  brought,  and  then  the 
door  had  stuck  so  that  the  two  brothers — for  Creech 
was  no  good  at  this  work — could  hardly  pull  it  ujx 
However,  at  last  they  got  it  open,  and  then  they 
descended  the  stone  steps  one  by  one. 

The  place — as  seen  by  the  light  of  the  candle — 
was,  as  the  old  cashier  had  described  it,  an  olla- 
lioclrida  of  all  kinds  of  lumber.  The  hauiper  of 
broken  glass  and  crockery  was  there,  so  was  the 
spinet,  looking  very  antique  and  somewhat  mouldy — 
a  thing  not  to  bo  wondered  at,  seeing  that  the  Jones 
family  had  not  lived  over  the  bank  during  the  present 
century.  The  broken  chairs,  stools,  and  tables  Avere 
all  piled  in  a  corner — in  another  stood  the  boxes, 
some  of  them  burst  open,  of  which  Creech  had 
spoken.  And  around  and  about  the  vaults  there 
pervaded  the  damp  atmosphere  Avhich  such  places 
always  have.  The  cashier  had  brought  a  second 
candle  in  his  pocket,  Avhich  he  now  lit,  and  by  this 
additional  light  they  saw  all  that  there  was  to  be 
seen. 


26  TUE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

"  A  lease  of  a  farm  in  Yorkshire,"  said  Alfred, 
taking  up  the  first  one  that  lay  loose  on  the  top  of 
the  first  box,  whose  rusted  padlock  came  olT  it,  nails 
and  all,  as  they  touched  the  lid,  "  called  Shrievalls, 
from  the  Earl  of  Uespare  to  Antony  Jones.  Lor' 
bless  me  !  Why,  Shrievalls  has  been  in  our  family 
for  any  amount  of  time,  and  I  never  heard  of  the 
Earl.  I  suppose  we  bought  it  afterwards.  That's  no 
use  to  anyone.  What's  this  ?  A  covenant  of  the 
Earl  of  Uespare  to  pay  an  annuity  to  Ambrose 
Hawkins  for  the  remainder  of  his  life,  made  in  the 
year  1743 ;  that  covenant  has  expired  !  That's  no 
use  to  any  one,  either.  A  bundle  of  acceptances  by 
Sir  Marmaduke  Flitch  to  Peter  Jones — our  ofreat- 
grandfather.  Flitch  !  Flitch  !  No  knowledge  of  him 
either.  An  authority  from  Annabolla  Proctor  to  pay  to 
her  brother,  so  long  as  he  holds  his  peace — humph  ! 
— ha  ! — well,  that's  an  old  family  scandal — we  needn't 
read  that  just  now.  Transfer  of  a  lease  from  Mr. 
Stringer,  son  of  Sir  Thomas  Stringer,  a  judge  of  the 
Kino's  Bench,  to  Mr.  Samuel  Warofrave,  late  silver- 
smith  and  jeweller,  of  Cornhill,  now  of  Entield,  dated 
1G88.  I  suppose  one  or  the  other  of  them  was  a 
customer  of  the  bank." 

"  Then  it  Avas  Waryrave ! "  exclaimed  Creech. 
"I've  seen  that  name  in  some  of  our  old  books.  At 
least,  I  think  I  have.  Let  me  see — Wargrave. 
Wlicre  have  I  seen  it  ?     I  know  it  somehow." 

"It  can't  matter,"  said  the  younger  Jones.  "  There 
has  been  no  Wart^ravc  on  oiu*  books  for  a  long  while." 

"  A  bun<lle  of  letters,"  went  on  the  elder,  taking 
them   up,   "from    the    Lady    Henrietta    Belville    to 


cazalet's  bank.  27 

Bartliolonicw  Skelton,  Esquire,  at  the  University  of 
Leyden,  with  one  beginning,  '  My  dear  and  only 
love, — Since  my  'usband  is  away  to  York ' — Oh,  dear ! 
dear !  we  needn't  read  that  now." 

"I  should  think  not,"  said  the  younger  brother. 
"  The  Skelton  family  still  banks  with  us.  We  had 
better  send  the  letter  back  intact.  Bankers  should 
keep  secrets  as  well  as  lawyers." 

"  Wargrave,"  mumbled  Creech  to  himself,  as  he 
leaned  against  an  antique  office-stool  minus  a  leg. 
"  Waro-rave  !     Where  have  I  heard  the  name  ?" 

"  An  account  book  with  no  name  in  it  but  a  date. 
And  written  therein,  "  On  behalf  of  the  Earl  of  Mar, 
his  expedition.  Humph  !  ha !  well,  Ave  had  a  good 
many  Jacobites  among  our  old  customers.  What's 
this  ?  A  glove  with  a  lot  of  tarnished  silver  fringe 
about  it,  a  woman's — these  are  romantic  finds  ! — a 
bunch  of  withered  flowers,  almost  dust,  and  a  little 
box " 

"  That's  it,"  exclaimed  Creech,  "  a  box  with  the 
name  of  Wargrave  on  it.     "  That's  it ! " 

"  On  the  contrary,  Creech,  there  is  nothing  on  it ; 
but,  inside,  a  paper  with  Avritten  on  that,  and  badly 
spelt,  too — '  His  hair.  Cut  from  his  head  by  a  true 
friend  after  his  death  at  the  Battle  of  Clifton 
Moor.' " 

"  No,  no,"  said  Creech,  "  I  don't  mean  that  box.  I 
mean  there  is  a  box  somewhere  in  this  vault — a 
small  one,  with  the  name  of  Wargrave  on  it." 

"  There  are  a  good  many  boxes  with  names  on 
them,"  said  one  of  the  brothers,  glancing  round ; 
"  and  I  doubt  if  any  speak  more  pathetically  of  the 


2S  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

past  than  this  one  with  its  wisp  of  withered  hair  and 
its  label." 

But  Creech  was  hunting  about  in  the  rubbish  by 
now,  and  at  last,  exclaiming, "  That's  the  one  I  mean," 
seized  on  a  small  iron  box  a  foot  square  and  brought 
it  to  where  the  partners  and  candles  were. 

"  That,"  he  said,  as  he  plumped  it  down  on  the 
spinet,  which  emitted  a  rusty  groan  from  its  long- 
disused  keys  as  he  did  so,  "is  the  box  I  mean.  I 
remember  seeing  it  years  and  years  ago.  Look  at 
what's  written  on  it." 

In  faded  ink,  brownish  red  now  instead  of  black, 
on  paper  a  dirty  slate  colour  instead  of  white,  were 
the  Avords : — 

Tliis  })ox  is  to  be  given  to  any  descoii<laut  or  representative 
of  Lieutenant  Nicholas  Crafer  wlio  is  alive  at  uiy  death.  To 
be  given  at  once  after,  })ut  not  before. — Samuel  Wargrave. 

Nota  Bene. — I  do  believe  it  is  very  inii>ortant. 

January,  1709. 

"  And,"  exclaimed  the  younger  brother,  "  being  so 
very  important  it  has  lain  here  for  over  180  years. 
We  have  been  assiduous  for  our  customers. ' 

"  But  why,"  said  the  elder  brother,  "  Avhen  you 
saAv  it  years  ago,  Creech,  was  nothing  done  ?  Why 
did  not  you,  or  my  father,  tind  out  some  Wargrave  or 
some  Crafer  ?     There  must  be  some  left." 

"Your  father  said  he  would  make  some  inquiries; 
but  I  don't  know  whether  he  ever  did  or  not.  At 
any  rate,  it  went  clean  out  of  my  head.  I  was  just 
olf  on  my  holidays,  I  remember,  when  I  hap[)ened  to 
see  it;  and,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  never  thought  any 
more  about  it  from  tliat  day  to  this.    And  I  shouldn't 


cazalet's  bank.  29 

have  done  so  now  if  it  hadn't  been  for  that  transfer 
you  read  out  a  minute  ago." 

*  *  ■*  -K-  *  ■* 

A  fortnight  later  the  box  was  in  Reginald  Crafer's 
possession,  Avith  an  apology  from  Messrs.  Cazalet  and 
Co.  for  the  long  period  in  which  it  had  lain  unattended 
to  in  their  hands.  They  had  discovered  him  by  a 
reference  to  the  suburban  directory,  after  a  search 
through  the  London  and  also  several  county  directories, 
and  Mr.  Bentham's  name  had  been  quite  enough 
to  assure  Messrs.  Cazalet  and  Co.  that  he  was  the 
rightful  person  to  whom  to  entrust  the  box. 

The  lock — a  most  excellent  one,  considering  when 
it  was  made — had  to  be  burst  open,  for  no  key  could 
be  found  to  tit  it,  and  then  Eeginald  saw  what  were 
its  contents.  First,  there  was  a  piece  of  paper  on 
which  was  written : — 

I  do  feel  so  sui-e  that  Mr.  Wargrave  -will  carry  out  my 
instrnctions  after  my  death  that  I  leave  this  jn-etious  legacy  to 
him  in  all  good  faitli,  and  to  you  my  descendant  to  whom  it 
may  after  come,  with  all  my  love  and  good  wishes;  and  so  I  say, 
May  what  you  find  herein  prosper  you.  N.  C. 

Then,  in  a  neat  roll,  tied  up  with  black  ribbon,  was 
a  vast  number  of  sheets  of  paper  covered  with  writing, 
some  of  it  being  very  neat,  some  of  it  very  ungainl}^, 
Avith  many  words  scored  out  and  others  inserted,  and 
also  many  misspelt,  and  some  not  spelt  twice  alike. 

And  Reginald  Crafer,  after  an  early  meal,  sat  him- 
self down  to  a  perusal  of  those  closely  written  sheets 
which  had  been  at  last  unearthed  after  lying  in  the 
vaults  of  Cazalet's  bank  so  long. 

This  is  what  they  told  him. 


30  THE    HlSPxVNlOLA    PLATE. 


Tlie  History  of 
NICHOLAS   CRAFER,  Lieutenant, 

and  the  Search  for 

The  Hispaniola  Plate, 

ivitJt  all  that  occurred  duriiuj  (hat  search 

and  followed  after  it. 

As  told  hy  him. 


31 


CHAPTER  V. 

CAPTAIN   WILLIAM   PHIPS. 

There  will  be  but  little  need  that  I  ask  pardon  of 
him  or  her  who  receives  this  paper  from  Mr.  War- 
grave,  since  if  he  who  docs  so  shall  have  courage,  or  she 
who  receives  it  have  an  honest  friend  to  depend 
upon,  they  will  have  no  reason  to  reproach  me  for 
Avhat  I  have  done.  The  finding  of  it  will  tell  him 
or  her  how  they  shall  become  possessed  of  a  fortune ; 
and  those  who  have  gone  before  them  and  after  me 
can  never  know  how  they  have  missed  it.  That  it 
is  not  well  for  any  Crafer  to  tind  this  paper  near  unto 
my  time  is  the  reason  why,  with  great  care  and  pains, 
I  have  so  bestowed  it  in  juy  friend's  hand,  and,  better 
is  it  that  I  shall  have  laid  in  grave  a  hundred  years 
or  more  before  it  is  discovered,  than  that  any  coming 
close  to  me  should  light  upon  it. 

Now,  you  who  so  receive  my  writing  shall  under- 
stand the  reason  Avhereof  I  say  this.  Because  it 
partly  relateth  to  a  large  amount  of  plate,  of  jewels, 
of  gold  and  coins,  all  of  which  did  indeed  belong 
to  the  Spanish  Carrack  which  my  commander,  Phips, 
digged  or  rather  fished  up,  from  the  bottom  of  the 
sea  where  it  had  lain  forty-four  years,  or,  as  some  did 
aver,  tifty,  and  because  it  was  the  rightful  proj^erty  of 
him,  of  the  Duke  of  Albemarle  who  had  a  share 
therein,   of  King   James   who   had   a   tenth,  and  of 


32  THE   HISPAXLOLA   PLATE 

many  others.  For  some  of  this  money  and  vahiables 
was  all  stolen  by  a  thief  who  Avas  ever  a  rogne  in  grain, 
and  what  is  true  enough  is,  that  there  was  a  many 
suspicions  when  the  finders  came  back  to  London 
that  one  half  of  this  treasure  was  missing.  As  indeed 
some  was,  tho'  not  stolen  by  him  whom  the  accusers 
pointed  at.  For  Phips,  who  was  an  honest-born 
New  England  boy — one  of  twenty-six  children — who 
had  been  bred  a  shepherd  and  had  then  become  a 
sailor,  was  indeed  no  thief,  but  ever  an  honest  man, 
as  James  declared,  who  was  himself  none  too  honest. 
Yet,  as  I  say,  when  the  ship  with  the  treasure  came 
back  to  England,  there  was  a  cry  that  one  half  was 
missing,  that  Phips  had  left  me  and  others  behind  to 
hide  away  that  half,  and  that,  indeed,  we  were  all 
thieves — tho'  Ave  Avere  none,  or  only  one  of  us,  and 
that  Avas  neither  Phips  nor  I. 

Now,  if  so  be  that  the  house  Avhich  I  called  after 
my  dear  and  honoured  friend,  and  superior  in  rank 
tho'  not  in  birth — for  the  Crafers  haA^e  ever  been 
gentlemen  of  repute  and  of  good  descent  from  an 
ancient  family  in  Ham])shire — be  not  burned  down 
or  fallcth  not  down  from  age,  and  our  line  dieth  not 
out,  and  the  paper  telling  where  these  Avritings  are 
be  not  doomed  to  be  found  by  a  stranger,  then  nuist 
a  Crafer  be  the  one  to  read  them.  And  he  Avill  tind 
strange  matter  in  it  Avho  doth  so  read.  For  in  the 
lono-  Avinter  evenings  Avhich  are  before  me — since  I 
have  begim  to  Avrite  this  narrative  in  the  month  of 
November,  1700,  and  trust  to  finish  it  Avith  the  in- 
coming of  the  New  Century — I  do  propose  to  tell 
you   Avho   may    opL'u  the   packet  all    that   befcl   our 


CAPTAIN   WILLIAM   PHIPS.  33 

vo}'ages  to  find  tlie  contents  of  the  Hispaniola  Plate 
Ship,  which  was  sunken  off  "The  Boylers,"  a  reef 
of  shoals  a  few  leagues  off  of  the  island  of  Aiitti, 
as  the  natives  call  it;  but  known  generally  by  its 
Spanish  name  of  San  Domingo. 

And  being  but  a  pour  penman  I  mean  to  divide 
my  story  into  heads,  thusl}^ 

First,  I  mean  to  tell  you  of  my  acquaintance  with 
Phips  at  the  time  he  approached  The  King,  I  mean 
Charles ;  then  of  how  ho  sailed  in  the  Ahjler  Ro-^e 
for  Hispaniola,  and  of  two  mutinies.  Then,  how 
after  four  years,  we  again  sailed  in  the  Duke's  ship, 
or  Fibvie,  and  what  happened  to  us  in  the  fishing  up 
of  the  plate.  But  more  than  all  this  is  to  tell  you  of 
shameful  villainies  and  thievings  that  took  place, 
and  of  how  the  chief  villain  was  frustrated  so  that 
not  he  but  another  Avas  to  be  benetited.  And  who, 
think  3'ou,  my  descendant  whom  I  know  not,  is  that 
other  ?  You  may  think  Phips,  you  might  imagine 
myself  or  the  Duke,  you  might  suppose  some  of  the 
other  adventurers.  Yet  'tis  not  so.  'Tis  no  less  an 
one  than  you — you,  yourself.  That  is  if  you  have  a 
manly  heart,  or,  being  a  woman,  a  man  to  help  you. 
For  as  I  have  writ — and  if  I  repeat  myself  you  must 
forgive  me,  for  we  sailors  who  fought  battles  almost 
weekly  had  but  little  enough  time  to  study  the  art 
of  writing ;  and  you  will  hnd  your  reward  by  reading 
this— it  is  you  who  are  to  benefit.  You  are  to  have 
the  fortune  which  the  thief  was  possessed  of,  tho'  not 
what  he  stole. 

Therefore,  having  made  this  introduction,  I  pro- 
ceed to  tell   m}^  tale.      And  as  I    have,  although  a 

.   D 


34  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

sailor,  been  ever  a  Godfearing  man,  I  pray  tliat 
it  shall  be  a  Crafer  wlio  receives  tbis  from  where  I 
have  disposed  of  it.  For  it  was  1  who  gained  it  all 
from  him,  and  tlio'  I  shall  never  see  you  who 
come  after  me,  you  may  well  suppose  that  I  would 
sooner,  far  sooner,  that  the  fortune  came  to  one 
of  my  own  flesh  and  blood  than  to  one  no  way 
allied  to  me. 

So  I  begin. 

'Twas  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1G82,  and  during  the 
visit  of  Prince  George,"^  son  of  the  Elector  of  Hanover, 
that  I  made  the  friendship  of  Pliips,  then  Captain  of 
a  private  ship  hailing  from  Boston.  I  was  ashore  from 
the  royal  3'^acht  that  had  brought  the  Prince  over, 
and,  insomuch  as  I  now  sought  another  ship,  had 
gone  into  lodgings  in  Spring  Gardens,  both  because  of 
the  freshness  of  the  air  over  that  of  the  city  and  its 
nearness  to  the  Admiralty  office.  And  it  was  at  this 
latter,  where  there  had  creeped  up  again  a  good 
habit  of  the  Admirals  of  meeting  their  officers  fre- 
quently, that  I  encountered  William  Phips.  A  brave, 
topping  gentleman  he  was,  too, — for  all  he  was  a 
Puritan,  tho',  I  think,  ever  in  his  mind  a  sailor  first 
— then  thirty-two  years  of  age,  fine  and  big  and  well 
dressed.  Now,  as  a  colonist  and  but  a  private  sailor 
man,  Phips  Avas  inferior  to  all  of  us  who  sailed  for  the 
King,  yet  he  won  soon  upon  us.  lie  was  brought  in 
by  Matthew  Aylmer,  then  holding  the  rank  of 
coHunander,  though  destined  for  much  higher  things, 
as  I  have  lived  to  see ;  and  soon  we  were  told  what 
his  business  was.     This  was  no  less  than  to  get  the 

*  Afterwards  King  George  I.  of  Ena;land.   -Ed. 


CAPTAIN   WILLIAM   PHIPS,  35 

King  to  give  him  a  ship  in  which  ho  had  a  mind  to 
o-o   treasure-huntino'.      Yet   this   was    not   a    vision 

O  O 

neither,  for  says  he  to  us, 

"  Gentlemen,  I  know  what  I  speak  of  and  'tis  not 
foohshness.  In  Hispaniola — where  I  have  been  many 
a  time — there  is  a  place  called  Porto  de  la  Plata. 
Surely  some  of  you  King's  officers  have  heard  tell 
of  it !"" 

Two  or  three  amonofst  us  nodded  of  our  heads 
with  assent  at  this,  and  he  continued : — 

"  Well  gentlemen,  do  you  kno^v  why  'tis  so 
termed  ?  No  ?  Then  Avill  I  tell  you.  Forty-four,  or 
as  some  say  fifty  years  agone,  there  came  ashore  at 
that  spot — which  then  had  no  name  at  all — a  ship- 
wrecked crew  in  an  open  boat,  in  which  there  was 
no  room  for  them  to  lie  down,  so  stuffed  full  was  it  of 
plate." 

Here  one  or  two  of  us  laughed,  and  some  seemed 
nmch  aroused,  while  Phips  continued  : — 

"  They  were  saved  from  the  great  Spanish  plate 
ship  which  had  sunk  some  leagues  out  when  striking 
on  a  reef,  and  what  the}^  brought  with  them  was  all 
that  they  could  save.  This  Avas  well  known  all  over 
the  island  shortly  afterwards,  and  is  spoken  of  now, 
even  unto  this  day." 

He  had  told  this  tale  before  to  Aylnier,  as  after- 
wards I  learned  from  hhn,  and  a  few  moments  later 
he  told  it  to  the  King,  being  taken  over  to  him  by 
his  friend  and  introduced.  Now,  it  is  not  for  me  to 
Avrite  down  the  gTievous  faults  and  failino-s  of  Charles 
— he  is  gone  before  his  Judge  ! — but  I  will  say  tliis, 
that,  Avith  all  his  errors,  he  had  a  mind  beyond  the 
D  2 


36  THE    HISPANTOLA    PLATE. 

cornnion.  Therefore  he  harkened  unto  Phips,  and 
later  on  lie  called  his  brother  James,  whose  faults 
were  greater  than  his,  but  a  good  sailor,  and  asked 
him  Avhat  he  thought  on't  ? 

James  was  at  once  all  for  it  and  hot  upon  the  idea, 
for  it  seemed  that  it  was  not  the  first  time  he  had 
heard  of  the  sunken  plate  ship,  and  he  was  taken 
with  Phips — as,  indeed,  were  all  who  met  with  him. 
So,  to  make  what  would  be  a  tedious  story  short, 
Phips  received  a  commission  from  the  King  to  go 
out  in  command  of  the  Ahjier  Bo.se,  with  orders  to 
find  the  wreck  and  bring  all  away  in  her  if  he  could. 
And  it  fell  out  to  my  great  good  fortune  that  I  went 
too.  To  my  good  fortune  as  it  came  later,  tho'  not 
then,  for  it  was  not  on  this  journey  that  we  found  the 
treasure,  as  you  shall  soon  know. 

Yet  Ave  hoped  to  find  it,  and  so  I  was  glad  to  go. 
It  was  in  the  "  Dog "  tavern  at  Westminster,  where 
many  naval  men  did,  and  still  do,  resort,  that  I  got 
my  appointment  to  the  Algier  Rose,  Phips,  who  had 
taken  a  fancy  to  me,  swearing  that  he  would  not  sail 
without  me.  So  there  I  made  interest  with  several 
from  the  Admiralty,  who  would  come  to  the  "  Dog  " 
for  half  a  pint  of  mulled  sack,  or  a  dram  of  brandy, 
and  at  last  received  my  conunission  as  first  lieutenant 
to  the  frigate.  A  better  ship  never  swam  than  she, 
carrying  eighteen  guns  and  ninety-five  men,  and  when 
we  took  her  out  early  in  '83  I  can  tell  you  that  the 
brave  hearts  on  board  of  her  were  joyful. 

Tn  1()<S3  it  was  when  we  dro})pcd  down  on  the 
tide,  with  a  lusty  cheer  ov  two  from  the  King's 
ships  lying  in  the  river  off  Biigsby's  Hole — for  they 


CAPTAIN   WILLIAM   PHIPS.  37 

knew  our  intent — and  another  from  the  old  man- 
of-war,  the  Jerzy,  in  which  I  had  served  as  a  youni;' 
heutenant;  and  so  away  out  to  sea  with  light 
canvas  all  in  aloft,  and  just  a  single  reef  in  our 
tops'ls,  and  off  we  went  to  find  the  great  Hispuniola 
wreck. 

And  so  I  put  down  my  pen  awhile. 


3S 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   BEGINNING   OF   A    MUTINY. 

Now  it  happened  that  at  the  "  Dog  "  tavern  one  da}/ 
there  came  in,  when  we  were  sitting  there,  an  astrolo- 
ger, or  geomancer,  as  'tis  called — namely,  a  caster 
of  figures — Avho  marking  out  Phips  (perhaps  because 
of  his  uncommon  and  striking  appearance)  seized 
upon  him  to  tell  his  fortune,  which  he,  having 
ever  a  mind  turned  towards  fun,  Avas  well  disposed 
enough  to. 

So  the  cheat,  as  I  thought  him  to  be — thou'di 
found  afterwards  he  spake  true — catching  holt  upon 
Phips's  hand,  looked  long  and  fixedly  at  it,  after 
which  he  said  that  much  money  should  be  found 
by  him. 

"  In  very  truth,"  called  out  Phips,  Avhile  all  around 
did  laugh,  "  'tis  that  I  go  to  seek,  friend ;  nor,  since 
every  drawer  in  this  tavern  and  ragauniffin  'twixt 
here  and  Charing  Cross  knows  as  much,  art  thou  so 
wondrous  a  necromancer?  Go  to!  yonv  divinations 
are  not  worth  a  piece." 

"  Yet,  stay,"  said  the  caster,  speaking  up  boldly 
to  him — "  stay.  What  you  go  to  seek  you  shall  not 
find." 

"Ha!"  exclaimed  Phips,  looking  at  him.  "Not 
find  it?" 


THE   BEGINNING   OF   A   MUTINY.  89 

"Nay,  not  yet.  At  present  yon  are  tliirty-two 
years  of  age  ;  it  wants  five  ere  yon  shall  get  that  yon 
seek.     Then  shall  yon  obtam  yonr  deshes." 

"  'Tis  well,"  exclahned  Phips,  "  and  therefore  ninst 
I  stay  the  live  years  where  I  go,  for  find  it  I  will. 
Yet,  harkee,  friend,  pnt  not  snch  reports  abont  in 
this  neighbourhood,  or  I  will  slit  thy  nose  for  thee. 
I  am  a  captain  of  a  King's  ship  now  " — as  indeed  he 
was,  for  his  commission  was  made  out — "  and  a  good 
ship  too.  I  Avant  not  to  lose  it  through  the  chatter 
of  any  knave." 

"  Moreover,"  went  on  the  geomancer,  taking  no 
more  heed  of  what  he  said  than  tho'  he  had  never 
spoken — "moreover,  this  is  not  all."  And  as  he 
spake  he  pricked  with  a  pin  a  number  of  little  dots 
on  the  table,  where  the  drink  stood.  "This  is  not 
all.     You  shall  do  more." 

"  Ay,"  exclaimed  Phips,  "  I  shall !  Maybe  I  shall 
have  thee  whipped.     Yet  continue. ' 

"  You  shall  rule  over  a  large  country,  though 
never  a  King,  and  you  shall  die  " 

"  Stop  there,"  called  out  Phips,  "  and  say  no  more. 
What  thou  hast  promised  is  enough.  As  for  my 
death,  when  it  comes,  it  comes ;  that  also  is  enough. 
Now  go."  And  as  he  spake  he  picked  out  from  a 
handful  of  elephant  and  other  guineas,  as  well  as  some 
silver-pieces,  a  crown,  and  tossed  it  to  the  fellow, 
who,  pouching  it,  went  off. 

Yet,  afterwards,  when  we  were  well  on  the  road  to 
Hispaniola,  Phips  would  talk  with  me  on  this  astro- 
loger, and  would  discuss  much  his  promises.  "  For,"' 
said   he,   "  there   have   been   many   such   who   have 


40  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

told  truths.  My  mother  had  a  ])a})er  written  doAvn 
by  one  which  Avorked  out  so  truly  year  by  year,  that 
at  last  she  flung  it  in  the  tire,  saying  she  would  no 
more  of  it.  And  a  mighty  marvellous  thing  it  was ! 
Year  by  year  she  bore  my  father  a  child  for  twenty- 
six  years,  and  the  astrologer's  paper  had  so  stated,  as 
well  as  Avliat  the  sex  of  the  child  should  be,  yearly. 
And  also  did  it  state  that  I — her  ninth — should  some 
day  command  a  King's  ship,  which  led  to  my  always 
aspiring  to  do  so;  and  as  I  now  do  the  Algier  Rose" 
— and  he  stamped  on  the  poop-house  where  we 
stood,  as  thouo-h  to  confirm  his  words. 

By  this  time  it  had  arrived  that  Ave  had  passed 
thro'  the  Gulph  Stream  and  were  Avell  on  our  Avay 
for  Hispaniola,  so  that  'tAvas  very  hot.  Sharks  passed 
near  us  often,  but  gave  us  good  heart,  smce  never  did 
they  follow  us.  Portugee  Admirals  sailed  by  on  the 
Avater,  their  pretty  forms  dotting  the  tranquil  Avavcs 
— 'tis  ever  tranquil  in  these  regions — like  floAvers, 
and  the  vo3^age  Avas  a  good  one.  Of  our  crcAv  also 
there  Avas  nought  to  complain,  the  ninet3--five  men 
Avho  composed  it  being  all  sailors  Avho  Avell  kncAv 
their  Avork.  'TAVould  have  been  strange  had  thc}^  not 
known  it !  Many  of  them  had  been  fighting  the 
French  and  the  Dutch  for  the  leno-th  of  their  life- 
times;  but  'specially  had  they  fought  the  French, 
Avhich  seems  to  be  Avhat  an  Englishman  is  ordained 
for  ;  and  they  had  lived  all  those  lifetimes  on  the  sea. 
Yet,  as  you  shall  learn  ere  long,  they  Avere  soon  to 
give  us  nuich  trouble,  and,  later,  to  give  us  more. 

Now,  as  I  haA'c  writ,  and  as,  indeed,  the  (ieomancer 
rightly  forecast,   it  was  not  to  be  that  the  treasure 


THE   BEGINNING   OF   A  MUTINY.  41 

should  bo  found  by  those  who  sailed  in  the  Ahjier 
Roue.  Therefore  should  I  not  have  written  down 
here  this  our  first  cruise  in  search  of  that  treasure, 
had  it  not  been  that  what  happened  on  that  voyage 
has  much  to  do  Avith  what  happened  on  the  second 
one,  when  we  did  indeed  find  all.  To  do,  that  is  to 
say,  Avith  the  stealing  of  a  great  portion  of  the  treasure 
by  a  thief,  and  hoAV  it  came  about  that  he  could  so 
steal  it.  But  I  wander  from  what  should  be  a  plain 
record,  and  will  now  proceed. 

When  once  Ave  Avere  safe  anchored  in  Balsamo 
Bay,  Avhich  is  near  unto  St.  Jago,  and  not  far  from 
the  reef  called  by  us  the  "  Boylers,"  but  by  the 
Spaniards  and  Portygees  the  "  Bajo  "— Avanderers  on 
the  seas  Avho  have  late  been  there  tell  me  it  is 
noAv  called  the  Bajo  de  la  Plata, — Ave  set  to  Avork  at 
once ;  but  our  efforts  met  Avitli  no  success.  Of  divers 
Ave  had  procured  two,  one  a  Portygee  mulatto,  the 
other  an  African  negro — the  largest  and  most 
hideous  brute  in  the  form  of  man  that  I  had  ever  set 
my  eyes  upon.  Day  by  day  Ave  sent  them  doAvn,  and 
day  by  day  they  returned,  SAvearing  that  they  could 
find  nothing  of  the  Plate  ship — no,  not  so  much  as  a 
spar  or  a  block.  At  first  Ave  thought  they  lied,  as, 
indeed,  Ave  ever  did,  until  at  last  the  Avreck  was 
found,  and  then  Ave  kncAV  they  had  spoken  truth  ;  for, 
having  floated  off,  as  we  once  thought,  she  Avas  three 
cables — but  you  shall  see. 

Thus  Ave  worked,  fishing  ever  and  catching  nothing, 
for  tW'O  years,  in  Avhich  time  Ave  endured  many  hard- 
ships. To  begin  with,  the  Spaniards  harrassed  us 
much,  in  spite  of  our  not  having  been  at  Avar  with 


42  THE   HISPANIOIA   PLATE. 

tliem  since  'GO,  and  endeavoured  to  drive  us  away 
from  tlie  nci^dibourhood  of  tlio  Reef.  Hut  them  wo 
defied,  and,  on  their  sending  out  at  last  a  bomb-ketch 
to  attack  us,  we  first  of  all  spoke  it  fair,  and,  on  that 
being  no  good,  blew  it  out  of  the  water  ;  whereon  wo 
heard  no  more  of  them,  perhaps  because  just  now 
they  were  busy  with  the  French,  who  had  for  the  last 
six  or  seven  years  gotten  holt  of  the  part  called  Aiitti, 
and  wanted  the  rest. 

But  now  trouble  bred  amongst  us,  as,  alas !  it  will 
do  in  any  number  or  body  of  men  who,  after  long 
seeking  for  a  thing  and  finding  it  not,  grow  moody 
and  heartsore. 

For  the  men  began  to  mutter  between  themselves 
and  to  say  that  we  should  never  find  the  sunken  ship, 
and  that,  since  Ave  had  a  fine  frigate  of  our  own,  well 
armed  and  manned,  why  not  put  it  to  some  piu-pose, 
and  go  pirating  and  buccaneering  in  the  Southern 
Seas  ?  The  first  to  hear  of  this  was  the  carpenter,  a 
straightforward  honest  man  of  good  grit ;  the  last,  of 
course,  was  the  captain.  But  being  myself  forewarned 
by  this  man,  whose  name  was  Hanway,  I  soon  went 
and  spake  to  the  captain,  telling  him  w^iat  was  going 
forward  and  below;  and  marvellous  calm  he  was 
when  he  did  hear  it. 

Being  evening,  he  was  sitting  in  his  cabin  imder 
the  poop,  and,  for  coolness,  had  divested  himself  of 
his  coat  and  waistcoat,  and  was  refreshing  of  himself 
with  a  drink  of  rum  sangaree.  Then,  Avhen  he  had 
passed  me  over  a  glass  and  I  had  told  my  tale  of 
Avhat  the  carpenter  had  repeated  to  me,  says  he, 
mighty  easy : — 


THE   BEGINNING   OF   A   MUTINY.  43 

"  They  wish  me  to  go  a-pirating  in  the  Southern 
Seas,  do  they  ?  And  how  do  they  mean  to  sound  me, 
Crafer  ? " 

"  They  are  going  to  put  it  to  you  first,"  says  I ; 
"then,  if  you  deny  them,  they  mean  to  seize  the 
ship." 

"  So,  so,"  replied  he,  "  that  is  their  intention  !  Well, 
we  will  see.     What  are  they  at  now  ?  " 

"  Standing  about  the  forepart  and  in  the  waist," 
said  I,  "  talking  to  each  other  and  doubtless  concoct- 
ing their  precious  schemes.  What  is  best  to  be 
done  ? " 

"  Action,"  says  he,  "  action,  Crafer  ; "  and  he  made 
for  the  cabin  door  that  opened  on  to  the  quarter- 
deck. 

But  here  I  exclaimed,  "  What  will  you  do  ?  You 
have  neither  coat  nor  waistcoat,  pistol  nor  hanger ; 
Avill  you  go  forth  and  beard  mutineers  in  such  a  garb 
as  this  ? " 

"  Ay  !  will  I,"  he  says,  looking  for  all  the  world 
like  a  great  lion — "Ay!  will  I.  And  you  shall  see. 
In  half  an  hour  there  will  be  no  mutineers  in  the 
Algier  .Rose." 

And  then,  as  I  regarded  his  face — on  Avhich  there 
was  a  dreadful  look — and  observed  his  great  muscular 
form.  I  thouo'ht  what  a  grand  man  he  was  and  of 
what  a  good  breed  these  New  Englanders  were.  And 
a  i'ow  minutes  later  I  had  reason  for  my  opinion. 

Now  Phips  had  ever  treated  his  men  like  brothers, 
never  setting  them  to  work  he  would  not  put  his  own 
hand  to,  never  cursing  or  SAvearing  at  them  as  so 
many  of  the  dandy  captains  and  soldier  captains — 


44  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

who,  good  Lord !  in  tliose  days  were  sent  to  command 
ships  at  sea — used  to  do ;  but  ever  kind  and  gentle  to 
them,  besides  helping  them  with  a  turn  at  their 
labour.  Therefore,  as  you  may  think,  I  was  rightly 
astonished  when,  on  our  going  on  deck,  his  manner 
was  all  changed,  so  that  the  William  Phips  I  knew 
was  no  longer  to  be  perceived. 

"  Ho !  there,  you  men,"  says  he,  in  a  voice  that 
neither  I  nor  they  had  ever  heard  before  ;  "  ho,  there, 
you  skulking  dogs,  Avliat  are  you  doing  forward  ? 
Come  here,  all  on  you,  to  the  quarter-deck.  Come 
here,  I  say."  And  with  that  he  stood  in  his  shirt- 
sleeves, looking  for  them  to  come  forward.  Ver}' 
startled,  they  did  so  ;  coming  slow,  however,  so  that 
Phips  hurried  them  by  bawling,  "  Faster,  faster,  damn 
j^ou,  or  the  bos'un  shall  hase  you."  Which  words  from 
him  made  them  all  to  look  out  of  the  tail  of  their 
eyes,  but  yet  to  come  faster.  So  that,  ere  long,  he 
had  got  half  a  dozen  of  'em  ranged  up  in  front  of  him 
and  a  dozen  more  behind,  looking  on,  moody  and 
dark,  as  though  afraid  that  whatever  project  they  had 
formed  was  nipt  in  the  bud. 

"  Now,"  says  he  Avith  another  oath — Avhich  never 
did  I  expect  to  hear  from  him,  a  New  England 
Puritan  and  ever  a  Godfearing  man — "  now,  who's 
captain  of  this  King's  ship,  the  Algier  Hose,  eh  ? 
Speak  out." 

"  You  are,"  they  muttered,  surlily  enough. 

"  Louder,"  says  he,  "  louder.  You  hain't  lost 
your  voices,  have  you?  You  can  make  the  devil's 
own  noise  when  you're  singing  and  bellowing  your 
profane  ballads  in  the  fo'castle.      Speak  up  ! "  with 


THE   BEGINNING    OF   A   MUilNY.  45 

still  aiiotlier  oath.  "  Who's  captain  of  this  ship,  I 
say?" 

"You  are,"  they  answered  louder,  yet  looking 
black  enouq-h. 

"  Very  well,"  says  he.  "  Now  listen  to  mo,  you 
lubbers,  and  listen  Avell." 


46 


CHAPTER    VII. 

THE      ENDING      OF      IT. 

"  Now,"  lie  went  on,  "  you're  talking  about  mutiny,  I 
liear,  and  pirating  in  the  Southern  Seas.  Well,  who's 
going  to  begin  the  mutiny,  eh  ?  Which  of  you  ? 
Let  him  come  forward  so  that  I  can  catch  holt  of 
him,  and  string  him  up  to  the  fore-top-sail  3'ard 
with  my  own  hand.  Come,  which  of  you  is  it,  to 
commence  with  ?  " 

And  again  he  glared  terrible  fierce  at  them. 

Then  says  one  of  them — poor  fool ! — "  We  shall 
never  find  no  plate  here ;  what's  the  good,  captain,  of 
our  stopping  here  ? " 

In  a  moment  that  man  was  upon  his  back  Avith 
the  blood  pouring  from  his  face,  the  captain  having 
felled  him  like  a  butcher  fells  an  ox,  and  "  Fling  him 
overboard  to  the  sharks,"  says  he.  "  Quick,  or  some 
more  of  you  go,  too.  I'll  have  no  nmtineers  here  and 
no  talk  of  the  Southern  Seas.    Over  with  him,  I  say  ! " 

But  not  one  of  them  all  moved. 

"  What,"  he  roared,  "  it  is  a  nuitiny,  then !  There- 
fore, let's  sec  the  means  to  quell  it  Crafer,  call  up 
all  the  officers.  And  now,  you  hounds,  you  who  don't 
want  to  go  to  the  Southern  Seas,  stand  on  the  lar- 
board side.  Jump,  skij),  damn  you  !  All  who  are  on 
the  starboard  side  when  I  have  counted  ten  shall  bo 
treated  as  mutineers.     Now." 


THE   ENDING  OF   IT.  47 

Some  did  jump  and  skip  in  verity,  hopping  over 
to  the  larboard  as  quick  as  ever  they  coukl ;  for  his 
wrath  was  awful  to  see ;  while  for  those  who  moved 
slower — though  they,  too,  meant  to  go — the  punish- 
ment was  terrible.  He  sprung  amongst  them  like  a 
lion,  as  I  have  said  ;  he  struck  and  beat  them  with 
his  lists,  bruising  and  blackening  of  their  faces ;  he 
kicked  them  like  dogs,  until  every  man  who  had 
come  up  to  the  quarter  deck  was  over  on  to  the 
larboard  side — some  of  them  bellowing  with  pain, 
some  trying  to  staunch  their  bleeding  wounds,  some 
leaning  over  the  bow  muttering  curses  in  their  agony. 

Meanwhile  the  officers  had  all  come  up. 

"  Over  with  them  to  the  sharks,"  he  cried.  "  Over ! 
Over !  Send  other  men  forward  to  help  bind  them 
and  tling  them  forth.  And  this  brute  first,"  said  he, 
pointing  to  the  man  he  had  first  knocked  down. 

"  Mercy  !  Mercy  !  "  they  screamed  now,  Avhile  the 
other  men  forward,  who  were  not  disaffected,  or,  at 
least,  had  not  shown  their  disaffection,  came  hurrying 
aft  at  the  double  whistles  of  the  bo'sun  and  the 
bo'sun's  mate.  "  Mercy !  Mercy !  Kill  us,  but  give 
us  not  to  the  sharks.     Mercy  !  " 

I  whispered  to  him,  "  Surely  you  will  not  do  this 
thing,  sir  ? "  and  was  eased  by  a  glance  from  him  and 
a  word  to  the  effect  that  he  meant  not  to  do  so,  yet 
to  scare  them,  especially  the  first  one,  or  leader,  so 
that  they  should  have  had  their  bellies  full  of  mutiny ; 
and,  meanwhile,  the  poor  piteous  wretches  were  howl- 
ing and  weeping,  some  calling  on  their  God  and  some 
on  their  mothers,  while  all  the  while  their  comrades 
bound  them  tight. 


48  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

"  Now,"  says  he,  and  at  his  words  there  went  up  a 
shriek  more  dreadful  than  before,  "  Now,  fiino-  over 
some  jerked  pork  whereby  the  sharks  may  be  attracted. 
Twill  be  a  fitting  prelude  to  a  better  meal." 

Thereby  they  roared  and  roared  again  until,  in 
very  truth,  I  wonder  the  Spanish  did  not  hear  them 
on  land — and  "  Over  with  the  lines  ready  to  lower 
those  dogs,"  says  he,  "  and,  meantime,  I  will  go  and 
wash  their  filthy  blood  off  my  hands ; "  and  away  he 
went  into  his  cabin.  Then  we  who  remained  on  deck 
saw  to  the  pork  being  thrown  over,  what  time  I  found 
opportunity  of  tolling  my  officers  that  he  might  not 
yet  carry  out  his  dread  sentence — and,  presently,  we 
saw  the  most  horrid  sight  that  any  sailor  is  ever 
doomed  to  see.  We  perceived  in  the  dim  grey  of  the 
coming  night  that  terrible  heave  of  the  water  that 
the  shark  maketh,  we  saw  the  ripple  caused  by  many 
fins,  we  even  saw  plain  enough  the  evil,  squinting,  and 
upturned  eyes  looking  for  more  prey.  They  had 
come  for  their  suppers  and  wanted  it — they  Avantcd 
their  victims ;  and  the  victims,  gasping  and  sweating 
with  fear,  saw  them  as  well  as  we  did  and  know  their 
wants. 

One  fell  down  on  deck  and  died  with  very  fright 
all  in  his  cords  as  he  was  bound,  the  otliers  shuddered 
and  shrieked  again  as  Thips's  voice  was  heard  from 
the  poop,  and  then  he  came  forth  once  more. 

"  Are  the  sharks  here  ? "  he  roared,  "  arc  they 
come  ? " 

And  as  he  spoke  his  eye  liglilcd  on  him  who  had 
fallen  dead,  and  he  turned  him  over  wiUi  liis  foot  to 
see  if  he  were  truly  so. 


THE    ENDING    OF    IT.  40 

"A  pretty  iiiutineer,"  then  says  he,  "a  pretty 
mutineer!  AVell,  he  is  dead,  so  over  with  him— ho 
assoils  his  Majesty's  deck ;  over  with  him." 

In  a  minute  that  dead  body  was  cast  over  the 
bows  and  went  splashing  into  the  sea.  Then  we  saw 
the  waves  all  tumbled  and  tossed  as  though  a  sea- 
quake had  taken  place,  or  a  whale  had  disturbed 
them  in  its  passage ;  we  saw  the  ripples  made  by  the 
fins  of  the  brute  down  there,  and  the  silver  glisten  of 
those  fins — we  saw  the  water  tinge  from  green  to  pale 
pink  and  then  to  red,  until,  at  last,  the  dead  man's 
blood  had  overmastered  the  sea's  natural  colour. 

Meanwhile  still  the  rebellious  ones  shouted  and 
bawled ;  while  some  who  were  older  cursed  and 
blasphemed,  another  Avept,  and  still  another — the  first 
one  whom  Phips  had  beat  down — tried,  all  bound  as 
he  was,  to  rush  at  him  and  strike  him  v/ith  his 
manacled  hands,  or  bite  at  him. 

But  now  the  captain  paused,  though  ever  with  his 
eye  on  this  fellow,  and  spake  and  said : 

"  Well,  my  hearts,  how  like  you  mutineering 
against  the  King's  Grace,  eh  ?  and  against  me  who 
stand  here  for  the  King  ?  'Tis  profitable,  is  it  not — 
far  more  so  than  hunting  for  the  plate-ship,  Avith 
three  good  meals  of  jerked  pork  and  drink  into  you 
every  clay  ?     What  say  you  ? " 

All  but  that  mad  and  furious  one  shouted  still  for 
mercy — he  standing  apart  glowering — and  clasped 
their  hands  and  said  that,  if  he  would  but  spare 
them,  never  more  would  they  think  of  aught  but 
their  duty  to  the  King  and  him — "  onl}^,  only,"  they 
wailed,  "  not  the  sharks,  not  the  sharlvs  !  " 

£ 


50  THE    HISPANIOJ.A    TLATE. 

"  Well,"  says  ho,  at  last,  "  since  yon  aro  bnt  beaten 
honnds  and  know  it,  it  shall  not  be  the  sharks  this 
time — only,  henceforth,  beware !  For  if  ever  again 
one  of  you  so  nnich  as  mutter  a  word  of  disaffection, 
so  surely  shall  your  blood  tinge  the  waters  round  as 
the  blood  of  that  nuitineer  tinges  it  now.  You  hoar  ?  " 

They  said  they  heard,  and  that  there  was  no  fear 
that  ever  would  they  offend  more,  no,  not  if  the  Algier 
Rose  stayed  there  a  century,  so  then  Phips  spake 
again,  while  'twas  noticed  by  us  officers  that  never 
did  he  include  the  iirst  man — whose  name  was  Brooks 
— in  his  address,  nor  did  he  cast  his  eyes  once  towards 
him  now. 

"  So  bo  it,"  he  said,  "  and  so  it  must  be.  For 
remember  ever,  'tis  not  against  me  you  offend  and 
rebel,  who-  am  but  a  servant  like  j'^ourselves,  and  was, 
a  few  short  years  ago,  but  a  poor  sailor  also  like^ 
yourselves ;  but  against  the  King  and  the  coimtry, 
who,  sending  us  here,  believe  and  confide  in  us. 
Therefore,  to  mutiny  is  to  commit  treason,  and  for 
both  of  these  the  punishment  is  Death.  But,  since 
this  is  your  first  offending,  I  spare  you  death — 3-et 
must  you  be  punished.  Therefore,  now  listen.  Until 
the  frigate  touches  Eufdish  waters  once  ai>ain,  or 
until  we  strike  soundings  in  the  Channel,  all  of  you 
rebels  must  take  a  double  night-Avatch,  at  sea  or 
anchor,  and  no  drink  must  you  have  whatsoever,  nor 
ever  any  leave.  Are  you  content,  or  have  you  a 
better  mind  for  the  sharks  ? " 

Poor,  wretched  fools!  What  could  they  sa}^  but 
that  they  were  content — and  so  they  were  unbound 
and  set  i'ree. 


THE   ENDING   OF   IT.  51 

Then,  turning  to  Brooks,  and  with  those  fierce  and 
terrible  eyes  upon  hini,  he  continued — 

"  For  you,  you  are  but  as  a  savage  beast,  and 
unrepentant.  Therefore,  I  still  mean  to  fling  you  to 
the  sharks,  or  to,  perhaps,  maroon  you.  Yet  will  I 
decide  nothing  in  haste;  the  sharks,"  he  said,  very 
grim,  "  are  always  there,  so,  too,  are  many  islands  on 
which  to  cast  you  alone.  I  will  take  time  to  think 
how  to  punish  you." 

Can  it  be  conceived  that  this  idiot  and  wretch, 
even  at  such  a  moment  of  peril  as  this,  should  be 
still  so  hardened  as  to  defy  Phips !  Yet  so  he  did. 
First  he  gnashed  his  teeth  at  the  Captain,  and  then 
he  swore  a  great  oath  that,  were  he  free,  he  would 
kill  him.  And,  though  ho  nuittered  this  under  his 
lips,  yet  Phips  heard  him. 

For  a  moment  he  paused,  looking  fixedly  at  him, 
then  he  called  up  some  of  the  men  who  had  retreated 
forward,  and  said : 

"  Lower  him  over  to  the  sharks."  And  all  of  us, 
officers  and  men,  did  shudder  as  we  heard  the  order. 
"Only,"  he  went  on,  "since  still  am  I  merciful, 
remembering  that  I  am  naught  but  the  servant  of 
the  King,  lower  him  by  degrees  two  feet  at  a  time. 
Then,  if  by  the  period  he  has  reached  the  Avater's 
edge  he  sues  not  for  pardon,  let  the  sharks  have 
him  ; "  saying  Avhich  he  turned  on  his  heel  and  entered 
again  his  cabin. 

It  was  done,  amidst  the  curses  of  Brooks  and  his 

fightings   to  be  free.     Longwise,  he  was  lowered,  face 

downwards,   and,    although    twice     the    lines     were 

lengthened  so   that,   from   being   twelve    feet    above 

E  2 


52  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

the  waters  he  was  at  last  but  eight,  still  only  would 
he  revile  the  King,  the  captain,  and  all. 

"  Thou  fool, "  I  called  down  to  him,  as,  indeed  did 
his  shipmates,  "recant,  and  sue  for  pardon."  ]>ut 
still  he  would  not,  raving  ever. 

"  Lower,"  I  commanded  to  the  men — "  two  feet 
more  ; "  and  by  two  feet  so  much  nearer  was  he  to  the 
beasts  below,  who  now  began  to  disturb  the  water 
once  a^ain  and  cause  it  to  heave,  and  to  show  their 
fins  and  hideous  eyes.  Still  he  would  not  and  so, 
with  another  order,  down  he  went  to  four  feet  from 
the  surface.  And  now  the  water  was  all  ruffled  and 
bubbling  as  thouo^h  boilinq-  or  as  'tis  when  a  child 
throws  a  cake  to  the  trouts  in  a  fishpond,  and  the 
eyes  of  the  man  looking  down  into  the  sea  Avere 
looking  into  the  eyes  of  the  horrid  things  gazing  up. 
Yet  still,  though  he  was  now  silent,  he  would  not  call 
for  mercy. 

The  sweat  was  standing  at  this  time  on  all  our 
brows  and,  in  very  truth,  our  hearts  were  softened 
towards  him — for  if  a  villain  he  was  a  brave  one — 
and  almost  did  my  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my 
mouth,  for  the  time  had  come  for  a  fresh  order  that 
would  bring  him  to  two  feet.  So  I  paused,  hoping 
he  would  plead,  yet  he  did  not. 

"  Brooks,"  I  called  now,  very  low,  for  I  wished  to 
spare  the  man,  and  wanted  not  Phips  to  hear  me. 
"  Jjrooks,  this  is,  indeed,  your  very  last  occasion. 
Will  you  yield  ?  " 

He  ansivered  not. 

Then,  as  I  was  about,  perforce,  to  do  my  duty,  the 
water   heaved  and   surged   more    than   before,   and, 


THE   ENDING   OF   IT.  53 

leaping  up  from  the  sea  as  leaps  the  graj^ling  from 
the  pool  to  take  the  fly,  there  came  two  great  mon- 
strous sharks,  their  loathsome  jaws  extended  so  that 
the  3-ellow  teeth  were  quite  visible,  they  evidently 
driven  beyond  endurance  by  the  sight  of  the  tempting 
bait  so  near.  In  that  instant  all  shuddered  and  drew 
back,  daring  not  to  look  below,  the  sweat  poured  out 
all  over  us  now,  and  from  the  side  there  came  a  fearful, 
piercing  scream  of  agony  and  the  voice  of  Brooks 
calling,  "  In  (lod's  mercy  draw  me  up,  oh  !  draw  me 
up.     I  am  penitent.     Pity!    Pity! 

The  sharks  in  their  frenzied  leap  had  struck 
against  each  other  and,  instead  of  seizing  their 
victim,  had  but  hurled  each  other  back  into  the 
sea,  and  thus  he  was  spared.  So  we  drew  him  uj), 
and  Avith  this  ended  the  first  nuitiny  of  the  Algier 
Rose. 


54 


CHAPTER    VJII. 

THE   SECOND   MUTINY. 

And  now  I  commence  again. 

Two  years  more  had  passed,  and  still  we  had  not 
found  the  plate. 

Very  disheartened  were  we  all  by  now,  yon  may 
be  sure,  perhaps  tlic  one  who  kept  himself  best 
being  the  captain,  Avho  still  hearkened  after  the 
astrologer's  prophecy.  Yet  this,  while  still  he  did 
so,  he  chided  himself  for,  saying  that  it  became  not 
a  Puritan  of  New  Enii^land  to  believe  in  any  such 
thinQ^s. 

"  For,"  says  he,  "  in  my  colony  they  are  now  biu-n- 
intif  witches  and  wizards,  fjeomancers,  astroloireis, 
and  those  which  pretend  to  be  Cabala  with  the  stars, 
to  say  nought  of  quack-salvers  and  saltim-bancoes,  so 
that  I  am  but  a  degenerate  son.  Yet  not  of  my 
mother  neither ;  for  she,  as  I  have  told  you,  Nick  " — 
as  now  he  called  me — "  bought  an  astrologer's  pricked 
paper  and  found  it  come  true.  Still,  wrong  as  I  do,  I 
cannot  but  think  the  caster  was  right  Then,  if  so, 
nuist  we  wait  another  year;  for  by  that  time  I  shall 
have  arrived  at  my  thirty-seventh." 

That  he  would  have  waited  had  not  the  King — 
but  you  shall  hear. 

We  had  now  arrived,  as  I  liavc  said,  at  our  iburth 
j'ear   out,    and    at    this    time    Phips.    who   had    one 


THE    SECOND    MUTINY.  55 

moment,  as  I  have  also  writ,  the  idea  of  staying  until 
his  thirty-seventh  year,  and  at  another  the  mind  to 
take  the  frigate  home  and  confess  to  the  King  that 
he  had  failed,  decided  to  have  the  ship's  bottom 
cleaned,  or,  as  'tis  called,  breamed.  Therefore,  for  this 
purpose  we  moved  her  somewhat  away  from  the 
"  Boylers  "  to  a  httle  island,  of  which  there  is  a  multi- 
tude hereabout — for  we  Avould  not  go  to  the  mainland 
for  fear  of  a  broil  with  the  Spaniards— and  there 
careened  her. 

Now,  a  sweet  little  isle  this  was  as  any  one  might 
wish  to  see — though  very  small,  and  on  the  charts 
tho'  not  the  maps, — all  covered  over  with  a  small 
forest  in  which  grew  the  palm,  the  juniper,  the  cara- 
mite  and  acajou,  as  well  as  good  fruits,  such  as  limes, 
toronias,  citrons,  and  lemons.  Also,  too,  there  were 
here  good  streams  of  fair  fresh  water  all  running 
about,  at  which  one  might  stoop  to  lave  themselves 
or  to  drink  their  fill.  Ofttimes  we  had  been  over 
there  before,  especially  to  fetch  in  our  boats  the  fresh 
water  and  the  limes,  for  since  our  tubs  of  beer  *  had 
long  since  run  dry  this  was  our  only  beverage. 
Moreover,  here  we  came  in  boats  when  we  took  our 
spells  of  leave,  and,  lying  down  in  the  little  forest, 
would  try  to  forget  the  tropic  heat  of  where  we  had 
now  been  stationed  so  long,  and  would  send  our 
minds  shooting  back  to  memories  of  cool  English 
lanes  all  shotted  with  the  sweet  May  and  the 
Eglantine,  of  our  dear  grey  skies  and  our  pleasant 
wealds. 

*  Thij   drink  of   the   Navy  prior  to  the   introduction  of  nun  l.y 
Admiral  Vernon. 


56  THE    ULSPANIOLA    PLATE. 

But  now  we  v,-cyc  come  in  the  sbijj  to  work  and 
not  to  take  oiir  ease,  for  breaming  is,  as  sailors  know, 
no  liglitsome  task.  Yet,  too,  there  was  a  pleasant 
relaxation  even  in  this,  for,  since  the  frigate  was  not 
liveable  when  careened  over,  all  of  us  were  bestowed 
ashore.  So,  too,  were  the  remaining  stores,  of  which 
in  most  things  we  still  had  a  plenty,  and  so,  too,  Avere 
the  great  guns,  they  being  placed  around  our  encamp- 
ment as  though  a  fort.  The  ship  herself  was  hove 
down  by  the  side  of  a  rock  Avhich  stretched  out  from 
the  land  a  little  way ;  and,  so  that  Ave  could  come  at 
her  and  go  to  and  fro  Avith  greater  ease,  a\'c  had  con- 
structed a  bridge  made  of  a  plank  leading  from  the 
summit  of  the  rock  to  the  shore,  just  above  high 
Avater.  'TAvas  not  Ion;?  to  the  bei'inninff  of  the  rock 
from  the  land,  being  some  thirty  feet,  but  once  on 
the  rock  itself  one  had  to  Avalk  some  hundred  feet  to 
reach  Avhere  the  frigate  Avas. 

NoAv  Phi])s,  as  ever,  setting  a  good  example,  had 
Avith  his  own  great  strong  hands  helped  at  hauling 
the  ship  over,  and  ashore  he  had  assisted  in  cutting 
doAvn  trees  to  make  our  encampment  palisadoes,  our 
cabin  roofs  and  Avooden  Avails,  and  so  forth.  Never 
did  he  spare  himself,  and  thus  endeavoured  to  kee}) 
harmony  and  good  Avill  among  all,  officers  and  men 
alike. 

As  to  the  mutiny,  'twas  now  forgot,  or  at  least  avc 
thought  so.  Brooks,  avIio  had  been  the  ringlead(M'  in 
it,  seeiiiod  quite  l)roken  since  tlie  ejiisode  Avitli  tin' 
sharks,  iuid,  yierhaps,  also  a  little  with  the  treatment 
since  accorded  him.  Never  had  the  Captain  relaxed 
on  him — and  but  little  on  the  others,  tlio'  somewhat 


THE   SECOND    MUTINY.  57 

— and  never  had  he  been  permitted  so  much  as  an 
hour's  leave  or  a  sup  of  the  beer  while  the  casks 
lasted,  or  to  take  more  than  one  watch  and  one  dog 
watch  below  in  the  twenty-four  hours.  I  say  it  broke 
him,  yet  I  liked  not  the  look  to  be  seen  sometimes 
on  his  face  ;  and  'twas  more  than  once  that  I  bid  the 
Captain  observe  him  well,  as  also  I  did  the  subaltern 
officers.     13ut  Phips  only  laughed,  saying : 

"  Tush,  Nick  !  We  have  scotched  the  villain  ;  have 
no  fear ;  what  can  he  do  ?  Moreover,  is  not  old 
Hanway  a  watch  dog  that  never  looses  his  eye  from 
him  ?  And,  as  he  knows,  his  friends  the  sharks  are 
ever  near." 

So  the  memor}^  of  the  mutiny  slumbered  or 
awakened  but  little,  and  time  went  on  and  the 
breaming  of  the  ship  was  a'most  finished.  We  got 
her  clean  at  last,  by  a  plentiful  kindling  of  furze  and 
oil  and  faggots,  so  as  to  melt  the  old  pitch  about 
her,  and  Avere  rapidly  getting  her  re-pitched  and 
caulked,  coated  and  stuffed,  so  that  when  Ave  Avent 
back  to  fish  for  another  year  she  Avould  be  so  clean 
and  neat  that,  Avhen  Ave  upped  anchor,  Ave  should  be 
ready  for  home  at  once.  Also  we  had  righted  the 
ship  again  so  that  some  few  could  live  in  her,  and 
soon  Ave  meant  to  bring  back  the  stores,  great  guns 
and  other  things. 

But  noAv  Ave  Avere  to  learn  over  Avhat  a  masked 
mine  Ave  had  been  slumbering,  and  Ave  Avere  to  see 
once  more  how  the  hand  of  Providence  Avas  always 
guarding  us,  as,  I  thank  God,  it  has  ever  done  Avhere 
1  have  been  concerned. 

There  Avere  seven  of  us  in  the  frigate  one  most 


58  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

glorious  Sunday  afternoon — namely,  the  Captain  and 
myself  and  live  men,  when,  sitting  on  the  poop  under 
an  awning,  he  and  I  saw  Hanway  being  supported 
between  two  others  from  the  little  wood  to  the  plank 
that  reached  the  shore.  The  man  seemed  sick  enough 
by  the  way  he  dragged  himself  along  between  those 
two,  and  we,  wondering  what  ailed  him,  went  up  on 
to  the  rock  and  so  on  to  the  hither  side  of  the  plank, 
and  the  Captain  hailed  to  know  what  was  the  mischief 
with  him  ? 

"  Sir,"  calls  back  a  sailor,  one  of  those  leading  him, 
"  he  is  took  very  ill  with  a  colic  and  wishes  to  go 
aboard  to  get  a  dram  and  rest.  Will  you  permit 
his  coming  ? " 

"  And  welcome,"  says  Phips.  "  But  how  Avill  it  be 
for  him  to  pass  over  the  plank  ?  " 

"  We  will  come  fore  and  aft  of  him,  sir,"  says  the 
man,  "so  he  shall  not  fall." 

Receiving  permission  to  do  this,  they  started  to 
reach  the  rock  ;  and  by  the  foremost  man  walking 
backwards — which  a  sailor  can  do  as  easily  as  a  cat 
— and  the  other  propping  him  up  behind,  they  gotten 
him  along  the  plank. 

"  What  ails  you,  man  ?  "  says  the  Captain  kindly 
to  him  then,  when  he  was  there,  but  Hanway  only 
groaned  and  placed  his  hand  on  his  stomach,  so 
that,  sendiu"-  the  sailors  back  to  the  isle,  we  took 
him  between  us,  and  so  got  him  into  the  captain's 
saloon. 

"A  dram  of  brandy,"  says  l^lu'ps,  "is  the  thing 
for  you,  my  man,"  and  with  that  ho  makes  to  call 
for  his  servant ;  when,  to  our  extreme  astonishment. 


Tilt:    SECOiND   MUTINY.  59 

Hanway  puts  up  his  hand  lo  stop  hiin,  and  st.ands  up, 
as  straight  and  well  as  ever  he  was. 

"  wliat  foolishness  is  this  ?  "  asks  Phips,  with  his 
brow  all  clouded  ;  "  what  mean  you,  Hanway,  by  this 
conduct  ?  " 

"  Hush,"  says  he,  glancing  round  the  cabin.  "  Hush ! 
It  means — there  is  no  one  by,  1  trust! — it  means 
mutiny  again.  Captain.     That's  what  it  means ! " 

"Does  it  so?"  says  he,  all  calm  in  a  monicnt, 
though  his  eye  wandered  to  his  sword  and  pistols 
hamyino-  over  the  table—"  does   it  so  ?     And  when 

o        O 

and  how,  Hanway  ?  " 

"  To-night,"  says  the  carpenter  ;  "  and  from  the 
isle.  I  have  heard  it  all,  though  they  know  not  I 
have  heard  one  word.  See,  Captain,  it  was  thus.  I 
was  lying  in  the  grass  under  a  bush  but  an  hour  ago, 
when  there  comes  that  most  dreadful  wretch.  Brooks, 
with  half  a  score  more,  and  sits  himself  down  on  the 
other  syd,  behind  a  clump  of  cabbage-palms  that 
grew  next  the  bush.  And  so  I  heard  all.  Says  ho, 
'  Now,  lads,  to-night  is  our  occasion,  or  never.  To- 
night I  must  have  my  account  with  Phips  and  Crafcr, 
so  that  there  shall  be  a  new  captain  and  a  new 
commander  to  the  Algier  Rose.'  " 

"  And  who,"  asks  Phips,  "  are  to  succeed  us, 
Hanway  ? " 

"  Brooks,  it  seems,  is  to  be  captain  in  your  place, 
sir,"  goes  on  the  carpenter,  "  and  the  master-at-arms, 
Taylor,  is  to  be  commander.  For  the  rest  I  know 
not ;  but,  sir,  let  me  tell  you  that,  excepting  yourself 
and  the  officers,  myself  and  the  bos'un,  all  are 
mutineers,  and   they  mean  to  get  the  frigate  if  they 


GO  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

can  and  go  a-buccaneering  to  the  South  Seas,  as  has 
been  ever  their  intent  since  we  could  not  fish  up 
the  plate." 

"  'Tis  well,  very  well,"  says  Pliips,  "  but  how  will 
they  do  it  ?     Can  you  tell  us  that  ?  " 

"  Brooks  gives  them  this  scheme,  sir,"  continues 
Han  way.  "  '  To-night,  my  hearts,'  said  he  to  them, 
'  there  is  no  moon.  Therefore,  what  easier  than  to 
take  the  ship  ?  We  can  outnumber  them  quite  easy 
— the  bis:  Sfuns  are  all  ashore,  there  is  not  so  nnich 
as  a  carronade  in  her.  So,  too,  are  the  small  arms, 
the  powder  and  ball ;  yet,  since  we  must  not  injure 
the  Algier  Hose,  we  must  not  fire  into  her,  nor  need 
we  do  so.  For,'  says  he,  '  at  about  dawn,  or  a  little 
before,  Ave  can  all  pass  the  plank  and  reach  the  rock, 
when  we  can  descend  on  the  ship  and  put  every  one 
to  death  that  is  not  for  us.  And  I,'  says  he,  '  will 
particularly  kill  Phips,  whom  I  do  hate  most 
deadly.'  " 

Phips  smiled  and  nodded  his  head  pleasantly  at 
this,  for  all  the  Avorld  as  though  he  had  heard  the 
dearest  news,  and  then  he  says,  "  And,  how  much 
more,  Hanway  ? " 

"  Only  this,  sir,"  goes  on  the  carpenter,  "  that 
]]rooks  knows  not  what  will  be  the  distribution 
aboard  and  ashore  of  the  men,  and  fears  therefore 
that  he  may  get  brought  into  the  ship  for  the  night 
— while  the  officers  may  be  ashore  with  the  other 
mutineers." 

"  lie  need  have  no  lear,"  says  the  captain,  very 
sinister ;  "  when  the  imister  is  called  it  shall  be 
airanged  to  suit  him  to  his  exact  pleasure.      Now, 


THE   SECOND   MUTINY.  01 

HanAvay,  go  you  back  ashore,  iiiingie  ireel}'  with 
them,  and  trust  to  me  and  Mr.  Crafer." 

Then,  when  the  carpenter  had  returned  ashore, 
saying-  he  had  had  a  dram  and  his  pains  were  eased, 
Phips  and  I  held  a  long  consultation  together,  and 
our  plan  was  formed.  How  it  worked  you  shall  soon 
read. 

But  ere  I  go  on  I  must  rest  my  hand. 


62 


CHAPTER    IX. 

AND   THE   PREPARATfOiSrS    AGAINST   TT. 

It  was  an  hour  before  sunset  that  the  order  was  usually 
given  to  the  bos'un  to  pipe  all  hands  to  muster,  and  on 
this  fair  Sabbath  evening  you  may  be  sure  it  failed  not. 
Now,  since  so  much  of  the  ship's  company  was  ashore 
it  was  the  habit  for  the  few  in  her  to  ^o  also  ashore, 
so  that  the  whole  roll  mioht  be  called.  Therefore, 
on  this  occasion  we  in  the  frigate  went  by  the  rock 
and  plank  to  land,  leaving  the  vessel  alone  save 
but  for  two  men  on  watch,  and  at  once  began  the 
muster. 

The  officers  were  partly  divided,  some  to  remain 
on  the  isle,  some  to  be  in  the  frigate,  I  being  of  the 
former,  the  captain  of  the  latter.  Now  this  plan  had 
been  communicated  to  all  officers  previous  to  the 
muster ;  since  Phips  had  asked  two  or  three  of  them 
to  supper  with  him — of  whom  I  was  not  one,  but 
had,  instead,  gone  on  shore — and  there  he  had  di- 
vulged the  whole  wicked  story.  There  was  not  any 
more  danger  to  those  who  were  ashore  than  to  those 
in  the  ship,  since  Hanway  had  gathered  from  some 
source  that  the  otficers  on  land  were  not  to  be  de- 
spatched until  the  ship  herself  was  taken,  and  it  was 
thought  she  could  be  easier  taken  and  with  less  noise 
than  they  could  be  murdered.  So  that  Avas  to  be 
done.     Moreover,  likewise  had  Hanway  learned  that 


AND   THE    PREPARATIONS   AGAINST   IT.  03 

Brooks  hoped  some  of  the  nnitiuoei-s  would  be  told 
off  into  the  ship,  whereby  they  might  lie  in  wait  to 
spring  out  and  assist  their  brother-scoundrels  when 
they  boarded  her,  and  this,  on  hearing,  Phips  again 
said  should  be  done. 

"For,"  says  he,  "  since  they  would  have  some  of 
their  comrades  in  the  frigate,  they  shall  be  obliged. 
Only,  they  will  not  know  that  when  the  rounds 
are  gone  those  choice  companions  will  be  prisoners 
all,  with  bilboes  on  their  feet  and  gags  in  their 
mouths." 

And  now,  all  arrangements  being  made,  ashore  we 
went  to  call  this  muster.  First  I  called  the  officers, 
naming  for  the  shore  myself,  a  lieutenant,  and  the 
master's  mate  ;  for  the  ship,  the  Captain,  the  second 
lieutenant,  another  mate,  and  the  two  gentlemen- 
midshipmen  we  carried  (we  had  three,  but  one 
was  drowned  coming  out);  these  being,  when  they 
joined  the  ship,  little  lads  of  eight  and  nine  years, 
scarce  better  than  babes,  but  now  grown  big  boys. 
Then,  this  done,  I  passed  to  the  others,  bringing  the 
carpenter  and  his  mate  into  the  frigate,  and  likewise 
the  bos'un  and  his.  Next  Brooks  was  called  for  the 
shore  with  most  of  the  known  mutineers,  excepting 
only  some  others  of  their  gang  and  companions  in 
guilt  into  the  ship.  And  when  this  was  done  there 
was  to  be  observed,  by  those  who  looked  sharply,  a 
glance  pass  between  them. 

So  'twas  arranged,  and  all  was  well  for  the  foil- 
ing of  these  villains.  And  thus,  having  well  con- 
certed our  plans,  we  all  went  to  our  various  stations, 
the    Captain    walking    back  to  the  frigate  with  his 


04-  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

complement,  and  I  in  command  of  the  sliore  party. 
And  now  nnist  I  relate  all  that  happened  both  with 
them — which  I  gathered  afterwards — and  with  us  on 
land,  which  I  saw.     Bnt  first  for  the  ship. 

At  sunset,  which  comes  fast  in  these  parts,  the 
Captain,  after  the  rounds,  stationed  in  his  cabin  on 
each  side  of  the  door  the  bo'sun — who  was  enormous 
in  size — and  the  carpenter,  Hanway  ;  then,  sending 
for  each  of  the  known  mutineers  one  by  one  into  the 
cabin,  he  had  the  in  knocked  on  the  head  as  they 
came  in,  bilboes  put  on  their  feet,  and  they  carried 
down  amongst  the  ballast.  With  them  he  put  a 
good  guard,  who  had  orders  that  should  they  cry  out 
—  tho'  if  they  did  none  could  have  heard  them  on  the 
isle — they  should  instantly  be  despatched  ;  so  they 
were  safe  and  secure,  and  henceforth  he  had  but 
to  deal  with  those  ashore.  Next  he  sent  for  the 
midshipmen,  who,  coming  into  his  cabin,  he  de- 
manded of  them  which  was  the  lightest  in  weight : 
for,  said  he,  "  I  have  work  for  one  of  you  young 
lads  to-night  that  shall  make  a  mate  of  you  if 
3'ou  do  well." 

Now,  of  these  boys — one  named  Fanshawc,  the 
other  Caldwell  (who  as  I  now  write  connnands  the 
Lizard,  of  twenty-four  guns,  he  having  been  promoted 
out  of  the  Richmond) — the  latter  was  by  far  the 
lighter,  he  being  very  lean  and  spare.  Therefore,  to 
liim  says  Phips : 

"  My  boy,  you  must  do  a  good  service  to-night, 
so  I  hope  you  have  a  strong  heart;"  to  which 
the  lad  said  he  lio[)ed  indeed  he  had ;  tho',  later 
on,  he  told  me  that  at  that  moment  his  thouo-hts 


AND  THE   PREPARATIONS   AGAINST  IT.  65 

went  flying  off  to  home  and  to  his  mother,  who 
had  cryed  so  bitterly  when  she  brought  him  down 
to  go  to  sea. 

"Well,"  says  Phips,  "now  this  you  have  to  do. 
We  will  get  from  Hanway  a  bolt — such  as  those  of 
the  big  guns — and  what  you  must  perform  is  this. 
To-night  at  the  darkest  you  shall  creep  from  the  rock 
to  the  plank,  and  so  to  the  middle  of  it,  and,  when 
there,  you  will  first  fix  a  staple  under  the  board, 
then  through  that  you  will  run  the  bolt.  Next, 
where  its  head  will  enter  you  must  make  a  mortise — 
another  staple  will  do  very  well — and  then  when  all 
is  fixed  you  shall,  with  a  bradawl  and  a  gimlet, 
so  bore  the  board  that  t'will  yield  to  any  weight 
when  the  bolt  is  unshotted.  You  understand,  my 
lad  ? " 

The  boy's  eyes  sparkled,  for  he  was  stout  of 
heart,  and  he  answered  readily  that  he  compre- 
hended ;  and  so  Phips  goes  on  : 

"  Then,  when  all  this  is  done,  to  the  eye  of  the 
bolt  you  shall  attach  a  line  and  so  bring  it  back 
under  the  plank  to  the  further  end  of  the  rock,  where 
some  one  or  other  shall  take  it  from  you.  Now,  my 
boy,  there  is  little  of  danger  to  you  if  you  are  careful. 
And,  remember,  first  fix  your  staple,  then  your  bolt, 
and,  last  of  all,  pierce  and  bore  the  plank  and  do  it 
well,  and  so  shall  you  earn  your  higher  rank.  Now 
go,  sleep  until  we  wake  you." 

The  lad  told  us  afterwards  he  slept  not  in  his 
hammock  at  all,  but  rather  repeated  to  himself  his 
instructions  again  and  again,  so  as  to  be  perfect ;  and 
thus  the  time  wore  on,  and,  at  last,  there  was  that 


GG  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

thick  inky  darkness  that  comes  in  tropic  nights. 
Then  Phi^^s  summoned  him,  repeated  to  him  once 
more  his  orders,  and  the  boy  prepared  to  speed  on 
his  worlc. 

"I  cannot,  my  httlc  Lid,"  said  Phips,  "go  with 
you,  nor  send  the  men ;  the  plank  would  not  bear 
our  big  forms  when  bored,  and  they  might  see  us. 
Otherwise,  and  if  I  could  do  it,  I  would  not  send  one 
of.  such  tender  years  as  thou  art.  So  bo  brave,  and 
so  fare-ye-well  and  a  speedy  return." 

He  laid  his  great  hand  on  the  boy's  shoulder  as 
he  spake,  and  bid  him  again  "  God  speed ; "  and 
then  the  child  went  forth,  his  little  heart  quite  bravo 
•and  cheerful.  Only,  when  he  was  gone,  they  found 
he  had  left  upon  his  .sea-chest,  writ  large,  the  place 
Avhere  his  mother  lived  and  to  where  she  might  be 
addressed  if  he  came  back  no  more  ;  and  also  he 
had  writ  a  little  prayer  to  Phips  that  he  would 
speak  well  of  him  to  her,  and  say  that  lie  died  in 
his  duty. 

That  he  might  so  die  all  knew;  and  from  his 
writing  they  learned  he  knew  it,  too.  Fur  there  were 
many  ways  to  it.  The  mutineers  would  doubtless 
shoot  him  if  they  saw  him  on  the  plank,  and  so  begin 
their  wicked  Avork  at  once,  or  the  plank  might  fall 
under  him,  or  he  fall  olf  it  in  the  dark,  when  it  was 
Avell  possible — the  Avater  being  deep  enough — that  the 
sharks  should  have  him. 

So  he  Avent  forth,  and,  of  those  Avho  saAv  him  go, 
one  or  two  crept  along  the  rock  after  him  to  Avatch 
and  see  it"  all  Avas  well,  and  they  obserA'cd,  and  told 
al'terwards,    how     he     never    faltered    in    his    task. 


AND   THE   PREPARATIONS   AGAINST   IT.  G7 

Through  the  darkness  of  that  black  night  he  creeped 
upon  the  plank,  making  no  noise,  and,  laying  himself 
flat  out  upon  it,  went  to  Avork.  Once  those  behind 
said  they  heard  the  muffled  sound  of  the  screws 
as  he  fixed  tight  the  staples — though  those  who 
kncAV  not  what  was  a-doing^  mioht  have  thought  'twas 
but  the  creaking  of  the  board !  And  once  they  heard 
him  let  fall  a  screAv  into  the  water  that  plumped  in 
with  a  little  splash.  But  that  was  all,  and  presently 
by  his  breathing  they  heard  him  coming  back.  He 
had  done  his  work — the  springe  was  set !  He  had 
done  that  work  well,  too,  only,  so  wrought  upon  was 
his  mind,  that,  when  he  once  more  stood  upon  the 
deck  of  the  frigate,  he  fainted,  and  fell  into  the 
Captain's  arms  as  the  latter  spake  approvingly  to 
him. 

Now,  therefore,  there  Avas  nought  for  them  on  the 
ship  to  do  but  to  wait  the  coming  of  the  dawn — tho' 
all  in  her  hoped  the  mutineers  might  make  their 
attack  ere  then.  For,  if  they  came  when  the  day- 
spring  was  about,  it  was  possible  they  might  perceive 
the  piercings  of  the  plank :  while,  if  they  came  earlier, 
they  could  see  nought. 

And  so,  I  say,  the  night  went  on  and  the  stars 
above  began  to  pale — the  great  Southern  Cross  turned 
from  her  deep  crimson  to  a  white,  and  the  dews  from 
tho  little  island  sent  forth  innumerable  scents  and 
perfumes.  Meanwhile,  nought  could  be  heard  from 
the  shore  by  those  in  the  ship,  for  all  was  still  as 
death ;  while  on  the  water  round  the  rock  a  gentle 
splash  alone  was  heard,  telling  that  those  Avatchers  of 
it,  the  sharks,  were  looking  ever  for  some  prey.  And, 
F  2 


08  THE   HLSPANIOLA    PLATE. 

by  now,  several  of  the  ship's  company,  headed  by 
Phips,  had  creeped  along  the  rock  towards  where 
the  plank  was,  and,  heavily  armed,  and  hidden  as 
much  as  possible,  were  waiting  to  see  Avhat  move- 
ment was  forthcoming  and  when  the  attack  was 
to  be  made. 


69 


CHAPTER    X. 

AND    now    IT   WAS    ENDED. 

And  now  must  I  return  to  tlie  party  on  shore,  with 
Avliich  I  was. 

The  watch  being  set — which  throughout  the 
night  I  took  very  good  care  should  be  con:iposed  of 
those  whom  I  had  reason  to  consider  the  worst  of  the 
mutineers — we,  the  officers,  turned  into  the  hut  that 
had  been  constructed  and  set  apart  for  all  of  that  rank. 
Of  course  we  knew  what  the  intention  of  the  Captain 
was  as  to  the  sawing  of  the  plank,  and,  indeed,  were 
quite  cognizant  of  Avhen  young  CaldAvell  was  at  work 
on  it,  though  none  of  the  rebels  were  so.  Moreover, 
when  I  had  reason  to  suppose  he  was  at  his  business, 
I,  affecting  a  merciful  disposition  towards  them  which 
I  did  not  in  any  way  feel,  went  out  to  where  they  lay 
and  told  the  men  on  watch  to  turn  in  awhile,  as  I  and 
one  of  the  lieutenants  woidd  take  the  look  out  for  a 
spell. 

Now  this  I  had  not  planned  with  the  captain 
previously,  it  being  an  after-thought,  yet  I  took  credit 
to  myself  for  its  being  an  excellent  one.  For  see  what 
good  came  of  it !  Firstly,  it  removed  the  mutinous 
watch  from  the  open  where  they  might  have  seen  or 
heard  the  lad,  since  the  encampment  lay  but  a  hundred 
yards  or  so  inland  from  the  beach ;  and,  secondly,  it 
played  the  game,  as  they  say,  into  their  hands.  For 
they  minded  not  for  us,  the  officers,  to  be  on  the  alert 


70  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

at  this  early  part  of  the  night,  but  would,  as  I  knew, 
rather  have  it  so,  for  they  wanted  lis  asleep  in  the 
latter  part  when  they  meant  to  set  about  their  dirty 
work.  And  it  lulled  them,  as  after-events  showed, 
into  false  security ;  for,  seeing  that  we  treated  them 
so  kindly,  they  never  dreamed  we  had  one  idea  of  all 
their  treachery. 

And  to  further  this  idea  in  their  minds,  after  eight 
bells  had  struck  from  the  frigate,  and  a  fresh  watch 
set,  I  went  in  to  the  men  in  their  huts,  and  seeing 
Brooks  sitting  up  and  looking  very  wideawake,  1  said 
to  him — though  in  my  mind  I  would  sooner  have 
thrust  my  sword  through  his  heart : 

"  Brooks,"  I  said,  "  Ave  are  all  sleepy  now ;  there- 
fore we  will  turn  in.  And  since  there  is  scarce  any 
necessity  for  caution  here — none  being  able  to  attack 
this  little  isle  of  ours — relieve  your  watch  somewhat." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  says  Brooks,  while  yet  by  the  oil 
flame  I  could  see  the  devil's  lischt  shininsf  in  his 
wicked  eye.     "  Ay,  ay,  sir.     What  shall  I  do  ?  " 

"  Let  most  of  the  watch  rest  themselves.  AVhat 
need  that  all  should  labour  ?  We  fear  nought  here. 
Leave  but  two  men  on  watch — the  frio"ate  is  herself  a 
guardship — and  let  us  take  some  repose.  Only,  as  I 
and  the  other  officers  are  very  sleepy,  call  us  not  until 
the  day  watch ;  let  us  not  be  disturbed." 

"  I'll  warrant  you,  sir,"  said  Brooks,  and  positively 
the  fiend  hid  his  head  in  the  shadow  so  that  I  might 
not  see  the  grin  on  his  face,  though  I  saw  it  well 
enough,  be  sure.  "  I'll  warrant  you,  sir,  you  shall  not 
be  troubled."  Whereon  I  bade  liim  good  night,  and 
so  back  to  our  hut. 


AND   HOW   IT   WAS   ENDED.  71 

"  Now,"  says  I  to  my  comrades  wlien  I  entered, 
"  all  is  indeed  well.  Wc  have  but  to  keep  qnict,  and 
tliese  wretches  will  go  to  destruction  their  own  way. 
For,  see  now,  they  must  be  caught  between  two  fires ! 
Once  they  are  on  the  plank,  or  some  of  them,  they 
Avill  be  in  the  water  the  next  moment  if  Caldwell  has 
but  done  his  work  well.  And  even  though  he  has 
not,  what  matters  ?  From  the  rock  they  will  be 
shot  down,  and  from  the  shore  by  us,  while  we 
have  this  hut  for  a  fort  if  needed.  So  now,  while  we 
pretend  sleep,  let  us  be  watchful  and  await  the  good 
time." 

Then,  very  quietly,  we  saw  to  our  arms,  the  bite  ot 
our  swords  and  the  priming  of  our  pistols.  Also  had 
we  in  the  hut  some  musketoons,  very  good  ones, 
each  loaded  with  five  ounces  of  iron,  which  had  been 
brought  in  from  the  ship  when  careened  and  placed 
here  to  guard  against  rust,  as  well  as  some  peteraroes 
loaded  with  old  broken  iron  and  rusty  nails,  which 
could  well  be  tired  through  the  doorwa}'-. 

And  now  we  three  put  out  our  light,  wishing  each 
other  "  Good  night "  somewhat  loudly,  so  that  if  any 
were  creeping  or  crawling  about  thc}^  could  not  but 
hear,  and  at  intervals  of  our  long  vigil  we  would 
snore,  sometimes  in  concert,  sometimes  singly,  so  as 
more  to  deceive  them. 

And  in  this  manner  jiassed  the  night,  we  hearing 
and  counting  all  the  bells  as  they  struck  in  the  ship. 

At  last  there  was  a  stir.  Soft  as  was  the  grass 
around,  we  could  hear  stealthy  footfalls ;  presently  in 
the  open  window-frame — purposely  left  open  by  us 
the  better  to  deceive  these   villains — we  saw  a  face 


72  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

look  ill  on  US  and  again  withdrawn,  we  heard  a  Avhia- 
pered  talk  outside,  and  then  they  went  away.  We 
knew  the  attack  was  about  to  begin.  So,  when  the 
footsteps  had  retreated  and  Ave  imagined  that  b}'  now 
they  must  have  gotten  down  to  the  beach  (and,  indeed, 
silently  as  they  went,  we  could  hear  the  pebbles  crack 
and  rustle  beneath  their  bare  feet),  slowly  I  rose  and 
glanced  out  from  the  side  of  the  window.  But  only 
to  draw  back  my  head  on  the  instant,  for  there,  they 
not  being  such  fools  as  might  have  been  supposed, 
were  two  of  the  mutineers  on  guard,  one  on  each  side 
of  the  window.  At  present,  'twas  evident  they  thought 
not  that  we  Avere  awake,  since  each  was  leaning  Avith 
his  back  to  the  AA'alls  of  the  hut  g'azinQ'  after  his 
companions,  and  1  had  time  to  ponder  on  Avhat  I 
must  do. 

First,  I  had  the  intelligence  to  say  nought  to 
either  of  my  comrades,  Avhile  for  sign  I  could  give 
none,  seeing  that,  as  yet,  the  day  Avas  not  come — 
though  afar  off'  a  saffron  tinge  in  the  sky  heralded 
its  near  approach — and  then  I  took  time  to  reflect. 
NoAv,  had  there  been  but  one  man  he  had  been  soon 
despatched,  for  I  could  from  the  windoAV  have  run  him 
through,  or  cut  his  throat  ere  he  could  make  any 
noise.  But  Avith  tAvo  it  Avas  different.  So,  I  say,  I 
pondered  deep.  Yet,  soon,  this  Avas  Avhat  I  resolved 
to  do.  I  Avould  go  again  to  the  AvindoA\-  and  then 
Avould  remain  there,  a  pistctl  in  each  hand,  and,  the 
moment  I  heard  any  scuffle  or  noise  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  rock,  Avould  fire  into  their  heads, 
^leanwhile,  should  they  discover  that  avc  were  awalvc, 
yet  Avould  I  do  the  same  thing — and  the  noise  Avould 


AND   HOW   IT   WAS   ENDED.  73 

but  serve  to  warn  our  friends  over  there.  So  now 
I  crept  to  the  heutenant  and  the  master's  mate, 
and,  touching  them  gently  in  the  dark,  put  my  fingers 
on  each  of  their  Hps,  and  then  away  again  to  the 
window. 

So  I  was  there,  ready  for  them,  for  though  they 
had  each  in  their  hands  a  musketoon  there  Avas 
nought  to  fear.  Ere  they  coukl  hft  them  the  brains 
woukl  be  out,  they  woukl  be  gone — but  at  this 
moment  up  came  the  sun  as  it  had  been  promising, 
and  in  a  moment  all  was  flooded  with  light.  And  at 
the  same  moment  they  saw  me  and  gave  a  shout  at 
seeing  my  face  close  to  them,  and  the  two  pistols  to 
their  ears.  Poor  wretches !  all  rebels  and  mutineers 
as  they  were,  Avhat  gain  had  they  in  their  evil  ?  Ere 
the  shout  had  finished  they  were  dead  outside  the 
hut ;  even  dead  before  the  report  had  ceased  to  ring. 
Yet  I  had  spoilt  nothing  by  my  haste,  for  as  now  the 
daylight  poured  over  all  I  saw  that  the  attack  on  the 
rock  had  begun,  and,  a  moment  afterwards,  we  had 
rushed  pell  mell  from  the  hut  to  assist  in  taking 
the  mutineers  in  the  Hank.  And,  now,  I  will  write 
down  exactly  how  our  position  was.  On  the  rock 
there  stood  Phips  with  all  his  men  by  his  side,  on 
the  plank  Avere  two  or  three  of  the  mutineers  Avith 
Brooks  at  their  head,  and  smiling  cpiite  gay  Avas 
Phips,  as  he  called  out. 

"And  'good  morning'  to  3'ou,  Captain  Brooks,  a? 
I  hear  you  are  to  be  to-day.  My  compliments  to 
you.  Captain  Brooks,  for  a  better  frigate  than  the 
Algier " 

"  To  hell  Avith  your  compliments,"   howled  back 


74  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

Brooks,  "  and  your  scoft's.  Yet  we  iiican  to  liavo  the 
ship,  anyway :  so  come  on.  We  are  eighty  to  ten  so 
you  must  yield." 

"  Must  I,  indeed,"  says  Phips,  "  well,  we  will  see 
for  that." 

Meanwhile  I  had  perceived  what  was  my  office, 
and  so,  going  back  with  the  lieutenant  and  the 
master's  mate — all  unperceived  by  the  mutineers, 
who  had  been  quite  engrossed  wyth  those  on  the 
rock,  so  that  they  sav/  not  our  sally  forth — wo 
dragged  out  the  peteraroes  and  a  little  old  Lombard 
we  had,  very  good  for  throwing  a  big  shot,  and 
lighting  our  fuse  we  gave  them  a  rousing  broadside 
and  did  good  execution.  The  Lombard  crashed  do^vn 
lour  of  them,  while  the  peteraroes  did  great 
slaughter,  and  we  gave  them  a  volley  from  the 
uuisketoons,  and  so  in  amongst  them  with  our  cut- 
lashes  and  very  busy. 

Meantime  Phips  and  his  party  were  firing  into 
them  from  the  rock — though  not  at  Brooks  and  those 
on  the  plank,  which  was  shaking  under  their  weight 
as  they  advanced ;  and  now  the  captain  shouted  to 
him,  "  Come  on.  Captain  Brooks,  come  on  and  take 
command  of  your  ship.     Come  on,  I  say." 

And  on  Brooks  went,  hurling  oaths  like  a  tempest 
howling  across  the  sea,  and  followed  by  the  others ; 
while,  now  and  again,  he  yelled  out,  "  We  are 
betrayed ;  we  are  betrayed,"  and  so  got  fair  into  the 
middle  of  the  plank. 

And  then  he  saw,  but  too  late,  the  snare  in  which 
ho  had  been  taken.  For  it  bent  so  under  their  weiqiit 
and  also  gave  so  that,  looking  down,  ho  saw  it  was 


AND   HOW    IT   V\'A.S   ENDED.  (O 

all   bored   and   pierced   so  as  to  be  by   now   almost 
apart,  and  kept  up  only  by  the  great  gun-bolt. 

"  Back !  back ! "  he  screamed  then  to  the  others. 
"  Back !  See,  oh  God  !  see,  the  plank  gives,  it  yields, 
we  are  undone  ! "  And  then  from  him  there  came  a 
worse  cry,  a  thrilling  blood-curdling  shout,  for  he 
saw  what  was  below  him.  The  sharks  Avhich  do 
infest  all  parts  of  these  Avaters  had  come  again — 
attracted,  doubtless,  by  the  blood  of  the  killed  and 
wounded  and  the  dead  bodies  in  the  water,  which 
already  they  were  busy  at ;  and  with  them  and  fight- 
ing them  for  the  prey,  were  fierce  crocodiles — or,  as 
they  are  called  by  the  Spanish,  the  allagartos.  "  For 
God's  sake,  back !  "  he  howled,  "  back,  I  say  !  "  But 
those  behind  could  not  turn  back  because  we  Averc 
there,  and  so  they  met  their  doom.  With  one  more 
scoff  and  jeer  Phips  and  a  sailor  pulled  at  the  line, 
the  great  gun-bolt  came  forth  from  the  mortise,  or 
staple — the  boy  had  done  Avell  his  Avork  overnight !  — 
the  plank  broke  Avith  a  crash,  and  down  they  Avent. 

And  as  they  Avent  Ave  saAv  the  great  snouts  of 
the  crocodiles  come  at  them,  and  tear  them  below 
Avith  a  snapping  dreadful  to  hear,  Ave  saw  the  sharks 
heave  OA^er  on  their  sides  to  take  their  prey,  Ave  heard 
one  Avild  and  awful  yell  from  each  of  these  villains, 
and  all  Avas  over  Avdth  them.  As  for  the  others  Avho 
Avere  not  killed,  the}^  thrcAV  down  their  arms  and 
implored  mercy,  and  so  were  bound  and  carried 
aAvay  for  the  time. 

And  in  this  Avay  ended  the  second  and  last 
mutiny  in  the  Algier  Rose,  Avherefore  I  Avill  again 
rest  awhile. 


76 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THEY   HAVE   TO   DESIST. 

Now,  by  this  time  Phips  was  within  a  month  of  his 
thirty-sixth  3^ear,  and  Ave  had  been  out  on  our  fishing 
expedition  four  years  almost,  it  being  the  end  now 
of  1686  of  our  Lord. 

"  So,"  says  Phips,  "  another  month  will  see  me  into 
my  thirty-seventh,  and  then,  Nick,  we  must  have  the 
plate." 

"  Whereby  you  mean  to  say,"  I  observed,  "  that 
you  do,  indeed,  believe  in  that  Jack  Pudding's  pro- 
phecy that  at  that  time  3'ou  shall  find  it.  Yet  I 
should  scarce  have  thought,  sir,  that  so  stalwart  a 
sailor  as  you  would  have  hearkened  much  to  such 
as  he." 

"  I  hearkened  to  him,"  replied  he,  "  because  I 
am  a  sailor,  and  therefore,  like  unto  you,  Nick,  and 
all  of  us,  given  unto  believing  in  augiuies.  Yet, 
reflect  also  on  what  other  reasons  I  have.  First, 
there  was  my  dear  mother,  whose  doings  were  most 
rightly  foretold ;  and  next  Avas  there  the  voav  I  always 
made  that,  some  day,  I  would  command  a  King's 
ship.  Well,  that  have  I  done,  thougli  Avithout  finding 
the  plate-carrack,  and  therefore  I  am  positiA'O  that 
Avhen  my  thirty-sixth  year  is  past  I  shall  do  so." 

"I  trust  you  may,"  says  I,  "yet  in  four  3'ears  it 
has  not  liccn  done;  hoAV,  therefore,  shall  it  now  be 
dune  in  one  ?  " 


THEY   HAVE   TO   DESIST.  77 

"  We  will  fish  in  otlier  waters,"  says  he ;  "  we 
will  try  another  side  of  the  reef.  We  will  have  it, 
Isick — have  it  somehow." 

Yet,  as  you  who  read  this  paper  shall  see,  it  was 
not  until  his  thirty-seventh  yeare  came — proving 
thereby,  alas !  that  Avizards  and  astrologers,  who  are 
the  children  of  the  devil,  can  speak  truth  sometimes 
— that  it  was  to  be  taken  from  where  it  had  lain  for 
its  forty-four  or  fifty  years.  Meanwhile  I  must  per- 
force write  down  all  that  happened  before  that  time. 

To  begin,  therefore,  the  mutiny  was,  as  you  have 
seen,  over,  and  so  rooted  up  and  crushed  down  also 
were  the  men  that  it  was  impossible  there  could  be 
another.  Of  killed  there  were  thirty-one,  including 
JBrooks  and  the  man  who  was  to  have  had  my  place, 
and  there  was  something  like  twenty-five  prisoners ; 
the  remainder  of  the  crew,  though  but  few,  beincr 
tried  men  and  loyal  to  us.  Some  of  the  dead  we 
took  mto  the  middle  of  the  beach  and  buried,  while 
the  sharks  and  crocodiles  provided  the  graves  for 
the  others  without  any  trouble  to  us  ;  and  then,  all 
being  done  that  was  necessary,  we  left  this  sweet  little 
harbour  of  ours,  which,  had  it  not  been  stained  by  the 
horrid  mutiny  and  its  outcome,  we  should  have 
turned  away  from  with  regret.  But,  considering 
what  had  happened  there,  we  went  back  to  the 
blazmg  sea  quite  joyfully  to  begin  once  more  our 
search. 

For  those  mutineering  ruffians  who  were  not 
killed,  it  would  have  been  easier  to  them  if  they 
had  been.  They  worked  now  under  the  boiling 
tropic   sun   in  chains,  theh   hands  alone  being   free 


78  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

wherewith  to  assist  the  divers;  they  were  given  no  more 
food  than  would  actually  keep  them  alive  and  enable 
them  to  work ;  they  had  but  one  Avatch  off  during  the 
twenty-four  hours,  and  over  them  ever  was  an  officer 
with  a  loaded  pistol  to  his  hand,  ready  to  shoot  them 
down.  And,  worse  than  this,  whenever  we  should 
return  to  Sj^ithead  there  they  would  be  hanged  to  the 
yard-arm,  as  they  would  have  been  ere  this  to  the 
yard-arm  of  the  Algier  Rose,  had  they  not  been 
wanted  to  work  the  ship  home  when  her  time  came 
to  go.  Verily,  they  had  gained  little  by  their 
Avicked  foolishness ! 

So  in  this  way  the  weeks  slipped  by  and  still  we 
found  no  plate,  yet  was  Phips  firm.  His  conmiission 
was  for  five  years,  which  Avoidd  carry  him  well  into 
that  thirty-seventh  year  for  Avhich  he  longed  so,  and 
that  commission  he  fully  meant  to  serve,  when,  lo ! 
there  happened  a  thing  that  for  a  time  changed  all 
his  plans,  though  not  for  long,  owing  to  Providence, 
as  you  shall  read. 

One  morning  when  the  day  broke,  the  look-out 
descried,  some  two  leagues  from  us  and  our  reef,  a 
great  frigate  sailing  very  free  and  bearing  down 
towards  us,  while  to  our  joy  we  saw  that  she  carried 
our  OAvn  dear  English  colours.  Now,  in  all  the  three 
years  and  a  half  that  had  passer',  or  nearly  four,  no 
ship  of  our  own  countr}^  had  (;omc  anywhere  near  us, 
although  often  enough  had  we  thought  we  saw  them 
pass  afar,  as,  indeed,  the}'^  must  have  done  on  their 
way  to  some  of  the  West  Indie  Islands.  Yet,  as  I 
say,  none  had  come  to  us,  and  so  wo  had  no  news 
from  the  world  without.      But  that  this  frigate  was 


THEY   HAVE   TO   DESIST.  79 

making  for  us  there  could  be  now  no  doubt ;  already, 
she  was  so  near  that  she  was  shortenino-  her  sail,  and, 
not  long  afterwards,  she  fired  a  salute,  which  we  re- 
turned Avith  joyous  hearts.  Then  she  hove-to,  and 
signalled  to  us  that  the  Captain  was  to  go  aboard. 

You  may  be  sure  that  he  went  very  willingly,  the 
ship  proving  to  be  the  Guinea,  and  an  old  Common- 
wealth frigate  I  knew  very  well,  and  a  good  sailer; 
and  brave  enough  did  Phips  look  as  he  took  his  seat 
in  his  boat,  all  adorned  in  his  best  scarlet  coat  and 
his  great  wig  ;  "  for,"  says  he,  '•'  hot  as  the  morning 
is,  and  will  be  hotter,  I  will  not  go  to  greet  a  brother- 
captain  foully  dressed." 

That  we  in  the  Algier  Hose  waited  impatiently 
enough  for  the  news  you  may  be  sure,  and,  since 
'twas  long  a-coming,  that  impatience  became  very 
great.  Indeed,  'twas  not  till  night  was  near  at  hand 
that  we  saw  the  boat  coming  back  to  us,  while  at  the 
same  time  we  saw  the  great  frigate's  topsayl  fill,  and 
observed  her  slowly  gather  way  and  steer  towards  the 
west.  Then,  a  while  later,  the  Captain  came  aboard, 
and,  sending  for  me  into  his  cabin,  he  said,  while  1 
noticed  that  his  face  was  grave  and  sad : 

•"Nick,  we  have  to  give  up  the  search;  we  shall 
not  get  the  plate  now.  The  frigate  was,  as  doubtless 
you  made  out,  the  Guinea,  on  her  way  to  Jamaica  to 
relieve  the  Constant  Wainuick,  and  brought  me  my 
orders  to  go  home." 

"  But,"  said  I,  "  the  commission  was  for  five  years ; 
they  are  not  yet  expired." 

"  Nay,"  says  he,  "  that  matters  not.  The  King  is 
dead,  and  has  been  so  for  a  year,  and  the  Duke  of 


80  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

York  has  succeeded  him.  And  he  believes  not  in 
putting  the  ships  of  his  navy  to  treasure  hunts,  deem- 
ing such  things  better  for  private  adventiu'ers.  More- 
over, he  says  the  Algier  Rose  can  do  better  service  at 
liome  against  his  enemies — of  which  the  Captain  of 
the  Guinea  says  he  has  a  many — than  in  fishing  for 
phite.  So,  to-morrow,  Nick,  we  will  take  in  water 
from  the  island,  and  away  to  England." 

"  'Tis  pity,"  says  I,  "  a  many  pities.  Yet  the 
King's  orders  nuist  be  obey'd.  And  the  plate — I 
wonder  who  will  get  that  ? " 

"  I  shall,"  said  Phips  sharply,  "  and  you,  Nick,  if 
you  will  follow  me.  For  the  very  moment  I  give  up 
my  command  of  this  ship,  I  shall  seek  out  those 
private  adventurers  of  whom  the  new  King  speaks. 
I  would  pawn  my  life  the  thing  is  there,  and  I  will 
have  it.     Am  I  a  man  to  be  thwarted  ? " 

Indeed,  he  was  no  such  a  man — only,  as  I 
whispered  to  him,  he  must,  if  still  he  believed  in  his 
Geomancer,  be  very  sharp.  He  would  be  in  his 
thirty- seventh  year  by  the  time  he  set  foot  on 
English  ground  again. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  says  he,  while  he  took  a  great  drink 
from  his  cup  and  passed  it  to  me,  "  and  so  I  shall.  But 
before  the  tliirty-se\'entli  year  is  gone,  I  shall  be  back 
again — and  you  shall  be  Avith  me,  Nick,  an'  you  will." 

For  myself  'twas  very  easy  to  say  I  would  come. 
If  James  was  king  now,  then  he  would  have  for 
officers  of  his  sliips  all  those  who  had  served  him 
when  he  Avas  a  sailor,  and  never  bad  I  been  one  of 
those.  Moreover,  I  had  no  interest  Avith  either 
Edward    Russell — who    is   now   as    I   write   Earl   of 


THEY    HAVE   TO    DESIST.  81 

Orford— or  with  Kooke,  both  of  whom  were  hke  to 
be  the  Kinof's  ijreat  seamen ;  so  that  there  was  Httle 
enough  hkehhood  that  I  shonld  get  another  ship. 
There  Avere  just  now  hunch'ods  of  worthy  sailors 
waiting  for  appointments,  and  I  had  no  better  chance 
than,  if  as  good  as,  they.  Also  was  I  gone  my  time, 
havino:  been  now  at  sea  since  165G,  when  I  went  a 
boy  of  eight,  so  that  I  w^as  nigh  forty  years  of  age, 
and  was  never  like  now  to  be  a  captain,  being  but  a 
plain  sailor  and  no  gentleman  courtier  or  page  of 
honour.  Had  I  been  that  and  not  known  the  main- 
truck  from  the  keel,  then,  perhaps,  might  I  have 
gotten  a  ship  at  twenty.  But  enough  of  this,  only  I 
had  a  mind  to  come  out  with  Phips  if  he  came  again 
as  an  adventurer ;  and  that  we  should  see  wdien  we 
got  home. 

A  week  later  we  had  wooded  and  watered  from  our 
isle,  and  the  wind  being  fair  away  we  went,  while  the 
last  piece  of  counsel  w^e  received  came  from  the  beastly 
great  negro  of  whom  I  have  writ  before.  This  crea- 
ture's name  was  Juan,  he  having  been  born  at  San 
Domingo  city,  a  Spanish  slave,  which  he  no  longer 
was,  and  as  we  had  always  thought,  though  we  were 
never  convinced  thereof,  had  egged  on  Brooks  and 
the  others  to  mutiny  by  telling  of  them  that  we  were 
a-fishing  in  the  wrong  pool — as  anglers  at  home  say 
— but  that  if  they  could  take  the  frigate  from  Phips, 
whom  he  hated,  he  could  show  them  wdiere  the  plate 
really  was. 

So  now  he  shouted  to  us  from  his  periaga,  as  'tis 
called  there, 

"Adio.s,  Don  Phipo,  adios.     Berry  sorie,  Massa, 

G 


82  THE   HISPANiOLA   PI.ATE. 

you  no  find  platy,  but  you  look  not  in  proper  place. 
You  ever  come  back  again,  whicli  not  berry  like,  you 
send  for  Juan  and  pay  him  better,  he  show  you  many 
tings  if  he  not  show  it  someone  else  firsty.  Adios, 
Don  Pltipo,  adios  cada  uno,  I  hope  you  berry  nice 
cruise  to  Englishy  waters.  Adios,"  and  with  that  he 
hoisted  his  little  sail  and  was  gone. 

Phips  scowled  at  him  first  and  then  burst  out 
a-laucjliino-  while  one  of  the  sailors  fluno;  a  inusket 
ball  at  him,  and  so  we  sailed  away  disappointed 
men. 

"  A  very  nice  cruise  "  it  was  not  our  good  fortune 
to  have,  for  we  were  teased  and  pestered  with  con- 
trary Avinds  and  storms  all  the  way.  Then  Ave  got 
into  the  Horse  latitudes — where  the  Spanish  used 
to  throw  their  horses  overboard  on  their  way  to  the 
Indie  Islands,  to  lighten  their  ships  so  that  they 
could  move  in  the  calm — or  called  by  some  the  Dol- 
drums— and  here  we  lay  for  some  Aveeks.  There 
we  suffered  much  in  every  Avay.  The  sea  is  here  like 
o-lass,  there  is  not  a  Avind  to  stir  a  sail  nor  to  refresh 
the  panting  men,  and  the  air  is  like  a  furnace.  More- 
over, here  the  seams  of  a  ship  Avill  yawn,  the  meat 
become  rotten,  and  the  hoops  shrink  away  off  the 
casks  so  that  they  burst  and  leak,  letting  out  the 
Avater — of  beer  Ave  had  naturally  none  left.  The  sea, 
too,  looks  lyke  oil  and  not  Avater,  Avhile  the  setting  of 
the  sun  gives  one  the  idea  that  the  whole  world  is 
a-fire.  Great  crimson  fleaks  of  flames  blaze  all  across 
the  heavens,  then  tinges  of  saffron,  green,  and  pink 
shoot  up,  and  then  comes  the  grey  darkness,  as 
though  'tAvas  the  smoke  after  the  fire. 


THEY    HAVE   TO   DESIST.  83 

And  while  we  who  were  free  all  this  time  suffered 
so,  'twas  far  Avorse  and  more  terrible  Avith  the  con- 
demned mutineers,  for,  being  down  in  the  ballast, 
since  there  was  nought  for  them  to  do  on  deck  while 
we  lay  still,  their  agonies  from  the  heat  were  insuf- 
ferable. Five  of  them  did  die — even  though  at  the 
last  they  were  fetched  above — and  so  'twas  better  for 
them,  since  had  they  lived  there  was  nought  but  the 
hanging  at  Spithead  before  them. 

Thus,  when  at  last  we  got  a  wind  which  took  us 
home — and  a  roaring,  tearing  wind  indeed  it  was, 
that  sent  us  often  under  bare  poles  Avith  fear  every 
moment  that  our  crazy  frigate  Avith  her  open  seams 
must  go  to  the  bottom — Ave  Avorked  very  short-handed. 
Yet  home  at  last  we  did  get,  looking  like  scarecroAvs 
in  a  field,  and  so  yelloAv  that  those  Avho  knew  us  said 
that,  if  Ave  had  found  no  silver,  at  least  Ave  had  brought 
a  plenty  of  gold  on  our  faces.  Yet  right  glad  Avere  Ave 
to  see  old  England  again  after  so  long,  and  to  sleep 
once  more  in  a  good  English  bed. 


o  2 


84 


CHAPTER    XTI. 

THE     BARK    "FURIE.' 

Now  I  will  not  write  down  much  as  to  how  we  found 
the  state  of  things  on  our  return,  yet  somewhat  must 
I  say. 

To  begin  Avith — all  of  which  was  very  bad  for  our 
hopes  of  getting  another  ship — we  found  the  King  a 
dreadful  declared  Papist  and  with  most  of  the  nation 
against  him.  Moreover,  he  was  passing  daily  laws 
and  regulations  for  the  oppression  of  the  Protestants, 
so  that  he  was  much  hated,  and  all  the  world  wagged 
its  head  and  said  that  so  extreme  a  tyrant  must 
ruin  England  unless  a  change  came.  And  some 
there  were  who  even  went  so  far  as  to  say  he  had 
poisoned  King  Charles  —  though  this  Avas  never 
proved,  and  concerns  not  my  history,  to  Avhicli  I 
now  return. 

When  the  Ahjier  Rose  Avas  paid  off  (Avhich  Avas 
done  in  a  Avay  shameful  to  our  navy — namely,  by 
giving  us  but  half  of  Avhat  Avas  due  and  the  other  half 
in  promises,  Avhich  Avere  not  fultilled  until  the  next 
King's  reign,  and  then  only  Avith  difficulty  to  us) 
Phips  and  I,  Avho  Avent  to  live  together  near  the 
Strand,  saAV  very  soon  that  Ave  should  get  no  other 
King's  ship  to  go  back  to  Hispaniola.  His  Ministers 
laughed  at  us  Avhen  Ave  sounded  them ;  one  old  noble- 
man asking  us  if  Ave  thought  his  Majesty  bad  not 


THE    BARK    "  FURIE."  85 

enough  to  do  Avitli  his  vessels,  without  sending  them 
on  any  such  fool's  errand  as  this  ?  And,  indeed,  he 
was  right,  for  things  Avere  thickening  round  James, 
we  being  come  to  the  year  1687.  People  had  not 
forgot  the  Monmouth  rebellion  and  its  brutalities,  of 
which  we  heard  now  for  the  first  time ;  they  hated 
the  King's  doings  and  his  mass  in  the  chapel,  and 
although  he  had  a  great  big  army  at  Hounslow  this 
year — which  Phips  and  I  rode  down  to  see — all  the 
soldiers  had  an  aversion  to  his  religion,  excepting  the 
few  Papists  among  them.  On  the  sea  he  was  not 
very  busy  just  now,  and  no  fighting  done  since  we 
went  away;  yet  it  Avas  ever  thought  that  trouble 
would  come— as  indeed  it  did,  though  not  in  the  Avay 
expected. 

So,  therefore,  as  now  3-ou  Avill  see  Avho  read,  we 
had  to  turn  our  thoughts  to  other  ways,  and  at  once 
we  began  to  look  about  for  some  proprietors  who 
would  send  us  forth  to  look  again  for  the  Hispaniola 
plate. 

At  first  Ave  had  no  success.  Indeed,  in  the  City, 
to  Avhich  Ave  resorted,  the  project  Avas  treated  by  the 
merchants  and  goldsmiths  Avith  extreme  contempt, 
they  jeering  at  us  ;  Avhile  one  of  the  Latter  told  us  he 
had  gotten  together  more  plate  than  he  desired,  and 
Avould  cheerfully  sell  us  some.  But  this  Avas  not  our 
business,  so  Ave  looked  again.  And  now,  at  last,  Ave 
heard  of  one  Avho  Ave  thought  Avould  do  for  us — our 
knoAvledge  of  him  being  produced  and  brought  to  us 
by  a  friend  Avho  knew  Avhat  Ave  Avere  seeking  for.  And 
the  person  to  Avhom  he  pointed  Avas  Christopher  Monk, 
the  second  Duke  of  Albemarle. 


86  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

This  nobleman  had  in  no  ways  ever  done  aught  to 
carry  on  the  g'reat  rejDutation  of  his  father;  but, 
instead,  he  had,  on  coming  into  a  most  enormous 
fortune  at  that  father's  death,  tw^cnty  years  ago,  given 
himself  up  to  loose  and  vicious  courses,  as  well  as 
having  a  ravenous  liking  for  drink.  Yet  one  fancy  he 
had  which  improved  on  this,  and  was  very  good  for 
us  and  our  desires — viz.,  he  loved  to  hear  of  treasure- 
finds,  of  the  sacking  of  cities  for  plunder :  such  as 
those  of  Drake  in  the  Indies  in  the  Great  Queen's 
reign,  or  of  Sir  Henry  Morgan,  the  buccaneer  who 
sacked  Panama  and  Porto  Bello,  wherefore  the  late 
King  gave  him  the  government  of  Jamaica,  which 
Albemarle  was  afterwards  himself  to  have;  and,  above 
all,  of  the  digging  up  of  hidden  Avealth.  So  to  him, 
having  obtained  a  letter  introducing  us,  away  went 
Phips  and  I  to  see  what  might  be  done. 

He  listened  very  attentively  to  us  and,  Avhen  Phi})S 
said  he  did  in  truth  believe  there  was  three  hundred 
thousand  pounds  under  the  water,  he  sighed  and  said 
he  would  he  could  have  some  of  it,  for  he  Avanted 
money  badly.  This  we  could  well  believe ;  for  though 
his  father  left  him  so  vast  a  for  time,  he  was  a  heavy 
gambler,  and  his  Duchess — a  half-witted  creature, 
trranddautj^hter  of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  to  whom 
he  was  married  before  his  dying  father,  as  he  lay 
on  his  bed — had  ravaged  him  with  her  extrava<7ance 
and  debts. 

So  says  Phips  to  him  : 

"Then,  your  (Jrace,  if  you  will  have  it  you  shall. 
Find  me  but  a  ship  avcU  fitted  and  this  very  year — no 
other — it  shall  be  yours.     It  is  there,  I  know  ;  I  have 


THE   BARK  '' FURIE."  87 

imich  evidence  it  is ;  and  though  I  h.ave  (i'^hcd  in  the 
wrong  place  hitherto,  yet  now  Avill  I  find  it.  And,  as 
I  say,  it  is  my  year." 

"  Why,  sir,"  said  the  Duke,  "  ^vhy  this  year  more 
than  any  other  ? " 

Yet  this  Phips  would  not  tell  him — confiding  in  me 
afterwards  that,  though  he  believed  in  the  astrologer, 
he  was  ashamed  of  his  belief.  So,  then,  next  says 
the  Duke : 

"  But  why  seek  not  the  Spanish,  or  the  French, 
Avho  have  now  gotten  possession  of  the  North  of 
Hispaniola,  if  not  all  of  the  island,  for  this  plate  ? 
'Tis  worth  their  while,  if 'tis  worth  mine." 

"Your  Grace,"  says  Phips,  "  it  is  not  possible  they 
should  seek  for  it.  Ever  and  always  are  they  fighting 
together  for  possession,  Avhen  not  massacring  of  the 
natives — of  Avhom  three  millions  have  been  slain  since 
Columbus's  day — and  truly  they  have  neither  time 
nor  inclination,  even  if  they  believe,  which  all  do  not. 
Then,  for  private  adventurers,  there  are  none  among 
them  who  can  or  will  risk  the  money ;  so  that  if  any 
find  it  it  must  be  an  Englishman." 

In  this  way,  and  with  many  other  arguments  and 
proofs,  did  Phips  press  it  on  the  Duke — particularly 
leaning  on  the  boat  that  came  ashore,  after  the  wreck 
of  the  carrack,  full  of  plate ;  so  that,  at  last,  he  said 
he  would  think  well  upon  it,  and  bade  us  come  again 
in  a  week's  time. 

"For,"  says  he,  "of  myself  I  cannot  now  do  it, 
though  I  could  very  well  once  " — and  here  he  sighed 
— "  when  I  had  my  father's  fortune.  But  now  I  am 
no  longer  rich  and  am  even  petitioning  the  King  for 


88  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

emploj-ment,  and  liave  the  promise  of  Jamaica.  Still 
I  will  see  among  my  friends,  and  I  will  ask  the  King's 
permission.  He,  yon  know,  must  have  a  tenth  and 
adventure  nothing  " 

"  Let  his  Majesty  have  it,"  says  Phips,  "  and  then 
I'll  warrant  your  Grace  there  shall  be  enough  to 
satisfy  all." 

"  Sir,  you  are  very  sanguine,"  says  the  Duke.  "  But, 
there,  come  in  a  week  and  you  shall  hear." 

So  we  made  our  bow  and  left  him. 

Now,  I  have  so  much  yet  to  Avrite  of  the  finding  of 
the  plate  and  then  all  that  followed,  as  well  as  to  tell 
you,  who  may  read,  how  you  shall  also  find  a  fortune 
if  you  will  seek,  that  I  must  waste  no  space,  but  crowd 
on  with  my  story. 

So  I  will  briefly  write  down  that,  when  the  week 
was  past,  we  went  to  the  Duke's  again,  and  he  coming 
up  to  us — a  little  flustered  with  his  morning  tankard, 
as  I  thought,  though  iio  ways  drunk — takes  Phips  by 
the  hand  and  then  me,  and  says  he : 

"  Gentlemen,  I  think  it  is  done,  and  we  must  send 
3'ou  out.     So  now  listen  to  what  T  have  attempted." 

And  with  that  he  bade  his  serving-men  begone 
and  see  he  Avas  not  interrupted  till  he  called.  Then 
he  went  on : 

"  I  have  gotten,"  he  said,  "  a  ship  for  you,  not  so 
good  as  a  King's  ship,  yet  Avell  found,  of  a  good 
burthen.  The  crew  you  shall  pick  up  3"ourselves — 
God  knows  there  arc  many  sailors  now  in  London 
wanting  bread  !  Then,  as  for  repayment,  you  and 
Captain  Crafer  " — for  so  he  called  me,  though  I  was 
no  captain — '■  nuist  be  willing  to  be  paid  by  return, 


THE   BARK   "  FURIE."  89 

or  wliat  tlie  merchants  call  a  '  per  centinii.'     Now,  are 
you  willing  to  do  this  ?  " 

We  said  we  were  very  v/illing  provided  we  were 
put  to  no  expense  for  provisions  or  furnishing  of  the 
ship,  which  we  could  not  do,  and  he  said  that  matter 
should  be  arranged,  as  well  as  the  payment  of  the 
sailors,  which  must  be  part  now  and  part  hereafter, 
when  we  returned,  out  of  the  proceeds.  So  after 
man}'  more  particulars  we  agreed  to  all,  and  we  left 
the  Duke  to  go  into  the  city  and  see  the  merchants, 
and  then  to  attend  to  fitting  of  the  ship. 

She  was,  we  found,  Avhen  we  got  to  her  in  Lirae- 
houso  Pool,  after  we  had  spoken  with  the  merchants 
very  satisfactory,  a  good  bluff-bowed  bark  named  the 
Furie,  who  had  been  employed  in  the  slave  trade, 
about  which  we  did  not  inquire  too  curiously,  knowing 
very  well  what  uses  the  Guinea  merchants  put  such 
ships  to.  Suffice  it,  therefore,  if  I  say  she  was  large 
and  roomy  for  her  size,  with  many  good  cabins,  espe- 
cially on  the  deck,  a  good  main  cabin,  and  a  clear 
fo'castle.     And  so  we  set  to  work  to  pick  up  a  crew. 

Now,  as  the  Duke  had  truly  said,  there  was  no 
want  of  sailors  just  now ;  for,  firstly,  we  were  not  at 
war  with  any  power ;  and,  secondly,  the  men  went  in 
but  slowly  to  the  King's  ships  of  war  because  their 
pay  was  so  uncertain ;  and,  thirdly,  because  all  were 
against  him,  hating  the  Papists  he  had  gotten  both 
into  the  navy  and  army,  and  hating  him  too,  as  well 
as  his  Papist  Queen,  who  had  passed  off"  a  false  heir 
on  the  nation,  as  they  said  ;  and  also  his  beastly 
mistress,  Sedley,  now  made  Lady  Dorchester.  So 
when  we  went  about  the  taverns  of  Blackwall  and 


90  THE    UISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

Wapping,  we  soon  picked  up  a  likely  crew  enough, 
and  when  we  told  what  oiu*  cruise  was  for — namely, 
to  get  up  a  treasure-ship — they  were  all  eager  to 
corne.  Therefore,  at  last  we  did  get  more  offers 
than  we  could  Avell  accept,  seeing  that  we  wan.ted  but 
twenty,  and  so  made  a  good  pick.  Of  them  some 
were  old  King's  men  who  had  seen  much  service  like 
luyself,  two  had  taken  part  in  Sir  Robert  Holme's 
"  bonefire,"  when  lie  burnt  up  the  Dutch  ships,  some 
more  had  fought  under  Prince  Rupert — as  I  did — 
Avhen  he  beat  i)e  Ruyter,  others  had  fought  against 
Selvagees'  Armada,  and  all  were  of  much  experience. 

Now,  therefore,  Ave  had  but  to  victual  the  Ijark 
and  to  put  in  our  beer  and  water,  and  all  was  ready ; 
so  to  it  we  went,  the  merchants  behaving  very 
generously.  Yet,  since  Fliips  felt  sure — owing  to  his 
belief  in  his  precious  geomancer,  who  was  doubtless 
handed  for  a  knave  ere  now — that  we  shoidd  not  be 
gone  a  year,  wo  by  no  means  overloaded  her.  Still, 
all  was  ver}^  well ;  we  went  out  with  a  plenty  of  beef 
and  pork,  a  gallon  of  beer  a  man  ever}'  day  for  some 
months,  with,  after  that,  some  spirituous  liquors,  and 
with  good  pease  and  oatmeal  as  well  as  bread.  Also, 
which  was  of  equal  need,  we  had  good  arms,  taking 
Avith  us  new  cutlashes  and  muskets,  several  cannon, 
including  two  thirty-two-pound  ones  and  a  twenty- 
four,  some  pierriers,  or  swivel-guns,  very  useful,  and 
several  others.  And,  since  this  time  Ave  hoped  not  to 
fnil,  Ave  took  all  a-pplications  for  diving,  such  as  a 
bell,  pumps,  bladders  for  the  head,  and  so  forth,  such 
as  Avas  used  at  Mull  for  fishing  up  part  of  the  Spanish 
Armada  in  the  be^inninir  of  the  late  Kiuff's  reiii^n. 


Tin:    BARK    "  FUIUE."  91 

And  so  we  went  away  again  to  find,  as  you  sliall 
read,  the  Hispaniola  Plate.  But  to  set  it  down  baldly 
and  to  say  only  that  we  did  so  find  it,  would  be  to 
give  no  help  to  those  who  shall  come  after  me,  when- 
soever that  shall  be.  Therefore,  when  next  I  take  up 
my  pen  I  must  tell  of  all  our  doings,  of  the  way  in 
which  the  treasure  was  cjotten,  and  of  that  uncommon 
villain  who  was  soon  now  to  appear  amongst  us,  and 
who  did,  in  very  truth,  by  his  extreme  villainies,  lead 
to  my  crowding  the  paper  as  I  do  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  follow  me. 


92 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE   OLD   man's   STORV. 

Now,  therefore,  Ave  are  again  at  Hispaniola  and  have 
got  near  unto  the  Bajo  de  la  Phata,  or  Boylers,  once 
more,  having  made  an  extreme  good  cruise  from 
England.  The  Fiirie  was  indeed,  we  found,  a  good 
little  barky,  she  sailing  well  on  the  wind,  which  Avas 
ever  most  favourable  for  us,  and  so  brinsrinsf  us  across 
the  ocean  in  tAventj^-four  days. 

But  ere  we  Avcnt  out  to  the  reef  there  Avere  some 
things  that  passed  Avhicli  I  nuist  Avritc  doAvn.  First, 
we  anchored  off  Porto  de  la  Plata,  Avhich,  as  I  have 
writ,  Avas  so  named  from  the  boat  that  Avent  ashore 
full  of  plate  from  the  Avreck  fifty  years — or  now  more 
— before,  and  Avhich  is  noAV  the  port  of  St.  Jago  de  los 
Cavalleros  ;  and  here  Ave  purchased  a  tender  Avhich  it 
Avas  our  intention  to  use,  so  that  there  niio-ht  be  tAvo 
searchings  made  for  the  lost  ship.  Also  Ave  meant  to 
have  some  canoes,  or  periagas,  so  that  they  could  go 
Avherc  neither  the  ship  nor  the  tender  could  go  tliem- 
sclves,  and  thereby  avc  did  intend  to  scour  all  the 
Avater  round  about  the  reef. 

But,  Lord  !  Avho  Avould  not  have  been  discouraacd 
by  all  the  merriment  that  our  retiu-n  caused — avIio,  I 
say,  but  Phips  ?  For  those  Avho  lived  at  Porto  did 
openly  make  mock  of  us,  jeering  at  us  for  our  coming 
back,  and  calling  of  us  the  mad  Eu'^-lishmcn  ;   Avhilc, 


THE   OLD   man's   STORY.  93 

if  it  may  be  believed,  people  did  even  come  over  from 
St.  Jago,  which  is  inland,  to  see  us  and  our  silly  ship, 
as  they  called  it.  Now,  the  people  here  were  of 
all  kinds — there  were  Spaniards  and  Portugees,  and 
also  some  French  who  had  by  now  gotten  all  that 
part  of  the  isle  to  the  west  of  Monte  Christo  on  the 
N.  and  Cape  Mongon  on  the  S.,  though  no  legal 
settlement  until  later,  as  well  as  Creoles  and  mulattoes, 
and  many  more.  And  with  one  accord  all  laughed 
at  us,  saying,  "  There  is  no  plate,  be  sure,  or  we  would 
have  had  it  long  ago." 

Yet  still  Phips,  and  with  him  all  of  us,  believed  it 
was  there. 

But  now  there  came  and  sought  us  out  the  great 
monstrous  negro  diver,  Juan,  who,  after  tinding 
through  me  that  Phips  bore  him  no  ill-will  for  his 
last  fieerhig  farewell  of  us,  said  that  he  had  some- 
what to  tell  us  if  we  would  hearken  to  him.  So  I 
gave  him  an  appointment  to  see  the  Captain  the  next 
day,  and  a  promise  that  he  should  be  safe  from  any 
harm  ;  and  so  he  came  out  in  his  periaga  to  where  we 
lay  a  league  off  shore.  And  he  brought  along  with 
him  the  queerest  of  old  men  that  ever  I  did  set  eyes 
on — an  old  shrivelled-up  Portugee  who  looked  as 
though  he  was  an  hundred,  half-blind,  and  with  a 
kind  of  shaking  palsy  all  over  him. 

Then,  when  I  took  them  into  the  cabin  whore 
Phips  was,  he,  being  ever  of  a  jocund  vein,  called  out: 

"And  good  morning  to  you,  Signer  Juan,  and  how 
do  you  do  ?  You  see  you  were  no  true  prophet,  since 
here  we  are  come  back  again." 

The  hideous  negro  made  a  shambling  bow,  and 


04  THE   IILSPANIOLA   PLATE. 

hoped  his  honour  was  well,  and  then  in  a  jargon  of 
Spanish  and  English,  ver}^  hard  for  nre  to  understand, 
and  not  to  be  faithfully  written  down,  he  said  : 

"  Masser  Phips,  I  bery  sorry  I  larf  at  you  when 
yon  went  away.  But  I  never  tink,  no  never,  that  you 
come  back  again.  But  since  you  conic,  I  tell  you 
many  tings  I  have  founder  outer.  Sir,  this  old 
Signer,  he  know  much,  he  berry  old" — and  here  the 
brute  opened  and  shut  his  great  hands  nine  times, 
very  quick — "  he  have  see  ninety  summers." 

"  Has  he,  indeed  ?"  says  the  Captain,  "  that  seems 
a  long  while  to  me  who  have  seen  but  thirty-six  as 
yet.  And  what  has  the  Signer  seen  in  all  that 
time  ? " 

"  He  see  many  tings.  Ho  see  the  boaty  come 
ashore  with  the  silver  plate— beautiful  plate,  many 
candlestickies,  bagges  of  pieces,  salivers  and  lumpes. 
All  gone  now ! " 

Then  here  the  old  Portuguese  screamed  out,  also 
in  a  sort  of  English, 

"  Yees,  yees.  All  gone  now,  Spanish  sailors  drink 
all  up,  then  die.  Die  very  soon  afterwards.  Drink 
all  da}^  and  danze  with  the  girls,  then  die." 

"  Well,"  says  Phips,  "  what  good's  that  to  me  ?  If 
the  drink  and  the  girls  got  all,  1  can  prolit  nothing." 

"  He,  he,"  laughed  the  old  man,  till  he  m'gh 
choked,  "got  all  that  came  in  the  boat,  not  all  under 
the  water.     No,  no ! " 

"  Plenty  more  under  water,"  grunted  Juan,  "  so  he 
say.  Plenty  more.  Only  no  one  able  to  get  it  and 
no  one  believe.  He  poor  old  Portygee,  me  poor 
negro,  so  no  one  believe." 


THE   OLD   man's   STORY.  95 

"  Wliat  docs  lie  know  ? "  says  Phips,  "  and,  if  you 
knew,  why  had  you  no  nihid  to  speak  when  first  we 
came  here  and  1  employed  you  ? " 

"  Signor  Phips,"  said  the  blacli,  "  then  I  knew  of 
nothing ;  I  only  suspect  you  fished  in  wrong  place. 
Then  when  you  go  away  to  English  land  there  make 
much  talk  about  you,  and  all  ask  me  if  English 
captain  find  nnich  ?  And  I  say,  no,  and  don't  tink 
anyone  find  any  ting.  Then  old  man  here — he  ninety 
summers  old ! — then  old  man,  Geronimo,  he  come  m 
from  mines  of  Hayna  in  middle  of  country,  where 
he  lived  forty  year,  and  hear  of  talk  about  you  and 
the  silver,  and  of  me  the  Buzo "  (which  means  a 
diver),  "  and  he  say  he  Avish  he  come  back  sooner 
much,  because  he  know  where  carrack  lie,  Avhere 
shift  off  reefy." 

"  Shift  off  the  reef ! "  exclaimed  the  Captain  and 
myself  together,  with  a  glance  at  each  other.  "  Is 
that  so  indeed  ? " 

Then  the  old  Portygee  burst  out  laughing  and 
then  choking,  and  then  when  he  found  his  voice 
again,  he  said, 

"  Yees,  yees ;  that  so.  I  see  sailors  come  ashore 
with  plate.  I  drink  with  them,  I  danze  with  girls, 
too,  only  I  not  die.  That  very  long  ago  now;  girls 
all  dead,  too.  He  !  he !  Oh  !  "'  and  again  he  had 
his  spasms. 

Then  once  more  he  went  on : 

"  And  so,  Signor,  because  I  was  a  fisherman,  I  go 
out  to  the  Bajo  and  I  look  about,  only  I  fear  Tiburons 
(sharks),  and  once  when  water  very  low  I  see  down 
deep  a  cannon,  then  I  know  the  ship  had  shifted.    So 


96  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

another  day  I  go  look  again,  and  there  floated  up  a 
piece  of  the  ship,  a  rail,  so  I  know  for  certain  she 
move.  Then  I  speak  to  many  and  I  say  I  know 
where  carrack  is,  but  they  believed  not  and  would  do 
nothing.  And  now  they  all  dead,  too,  like  the  sailors 
and  the  girls.     He  !  he  !     Ha  !  ha  !     Oli !  oh  ! " 

We  talked  long  with  this  miserable  relic  of  the 
past — who  so  angered  Pliips  with  his  recollections  of 
the  dead  and  the  gone,  especially  the  girls,  that  he 
almost  ordered  him  out  of  the  ship — and,  indeed,  it 
did  seem  as  if  at  last  wo  had  lio-hted  on  some  ijood 
news.  He  said,  when  he  could  persuade  no  one  to 
believe  or  lend  a  hand  to  search  further,  he  went  away 
to  the  mines  of  Hayna,  in  the  interior,  Avhere  a  fresh 
find  of  gold  was  made,  and  there  he  stayed  for  all 
the  years,  making  a  little  livelihood  and  forgetting  all 
about  the  plate  ship.  Then,  having  at  last  struck 
ninety — on  which  he  laid  great  stress,  as  though  an 
action  of  credit  done  by  himself — he  came  back  to 
Porto  where  he  belonged,  and  fell  in  Avith  Juan.  And 
this  black  told  us  that  when  he  did,  indeed,  come 
back  and  heard  that  we  had  been  and  gone,  he  fell 
into  such  a  paroxysm  of  rage  and  grief  that  he  nearly 
died,  "  for  now,"  said  he,  "my  chance  is  gone." 

So  the  old  figger  thought  all  was  lost  to  him,  and 
bemoaned  his  fate  and  nigh  went  mad,  until  one  day 
the  Buzo  went  off  to  find  him  and  tell  him  that  the 
Captain  Phips  was  come  once  more  back,  but  in 
another  ship.  Whereupon  he  did  once  more  go 
nearly  mad,  this  time  with  joy,  and  then  made  Juan 
bring  him  out  in  his  periaga  to  us. 

So,  after  hearing  all  this,  Phips  says  to  him : 


THE   OLD   man's   STORY.  97 

"  Supposing-  you  put  us  in  the  way  to  find  this 
plate,  what  terms  are  we  to  make  ?  What  do  you 
want  ? " 

"  Half,"  says  the  old  man.  "  I  am  now  ninety 
years  of  age.  I  want  to  be  rich  for  the  rest  of  my 
life." 

"  Tush  !  "  says  the  Captain,  "  this  is  foolishness. 
Why  should  I  give  you  half?  I  know  now  the 
carrack  has  shifted;  I  can  find  it  for  myself.  You 
shall  have  nothinof." 

"  No,  no ! "  screamed  the  old  Portygee,  while  the 
big  black  negro  began  to  mutter ;  and  then  Geronimo, 
as  he  was  called,  threw  himself  down  on  his  knees 
with  most  marvellous  dexterity  for  his  great  age. 
"  No,  no !  "  says  he,  "  not  that.  I  will  tell  you,  and 
you  shall  offer  me  what  you  will.  Me  and  Juan. 
Give  us  what  you  will." 

"  Indeed  I  shall,"  says  Phips,  "  seeing  that  you 
came  to  me,  and  not  I  sought  you.  Therefore,  let  us 
see.    How  much  think  you  there  is  below  the  water  ? " 

"  The  Saints  only  know,"  said  Geronimo,  "  but  since 
she  was  taking  home  to  Spain  the  fortunes  of  many 
from  Cuba,  as  the  sailors  told  me,  she  must  have  been 
full.  Oh !  Signor  Capitano,  promise  me  somethin'^-, 
give  me  something ! "  and  he  clasped  the  Captain's 
legs  about  and  wept. 

"  Well,  now,"  says  Phips,  "  see  what  I  will  do  for 
you.  You  and  this  negro  diver  shall  tell  me  exactly 
where  she  lies,  or  as  near  as  may  be,  and  if  I  find  her 
you  shall  have  this." 

"The   Saints   bless   you,  capitano;    I   am   nearly 
ninety  years." 
II 


98  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

"  Bo  still.  You  sliall  have  this  between  yon,  the 
negro  to  dive  for  me  with  my  own  English  diver. 
You  shall  have  for  every  five  pounds  of  silver  or  of 
gold,  one  ounce,  no  matter  whether  we  find  nuich  or 
little.     Are  you  content  ?  " 

At  first  both  of  them  began  to  grumble,  saying  it 
was  not  enough.  But  soon  Phips  persuaded  them  to 
reason  in  a  way  that  was  all  his  own. 

"  Then,"  saj^s  he,  doing  so  all  in  an  appearance  ot 
sudden  violence,  "  begone  out  of  my  ship.  Away 
with  you  !  What !  shall  I  come  from  England  twice 
to  find  what  I  knew  of  a  surety  five  years  ago  was 
here,  only  to  traffic  with  such  as  you,  and  you  ? " 
pointing  liis  finger  at  each.  "Nay,  never!  We  will 
find  it  by  ourselves.     Begone,  I  say  !  " 

But  to  begone  was  not  their  purpose,  since  very 
well  they  knew  that  without  us  they  could  do  nought. 
Strange  as  it  may  seem — and  ver}'  strange  it  was — 
none  in  Hispaniola  Avould  hearken  to  the  story  of  the 
plate  ship  lying  so  near — for  the  Boylers  are  not  a 
dozen  leagues  out  from  the  island — and  so  woidd  do 
nothing,  and  therefore  they  could  do  nouglit  them- 
selves. For  to  do  anything  a  small  vessel  at  least 
was  wanted,  and  the  means  Avherewith  to  dive — and 
certainly  the  T^ort3''gee  had  no  money  for  this,  while 
the  black  was  little  than  a  beqgar.  Therefore,  at  once 
they  sang  another  song,  becoming  directly  verj'  lowly, 
and  saying, "  Well,  then,  they  would  take  the  Captain's 
offer,"  only  I  liked  not  the  look  on  the  face  of  Juan, 
the  l^nzo,  and  from  that  moment  determined  to  watch 
him  well. 

Kow,  therefore,  I  have  to  say  that  all  terms  were 


THE   OLD   man's   STORY.  99 

made,  and  we  were  ready  to  go  out  to  the  reef.  We 
bought  a  tender,  and  we  meant  wlien  we  got  to  our 
little  isle  of  old,  where  the  second  nuitiny  was,  to  make 
some  canoes  of  some  excellent  cotton  trees  that  were 
there,  with  which  we  could  go  about,  and  see  better 
when  near  the  reef  down  into  the  water. 

The  negro  Juan  was  to  come,  first  as  diver,  next 
as  on  behalf  of  himself  and  Geronimo  to  see  we  played 
fair,  and  he  it  was  also  to  Avhom  tlie  Portygee  coniided 
the  exact  spot  where  he  had  seen  the  rail  float  up 
years  ago,  since  he  would  not  tell  us,  saying  Juan 
would  take  us  to  the  place. 

So  we  went  away,  being  dela3^ed,  however,  two 
days  by  the  accursed  Blackamoor,  A\dio  we  thought  at 
first  had  played  us  false — perhaps,  indeed,  found  new 
employers  who  would  pay  him  better.  However,  at 
last  we  saw  him  coming  out  in  his  periaga — and  none 
too  soon  neither,  since  we  meant  to  go  without  him 
next  morning  if  he  came  not,  and  try  our  luck  alone 
— and  when  he  and  his  craft  were  gotten  aboard,  he 
excused  himself  b}^  ^^^yii^g  h^  had  been  having  a 
festa  on  shore  and  getting  drunk  with  some  of  his 
friends. 

"  Good,"  says  Phips  when  he  heard  this,  "  onl)',  my 
black  treasure,  remember  there  is  no  drunkenness  for 
3'ou  here.  Because, you  see," he  went  on, "I'm  Captain 
aboard  this  craft,  and  if  anj'one  displeases  me  I  let 
them  understand  it.  So,  if  you  Avant  to  keep  your 
brains  m  your  head  and  your  ebony  skin  Avhole, 
remember  that.  And  noAv,  bos'un,"  says  he,  "  pipe  all 
hands  on  deck  and  loose  sail  for  the  reef." 


n  2 


100 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

THE   WRECK    IS   FOUND. 

And  now  I  liave  to  write  down  wli;it  we  found,  only, 
as  such  long  Avriting  is  even  now  difficult  to  nie,  I 
must  do  it  in  my  own  fashion.  And  that  fashion  is, 
that  I  can  do  nothing  except  by  proceeding  leisurely 
and  describino-  each  incident  as  it  came  about.  AVhich 
I  now  again  attempt. 

The  soft  wind  carried  us  out  past  the  Boylers  the 
next  day  at  noontide,  and  then,  as  we  went  by,  we 
parted  with  our  tender,  the  ship  going  on  to  our  little 
isle  of  old.  For  'twas  here  we  meant  to  construct  the 
cotton-wood  canoes,  to  take  in  some  of  the  island 
Avater — the  sweetest  I  ever  tasted,  which  caused  us  to 
take  it  from  there — and  to  leave  some  stores.  The 
tender  which  we  left  behind — though  not  very  far, 
since  the  isle  was  but  three  leagues  beyond  the  Bajo 
— was  in  charge  of  our  master  mate,  as  he  was  rated, 
an  old  King's  man  like  myself,  and,  like  myself,  sick 
of  the  King's  service.  He  was  a  good  sailor  and 
named  Ayscough.  His  orders  Avere  to  proceed  to 
whatever  point  near  that  the  African  should  suggest 
as  the  reputed  place  where  the  carrack  was  shifted  to, 
to  anchor  if  possible,  or,  if  not,  to  put  out  the  floating 
anchors,  and  there  to  remain  until  avc  returned.  But 
no  matter  Avhat  was  perceived,  even  should  it  be  the 
carrack  herself  at  the  bottom,  neither  our  own  diver 


THE    WRECK    IS    FOUND.  101 

nor  the  Black  was  to  be  allowed  to  descend,  especially 
not  the  last. 

Then,  having  given  these  orders,  we  did  remain 
on  our  isle  two  days,  what  time  Phips  worked  as  hard 
as  any  man  in  the  ship  with  his  own  hands,  shaping 
and  arranging  of  the  cotton-wood  canoes,  inspiring 
every  one  with  his  ardours  and  cheering  them  on. 
What,  however,  did  not  cheer  any  of  us,  was  a-finding 
that  some  of  the  bodies  of  the  mutineers  of  the  isle 
had  the  sand  bloAvn  all  off  them  where  they  were 
buried  on  the  beach,  and  that  their  skeletons  were 
lying  white  and  bleached  before  us.  Verily,  a  dreadful 
memorial  of  their  wickedness  ! 

Moreover,  another  thing  we  saw  which  we  liked 
not  any  too  well ;  namely,  we  found  drawn  up  in  a 
little  cove  a  ship's  boat,  with  on  it  the  name,  "  The 
Etoyle,  Prov3Tlence,"  and  in  it  many  ropes,  hooks,  and 
head-bladders,  all  carefully  wrapped  up  and  evidently 
for  use  in  divines. 

"  Now,"  says  Phips,  "  this  is  not  well.  There  is 
nought  to  dive  for  here  but  one  thing — the  Plate 
Ship — therefore  it  seems  to  me  that  someone  else 
has  been  about  our  office.  Yet  it  is  certain  they  have 
not  been  successful.  Had  they  been  we  must  have 
heard  of  it  at  Porto.     What  think  you,  Nick  ?  " 

"  That  depends,"  says  I,  "  on  which  Provydence 
those  who  own  the  boat  hail  from.  If  'tis  that  of  the 
Bahamas,  then  'tis  very  well,  since  they  are  ours  again 
since  "66,  and  as  King  James  takes  his  tenth  of  our 
find,  we  have  the  precedence  of  all.  So  'tis,  if  it's 
that  by  Connecticut,  which  is  but  a  hamlet.  But  if 
'tis  that  off  Honduras,  then  'tis  bad,  since  'tis  inhabited 


102  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

by  buccaneers  only,  if  inhabited  at  all ;  and,  if  them, 
we  may  have  some  trouble." 

"  Well,  well,"  says  he,  "  we  must  see.  Meanwhile 
I  incline  to  it  hailing  from  the  Bahamas.  For  look 
you,  Nick,  '  Provydence '  is  good  English  and  not 
Sjianish,  as  most  of  the  buccaneers  are.  And  by  the 
same  token  it  may  be  the  Provydence  in  our  own 
American  colonies.  Moreover,  the  buccaneers  as  a 
rule  put  no  markes  in  their  crafts." 

"  Etoyle,"  says  I,  "  is  not  English,  though  ! " 

"  Neither,"  replies  he,  "  is  it  Spanish.  And,"  with 
his  fierce  lion  look  upon  his  face,  he  went  on,  "  belong 
it  either  to  English,  French,  or  Spanish  colonist  or 
to  pirate,  they  shall  not  have  our  treasure  Avhile  we 
are  above  water." 

So,  all  being  done,  we  went  back  to  rejoin  the 
tender. 

Now,  when  we  got  to  her  we  heard  that  the 
Blackamoor  had  directed  that  she  should  proceed  to 
a  spot  immediately  on  the  other,  or  eastern  side,  of 
the  reef,  from  which  we  had  previously  fished,  since 
there  it  was  that  the  old  man,  Geronimo,  had  laid 
down  that  we  should  find  the  wreck.  So  A3'scough 
had  taken  her  to  this  spot,  namely,  half  a  league  away 
from  the  Boylers,  and  we  found  all  preparations  made 
for  a  descent,  Juan,  the  Buzo,  being  particularly  keen 
to  Gfo  down  at  once.  But  now  we  summoned  our  own 
diver — a  straightforward,  honest  Englishman,  whose 
name  was  Woods — to  come  and  confer  with  us,  and 
asked  him  what  he  thought.  Then  he  told  us  that 
the  soundings  were  good  enough  for  a  descent,  since 
the    bottom    was    not    more    than    twenty    fathoms 


THE    WRECK   IS   FOUND.  lOo 

below  where  we  were  anchored,  and  that  the  tallow 
bronght  up  soft  sand  and  limestone,  Avhich  showed 
a  good  bed. 

"  Therefore,"  sa3S  Phips,  "  you  can  reach  the 
bottom,  can  you  not  ?  " 

"  If  not,  sir,"  says  he,  "  I  can  at  least  descend  so 
far  as  to  see  the  bottom,  and  if  then  I  tind  the  wreck 
it  shall  go  hard  but  that  I  will  get  down  to  her.  My 
diving  chest  can  sink  easily  to  forty  feet,  and  with 
Mister  Halley's'^  new  dress  I  am  confident  I  can 
touch  the  bottom  hero." 

"  So  be  it,"  says  Phips,  "  and  now  about  the  Black. 
Here  you,  sir,"  then  he  calls  out  to  Juan,  who  was 
even  now  leaning  over  the  guuAvale,  peering  down  into 
the  hot  sea,  "  come  here  and  tell  us  how  you  propose 
to  reach  the  bottom." 

"  That  very  easy,  sir,"  answered  he ;  "  I  have  new 
dress  Massa  Woods  lend  me,  which  I  am  sure  I 
manage  very  nicely.  I  go  down  if  the  Signor  Capitan 
wish  me." 

"  No,"  says  Phips,  "  Woods  shall  go  down  first 
And  since  'tis  a  calm  morning,  get  you  ready  now, 
Woods." 

At  once  the  man  did  this,  going  forward  to  where 
he  berthed  in  the  ship,  and  returning  presently  a 
stransfe  fiofure  to  behold,  since  now  he  was  all  en- 
veloped  in  Mr,  Halley's  new  improved  dress,  all 
over  cords  for  lowering  and  pipes  for  a- taking  in 
the  air. 

*  He  was  Astronomer  Royal  from  1719  to  1742,  but  in  Phips'  time 
had  made  many  improvements  and  suggestions  in  the  necessary- 
apparatus  for  divers. — J.  B.-B. 


104  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

"  For,"  says  he,  "  I  will  try  this,  sir,  now,  and  see 
how  far  I  can  go  down." 

You  may  be  sure  all  watched  him  with  eagerness. 
For  besides  that  we  hoped  he  should  find  below  Avhat 
we  sought,  but  a  few  of  us  had  ever  seen  this  dress 
before,  and  were  almost  afraid  of  what  might  come  to 
him.  Yet,  he  assured  us,  we  need  to  have  no  fear ;  he 
had  made  many  experiments  and  descents  as  trials 
at  home  in  the  sea  and  river  Thames,  and  Avas  con- 
fident of  what  he  could  do.  So,  as  calmly  as  if  he 
were  going  down  the  stairs  of  a  house,  he  bade  the 
sailors  lower  him  over  from  the  gangway,  and  de- 
scended by  the  lines  he  had  arranged  and  was  gone 
beneath  the  sea,  and  in  a  few  moments  there  was 
nought  but  a  few  bubbles  to  mark  the  spot  where  he 
had  been. 

Presently  we  knew  by  a  signal  agreed  upon  Avith 
those  who  held  the  ropes,  that  he  had  reached  the 
bed,  and  then  by  the  paying  out  of  his  pipes  that  he 
Avas  moving  about.  And  so  he  stayed  thus  for  some 
twelve  minutes,  when  Ave  also  knew  he  Avas  returning 
to  below  the  ship,  and  then  there  came  the  next  signal 
to  haul  him  up  again,  Avhich,  being  done,  his  great 
helmet  Avith  its  fierce  goggle  eyes  appeared  above  the 
Avatcr  once  more,  he  following. 

Tied  on  to  him  he  bore  tAvo  things,  one  a  great 
beam  of  Avood  in  which  Avas  stuck  pieces  of  jagged 
rock,  Avhicli  looked  for  all  the  Avorld  like  the  great 
teeth  of  some  beast  that  had  been  fastened  in't 
and  then  broken  off — they  AA'cre  indeed  bits  of  the 
reef — the  other  a  great  piece  of  limestone  as  big 
as  my  head,  all  crusted  and  stuck  over  Avith  little 


THE    WRECK    IS    FOUND.  105 

disks  or  plates,  which  were,  we  found,  rusty  pieces 
of  eight. 

"  A  sign  !  A  sign  ! "  says  Phips,  taking  them  from 
him ;  "  now  get  3-our  breath,  Woods,  and  tell  us  what 
yoii  have  found,"  and  this  the  man  did,  puffing  and 
blowing  freely  for  a  time  ere  he  could  speak. 

Then  he  said,  "  Of  the  wreck,  sir,  I  have  seen 
nought,  but  surely  I  have  found  the  track.  All  the 
bottom  of  the  sea  is  scored  as  thousfli  some  great 
thing  had  passed  over  it,  and  everywhere  there  lie 
great  lumps  of  limestone  such  as  this,  and  great 
beams  such  as  that." 

"  Ha ! "  says  Phips,  and  with  that  he  takes  the 
diver's  axe  and  splits  open  the  lump,  and  there, 
wedged  in  all  over  it,  were  many  more  rust}^  old 
pieces.  "  Ha  !  she  has  left  a  silver  track  as  she  passed 
along.     Go  on." 

"  So  I  do  think,  sir,"  says  the  diver,  "  and  she 
cannot  be  afar  off  where  I  descended,  unless  she  is 
all  gone  to  pieces.  And  even  then  the  bed  of  the 
sea  must  be  full  of  all  she  had  gotten  inside  her. 
But,  sir,  I  think  this  is  not  so ;  I  think  she  has 
been  brought  up  short,  for,  close  by,  as  I  gather,  is 
another  reef." 

"  How  far  off?  How  far  off?  "  suddenly  called  out 
the  captain,  full  of  strange  excitement. 

"  Not  two  cables  off,  I  think,  sir,"  replies  Woods, 
"  since  the  bottom  where  I  was  begins  to  rise  towards 
it,  and  therefore — " 

"  And  therefore,"  exclaims  Phips,  "  it  is  the  reef  it- 
self! Marvellous  strange  it  seemed  to  me  that  a  great 
Spanish  galleon  should  have  shifted  at  the  bottom  of 


106  THE   HISPANIOLA   PIATE. 

the  sea — whoever  heard  of  a  ship  tliat  moved  below 
the  water ! — j^et  all  Avould  have  it  so ;  even  you, 
Woods,  thought  so  yourself!  But  iio>v  I  know  all. 
She  struck  u23on  a  spur  of  the  reef  and  not  the 
reef  itself,  and  she  has  never  moved.  In  which 
direction  does  the  rise  of  bottom  of  which  you  speak 
begin  ? " 

The  diver  look't  round,  tracing  his  course  beneath, 
and  then,  pointing  to  the  Boylers,  or  Bajo,  said, 
"  There,  sir." 

"  Wh}^  so  'tis,  of  course,"  says  Phips.  "  And,  as  I 
say,  her  keel  took  the  first,  or  outside  spur  of  the 
reef  as  she  passed  along,  and  she  never  got  nearer 
to  the  main  one.  She  is  there !  She  is  there ! 
Hearts   up,   my   lads,   we   liave   found    the   treasure 

ship  1 

I  gave  the  word  and  up  went  a  roaring  cheer  froui 
all,  one  for  Phips,  one  for  the  galleon,  and  one  for 
what  she  had  got  in  her,  or  about  her,  if  she  had 
broken  up.  Then  Phips,  all  alive  now,  gives  an  order 
to  shift  the  tender  to  the  spot  where  Woods  did 
consider  the  ridge  of  the  spur  should  be,  and  bade  the 
diver  come  along  with  us  in  it  to  go  down  again. 
1'hough,  a  moment  afterwards,  he  paused,  saying  in 
his  kindly  way, 

"Yet  no.  Woods.  You  liave  done  enough  work 
for  to-day.  You  shall  rest  easy.  Now,  where  is  tliat 
Blackamoor  ?     He  shall  go." 

The  negro  came  forward,  his  e3'es  glistening — 
perhaps  with  the  hope  of  what  lie  should  tiud — and 
to  him  says  Phips, 

"  Get  you  into  the  dress,  or,  since  you  are  now  to 


THE   WRECK    IS   FOUND.  107 

that,  into  the  diver's  chest ;  that  shall  do  very  well 
for  finding  of  the  reef,  and,  perhaps,  the  carrack — she 
cannot  be  afar.     Come,  away  with  you." 

So,  into  the  tender  got  the  captain  and  I  and 
the  negro,  and  the  sailors  told  off"  to  her,  and  in  a 
few  moments  we  were  apeak  of  the  spot  where 
Woods  said  the  reef  must  be.  And  then  to  our 
astonishment — for  we  had  never  been  this  side 
of  the  Boylers  before,  and,  consequentl}^,  had  never 
seen  any  shoal  Avater — of  Avhich,  indeed,  there  was 
little,  ever — on  looking  down  Ave  saAv,  not  three  feet 
below  the  surface,  the  long  sharks-toothed  back  of 
the  spur. 

"  Great  PoAvers  !  "  says  Phips,  "  'tAvas  here  all  those 
years  A\^e  Avasted  on  the  other  side,  and  aag  ncA'er 
thought  to  even  come  round  to  this.  Fools !  fools ! 
that  Ave  Avere.  We  might  have  had  the  treasure  back 
into  London  long  ago.  Noav,"  says  he,  turning  from 
his  meditations  to  actions,  "  now,"  to  the  black,  "  into 
your  tub  and  down  Avith  you." 

Nothing  loth,  for  the  great  beast  Avas  as  eager  for 
gain  as  any  of  us,  into  the  chest  did  he  get  and  Avas 
loAvered  aAvay,  but  scarce  had  the  top  of  it  sunk 
beneath  the  Avater  Avhen  the  rope  quivered,  then  the 
signal  Avas  given  to  haul  up,  and  back  he  came, 
and,  jumping  out  of  the  chest,  or  bell,  exclaimed 
excitedly, 

"  Oh  !  Signer  Phips.  Oh,  Signer  Capitan  Com- 
mandante.  The  shippy  all  doAvn  there.  Fust  ting 
the  chest  knock  on  cannon  sticking  up  in  Avater,  then 
against  her  sidy,  then  I  bery  much  frighted,  for  I  see 
dead  man's  head  looking  at   me  out  of  hole.     Oh  1 


108  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

Capitan  Commandante,  the  shippy  there,  and  she  full 
of  dead  men.  Oh  !  capitan,  send  Massa  Woods  down 
to  see  if  I  speak  truf." 

So  you  see  we  had  found  the  ship 

"And,"  says  Phips,  that  night,  as  we  drank  to- 
gether, "  it  is  my  thirty-seventh  year ! " 


109 


CHAPTER  XV. 

WHAT   THE    FIRST   SEARCH    REVEALED. 

Now,  therefore,  have  I  to  write  down  of  all  that, 
having  found  the  ship,  we  found  in  her.  Yet  how 
shall  I  begin  ? 

Firstl}^  let  me  describe  how  it  was  with  the 
carrack  herself 

She  lay  canted  right  over  on  to  her  larboard  side, 
the  whole  of  her  larboard  forepart  broke  away  and  stove 
in,  and  crushed  as  would  be  an  egg  beaten  in  with  a 
hannner.  And  in  the  fifty  years — if  it  were  so  long — 
in  which  she  had  been  there  she  seemed  to  have 
grown  so  much  to  the  reef,  or  the  reef  to  her,  that 
they  seemed  part  and  parcel  of  one  another.  She 
must,  we  could  see  at  once,  ha.ve  struck  full  head  on, 
and  the  wicked  teeth  of  the  rock  had  torn  her  fore- 
part to  pieces.  Whether  at  once  she  heeled  over  and 
sank  was  never  to  be  known  now,  or  Avhether  she 
filled  and  sank  after  a  Avhile.  Perhaps  'twas  the 
latter,  since,  otherwise,  it  Avas  not  to  be  understood 
how  those  sailors  whom  Geronimo  had  known  and 
danced  with,  and  sang  with,  could,  had  she  turned 
over  in  a  sudden  shock,  have  ever  collected  together 
the  plate  they  had,  and  have  gotten  away  in  the 
open  boat. 

Aft,  from  the  beginning  of  her  waist  above,  she 
was  not  broken  into  at  all,  being  quite  sound  on  her 


110  THE   IIISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

starboard  side  as  she  lay,  though,  as  we  found,  her 
larboard  side  aft,  which  lay  on  the  bottom,  had  rotted 
somewhat  and  bulged  away,  so  that  what  was  in  her 
on  that  side  was,  indeed,  lying  on  the  sea's  bed.  Her 
masts  and  yards  were  all  broke  off  short,  and  the 
broken  pieces,  into  which  the  limestone  had  not 
Avedoed  itself  and  so  held  them  down,  had  doubtless 
risen  and  floated.  And  this  must  have  been  the  case 
with  the  stern-rail  which  the  old  Portuguese  had 
seen,  though  why  that  went  adrift  we  never  rightly 
understood,  since  no  other  part  of  the  stern  was  gone. 
We  found  all  this  out  later  on,  as  you  shall  see,  when 
we  determined  what  we  must  do ;  but  now  Phips  and 
I  went  apart  to  hold  a  conference,  the  first  thing  he 
said  being, 

"  Nick,  we  have  found  the  plate  ship,  therefore  is 
one,  nay,  the  greatest,  of  our  difficulties  over.  But 
with  this  begins  the  necessity  for  great  caution.  For, 
see  you,  Nick,  we  cannot  trust  the  overhauling  of 
this  ship  to  the  two  divers  alone.  We  must  know 
all  that  is  in  her,  and  we  must  see  that  all  comes 
safe  up  and  into  our  hands.  What,  therefore,  shall 
be  done  ? " 

"  Easy  enough,"  says  T,  "  to  answer  that.  It's  for 
you  or  me,  sir,  who  are  the  responsible  officers,  to  be 
divers  too."  This  I  said,  for  I  had  quickly  caught  his 
meaning.  Then  I  went  on,  "  As  for  myself,  I  will 
cheerfully  go  down." 

"  Have  you  ever  dived  ? "  asked  he. 

"  No,"  I  replied,  "  but  I  can  soon  learn  mj-selt"  to 
do  so.  Woods  had  never  used  this  dress  until  a  little 
while  ore  he  came  aboard  the  Fitrie ;   yet,  now,  see 


WHAT  THE   FIRST   SEARCH   REVEALED.  Ill 

Avhat  he  can  do  ;    and  what  he  can,  so  can  I.     There- 
fore, unless  yon  go  I  will." 

He  thought  a  little  while — perhaps  communing 
with  himself  as  to  whether  'twas  not  his  duty  to  go — 
but  at  last  he  said, 

"  Well,  that  way  is  p'raps  best.  You  shall  go,  but 
to-day — since  it  grows  on  apace— there  shall  be  no 
new  descent.  To-night  we  Avill  rest,  and  then  begin 
the  Avork  to-morrow.     That  shall  suffice." 

So  Ave  did  no  more  that  day,  only  Ave  signalled  for 
the  bark  to  come  nearer  to  us  and  so  anchored  her  a 
little  closer  to  the  Bajo,  and  then  all  Avho  Avere  in  the 
tender  Avent  oft'  and  into  her  for  the  night,  the  spot 
by  the  reef  being  buoyed,  though  there  Avas  little 
enough  need  for  that,  since,  now  Ave  kncAv  Avhere  to 
look,  Ave  could  easily  see  the  shoal  Avater. 

One  thing  Ave  desired  to  knoAV,  so  sent  for  the 
black  to  tell  us — namely,  Avhat  he  meant  by  saying 
that  he  saAV  a  dead  man  lookinsf  at  him  from  a  hole. 

"  Oh  !  signor,"  he  said,  Avhen  he  had  come  in  to  us, 
"  oh,  signor,  I  see  him  berry  plain.  He  leanie  right 
out  of  big  port-hole,  his  body  half  Avay  out,  his  bony 
hands  holding  to  the  sides,  his  bony  skull  turned  up 
to  me." 

"  Nonsense,"  says  Phips,  "  his  hands  and  head 
would  haA'e  fallen  oft"  long  ago.  You  dreamed  it, 
man  ! " 

But  the  black  asseA^crated  that  he  had  not  dreamed 
it,  and  so  Ave  left  it  until  to-morroAV  to  see. 

NoAv,  Avhen  the  morning  came,  at  once  Ave  made 
out  preparations  for  the  descent.  Woods  and  I  Avere 
to  go  doAvn  first,  he  telling  me  that  it  Avas  nought  to 


112  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

do  ;  that  to  begin  with  I  should  feel  a  siiftbcation 
which  would  soon  pass  away,  and  that,  excepting  I 
would  seem  to  be  surrounded  by  green  glass  full  of 
bubbles,  'twould  not  be  so  very  strange.  Moreover, 
he  told  me  to  fear  nothing,  no,  not  even  a  shark  if  he 
came  near  me,  for  he  would  be  more  affrighted  than 
I,  since  he  knew  not  what  I  might  be. 

So  down  to  the  carrack  we  descended. 

First  went  Woods,  saying  he  Avould  wait  for  me  at 
the  bottom  to  set  me  on  my  feet,  and  so,  as  easy  as 
ever,  over  he  went  and  disappeared  from  all  sight,  and 
then  my  turn  came,  and  the  sailors  lowered  me  from 
the  gunwale. 

In  a  moment  I  was  sinking  through  the  waters, 
all  blue  and  green  and  bubbling,  passing  as  I  went 
the  cannon  sticking  up  from  its  port — it  had  been 
left  run  out  when  the  ship  sank,  and  was  a  long 
Spanish  one,  its  muzzle  formed  like  a  snake's  mouth, 
and  looking  three  times  the  size  it  really  was,  since 
the  water  much  magnified  it — and  so  down,  seeing 
fishes  dart  all  around  me,  looking  with  frighted  eyes 
at  my  strange  figure.  Then  I  felt  my  feet  clasped  by 
"Woods  and  placed  firm  upon  the  bottom,  and  I  was 
there. 

And  what  a  strange  sight  did  meet  my  eyes! 
Firstly  I  perceived  I  was  not  on  the  bottom  at  all, 
but  standing  on  the  upturned  starboard  side  of  the 
ship,  quite  near  by  the  great  cannon,  and  also  to  an 
open  port.  Yet,  as  she  was  not  entirely  canted  over 
but  lay  at  an  angle,  'twas  very  hard  woik  to  support 
onc'self  steady,  and  I  was  very  glad  to  cling  to  a 
stanchion  for  the  time.     But,  now.  Woods  taking  me 


WHAT   THE    FIRST   SEARCH   REVEALED.  113 

by  the  hand  did  lead  me  up  the  chain  wales  and  so 
over  the  bow,  until  I  stood  with  him  upon  the  deck, 
which  was  here  not  difficult  ;  and  then  I  look'd 
around. 

The  lirst  thing  to  be  perceived  was  that  the  whole 
of  the  deck  Avas  swept  clean  of  most  that  had  been 
on't,  except  such  things  as  the  hatch-hoods  which 
were  fixed,  the  after  bittacle,  the  stumps  of  the  broken 
masts,  and  so  forth.  The  cannons,  too,  had  slid  down 
owino-  to  the  incline  of  the  wreck,  and  did  all  lie 
huddled  on  the  lower,  or  larboard  side,  and  the 
hatches  were  mostly  open.  Wedged  in  among  the 
cannon  were  some  bones  and  a  skull,  so  that  now  I 
knew  that  the  negro  had  seen  this  in  his  descent,  and 
had  thouo'ht  the  black  muzzle  of  the  cannon  was  a 
porthole. 

And  now.  Woods  making  to  me  a  sign  to  follow 
him  and  pointing  to  my  air-pipe — which, he  had  told  me 
before  he  came  down,  I  must  by  no  means  get  twisted, 
or  the  air  would  cease — he  set  his  foot  upon  the  after 
hatch-ladder,  and,  so,  slowly  descended,  I  following. 
So  did  we  go  down  to  the  middle  deck,  around  which 
were  placed  the  cabins  or  berths.  And  now  I  was  to 
see  a  sight  enough  to  freeze  anyone's  blood,  even 
though  so  old  a  sailor  as  myself.  For  first  we  went 
into  the  main  or  living  cabin,  and  there  we  observed 
what  Death  had  done  in  its  most  grisly  way.  We 
saw  huddled  into  a  corner  of  it  the  clothes  of  a 
man  and  woman,  within  them  still  their  bones,  and 
they  were,  or  had  been,  locked  in  each  other's  arms 
— the  long  hair  of  the  woman  lying  close  by  the 
fleshless  head.     Then  did  we  see  in  another  corner 


114  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

another  woman — her  mass  of  hair  pale  and  golden, 
hke  to  an  Enghshwoman's,  and  in  her  bony  arms  she 
hold  also  some  little  bones  and  a  sknll,  Avhich  told  a 
sad  tale — it  was  a  mother  and  her  poor  babe,  A\dio  had 
perished  together.  And,  around  and  about  all,  there 
swam  and  darted  away  as  we  drew  near  hordes  of 
fishes,  though  'twas  long  since  they  liad  made  a  meal 
of  these  poor  dead  things. 

But  now  I  could  stay  no  longer,  being  as  yet 
not  used  to  my  strange  head-dress  of  copper,  so  I 
made  to  Woods  a  sign  that  I  must  go  above,  and 
so  we  went  forth,  and,  o-ivino-  of  the  si^'nal,  Avere 
di-awn  up  to  the  surface  again.  And  once  more  I 
breathed  the  air  of  Heaven  and  was  very  grateful 
therefore. 

Then  Phips  took  both  me  and  Woods  aside,  asking 
us  what  we  had  found,  and  we  tokl  him — he  sio'hin'^- 
at  the  sad  news  from  below — and  also  did  we  tell 
him  how,  as  yet,  Ave  had  done  no  more ;  so  says  he, 

"  Well,  courage,  Nick ;  Avhen  next  you  go  down 
ycni  shall  find  better  than  these  poor  dead  ones — 
Avhat  think  you,  Woods  ?  " 

"  I  hope  so,  sir,"  says  he,  "  since  all  around  the 
main  cabin  are  many  sleeping  ones  in  Avhicli  there 
should  be  some  sort  of  things  of  value,  and  then  must 
Ave  break  aAvay  the  middle-deck  to  get  to  the  lower, 
Avhere  the  plate,  if  any,  should  be." 

"If  any!"  exclaims  Phips.  "Why,  noAV,  I  do 
believe  from  all  reports  I  got  from  Cuba  3'ears  ago, 
that  she  is  full  of  it  I  She  Avas,  besides  being:  a 
galleon,  taking  home  the  Adelantado,  or  Governor, 
and  his  family,  and  also  .some  others.     If  Ave  find  not 


WHAT   THE    FIRST   SEARCH    REVEALED.  115 

a  hundred  thoiisand's-wortli  at  least  'twill  be  little 
enouo-h  orood  for  me." 

Woods  opened  his  eyes  at  this,  for  tho'  all  knew  we 
sousi'lit  for  treasure,  none  knew  that  she  misfht  have 
so  much  within  her ;  indeed,  none  had  been  told  what 
she  might  contain.  And,  now  that  both  ship  and 
tender  were  apeak  over  the  wreck  and  nothing  could 
be  brought  up  witliout  being  seen  by  all  in  them, 
there  Avas  no  longer  any  secret  to  be  made. 

Soon  again,  after  we  had  refreshed  ourselves,  we 
were  ready  once  more  to  go  down,  and  Juan  the 
Black  was  to  go  with  us,  only  both  I  and  Woods  were 
ordered  by  Phips  to  keep  an  eye  on  him.  This  brute 
was,  as  we  knew,  a  Coromantee,  and,  from  all  accounts, 
they  are  not  only  the  biggest  thieves  of  all  the  Blacks 
but  very  ferocious  as  well.  Moreover,  neither  the 
Captain  nor  I  fully  believed  in  his  keeping  us  waiting 
off  Porto  only  so  that  he  might  get  drunk,  and  we 
knew  not  if  he  and  the  old  Portyguese,  or  he  and  some 
other  villains,  might  not  have  been  concocting  some 
precious  scheme  to  defeat  us. 

But  we  had  no  dress  for  him,  only  a  copper 
bladder-head,  Avhich,  however,  would  do  very  well, 
since  the  creature  Avas  ever  naked  and  certainly 
wanted  no  garments  in  Avhich  to  enter  the  Avater,  and 
Avas  so  strong  that,  he  said  the  Avater  could  not  press 
on  him  to  hurt ;  and  so,  taking  the  longest  air-pipes 
Ave  had  for  all  of  us,  again  doAvn  Ave  Avent,  all  arriving 
on  the  middle  deck  one  following  the  other — Woods 
first,  I  next,  and  the  negro  last.  As  Ave  passed  into 
the  main  cabin  Ave  saAv  the  Black's  great  copper  head 
bent  over  to  the  dead  Avhere  they  lay  huddled,  and 
I  2 


116  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE, 

then  suddenly  darted  back,  so  we  knew — or,  at  least, 
I  did  know — that  to  his  other  qualities  he  added  that 
of  fear  and  timoroiisness. 

And  now,  seeing  that  on  the  bulkheads,  or  on  the 
cabin  doors,  could  be  still  read  the  painted  names, 
such  as  "  Capitan,"  "  Teniente  Po,"''^  "  Pasagero,"t  and 
others,  I  motioned  to  Woods  to  burst  open  with 
his  axe  the  captain's  door  and  let  us  see  what  was 
within.  This  was  soon  done,  since  in  nature  the 
woodwork  was  somewhat  rotten,  and,  moreover,  'twas 
not  fast,  and  so  we  entered,  or  clambered,  into  it.  The 
bed,  or  bunk,  which  was  very  large  and  room}',  we 
could  observe,  even  after  the  hfty  years  that  had 
passed,  had  not  been  slept  in  since  it  was  made ; 
therefore  we  did  conclude  the  captain  was  above  when 
the  ship  struck,  and  so  was  lost.  For  the  rest  there 
were,  all  shifted  into  the  corner  of  the  cabin,  two 
great  heavy  chests  clamped  with  iron,  and  on  them 
great  padlocks,  and  these  we  decided  must  at  once  go 
up  to  the  tender.  So  we  lifted  them  up  Avith  much 
ado  and  affixed  them  to  the  slings,  and  then  they  Avere 
gotten  up. 

And  now  I  was  becoming  so  used  to  iny  strange 
habit  that,  beyond  a  singing  in  my  ears  that  went 
and  came,  I  felt  no  inconvenience,  and  was,  though 
not  rash,  very  busy  about  the  main  cabin.  And  in 
this  way  I  entered  into  a  berth  which  Ave  made  no 
doubt  Avas  that  set  ajiart  for  the  Adelantado  of  Cuba, 
since  all  showed  it  to  be  so.  The  SAvords  about  the 
cabin,  the  rich  clothes,  though  soaked  Avith  Avater,  of 
both  a  man  and  a  Avoman  proved  this  to  be  the  case, 

*  1st  litutuiuint.  -j- Passenger. 


WHAT   THE    FIRST   SEARCH    REVEALED.  117 

as  did  the  great  chests  that  had  shpped  about  the 
place  and  the  bed.  And  herein  was  another  terrible 
and  ghastly  sight.  In  that  bed  lay  two  human  forms, 
or  what  had  been  human  forms  once,  thou^di  now 
but  skeletons,  the  two  skulls  being  side  by  side,  the 
wo]nan's  hair  being  a  great  black  mass  upon  the 
coverlit  like  a  pall.  So  they  had  died  together,  he 
who  had  ruled  Spain's  greatest  colony  and  she  who 
had  acted  for  Spain's  Queen.  And  this  was  all  left  of 
their  greatness  !     Poor  things  ! 

But  we  had  to  see  to  the  chests  and  what  Avas  therein 
contained,  since  doubtless  the  Governor  had  much. 
And  since  they  were  bursted  open,  perhaps  by  the 
shock  of  the  ship  striking  on  the  reef,  we  peered 
therein  and  saw  things  enough  to  make  one  gasp, 
even  more  than  I  did  in  my  strange  head-dress.  For, 
lying  in  the  water  of  the  chests,  or  leastwa3's  of  one 
chest,  were  golden  plates  and  ewers  and  candlesticks 
and  sockets,  all  of  them  set  in  with  pearls  and  rubies, 
and  there,  too,  were  caskets,  not  open,  but  so  lirmly 
fixed  and  locked  that  very  well  might  one  guess  what 
should  be  Avithin.  Also  on  this  chest — for  the  others 
contained,  as  Ave  could  see,  but  Avearing  apparel  for 
both  of  them — Avere  many  other  choice  things,  such 
as  comfit  boxes,  necklaces,  the  jewel'd  orders  of  the 
Adelantado,  the  gems  and  brilliants  of  his  lady,  some 
jewel'd  swords  and  daggers,  and  several  great  bags  or 
sacks  full  of  gold  coins. 

Verily  it  Avas  a  great  sight  for  us  to  see— as  for 
the  Coromantee,  he  thrust  his  helmeted  head  so  far 
into  the  chest  that  we  had  to  draAv  him  back  by  main 
force — and  I  could  not  but  feel  joyful  that,  at  last,  Ave 


lis  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

were  in  a  fair  way  of  discovering  of  all.  For  it  was 
not  to  be  doubted  that  on  the  deck  below  Ave  should 
find  the  silver  itself 

But  now  we  were  signalled  to  from  above  to  rejoin 
the  tender,  so,  sending^  the  black  first,  since  it  would 
never  have  done  to  leave  him  here  a  minute  by 
himself,  and  I  going  up  last,  we  returned  back  above 
the  sea. 


119 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

AN   HONEST    MAN    ARRIVES. 

Now  when  wo  got  up  to  the  surface  agaui,  I  taking 
with  me  one  of  the  bao-s  of  gold  coins  to  show  the 
Captain,  we  were  very  much  astonished  to  see  that, 
moored  alongside  of  our  ship  was  another— a  small 
craft  such  as  is  known  in  England  as  a  "  snow,"  which 
is  generally  very  fast  in  sailing,  having  a  main  and  a 
foresail,  as  well  as  a  trj^sail  mast.  And  as  I  looked 
round  after  getting  my  head  free  again,  I  did  see  on 
her  stern  a  great  gilt  star  and  the  words  "  Etoyle, 
Provydence,"  so  now  I  knew  what  she  was,  and, 
perhaps,  whence  she  came,  or  at  least  that  she  was 
from  one  of  the  Provydences.  Leaning  over  her  bows 
and  watchino-  us  as  Ave  arose — with  a  twinkle  in  his 
eye,  which  squinted  somewhat,  when  he  saw  the 
Coromantee — was  a  man  whom  I  guessed  to  be  the 
skipper,  a  great  yellow  person  with  a  shock  of  black 
curly  hair,  so  that  I  thought  ho  must  be  a  Mustee, 
and  with  a  big  slash,  or  scar,  all  along  his  face.  And 
leaning  over,  too,  were  several  others,  sailors,  all 
regarding  us  fixedly.  Their  eyes  were  set  upon  the 
bag  of  coins  at  once  with,  as  I  thought,  an  eager 
gleam  in  them,  and  then  their  Captain  hails  me  and 
says : 

"  What  luck  below,  shipmate  ? "  to  which  I  did 
but  grunt  a  word,  not  knowing  how  things  stood  as 


120  THE   HISPAXIOLA   PLATE. 

yet.  But  now  conies  forward  Phips,  avIio  says  to 
liim  : 

"  Captain  Alderly,  this  is  our  first  lieutenant,  who 
is  in  charge  of  the  diving  at  present ; "  and  then  he 
turns  to  me  and  says,  "  Crafer,  our  friend  has  been 
here  before  —that  is  his  ship's  boat  drawn  up  on  the 
isle — and  he  thinks  he  should  have  a  share  of  the 
spoil,  since  he  found  the  wreck  before  us — so  he  says." 

"  Does  he,  indeed  ? "  I  replied ;  "  'tis  strange,  then, 
that  he  took  not  away  the  spoil  when  he  found  it ; " 
and  I  fixed  my  eye  on  him  to  see  what  he  would  reply, 
for  since,  as  I  say,  we  were  moored  close  alongside, 
every  word  spoken  on  one  deck  could  be  heard  on 
the  other. 

"  Ay,  ay,"  says  that  skipper,  "  and  so  I  should 
indeed,  and  came  here  hoping  to  get  all.  But  of 
what  avail  is  hope  ?  My  little  snow  cannot  fight 
your  great  vessel  of  two  hundred  tons,  and  we  both 
sail  under  the  English  flag.  And  therefore,  since  I 
am  an  honest  man  and  peaceable,  I  must,  perforce, 
lose  my  chance.  But  your  Captain  says,  sir,"  he  went 
on,  addressing  me,  "  tliat  I  may  have  a  percentum  on 
what  I  help  to  bring  up,  and  that  must  suffice.  Yet, 
'tis  hard  on  an  honest  man !  " 

"Ay,"  says  Phips,  nodding  his  head,  though  1  did 
observe  him  closely  and  saw  that  his  eyes  were  ever 
on  the  other.  "  Ay,  'tis  hard  on  an  honest  man ! 
Yet,  Captain  Alderly,  I  think  your  percentum  will 
pay  you  very  well  for  your  trip  from  the  Bahamas." 

"  Not  so  Avell  as  the  gross,"  replies  the  other,  "  but, 
as  I  say,  it  nmst  suffice.  Yet  'tis  hard.  I  have 
brought   with    mc — indeed,   went    back  for   liim— a 


AN    HONEST    MAN    AlllllVES.  121 

most  expert  diver,  who  I  thought  should  have  gotten 
ine  all, and  now  he  nnist  work  for  another.  'Tis  hard! 
'tis  hard !  Yet  an  honest  man  must  not  repine  so 
Ions:  as  he  can  earn  his  living  in  these  times." 

Now,  that  night  when  we  sat  as  was  our  custom 
taking  some  drink  together,  while,  since  the  arrival  of 
our  new  friend,  the  watch  was  doubled,  Phips  says  to 
me: 

"  Nick,  I  do  believe  that  honest  man  is  as  big  a 
scoundrel  as  ever  hung  at  the  yard-arm.  For,  firstly, 
if  he  does  not  come  from  Provydence  in  the  Gulph 
of  Mexico — Avhich  is  infested  with  buccaneers  and 
pirates — instead  of  Provydence  in  the  Bahamas,  I  am 
much  mistook,  and,  secondly,  I  am  certain  that  he 
and  that  infernal  blackamoor  are  known  to  one 
another.  I  have  seen  already  glances  between  them, 
and  it  is  my  belief  that  when  the  negro  was  drinking, 
as  he  said,  at  Porto,  he  was  devising  some  scheme 
with  this  fellow." 

"  But,"  replied  I,  "  even  so,  what  can  they  do  ? 
Naught  can  come  up  from  the  wreck  unperceived  by 
us,  nor  could  his  diver  get  down  by  night  without  our 
knowing  it.     Therefore  we  are  safe." 

"  Yes,"  says  he,  "  we  are  safe  so  long  as  we  are 
never  caught  asleep.  Now,  as  for  the  diving,  what  we 
Avill  do  is  this.  His  man  shall  go  always  Avith  Woods, 
and,  since  you  like  the  office,  the  Coromantee  with 
you.     What  say  you,  Nick  ?  " 

"  I  like  it  very  well,"  rejjlied  I ;  "  or  all  can  go 
down  together.  If  you  are  above  to  see  to  the  hauling 
up,  there  can  be  no  picking  nor  stealing." 

So  this  we  agreed  upon,  and  then  Phips  went  on 


122  THE   HiSPANIOLA   PLATE. 

to  tell  nic  of  tlic  arrival  of  tlie  Etoyle  while  T  was 
below.  She  came,  it  seemed,  round  by  our  little  isle, 
and,  on  being  challenged  by  Phips  as  she  drew  near, 
hoisted  a  friendly  signal,  so  was  allowed  to  approach, 
especially  as  she  flew  the  English  flag.  Then  the 
skipper  told  the  Captain  that  he  was  extremely  dis- 
tressed to  find  so  large  a  ship  there  forestalling  him, 
since,  havincf  discovered  the  reef  some  n:ionths  ago, 
he  liad  tjone  back  to  the  Bahamas  to  fetch  a  diver 
and  to  refit,  and  so  on. 

"  However,"  says  Phips,  "  I  soon  gave  him  to  see 
that,  even  if  he  had  been  here  before — which  I  could 
not  dispute  because  of  the  boat  at  the  isle — he  had 
indeed  been  forestalled  and  missed  his  chance.  And 
also  I  told  him  that  we  had  been  for  four  years 
searching  for  this  very  wreck,  that  we  held  the 
King's  patent  for  fishing  for  it,  and  that  we  meant  in 
no  way  to  be  thwarted  or  interfered  with.  For,  says 
I  to  him,  even  though  we  had  no  papers,  but  were 
only  pirates  or  buccaneers,  still  we  Avould  go  on  with 
our  task  and  trust  to  our  shotted  guns — as  they 
always  are  now — to  help  us.  So  then,"  continued 
Phips,  "  he  sees  that  he  has  no  chance,  and  asks  if  he 
cannot  help  in  the  fishing,  to  which  I  answered,  '  Very 
willing,  if  you  (;hosc  to  do  so  at  a  fair  rate.'  And 
bcin<jr  anxious  to  sjet  the  work  done  and  to  get  bade 
home,  I  have  given  to  him  the  same  terms  as  to 
Geronimo  and  his  sweet  JMackamoor." 

"  'Tis  well,  sir,"  says  I,  "  and  now  we  need  fear 
nought.  AVhile,  if  that  negro  in  any  way  plays  us  false, 
we  will  :dioot  him  like  a  dog.   Shall  we  not, Captain  ? " 

"  Ay,"  replies  he,  "  we  will,  or,  since  they  say  the 


AN   HONEST   MAN    ARRIVES.  123 

sharks   Avill  not   eat   black  meat,  we  will   make   an 
experiment  of  him,  and  see  for  ourselves." 

So  now,  therefore,  Avhen  the  morning  was  come 
all  was  arranged,  and,  to  connnence,  down  Avent  the 
three  divers,  and  I  along  with  them.  Onr  plan  now 
was  to  clear  the  whole  of  the  middle  deck  of  all  in  it, 
and  then  to  break  up  the  top  part  of  the  ship  sufficient 
to  get  down  to  the  lower  or  orlop  deck,  where  the 
bullion  room  of  the  Spanish  ships  was  ever  placed. 
So  we  got  to  work,  sending  U])  at  once  everything 
found,  and  a  mighty  great  find  it  w^as.  All  cabins 
not  in  use  for  the  officers  of  the  ship  were  full  of 
passengers  away  home  to  their  country,  and  all  these 
were,  it  was  plain  to  be  seen,  rich  persons.  Their 
bodies  were  found  frequently — all  skeletons,  like  unto 
the  others — and  in  some  cases  'twas  strange  to  see 
how  they  strived  to  preserve  what  they  most  esteemed 
of  value.  Thus,  round  one,  a  female,  as  again  the  hair 
close  by  denoted,  which  was  red,  slightly  fleck't  with 
grisel,  there  was  on  the  bony  neck  a  great  rope  of 
diamonds,  each  as  big  as  a  nut,  that  all  sparkled  and 
glistened  in  the  water,  and  round  each  wristbone 
there  was  the  same  in  bracelets.  Poor  thing !  per- 
haps she  feared  to  be  robbed  and  so  slept  thus.  Then 
again,  there  was  a  bed,  or  berth,  in  another  cabin,  out 
of  which  the  body  had  been  cast  by  the  shock  and 
lay  in  a  disjointed  mass  of  bones  in  the  corner,  but  in 
the  bed  itself,  under  a  pillow,  Ave  found  a  great  j^ouch 
of  goat's  skin  all  fidl  of  unset  diamonds,  rubies,  and 
blue  stones  called  sapphires,  and  also  a  belt  full 
of  great  Spanish  pieces  of  gold,  Aveighing  five  of  our 
elephant  guineas  each. 


124  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 


/ 


And  thus  we  went  along,  ransacking  of  every  cabin, 
finding  chests  here  and  cofters  there,  full  of  precious 
stones  and  jewels,  with  bags  of  money  and  skins  too, 
as  well  as,  in  several  cases,  parchment  drafts  drawn 
upon  the  old  bank  of  Barcelona  and  the  Treasury  of 
Castile.  Poor  creatures  !  They  had  taken  all  thought 
to  sret  themselves  and  their  monies  and  valuables 
home  to  their  land  in  safety.  Yet  had  they  not  gotten 
many  score  leagues  upon  their  way  ere  all  Avas  lost, 
life  and  everything.  Nay,  had  they  made  straight 
for  Spain,  instead  of  coming  on  to  Hisjianiola,  as  they 
must  have  done  to  be  here,  they  had  not  been  lost 
at  all. 

And  now  we  had  done  with  the  middle  deck,  there 
was  nought  more  to  take  away;  for  though  there 
were  many  rich  silks  and  satins,  and  so  forth,  all  was 
spoilt  by  the  water,  as  was  their  spirituous  liquors  and 
their  wines,  of  which  there  was  a  good  suppl}'.  So, 
after  going  above  for  to  refresh  ourselves,  we  were 
now  ready  to  cut  away  this  deck  that  we  might 
descend  to  the  place  where  the  plate  was. 

"  'Tis  a  good  find  already,"  said  Phips  to  me,  as  I 
sat  at  meat  with  him,  "  a  fair  good  find,  Nick ;  and  by 
the  time  we  have  got  up  the  silver  we  shall  well  have 
justified  ourselves  to  our  ])romoters.  Of  jewels  and 
coin  already  sent  up  by  you,  there  are  many  thousands 
of  pounds'  wortli — and  for  the  plate  it  shall  bring  us 
Avell  up  to  the  mark." 

Then  he  went  on  to  ask  me,  "  How  I  found  the 
divers  working,  and  if  T  saw  any  sign  of  anything  like 
treachery  upon  the  part  either  of  the  Black  or  the 
l^rovydence  diver  ?     And,  since  I  could  not  say  that  I 


AN    HONEST   MAN   ARRIVES.  125 

had  witnessed  aiight  that  appeared  to  me  suspicious, 
he  said  he  was  very  glad ;  and  so  we  fell  to  it  again  for 
the  afternoon. 

All  that  time  we  spent  in  getting  the  middle  deck 
cleared  away  as  much  as  might  be,  and  in  removing  a 
great  part  of  her  starboard  side,  especiall}^  by  her  orlop 
beam.  Also  we  did  cut  away  all  her  timbers  between 
her  lower  ports,  so  as  to  make  a  sufficient  big  opening 
through  which  to  enter,  and  removed  all  between  her 
fourth  and  second  futtock.  So  that  now  her  stern 
part,  or  at  least  all  that  below  her  poop  and  quarter 
deck,  was  open  to  us  and  gave  great  space.  And  from 
here  we  could  progress  right  below  her  gun  deck  and 
waist  and  get  up  almost  to  her  main  wale,  or  to 
where  her  fore  part  began  to  be  bruised  and  smashed 
on  to  the  reef 

Now,  therefore,  we  had  got  her  bullion  room  clear 
of  all  encumbrances,  so  that  there  was  nouoht  to  do 
but  to  burst  it  open — it  being  most  securely  locked 
with  great  Spanish  locks  that  looked  as  though  they 
would  defy  all  attempts  except  powder  to  open  them. 
Yet  one  thing  else  did  we  see  :  namely,  that  down  on 
the  larboard  side — which,  as  I  have  writ,  lay  on  the 
bottom — the  ship  had  somewhat  bulged  forth  and 
some  of  its  treasures  come  out. 

For  we  could  observe  great  bars  of  silver  lying  on 
the  bed  of  the  sea,  mostly  encrusted  with  the  lime- 
stone, yet  with  some  part  sticking  forth  and  glistening 
brightly.  One  piece  alone,  a  great  sow  of  silver 
which  had  fallen  from  the  bursted  bullion  room,  was 
so  heavy  that  all  of  our  united  strengths  could  not 
lift  it,  nor  could  aught  be  done  until,  with  their  axes. 


120  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

the  divers  had  broken  away  its  crust  accumulated  in 
fifty  years. 

However,  at  last  Ave  got  it  fastened  to  the  hauling 
up  lines  and  it  was  towed  up — not  without  great  fears 
to  us  below  that  it  might  break  away  and  fall  upon 
us,  smashing  in  our  heads — and  when  it  was  weighed 
that  night  we  found  it  to  be  of  about  fifty-six  pounds. 

And  this  Avas  the  beginning  of  the  fishing  up  of 
the  plato. 


127 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

AN    ALARM    FROM   THE   "  FURTE." 

Now,  it  would  be  useless,  as  avoII  as  tedious  to  my 
hand,  for  me  to  write  down  all  the 'little  incidents 
that  took  place  on  board  our  ship  day  by  day,  and 
likewise  to  keep  accounts  of  every  ounce  of  silver 
brought  up  from  the  rich  mine  we  had  discovered. 
Moreover,  I  have  weighty  matters  to  write  about — 
which  shall  be  the  very  things  to  advantage  those 
Avho  come  after  me  when  they  read  this — so  at  once  I 
begin  aqain. 

And,  therefore,  I  now  proceed  to  say  that  ere  we 
had  been  many  days  at  our  dredging  and  fishing,  it 
Avas  come  to  bringing  of  the  silver  up  by  tons,  so 
that,  at  last,  our  Fiirie  began  to  sink  low  in  the 
water  until  she  almost  touched  the  reef  herself,  and 
we  became  obliged  to  discai-d  all  ballast  and  use  the 
silver  in  its  place  !  I  do  not  say  that  tons  came  up 
daily — since,  indeed,  twenty  sows  of  about  fifty  to  fifty- 
five  pounds  each  was  our  usual  haul,  but  we  reckon'd 
now  by  tons.  And  so  well  had  I  made  my  calcula- 
tions that  I  considered  there  to  be  in  all  thirty-two 
tons  of  silver,  and  this  was  Avliat  it  eventually 
turned  out  to  be.  Now,  since  silver  Avas  worth 
in  the  London  market  at  this  time  sixty  pence 
an  ounce,  it  was  therefore  very  easy  for  us  to 
reckon    what    our   find    would   be   Avorth    Avhen    we 


128  THE   HLSPANIOLA    PLATE. 

had  got  all,  exclusive  of  the  jewels,  wrought  plate, 
and  other  thinys. 

So  that,  as  Pliips  said,  Ave  must  one  way  or 
another  take  back  with  us  soniethinof  between  one 
hundred  thousand  and  two  hundred  thousand  pounds' 
worth. 

"  Which,"  says  he,  "  will  be  very  good  for  all  of  us, 
especially  for  you  and  me,  Nick.  Perhaps,  indeed,  we 
need  never  go  to  sea  again,  though  I  think  we  both 
love  it  dearly." 

Though  that  Phips  should  ever  cease  from  wreck 
fishinof  or  treasure  hunting  I  could  not  well  believe 
seeing  that  such  things  were  ever  in  his  mind.  Even 
now,  when  we  were  doing  so  wondrous  well,  and  were 
like  to  be,  perhaps,  the  most  notorious  of  finders  ever 
known  from  any  sunken  ship — as,  in  truth,  we  did 
become — he  Avas  always  a-pondering  over  other 
searches.  Thus,  he  would  ever  be  telling  me  that, 
not  very  far  away  from  here,  there  had  sunk  the  ship 
Avliich  was  taking  home  Bobadilla,  another  Adelantado 
(but  of  Hispaniola),  and  that  'twas  full  of  treasure 
gotten  by  him.  Amongst  other  things  which  he  said 
he  knew  there  were,  Avas  a  solid  gold  table  of  three 
thousand  three  hundred  and  ten  pounds  Aveight,*  and 
much  coin  and  jcAvels.  And  he  talked  of  coming  forth 
from  England  after  he  had  once  gotten  this  treasure 
of  ours  home,  and  seeking  for  that.  ]3ut  I  told  him 
— for  Ave  Avere  noAv  as  intimate  as  brothers — that 
first  let  us  finish  this  joli,  and  then  time  enough  to 
think  of  others. 

♦  PL'tfr  M;iityr  cjills  it  ;i  solid  picL'c  of  i^old,  ;ind  says  more  than  a 
thousand  persons  had  seen  and  handled  it. — J.  13.-13. 


AN  ALARM  FROM  THE  "  FURIE.         129 

Now,  our  next  task  was  to  get  into  the  bullion 
room,  and  this  we  did  after  very  considerable  diffi- 
culties, seeing  that  those  locks  of  which  I  spake  were 
so  extremely  strong ;  but  even  they  yielded  to  us  at 
last,  and  we  got  to  it.  And,  Lord  !  what  a  sight  was 
there !  The  silver  was  packed  in  bars  and  sows 
and  bags,  tons  and  tons  of  it,  so  that  verily  I  did 
come  to  think  that  our  ship  of  two  hundred  tons 
would  never  move  again,  unless  'twere  to  sink,  and 
that  Ave  should  never  get  all  up.  Yet,  as  it  did 
happen,  what  we  found  was  less  than  our  ballast, 
which  for  a  two  hundred  ton  ship  is  usually  twenty- 
live  tons  of  iron  and  thirty  tons  of  shingle  ;  so  in  that 
respect  all  went  very  well. 

During  all  this  time  Alderly  had  been  behaving 
in  such  a  manner  that  there  was  no  earthly  fault  to 
be  found  with  him,  and  so,  it  is  but  just  to  say,  had 
our  Coromantee.  They,  the  men  of  Provydence, 
helped  at  the  hauling  with  a  good  will,  working  hard 
all  day  long,  and  singing  cheerfully  and  pleasantly  art; 
night,  and  Alderly  even  went  so  far  as  to  express 
himself  satisfied  enough  with  what  was  to  be  his 
portion,  or  percentum.     For,  he  said — 

"Never  did  I  think  there  was  aught  like  this  in 
the  ship,  and,  though  I  do  see  very  well  what  I  have 
lost,  yet  also  do  I  see  my  gain,  and  shall  go  back  to 
Nassau  a  very  well  satisfied  honest  man." 

And  his  diver,  who  was  a  Berunidan,  descended 
of  the  early  English  settlers  in  that  island — Avliich 
rich  Mr.  Waller,  Avhom  I  had  often  seen  about  the 
late  King's  court,  a  gentleman  and  a  poet,  wrote  so 
much  about  in  its  praise — certainly  did  do  his  very 
J 


180  THE   HISPANIOLA  PLATE. 

best,  and  so  did  the  negro,  both  working  under  Woods, 
And  in  this  way,  though  a  careful  watch  Avas  always 
kej3t  on  all  that  was  found  below  the  surface  and  all 
that  came  above,  they  did  so  manage  to  delude  us 
and  throw  dust  into  our  eyes,  that — but  this  you 
shall  lind  later.  They  Avere  villains  all,  and  they 
deceived  us,  yet  at  last  a  rigliteous  vengeance  was 
had  of  them.     So  I  go  on. 

Now  it  came  about  at  this  time  that  we  ran  short 
of  fresh  water — which  in  such  a  tropic  place  is  above 
all  things  the  first  necessity  of  man — and  so  it  was 
arranged  that  I  should  take  the  tender  and  go  to  our 
isle  in  charge  of  her,  leaving  Phips  to  do  as  he  had 
ever  been  doing,  namely,  superintending  the  brmging 
up  of  the  plate  to  the  surface.  In  my  place  as  chief 
diver,  or  officer  in  charge  of  the  divers,  there  was  to 
go  down  our  bos'un,  a  Avorthy,  honest  man,  Avho  could 
be  trusted  in  all.  The  tender  Avas— as  Heaven  Avould 
have  it,  and  as  'tAvas  afterwards  most  providentially 
proved — a  very  fast,  SAvift  sailer,  and  Avas  a  Dutch 
galliot  that  had  come  to  Porto,  and  had  been  seized 
for  debt  by  the  man  from  Avhom  Ave  bought  her. 
Also  she  Avas  armed,  or  rather  fit  to  be  armed,  having 
cannon-ports  in  her  sides  cajjable  of  taking  small 
cannon,  and,  as  Ave  never  trusted  in  this  region  to 
chance,  I  took  witli  me  four  of  our  little  guns,  a 
swivel  gun,  and,  of  course,  our  nuiskets.  As  you 
shall  see,  'tAvas  Avell  I  did.  Tliey  Averc  soon  to  be 
Avantcd. 

So  A\-e  jJiii'ted  from  our  companions,  to  be  gone 
from  them  for  two  or  three  days  at  most,  yet  there 
were  some  of  us  never  more  to  meet  in  this  world. 


AISI    ALARM    FROM   THE   "  FURIE."  131 

So  I  parted  from  my  tried  friend  and  comrade,  Phips, 
tliinkinsf  that  Ave  should  sail  home  too'ether  as  we  had 
sailed  out — yet,  alas  !  but  little  more  was  I  to  set  eyes 
upon  him  in  this  world  neither.  Both  of  us  Avere  to 
succeed  and  prosper — though  he  to  die  young — yet 
were  we  only  to  come  together  once  again  for  a  short 
time.  Yet,  why  digress  from  my  story  ?  Better 
to  go  straightforward  and  plain,  and  so  make  an 
ending. 

We  reached  our  little  isle,  and  rounding  the 
point  to  get  to  our  old  landing  place,  lost  sight  of 
the  F'lvrie,  and,  taldnof  the  boat  after  we  had  anchored 
her  in  "  Safety  Cove,"  as  Ave  called  it,  all  Avent  ashore 
but  tAvo,  being  right  glad  to  once  more  step  on  land  for 
a  stretch.  We  meant  that  day,  by  Phips'  leaA^e,  to  take 
our  ease,  to  lie  about,  and  to  gather  some  of  the  sAveet 
fruits  that  therein  do  groAv,  and  to  catch  some  fish  to 
take  back  to  our  comrades.  Then,  the  next  day,  Ave 
did  intend  to  fill  up  our  casks,  cut  some  Avood  for  the 
cook's  galley,  and  so  back.  And  this  Ave  did  do, 
getting  yams  and  shaddocks,  and  so  forth — and  catch- 
ing of  many  pounds  of  Avhat  in  these  parts  are  called 
imiUcts,  though,  indeed,  they  are  full-sized  trouts, 
and  many  crayfish  and  some  soft-shell'd  crabs.  So 
the  day  went  and  we  lay  doAvn  to  sleep. 

And  on  the  next  Ave  tished  again  and  gathered  more 
fruits;  Ave  filled  all  our  casks  and  carried  them  in  the 
boat  to  the  galliot ;  Ave  cut  and  corded  of  the  Avood, 
and  made  all  ready  for  rejoining  the  Furle  at  day- 
break, since  on  that  burning  sea  the  first  two  hours  of 
day  are  best  and  coolest.  Then  the  muskettoes  are,  I 
think,  not  aAvake,  the  sun  is  not  so  fierce  as  later, 
J  2 


132  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

the  air  is  cool  and  fresh,  with  generally  a  soft  pleasant 
wind.  So  that  second  night,  ere  we  lay  down,  we  pnt 
in  all  our  fruits,  our  ananas,  bananas,  toronias,  limes, 
and  wild  apricots,  as  well  as  some  wild  parrots  we  had 
shot,  which  are  sweet  and  good  eating,  and  then  all 
was  done  and  we  distributed  ourselves  for  taking  of 
our  rest.  Only  we  set  a  watch,  there  being  six  of  us  in 
all,  and  so  broke  the  night  into  three,  I  and  a  young 
lad  taking  the  first  Avatch. 

'Twas  eleven  of  the  clock,  as  we  made  it  by  the 
nearly  full  moon,  when  we  were  relieved,  and  all  was 
most  calm  and  peaceful.  The  birds  of  the  isle  were 
all  long  since  hushed  to  rest,  and  even  the  insects 
that  do  here  abound  disturbed  us  not.  So  I  and  the 
boy  lay  ourselves  down,  and  soon  we  were  asleep. 

How  long  I  so  slept  I  knew  not,  yet  'twas  not  day 
when  I  awoke,  springing  up  as  did  the  others,  all 
as  though  shot,  while  the  Avatch  came  running  to  us. 
For  through  the  calm  night  air — or,  rather,  that  of  the 
morning,  for  the  chill  told  us  the  dayspring  was  nigh 
— there  had  come  the  loud  booming  of  a  cannon — 
Once,  twice  !  "  What  did  it  mean  ? "  we  asked  each 
other,  with  Avonder  starting  from  our  fresh  opened 
eyes.  "  What  did  it  mean  ? "  and  then  all  Avith  one 
voice  Ave  exclaimed,  " 'Tis  from  the  Ftu-ie  !  h-o]]\  the 
Furie ! " 

So,  swift  as  Ave  could  run,  down  we  got  to  the  boat, 
and  so  by  threes  to  the  galliot — for  although  Ave 
heard  no  more  cannon,  we  knew  that  our  place  was  in 
the  ship  at  such  a  time — and  getting  to  her  and  all  in 
at  last,  Ave  dragged  up  her  anchor,  pulled  in  the  boat, 
and,  to  the  fresh  breeze  arising  with  the  coming  day, 


AN   ALARM    FROM   THE   "  FUllIE."  133 

shook  out  her  main,  her  mizen,  and  her  gaff-main 
sail.      And  so  out  of  the  cove  and  away. 

And  as  we  did  so,  up  over  the  trees  of  the  httle 
isle  there  went  from  the  neighbourhood  of  where  the 
Farie  lay  two  bright  blue  rockets,  which,  as  Phips 
and  I  had  agreed  upon,  should  be  the  signal  for  our 
immediate  return,  as  well  as  to  warn  us  to  be  ready 
for  danger. 


13  i 


CHAPTER  XVIIL 

TREACHERY   AND   FLIGHT. 

"  What  can  it  mean  ? "  the  sailors  asked  of  one 
another  as  we  got  into  the  open,  while,  for  myself,  I 
was  as  lost  in  wonderment  as  it  was  possible  to  bo. 
Naturally,  my  first  thought  was  that  the  Furie  had 
been  attacked  by  either  the  Spanish  or  the  French, 
the  first  from  St.  Dominic,  or  the  latter  from  Aittii. 
Yet  I  knew  not  either  how  this  could  be,  since  the 
sound  we  had  heard  was  that  of  our  own  cannon, 
which  I  knew  well  enough,  we  having  practised  all  of 
them  considerably  on  our  voyage  out.  Moreover, 
two  cannon  shots,  and  that  from  one  side  only,  do 
not  make  a  battle,  so  I  was  sorely  puzzled  as  I  stood 
at  the  tiller  of  the  galliot. 

Yet  when  we  had  rounded  the  point,  'twas  pretty 
easy  to  perceive  what  had  happened. 

For  in  the  raj's  of  the  waning  moon  we  did  see 
that  the  Provydence  ship  had  got  away  from  the 
Furie,  and  that,  Avith  all  her  sails  filled,  she  was 
shaping  her  course  to  the  south-east.  And  in 
aiiothor  moment  also  did  we  see  that  the  Snow's 
trysail  mast  was  shotted  away— broken  off  clean 
down,  leaving  but  a  short  stump,  and  Avith  the  sail 
itself  all  a-dragging  in  the  water.  And  now  from  us, 
as  we  headed  for  the  Farie,  arose  a  babble  of  talk  and 
questionings  as  to  what  this  must  mean,  while  all  of 


TUEACHERY   AND   FLIGHT.  135 

lis  decided  that,  at  least  in  some  way,  these  scoun- 
drels had  managed  to  steal  some  of  the  sows  of  silver, 
or  the  bars  or  bags,  and  to  get  away  from  our  bark  in 
the  night. 

But  ere  lonof  we  knew  how  much  far  worse  than 
these  things  were ;  we  knew  that  we  had  been  robbed 
of  a  terrible  deal  of  what  was  ours.  And  soon, 
too,  we  knew  it. 

For  when  our  course  Avas  still  set  dead  for  tlie 
Furie,  Ave  did  see  coming  towards  us  Avith  great 
swiftness  one  of  the  cotton-Avood  canoes  Ave  had  made 
— under  Phips'  direction  and  partly  Avith  his  own^ 
hands — and  in  it  three  of  our  men,  Avho  instantly 
signalled  to  us  that  Ave  should  come  about  and  pick 
them  up,  for,  calls  out  one  to  me — 

"  You  must  aAvay,  sir,  at  once  after  those  villains, 
and  Ave  are  to  go  with  you  to  help.  For  they  have 
robbed  us,  the  thieves,  oh !  treacherousl}^ !  They  are, 
after  all,  but  buccaneers  from  the  ProA^ydence  in  the 
Gulf." 

So,  much  startled,  avo  did  bring  ourselves  to, 
putting  our  foremast  aback,  and  throAving  off  a  line  to 
the  canoe,  and  so  had  them  all  soon  aboard,  and  then, 
losing  no  time,  away  after  the  Snow  Ave  Avent,  Avhile 
from  the  Furie  Ave  saAV  Phips  standing  on  the  poop 
a-Avaving  of  his  hands  as  though  in  encouragement  or 
farcAvoll,  and  from  her  there  did  come  a  ringing 
English  cheer. 

And  now  we  Avere  to  hear  a  story  indeed  of 
treachery  unequalled,  of  villainy  extreme.  For  it  ap- 
peared, as  I  did  gather  from  our  bos'un,  Avho  had  come 
to  join  us  Avith  the  other  two,  that  these  scoundrels 


186  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

had  all  along  been  a-planning  ot  their  scheme ;  and 
thus  it  happened. 

After  we  had  sailed  for  the  isle,  it  seems  that  the 
bullion  room  was  rapidly  emptied  of  the  plate,  so 
that,  at  last,  there  was  gotten  up  thirty-two  tons  in 
all,  and  then  'twas  perceived  that  below  the  sows 
and  bars  there  was  still  much  else,  so  that  the  place 
was  a  very  treasure-hold  of  wealth.  For  there  were 
more  bags  of  gold  pieces  and  more  of  silver,  which 
were  at  once  took  up  into  the  Furie — and  then 
underneath  them  there  were  two  chests  marlced  with 
the  names  of  the  Adelantado  and  of  his  wife.  And 
feeling  sure,  as  they  did,  that  herein  must  be  great 
wealth,  the  curiosity  of  the  bos'un — as,  wringing  his 
hands,  he  did  tell  me — was  too  great  for  him,  and  so, 
not  being  a  discreet  man,  which  neither  was  Woods, 
they  opened  of  the  chests  and  saw  in  them  a  start- 
ling sight.  For  there,  free  now  from  the  layers  in 
which  once  the}'  had  without  doubt  been  enveloped, 
the}''  did  perceive  jewels  of  all  kinds,  pearls,  diamonds, 
the  blue  sapphires,  and  much  else.  Then  alarmed  at 
having  so  looked,  the}'  decided  that  they  must  not 
tell  the  Captain  of  their  curiosity,  for  fear  of  punish- 
ment. And  neither  did  they  tell  him  (which,  if  done, 
might  have  saved  all  that  followed)  that  both  the 
JJlack  and  the  Frovydcnce  diver  had  seen  anything. 
So,  saying  only  to  Pliips  that  such  chests  were 
down  there,  they  said  no  more,  and  arrangements 
were  made  that  on  the  morrow  all  should  be  In-ought 
up.  And  this,  'twas  thought,  should  tinish  ott'  the 
fishing,  and  soon  we  should  be  ready  for  home.  But 
alas :  how  far  off  from  that  were  we  now. 


TREACHERY    AND   FLIGHT.  137 

Therefore,  since  the  plate  was  being  got  up  on  the 
first  day  we  Avere  away  in  the  tender,  which  was  the 
galliot,  and  also  on  the  second,  it  came  to  be  that 
tho  chests  of  which  I  speak  were  but  discovered  too 
late  that  second  day  to  be  brought  up.  Now,  on  that 
night  the  watch  forward  was  kept  by  the  negro,  Juan, 
and  the  after-watch  by  a  sailor,  who  was  a  dull-pated, 
heavy  fellow,  of  little  use  in  a  ship  at  any  time  and 
one  who  ought  never  to  have  been  with  us.  And,  as 
it  was  discovered  later,  Juan  had  been  plying  this  man 
with  drink  which  he  had  concealed,  so  that  on  his 
watch — as  though  his  stupidity  was  not  enough — the 
fellow  was  flustered  and  sleep}''. 

At  midnight  Phips  went  to  his  cabin  all  being 
well,  and  the  master's  mate  came  forth  to  take  his 
place — and,  terrible  to  relate,  from  that  time  never 
was  he  heard  of  nor  seen  again.  The  bos'un  who 
told  me  all  this  said  he  thought  either  that  the 
Coromantee  murdered  him,  or  that  one  of  the  crew 
from  the  Etoyle  got  aboard  and  did  do  that  otBce  ;  but, 
any  way,  he  disappeared.  Perhaps  he  was  first 
stunned  and  then  given  to  the  sharks.  Who  knows  ? 
— leastways,  there  Avas  no  sign  of  blood. 

Then,  next,  it  would  seem  that  from  the  far  side 
of  the  Etoyle  the  diver  of  that  ship  must  have  been 
most  quietly  lowered  into  the  water,  must  have  passed 
under  our  forefoot — I  mean  of  the  Furie — and  thence 
to  the  bullion  room  of  the  wreck,  and  so  fastened  the 
lines  to  the  chests  that,  with  his  own  help  below,  they 
could  easily  get  them  up  to  the  Etoyle. 

And  then,  when  this  was  done,  there  Avas  but  to 
get  up  sail  as  quick  as  possible,  and  aAvay.     And  that 


138  THE    HISPANIOLA    I'LATE. 

was  not  so  hard  of  accomplishing  as  a  sailor  might 
think.  For,  firstly,  the  Etoyle  was  not  anchored,  but 
moored  and  made  fast  to  the  Fuvie,  so  that,  while  all 
were  asleep  below,  and  while  the  master  mate  was 
murdered  and  gone,  the  after- watch  drunk  and  stupid, 
and  the  fore-watch  a  traitor  and  conspirator,  that 
Snow  might  very  easily  be  unmoored.  Therefore,  it 
was  but  to  get  up  the  sails  and  catch  the  fast  rising- 
morning  breeze,  and  so  oiT  and  away.  Moreover,  so 
deeply  was  the  plot  laid,  that,  as  'twas  found  shortly, 
the  door  of  the  captain's  cabin  was  made  fast  from 
the  outside,  the  ladder  was  set  loose  of  the  main 
hatch,  so  that,  when  the  men  came  tumbling  up, 
it  shifted,  and  they  came  tumbling  down  instead, 
fuid  two  of  the  cannon's  touch-holes  were  spiked. 
Yet,  whoever  was  the  wretch  who  did  all  this,  still 
was  he  a  fool  likewise,  since  in  his  haste  he  had  not 
spiked  the  cannon  that  gave  on  the  bow  from  Avhich 
the  Etoyle  must  move,  but  on  the  other. 

But  now,  as  they  brailed  up  their  sails  they  could 
not  disguise  the  noise  they  made,  and  in  a  moment 
Phips  heard  them,  being  ever  on  the  alert,  and  was 
at  his  door,  sword  in  one  hand  and  pistol  in  the  other, 
to  e:et  out.  And,  said  the  bos'un  to  me,  his  cries 
were  terrifying  to  hear  when  he  did  discover  how  he 
Avas  trapped.  First  he  smashed  with  his  fists  a  panel, 
all  the  while  he  was  roaring  for  his  men  to  come  and 
set  him  free,  and  also  for  his  poor  dead  master's  mate, 
and  then  he  flung  himself  against  the  door  with  such 
fury  that  it  gave  way,  and  out  he  came. 

"  He  look't,  sir,"  said  the  bos'un  to  me,  as  he  told 
all  this  while  wc  were  tearing  through  the  water  after 


TREACHERY    AND    FLIGHT.  139 

the  buccaneers,  who  I  did  see  sorrowfully  were 
gaining  on  us,  "  he  look't  like  a  demoniac.  And  when 
he  saw  that  the  Etoyle  Avas  already  under  weigh, 
his  rage  Avas  such  as  mortal  man  might  indeed  fear 
to  see." 

It  appeared  from  this  man's  account  that  Phips  in 
his  madness  discharged  his  pistol  at  Alderly,  who  Avas 
on  the  poop,  and  miss't  him,  Avhereupon  Alderly 
returned  his  fire,  missing  also  ;  that  next  the  captain 
called  for  the  gunner,  Avho  could  not  get  his  linstock 
ready  all  at  once,  and  by  this  time  the  sails  of  the 
Etoyle  had  caught  the  breeze  and  she  was  under 
weio^h. 

"  Haste !  haste !  man,"  cries  Phips  to  the  gunner, 
now  running  Avith  his  light,  and  snatching  it  from  his 
hand  applies  it  to  the  breech  himself,  doing  no  harm 
Avith  his  shot ;  and  then  the  gunner,  having  trained 
the  next  gun  better  on  to  the  fugitiA'es,  they  did  hit 
their  trysail.  This  impeded  them  somcAvhat,  though 
not  sufficient  to  prevent  them  getting  aAvay. 

And  then,  the  bos'un  Avent  on  to  tell  me,  Phips 
roared  for  the  Avatch,  calling  them,  as  Avas  his  Avont  in 
an  emergency,  dogs  and  traitors,  and  soon  learnt  that 
the  poor  master's  mate  AA'as  slaughtered,  or,  at  least, 
had  disappeared. 

'•  And,"  Av^ent  on  our  informant,  "  then  Ave  all 
trembled.  For  Avhile  the  tears  sprang  to  his  eyes, 
Avhich  in  an  instant  he  dashed  aAvay,  he  said  also, 
in  now  a  very  Ioav  voice  Avhich  seem'd  mighty  ominous, 
'  And  the  other  Avatch  ?  The  fore  and  aft  watch. 
Where  are  they  ?     Bring  them  to  me.'  " 

Then,  Avith  a  hoAvl,  the  Coromantee  sprang  forward 


140  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

— wringing  his  hands,  iin[)loring  pardon,  saying  he 
too  had  been  deceived  by  Alderly,  who  had  drugged 
him. 

"  Ay ! "  says  Phips,  between  his  teeth,  while  as 
he  spake  he  shook  the  powder  into  the  pan  of 
his  pistol — "  Ay  !  no  doubt.  Deceived  by  Aklerly, 
because  he  got  away  and  loft  you  behind  for  me  to 
slay  you." 

"  No,  no  ! "  yelled  the  brute.  "  No,  no !  Signer 
Capitan.  No,  Signor  Phips,  no  slay  me  ! "  and  ho 
clutched,  said  the  bos'un,  at  Phips'  legs  and  tried  to 
seize  his  pistol  hand. 

"  Ay,  but  I  will,  though,"  said  Phips.  "  No  man 
betrays  me  twice;"  whereupon  he  drew  back  from 
the  howHng  wretch,  and  seizing  his  wool  by  one  hand 
blew  out  his  brains  with  the  other,  so  that  the  deck 
Avas  all  bespattered  with  them. 

"  Fling  him  over,"  said  Phips,  "  and  swab  up  tlie 
mess,  and  now  bring  forth  the  other.  Meanwhile, 
where  is  Crafer  with  the  tender  ?  She  should  be 
round  the  point  by  now." 

Then  they  brought  forth  that  other  poor  crazed 
traitor  —  weeping  and  sobbing  with  despair,  and 
shrieking  as  he  saw  the  great  negro's  dead  bod}- — 
and  to  him  strides  Phips,  his  sword  in  hand. 

"You  dog,"  says  ho,  "you  have  betra3od  us  too. 
So  nuist  you  die  also.  The}'  sa}'  you  drank  with  the 
Coromantee  and  slept  on  your  watch.  Therefore,  to 
the  yard-arm  with  him." 

'Midst  his  shrieks  and  howls  they  dragged  him 
away,  calling  on  his  mother's  name,  which  softened 
Phips  so  nuich  that,  the    bos'un  said,  he  seemed  at 


TREACHERY    AND    FLIGHT.  141 

one  time  like  to  spare  liim,  only  lie  remembered  all 
he  had  been  robbed  of.  And  then,  ere  the  man  was 
executed,  the  boat  was  lowered  that  was  to  bring 
them  to  us  in  the  galliot,  and  so  they  came  away. 

"  And,"  said  Phips  to  the  bos'un,  "  tell  Mr.  Crater 
that  so  long  as.  his  galliot  will  swim,  so  long  as  there 
is  a  man  left  alive  in  it,  so  long  as  he  can  sail,  light, 
or  move,  he  is  to  follow  those  buccaneers — even 
though  it  be  into  their  stronghold.  And  while 
there  is  one  of  you  left  alive,  that  one  is  to  attempt 
it,  and  is  to  get  back  the  stolen  treasure.  And  then, 
when  that  is  done,  the  rendezvous  shall  be  Ports- 
mouth town,  to  which  those  of  you  who  live 
must  find  your  way  back  somehow.  Now  go  ;  do 
your  duty,  commend  me  to  Nicholas  Crater  and 
tell  him  to  do  his.  And  more,  say  that  at  the  sign  of 
the  '  Navy  Tavern '  I  will  leave  word  for  him  or  he 
for  me — whoever  by  God's  grace  reaches  there  first. 
And  reach  it  I  pray  we  all  may  do." 

Such  was  the  message  brought  to  me,  this  the 
duty  I  had  to  perform,  this  the  errand  on  which  now 
we  sped.  Ahead  of  us,  and  still  gaining  on  us,  went 
the  Snow,  Etoyle,  with  the  buccaneering  thieves  on 
board,  and  with  them  a  fourth  of  our  treasure ;  behind 
us  slowly  faded  into  dimness  the  reef  and  the  Ftirie 
moored  fast  to  it.  That  Phips  himself  would  have 
given  chase  had  he  been  able,  was  certain — only, 
before  he  could  have  yot  under  weijjrh  the  buccaneers 
would  have  been  out  of  sight.  For  nought  was  ready, 
the  plate  was  not  bestowed  away,  the  sails  were  unbent 
and  all  in  disorder. 

So,  instead,  'twas  I  got  the  commission  to  chase 


142  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE, 

those  thieves,  to  follow  them  to  their  hiir,  and  to 
wrench  back  from  them  the  stolen  goods.  And  as 
the  galliot  danced  along,  following  the  course  they 
had  betaken — which  was  now  set  due  east,  so  that  I 
could  not  but  think  they  did  mean  to  'bout  ship 
shortly  and  run  for  Porto  Rico,  or,  perhaps,  one  of  the 
Virgin  Isles — I  took  a  solenni  and  a  fervent  oath  that 
never  would  I  fail  in  my  endeavour  while  life  lasted 
to  me.  If  I  could  catch  and  defeat  those  thieves,  I 
swore  to  do  it,  and  so  upon  that  I  set  myself  to  see  to 
the  arrangements  necessary  in  our  small  craft,  and  to 
make  all  ready  for  what  might  be  before  us. 


14.3 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE   "HOXEST   man"   IN   HIS   TRUE   COLOURS. 

Now,  as  I  have  said,  we  were — with  the  coming  of 
the  bos'iin  and  the  other  two — nine  hands  in  all, 
there  having  been  six  of  us  who  did  go  to  the  little 
isle  in  the  galliot  for  wood  and  water. 

Therefore  my  first  disposition  was  to  arrange 
ourselves  into  regular  watches,  which  was  easy  enough 
to  do,  since  three  men  at  any  time  awake  Avere  suffi- 
cient to  keep  the  look-out,  to  attend  to  the  craft, 
and  so  forth.  Then  next  there  was  the  provisioning 
to  be  done.  Now  for  this  there  was  little  to  disturb 
ourselves  about,  since  we  had  all  our  island  provisions 
of  the  fruits,  the  fish,  and  the  parrots. 

That  they  should  continue  their  course  due  east, 
as  it  Avas  now  set,  Avas  not  to  be  considered,  since  that 
Avay  they  could  encounter  no  refuge  until  they  came 
to  the  Guinea  Coast  or,  at  best,  the  Cape  de  Verd 
Islands.  Such,  it  is  true,  Avas  no  great  run  for  the 
Snow,  proAdded  she  Avas  Avell  enough  provisioned  and 
Avatered — as  might  or  not  be,  for  all  Ave  knew — but 
still  ^tAvas  not  very  like  to  be  the  case.  The  Virgin 
Islands  in  the  Antilles,  most  of  them  little  better  than 
Keys,  Avliich  are  small  sandy  spots  appearing  above 
the  surf  of  the  Avater,  Avith  only  a  few  Aveeds  and 
bushes  a-growing  on  them,  and  abounding  with 
turtle,  appeared  to  my  mind  to  be  far  more  their 
mark.     Most  of  them  are  uninhabited,  and  one  or 


144  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

two  there  are  which  are  large  and  even  rocky  and 
craggy,  but,  in  general,  as  I  have  said. 

Now,  there  is  no  Key,  at  the  present  time  wherein 
I  set  down  this  recital,  v/hich  is  not  the  haunt  and 
hiding  place  of  innumerable  pirates  and  thieves,  and 
also  used  as  a  burying  place  for  their  stolen  riches, 
and  here  it  was  most  like  that  Alderly  would  retreat 
with  what  he  had  gotten.  The  ships  of  war  of  any 
countries  can  scarce  chase  them  here,  the  lagoons,  har- 
bours, and  inlets  all  about  offering  to  the  smaller  craft 
a  natural  security,  and,  if  the  villains  are  encountered, 
their  one  excuse  always  is  that  they  are  a-turtling : 
viz.,  catching  of  the  turtle  for  sale  in  the  larger  islands. 

So,  pondering  thus,  I  did  begin  to  take  my  de- 
cision, and  counsel  also  with  those  under  me.  For 
says  I  to  the  bos'un — 

"  That  they  should  make  for  Africa  is  not  to  be 
thought  on.  Why  should  they  do  so,  when  all 
around  are  innumerable  refuges  ?  Therefore,  Cromby  " 
— which  was  the  bos'un's  name — "  do  you  know  what 
I  will  do?" 

Cromby  replied — "  No,  he  could  not  tell,  but  of  one 
thmg  I  might  be  sure  :  namely,  that  there  wasn't  an 
honest  heart  in  the  galliot  that  wasn't  with  me  body 
and  bones"  ;  whereon  I  unfolded  my  idea. 

"My  lads,"  says  I,  "we're  alone,  nine  of  us,  and 
we've  fjot  to  do  one  of  two  things.  Either  catch  the 
EtDjilc  and  make  her  surrender,  or  meet  her  and  tight 
her  until  one  of  us  is  sunk.  Now,  listen.  Catch  her 
we  never  shall ;  she  sails  three  feet  to  our  two ;  she's 
hull  down  now — where  do  you  think  she'll  be  at 
daybreak  to  morrow  i " 


THE   "HONEST   MAN"   IN    HIS   TRUE   COLOURS.     145 

"  On  the  road  to  Cape  Blanco,"  replied  one,  "  across 
the  water," 

"  Take  a  turn  north  in  the  night,"  said  C'romby, 
"  sHp  past  Abreojo  and  Turk's  Island,  and  so  ibr  East 
Florida,  or,  p'raps,  Cuba.  I  doubt  their  touching  an 
English  island." 

"  So  do  I,"  I  answered ;  "  yet  I  think  you're 
wrono-.  The  wind  sets  fair  south,  therefore  'tisn't 
likely  they'll  try  for  the  north  ;  and  as  for  a  cruise 
for  Cape  Blanco,  I  scarce  believe  they've  either 
food  or  water  enough.  They  borrowed  three  barrels 
the  day  before  we  Avent  to  our  isle — like  enough  to 
provide  for  this  jaunt !  No,  my  lads,  south  is  their 
course,  and  the  Virgin  Isles  or  Porto  Rico  their  aim. 
Now,  we  shall  lose  'em  when  dark  comes  on — there'll 
be  no  lights  on  that  piratical  bark ! — but  by  the 
blessing  of  God  we'll  find  'em  again,  and  it  will  be 
somewhere  between  Tortola  and  Porto  Rico's  north- 
east coast  that  we  shall  pick  'em  up  again,  or  I'm  a 
Dutchman." 

And  now,  since  the  sooner  they  were  out  of  sight 
of  us,  and  we  of  them,  the  better — Avhich  Avas  nigh  on 
being  the  case  already,  so  much  had  they  got  the  foot 
of  us — we  slackened  our  gaff  main  sail  so  as  to  fall 
off  still  more,  and  gradually  we  lost  sight  of  them 
altogether. 

"  So,"  says  I,  mighty  glad  to  think  such  was  the 
case,  and  knowing  well  that  though  Phips  said  I  was  to 
follow  the  buccaneers,  he  would  approve  of  my  plans 
if  he  knew  that  following  was  an  impossibility,  "  put 
her  head  due  south,  and  let's  see  what  comes  of  it." 

And  thus,  that  night,  just  as  the  sun  set,  we  were 

K 


146  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

off  the  northernmost  of  the  islands;  we  could  see 
Aney-ada  riijht  ahead  of  us,  and  St.  Thomas  too.  We 
had  arrived  at  the  spot  Avhere  I  hoped,  ere  many 
hours  were  past,  we  should  meet  with  the  villains 
again.  It  beo-an  to  blow  boisterous,  however,  now,  so 
that  we  Avere  bound  to  keep  well  out  to  sea,  not 
knowing  what  dangers  we  might  encounter  if  we 
proceeded  farther.  And  if  there  was  wanted  aught 
else  to  make  this  a  dangerous  chase  on  which  we 
were  engaged,  it  was  that— even  to  help  us  in  line 
Aveather — we  had  no  instruments  Avhatever  in  our 
possession.  No,  not  so  much  as  a  quadrant,  a  chart, 
nor  even  a  Waggoner,  though  we  had  a  meridian 
compass.  We  had  no  thought  of  nautical  instruments 
when  we  left  the  Furie  for  the  island ;  above  all,  Ave 
had  no  thought  of  setting  out  upon  such  a  cruise  as 
this,  to  end  the  Lord  knows  Avhere.  Indeed,  Avhen  it 
came  to  our  getting  back  to  England  at  some  future 

time if  ever !— Ave  should  have  to  do  it  by  running 

down,  or  rather  up,  the  parallels,  and  then  make 
direct  casting  for  home.  That  would  be  our  only 
likelihood,  so  far  as  Ave  could  noAV  see,  of  striking 
soundings  again  in  our  old  channel. 

'"Tis  indeed  getting  dirty  above  us,  sir,"  said 
Israel  Cromby  to  mc,  pointing  upwards  ;  "  I  misdoubt 
me  nmch  of  what  is  coming.  And  the  current  sets 
in  tOAvards  the  islands.     What  must  Ave  do  ?  " 

"  Best  run  out  a  bit,  so  as,  at  least,  not  to  be 
dashed  on  shore.  There  is  a  good  moon,  Avliich  Avill 
give  some  light." 

'Tis  true  there  Avas  a  moon,  yet  so  obscured  by 
the  storm  that  now  set  upon  ns  tliat  it  was  but  little 


THE   "  HONEST   MAN  "    IN   HIS   TRUE   COLOURS.     147 

good  except  when  seen  through  a  rift  in  the  clouds  for 
ii  moment,  but  soon  lost  again.  Then  down  from  the 
north  there  came  howling  a  most  fearful  tropic 
gale,  beginning  first  of  all  in  fitful  gusts,  so  that  we 
were  obliged  to  haul  in  all  our  sails  and  scud  under 
bare  poles — knowing  not  Avhere  we  were  going,  but 
dreading  every  moment  to  be  dashed  on  to  either  a 
rocky  bound  island  or  a  sandy  Key.  In  God's  mercy, 
however,  it  seemed  that  at  this  moment  the  wind  did 
shift,  so  that  very  soon  we  could  perceive  we  were 
not  being  driven  toAvards  the  land,  but  providentially 
away  from  it,  whereby  if  our  little  galliot  would  but 
live  we  might  still  weather  the  storm. 

Over  her  bows  the  sea  Avas  noAV  comino'  in  in  sreat 
quantities,  so  that  Ave  Avere  baling  Avith  the  canvas 
buckets  Ave  possessed,  Avhile  another  precaution  most 
necessary  Avas  that  our  poAvder  should  be  kept  dry. 
If  that  Avas  spoiled,  then  indeed  Ave  should  be  at  the 
mere}'  of  the  pirates  if  Ave  encountered  them. 

At  this  moment  there  did  come  a  lull,  the  clouds 
broke,  and  through  them  the  moon  shot  doAvn  a  clear 
bright  ray  on  the  Avaters  so  troubled  beneath  it,  and 
as  Ave  tossed  up  and  doAvn,  Israel  Cromby  Avhispered 
to  me — 

"  Look,  look  !  sir,  on  our  larboard  boAV  " — Avhicli 
Avas  the  direction  I  Avas  not  gazing  in  then — "  look, 
not  tAvo  cables'  length  off.     There  are  the  villains  ! " 

Look  I  did,  and  there  Avas  the  SnoAv,  as  he  had 
said,  riding  up  and  down  on  the  crest  of  the  Avaves, 
one  time  up  above  us  and  toAvering  over,  another  time 
AvalloAA'ing  doAvn  in  the  trough  of  the  sea,  Avith  us 
above. 

K  2 


14S  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

They  had  seen  us  as  soon  as  we  them  ;  and  Alderly, 
standing  forward,  was  regarding  of  us  fixedly. 

He  shouted  forth  something  which  'twas  impos- 
sible to  hear  in  the  turmoil  of  the  lapping,  swirling 
waters,  while  as  the  Snow  sunk  and  we  rose  in  those 
troubled  waves  it  seemed  as  if  he  shook  his  fists 
at  us. 

"  He  is,  I  think,  a  devil,"  said  Cromb}^  to  me. 
"  Look,  sir,  what  he  is  a-doing  now  !  " 

I  did  look,  and  as  still  we  rose  and  fell  u}:)on  the 
troubled  waves,  I  saw  that  he  was  holding  up  with 
both  hands  a  casket  that  looked  very  heavy,  and 
shaking  it  before  our  eyes,  as  though  to  tantalize  us 
with  the  sight  of  the  stolen  goods.  And,  meanwhiles, 
laughing  and  gibbering  on  the  deck  like  so  many 
fiends,  as  I  have  heard  such  creatures  called,  the 
other  villains  in  the  Snow  were  a-stamping  and 
dancing  round  him  as  the  vessel  rolled  and  lolloped 
about  in  the  tumbling  waves. 

"  Heavens  and  earth  !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  why,  they 
are  all  mad  Avith  the  drink !  See  to  those  fellows 
holdino-  the  bottles  to  their  mouths.  What  a  time  to 
be  fuddling  themselves,  when  their  ship  wants  all 
the  knowledge  a  seaman  possesses  !  " 

Even  as  I  spoke  we  saw  a  great  wave  come  along 
aft  of  them,  break  over  the  stern  of  the  Snow  and 
then  wash  right  over  the  decks,  knockinsf  the  men 
down  like  ten-pins  and  driving  the  craft  onwards 
v/ith  a  boust,  and,  as  it  did  so,  a  new  fear  sprang  to 
my  breast.  In  their  drunken  state  'twas  great  odds 
that  ere  long  they  would  go  to  the  bottom,  and  their 
master  whom  they  served  so  well,  the  Devil,  would 


rilE   "HONEST   man"   IN   HIS  TllUE   COLOUIIS.     149 

have  them,  Avhich  was  no  great  matter  to  us;  but 
what  Avas  worse  was,  the  stolen  treasure  would  go 
too. 

"  We  must  catch  holt  of  them  somehoAv,"  said  I. 
"  Oh  that  the  Avaves  would  bring  us  together,  that  we 
might  grapple  and  board.  Yet,  what  chance  is  there  ? 
The  Avave  that  rolls  us  toAvards  them  rolls  them  aAvay 
from  us.     What  shall  Ave  do  ?  " 

"  To  board  them,  sir,"  said  one  of  the  men,  "  Avould 
be  fatal  to  the  treasure.  As  'tis,  they  would  throAv 
it  OA^erboard.  See,  sir,  Avhat  the  madman  is  doing 
again." 

The  sea  AA-as  calming  as  he  spoke,  so  that  ^ve  noAV 
got  uninterrupted  vieAvs  of  each  other,  and  then  to 
our  aftright  Ave  did  scg  Alderly  fastening  of  a  cord  to 
the  rough- tree-rail  at  one  end,  and  at  the  other  round 
the  casket,  and  then  loAvering  it  over  the  side  till  it 
SAsimg  three  feet  from  the  top  of  the  Avaves,  Avhich 
sometimes,  as  they  burst  against  the  Suoav,  hurled 
the  box  baclvAvards  and  forAvards  like  unto  a  shuttle- 
cock. Then,  next,  he  drew  his  knife,  and  making 
signs  to  us  of  what  he  would  do  by  laying  of  the 
blade  on  the  cord,  he  stood  by  defiantly  regarding  us. 
Also  the  drunken  scoundrel  and  fool  had  made  up  his 
mind  to  defy  us  to  the  utmost  and  to  be  plain  Avith 
us,  as  it  Avas  very  evident  to  see.  He  had  run  up  his 
colours,  so  that  there  should  be  no  doubt  left  in  our 
•  minds  about  him  ;  on  his  mizen  peak  there  Hcav  a 
black  silk  flag,  Avith  on  it  a  skeleton,  or  "  death,"  Avith 
cross  bones  in  one  hand,  and  in  the  other  a  heart 
Avith  drops  of  blood  dripping  from  it,  and  also  a  jack 
of  the  same,  Avith  a  man  having  a  SAvord  thrust  throuwh 


150  THE   HISPANIOLA    TLATE. 

his  body,  as  later  I  saw  plainly.     So  he  stood  pro- 
claimed a  pirate. 

But  Avhat  was,  perhaps,  more  truly  a  sign  of  Avhat 
this  reckless  creature  was  in  reality,  was  the  fact  that — 
doubtless  before  the  storm  came  on— he  had  abandoned 
the  work-a-day  dress  of  the  "  honest  man"  Avhich  he 
wore  when  first  he  came  alongside  of  the  Furie,  and 
was  now  bedizened  in  a  lot  of  finery,  none  the  better 
for  the  assaults  of  the  winds  and  waves.  He  was 
dressed  in  a  rich  blue  damask  waistcoat  and  breeches, 
in  his  hat  a  feather  dyed  red ;  around  his  neck  was 
coiled  half  a  dozen  times  a  gold  chain  with  a  great 
diamond  cross  on  to  it — perhaps  he  had  stolen  it  from 
the  wreck  ! — hanging  over  his  shoulders  was  a  silk 
sling,  Avith,  thrust  into  it,  three  pistols  on  each  side. 
All  this  Ave  saw  afterwards  more  plainly  than  now. 

"  I  cannot  endure  this  defiance,"  said  I  to  Cromby  ; 
"  let  him  sink  his  casket  and  be  danmed  to  him  !  I 
have  been  a  King's  officer,  and  will  never  submit  to 
the  insults  of  a  blackguard  scoundrelly  pirate.  Up 
with  the  mainsail,  my  lads,  haul  away,  and  at  him;" 
and  as  I  spoke  I  whipped  out  my  pistol,  and,  sighting 
him,  fired. 

That  I  miss't  him  was  none  too  strange,  seeing 
how  both  of  us  Averc  tumbling  about  and  rolhng  in 
the  Avater,  no  more  than  that  he  n'liss't  me,  as,  pulling 
tAVO  pistols  out  of  his  sash,  he  fired,  one  in  each  hand. 

Then,  Avhen  he  saw  our  mainsail  go  up,  lie  made 
as  though  he  Avould  cut  the  cord  to  which  hung  the 
casket— only  a  moment  afterwards  he  altered  his 
mind,  and  bellowing  of  an  order,  Avhich  Ave  could  very 
AvcU    hear,   since    now    the   Avaves    and    Avinds    had 


THE   "HONEST    IMAN  "   IN    HIS   TRUE   COLOURS.     151 

abated,  soon  had  his  own  sail  up ;  and  in  a  mouicnt 
his  ship  had  caught  the  wind  and  was  away. 

That  we  should  ever  have  catched  them  sufficient 
to  come  alongside  and  board,  I  cannot  think,  even 
under  the  best  of  circumstances,  but  this  chance  was 
not  to  be  ours,  for  our  ropes  had  fouled,  so  that  they 
could  not  be  run,  and  ere  we  could  get  them  disen- 
tangled, the  Etoyle  was  well  off  from  us.  But  since 
again,  with  the  coming  of  fairer  weather,  the  wind  had 
northed,  we  could  very  well  see  they  were  running 
for  the  south.     They  luere  bound  for  the  islands ! 

But  at  last  we  got  our  ropes  free,  and  away  we 
went  too.  The  morn  was  breaking  now  aud  the 
waves  abating,  so  that,  though  still  we  tossed  up  and 
down,  we  could  see  their  horrid  black  silk  flag  a-flying 
on  the  mizen  peak  whenever  we  rose  to  the  crest ; 
and,  with  the  Avhite  spume  of  the  water  dashed  in  our 
faces,  and  reckless  now  of  what  might  happen  so  that 
Ave  did  but  keep  them  in  sight,  we  set  all  our  galliot's 
sails — main,  mizen,  and  gaff  main  sail — and  tore  after 
them. 

"  We  will  follow  them,  my  lads,"  I  said  now,  with 
my  blood  up  to  boiling  heat  ;  "  we  will  follow  them  to 
the  death  !  There  shall  be  but  one  crew  left  alive  to 
tell  this  story." 

And  as  I  spake  my  men  gave  three  hearty  cheers. 

So,  having  got  thus  far  in  my  account,  I  will  now 
rest  again  for  a  while. 


152 


CHAPTER    XX. 

A   FIGHT. 

Now  I  go  on  to  narrate  the  tracking  of  those  thieves 
and  pirates,  and  of  what  thereby  followed. 

hy  mid- day  we  were  off  the  islands,  with  the  chase 
well  ahead  of  us — j-et  not  so  far  neither  as  she  had 
been,  since  we  had  sailed  faster  than  she  this  time,  in 
consequence,  as  we  soon  learnt,  of  their  having  snapped 
their  foremast — and  with  Ncgada,  or  the  Drowned 
Island,  so  called  because  'tis  frequently  submerged  by 
the  tide,  lying  not  a  league  away. 

"  I  have  been  here  before,"  saj-s  Cromby,  "  and  I 
doubt  their  gettmg  ashore.  All  around  lie  sand-banks 
and  shoals  that  require  careful  navigation.  If  they 
run  in  here  we  shall  fight  'em  when  Ave  are  both 
ay-round." 

"  Then  I  do  pray  they  will,"  says  I.  "  It  will  be 
best  to  land,  and  no  chance  of  escape  for  either.  'Twill 
suit  us,  my  lads." 

■^  The  men  answered  cheerfully.  "  So  'twould,  and 
very  well ! "  yet  as  they  so  spake  we  saw  that  Alderly 
meant  not  to  enter  there. 

Then  said  I,  "  If  it  be  not  here,  p'raj^s  'tis  Yirgin- 
Gorda  they  are  for,  or  Anguilla  " — for  I,  too,  had  been 
here  before — "yet,  'tis  not  vcr}^  like.  There  are 
cok)nists  here,  and  have  been  since  Charles's  day." 

But  another  hour  showed  us  that   neither  were 


A   FIGHT.  153 

these  islands  tlieir  aim,  but,  instead,  a  little  long  tract 
of  land  that,  among  all  the  others,  is  not  marked 
on  the  chart,  but  is  known  among  mariners  by  the 
name  of  "  Coffin  Island,"  because  of  its  shape.  Now, 
Coffin  Island  hath  on  it  a  mountain,  not  so  very  high, 
yet  near  to  the  beach,  being  inland  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile,  and  from  the  mountam's  base  there  runneth 
down  a  wood  to  the  sea,  with,  in  it,  a  channel  or 
river. 

This  we  learnt  shortly,  though  'tis  fittmg  enough 
I  set  it  down  here. 

And  now  'twas  ver}'-  plain  that  'twas  for  this 
channel  the  desperadoes  were  making.  With  our 
perspective  glasses  we  could  see — as  Ave  passed  the 
before-mentioned  isles — that  they  were  heading 
straight  for  that  inlet  ;  we  could  indeed  perceive 
them  get  to  its  mouth,  haul  down  all  but  their 
trysail,  and  so  into  the  river,  which  was  broad 
enough  to  let  in  a  bigger  ship  than  theirs. 

"  After  them  Ave  go,"  I  exclaimed,  "  though  they 
have  all  the  best  of  it.  Yet " — Avith  a  moment's 
reflection — "  it  may  not  be  so,  neither.  If  they  get 
ashore,  maybe  they  cannot  take  their  cannon  ;  if  they 
stay  on  board,  Ave  are  as  good  as  they.  Hoav  is  our 
poAvder  ? " 

The  men  ansAvcred  the  poAvder  Avas  very  Avell. 
They  had  carefully  kept  it  all  dry,  so  that  Ave  should 
not  lack  that.  Therefore  I  gave  them  orders  to 
carefully  prime  and  load  our  pieces :  namely,  the  foiu* 
little  guns  and  the  swivel,  and  also  the  muskets. 
And  so  Ave,  too,  stood  for  the  channel. 

As  Ave  neared  it  Ave   could  very  avoII   see   up   it 


154  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

somewhat,  and  did  notice  that  the  Etoyle  had  conio 
to  a  halt.  She  was  not  anchored,  but  had  drifted  a 
httle  down  again  towards  the  mouth  of  the  inlet, 
and  thus  she  was  as  we  passed  in,  the  woods  growing 
thick  on  either  side.  And  now  was  the  time  when  we 
saw  the  finery  in  which  Alderly  had  arrayed  himself. 
He,  as  we  ran  in,  was  standing  by  the  bows  of  his 
ship,  and  had  in  his  hand  a  glass  of  liquor,  and,  as  we 
drew  close,  he  shouted— 

"  Trapped  !  Trapped,  by  God  !  You  will  never 
get  out  of  this !     You  cannot  escape  ! " 

"  You  beastly  pirate  !  "  I  called  back ;  "  there  is  no 
thought  of  getting  out.  We  are  only  most  thankful 
to  have  got  in.  Now,  will  you  haul  down  those  vile 
rags  at  your  peak,  and  give  up  the  stolen  goods  and 
surrender,  or " 

"  Surrender  ! "  shouts  he.  "  Yes,  I  will  surrender  ! 
Like  this  ! "  and  stooping  down  behind  his  bows  for  a 
moment,  he  picks  up  what  was  a  new-fangled  sort  of 
grenadoe — being  a  case  bottle  filled  with  powder  and 
pieces  of  lead,  iron  slugs  and  shot,  with  a  quick  match 
in  the  mouth  of  it — and  flings  it  aboard  us.  But  in 
a  minute  one  of  my  men,  a  lusty  youth  from  North 
Berwick,  named  Fernon,  stoops  down,  seizes  on  it,  and 
flings  it  back  into  Alderly 's  ship,  where  it  exploded 
amidst  their  yells  and  curses. 

"  Now,"  said  T,  as  at  this  moment  our  crafts 
touched,  so  that  the  whole  channel  was  blocked, 
"  over  their  bows,  under  the  smoke,  and  among 
'em.  Pistols  and  cutlashes,  my  lads,  will  do  the 
business." 

So  over  we  did  go,  and  soon  found  that  we  had  a 


A   FIGHT.  155 

tough  job  Lefore  us.  For  though  the  men  of  the 
Etoyle  did  only  outnumber  us  b}^  five — namely,  four 
men  and  Aldorl}^ — we  discovered  ere  long  on  what  a 
dreadful  mine  we  were  standing 

As  I  cut  down  one  man,  giving  him  a  wound  in 
the  neck  that  nearly  sever'd  his  throat  as  clean  as  if 
he  had  cut  it  with  a  razor,  Cromby  whispered  in  my 
ear — 

"  Sir,  what  shall  we  do  ?  Down  below  stands  a 
great  negro  over  two  barrels  of  powder,  with  a  lighted 
slow  match  in  his  hand.  'Tis  evident  the  instant  we 
are  victorious  he  will  blow  up  the  Snow." 

The  sweat  sprang  out  all  over  me  as  he  said  this, 
and,  fighting  hand  to  hand  all  as  I  was  with  now 
another  pirate,  I  had  to  pause  and  deliberate.  Then 
I  said — 

"  If  you  cannot  shoot  hiui  we  must  get  back  to 
our  own  vessel.     Try  if  you  can  get  a  ball  into  him." 

And  now  I  came  against  Alderly  and  rushed  at 
him,  when  I  saw  him  settle  himself  against  the  tackle 
of  a  gun,  his  hand  over  his  heart. 

"  So,"  I  thought  to  myself,  "  he  has  got  his  death 
wound.  He  will  fall  dead  in  a  moment.  Let  us  see 
for  ourselves." 

Amidst  the  smoke,  therefore,  and  firing  some 
shots  below  into  the  hold  in  the  hopes  of  slaying  the 
negro,  we  leapt  back  into  our  galliot,  and  then,  before 
the  crew  of  the  Etoyle  knew  what  we  were  at,  we  had 
pushed  ourselves  oft"  of  them,  and,  catching  a  little  of 
the  current  of  the  canal  or  river,  got  drifted  down 
some  fifty  yards.  And  here,  being  safe  from  any 
explosion  should  it  take  place  among  the  others,  we 


15G  THE    HISPANIULA    PLATE. 

gave  tlicin  a  broadside  from  our  guns  almost  before 
they  coidd  know  we  had  left  them. 

But  they  answered  not.  We  heard  our  balls 
crash  into  the  sides  of  the  Snow,  we  heard  her  timbers 
splitting  and  bursting,  Ave  even  heard  the  shivering  of 
a  mast  or  yard,  and  its  fall  on  the  deck — but  no 
reply  was  made.  No  ball  came  back  crashing  into  us, 
no  report  echoed  ours.     All  Avas  still. 

"  Let  the  smoke  clear  off,"  I  said,  "  ere  Ave  fire 
again.  IMeauAvhile,  keep  your  guns  loaded.  Can  it  be 
that  all  are  slain  ?  " 

The  smoke  did  evaporate  shortly,  and  then  Ave 
learnt  that  'tAvas  as  Ave  thought.  Either  the  pirates 
were  all  slain  or — fled.  We  had  Avon  our  day.  From 
our  rattlins,  by  running  up  a  dozen,  I  could  see  on 
to  the  deck  of  the  Etoyle,  and  perceive  men  lying 
about  dead.  Also,  too,  could  obserA^e  the  deck  stained 
Avith  blood,  the  fallen  mast  bearing  the  vile  silken 
flag  a-lying  across  one  man — it  having  smashed  his 
head  in  as  it  fell.  But  though  I  gazed  at  the  gun 
tackle  Avhere  I  had  seen  Alderly,  he  Avas  not  there 
noAv,  neither  near  it  nor  by  it.  Had  he  therefore 
escaped  ? 

"  We  must  board  the  Etoyle  again,"  says  1 ;  "  yet 
since  the  negro  Avith  his  lighted  match  may  still  be  by 
the  ])OAvder,  I  Avill  go  alone  first,  as  is  my  dut}^  LoAvcr 
the  boat." 

Since  1  had  regained  our  tender  I  had  been  stand- 
ing enrapt,  gazing  Avith  all  my  might  at  the  smoke 
first,  and  then  up  into  the  shrouds  again  at  the  enemy, 
taking  no  heed  of  my  OAvn  craft.  Ikit  noAv,  as  no  one 
stirred,  to  my  hearing,  to  obey  my  orders,  I  turned 


A    FIGHT.  157 

round  sharply  to  chide  them,  but  as  I  did  so  I  started 
and  felt  myself  go  pale. 

"  Good'  God  !  "  I  exclahned,  "  good  God  !  What 
is  this  ? " 

There  were  but  three  men,  I  recollected  in  an 
instant,  that  had  leaped  back  into  the  galliot  from 
the  Snow,  and  those  three  men  were  here  in  the  ship 
behind  me.  But,  alas !  two  were  now  dead ;  the 
third,  Israel  Cromby,  was  a-lying  on  his  back,  gasping 
out  his  last  few  breaths. 

"  Oh !  "  says  I,  "  oh  !  my  poor  men — this  is  a  sorry 
sight  for  any  commander  to  see.  Cromby,  man,  it 
is  ill  with  you,  I  fear  ? " 

He  opened  his  eyes,  all  covered  with  a  film  like  a 
poor  partridge  a  gunner  has  knocked  over,  and  then 
he  Avhispered — 

"  Sir,  sir.  There  is  a  poor  old  woman  down 
Rotherhithe  Avay — she  is — my  mother.  She — drawed 
— my   money — tell   her — she   has    no    other    means 

whereby  to  live — if  you — get  back,  see  to .     Sir, 

I've  done  my  duty." 

So  he  died  and  joined  the  others,  and  went  his 
way  to  meet  his  God. 

And  I  was  left  alone. 

From  the  Etoyle  there  came  no  sound,  nor  from 
the  woods  neither  did  any  come.  So  I  told  myself 
this  would  not  do.  I  must  be  stirring.  Thinking 
which,  I  lowered  dovm  the  boat,  having  to  shift  the 
bodies  of  my  poor  dead  men  to  get  at  the  tackle,  and 
then  got  down  into  it,  and  so  to  the  Etoyle.  It  was  no 
use  wasting  time  when  I  got  to  it,  I  reflected ;  if  any 
were  alive  of  the  enemy  they  must  be  encountered 


158  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

soon  or  late — as  well  now  as  then.  And  the  neero 
I  did  feci  sure  was  dead.  Otherwise,  he  would  have 
blowed  up  the  Snow  or  else  come  forth. 

Making  fast  the  boat,  I  clambered  up  over  the 
side  of  the  buccaneer's  craft,  and  then  I  saw  pretty 
quick  all  that  had  happened,  looking  first  to  see  for 
the  negro.  He  was  done  for,  as  I  had  imagined, 
and  was  lying  Hat  on  his  back  at  the  foot  of  the 
hatcliAvay,  his  match  burnt  out  in  his  dead  black 
hand,  which,  I  saw  later,  had  been  singed  and  scorched 
by  the  flames  ;  yet  that  hand  had  been  perilously  near 
to  the  powder-barrels  while  the  slow  macch  lasted, 
as  it  lay  all  stretched  out. 

On  the  deck  they  laid  about,  my  men  and  Alderly's, 
as  they  had  fallen,  and  I  did  perceive  that  our  broad- 
side had  finished  up  one  or  two  at  least  of  the 
latter,  who  were  still  breathing  when  I  got  aboard, 
though  not  long  after.  Of  my  six  men  who  had 
fallen  there,  I  made  instantly  a  burial,  tying  shots  to 
them  and  heaving  them  over  the  side — for  I  would 
not  have  the  birds  of  prey — many  of  whom  were 
hovering  about  the  banks  of  the  river — tear  and 
devour  them.  This  I  did  do  when  I  felt  sure  they 
were  indeed  dead,  but  of  the  pirates  I  took  no  heed — 
the  birds  might  have  their  bodies  (as  I  doubted  not 
the  Devil  had  got  their  souls  by  now),  for  all  T  cared. 
One  thing — or  rather  two — I  did  not  find  which  I 
would  very  willingly  have  done.  There  was  no  sign 
anywhere  of  cither  Alderly  or  the  casket  he  had 
fluiirished  in  our  faces.  Now,  if  Aldcrl}^  had  died 
before  his  men,  or  some  of  them,  this  would  not  be 
strange,  since  I  knew — having  hunted  pirates  before 


A    FIGHT.  159 

to-day — that  the  captains  had  ever  the  desire  to  be 
filing  overboard   the  moment   they   were   dead,    and  ■ 
always  in  their  finery  and  adornments. 

And  this  doubtless  had  happened  to  him ;  that  is, 
if  he  had  not  escaped,  which  was,  of  course,  possible 
for  him  to  have  done  if  he  had  not  his  death  wound 
when  I  encountered  him.  And  the  casket  might 
have  gone  too — though  this  I  doubted  ;  at  least,  it 
would  not  go  while  one  man  remained  alive,  and  he 
Avould  not  sink  it  until  his  last  gasp,  at  which  time  he 
mio'ht  be  then  too  feeble  so  to  do. 

Yet  I  resolved  to  search  the  Snow,  to  see  if  any 
were  lurking  about,  or  if  the  casket  was  hid  any- 
where. 'Twould  not  take  long  to  do,  and  even 
though  it  did,  what  matter  ?  There  was  no  call  on 
my  time. 

Down  below,  to  which  I  Avent  after  carefully 
scrutinizing  the  deck,  all  was  in  great  disorder; 
weapons  were  lying  on  the  cabin  table  alongside  of 
food  and  victuals,  and  there  was  a  broached  barrel  of 
rumbullion — or  kill-devil — a-standing  in  the  middle 
of  the  cabin,  with  a  scooper,  or  long-handled  ladle, 
hard  by,  which  doubtless  they  had  drunk  from 
by  turns ;  and  since  they  were  drunk  when  Ave  met 
'em  in  the  night,  I  supposed  they  had  been  drinking 
ever  since  they  had  deserted  us.  Leastways,  the 
barrel  was  half  empty,  yet  none  was  spilled. 

Here  was  the  body  of  a  man  shot  into  the  head, 
and  very  ghastly — I  doubted  not  he  had  fallen  down 
the  hatch  Avhen  struck,  or,  may  be,  run  down  for 
drink  to  ease  him.  And  now,  seeing  this  corpse  set 
me  off  a-calculating  hoAv  many  there  had  been  in  the 


160  THE    HISPANIOLA   TLATE. 

Etoyle,  and  how  \\\imy  there  were  now — whereby  I 
should  get  the  ditterence  of  those  in  the  ship,  and 
those  who  had  been  flung,  or  fallen  over,  or — if  it 
might  be  so — escaped.  And,  at  last,  I  did  arrive  at 
the  solution  that  but  two  were  missing;  namely,  the 
villain  Alderly  and  his  diver.  Therefore,  even  allow- 
ing them  to  be  alive,  all  but  three  of  both  crafts  had 
been  killed  in  the  fioht. 

And  if  those  two  had  escaped  it  must  be  by 
having  leaped  overboard  in  the  smoke  and  confusion 
— 'twas  certain  they  had  not  taken  their  boat,  for  it 
still  lay  along  their  deck,  upside  down,  where  they 
always  kept  it,  as  I  had  seen  often  when  they  were 
moored  alongside  the  Fiirie.  Now  it  had  a  shot  in 
it  from  one  of  our  guns,  I  did  perceive,  which  was 
perhaps  the  reason  it  was  not  used — though  their 
haste  to  get  away  was  more  like  to  be  the  cause. 
Yet,  I  pondered,  if  they  had  hastened  away,  where  was 
then  the  treasure  ?  The  casket  alone  would  almost, 
I  should  judge,  sink  a  man  who  endeavoiu'ed  to  get 
ashore  with  it,  though  it  was  but  a  few  yards  to  swim 
— how  could  it  be,  therefore,  that  they  and  their  stolen 
prize  had  got  away  ?  The  truth,  I  did  conceive  now, 
was  that  all,  Alderly,  diver,  and  treasure,  were  at  the 
bottom  of  the  river. 

But  by  this  time  the  night  Avas  approaching, 
vastly  different  from  the  former  one,  it  being  calm 
and  cloudless ;  and  I  was  Avorn  out  with  want  of 
rest,  and  with  the  fighting  and  excitement.  So  I 
resolved  I  would  take  a  night's  repose,  and  then  in  the 
morning  I  Avould  explore  the  island  carefully — 'twould 
not  take  long,  being  not  a  league  in  Irngth  nor  half 


A   FIGHT.  IGl 

as  broiid,  as  I  knew ;  above  all,  I  would  see  if  1  could 
find  tlie  goods  you  wot  of.  As  for  the  two  pirates, 
I  feared  them  not  one  atom ;  face  to  face,  I  deemed 
myself — a  king's  late  officer — the  match  for  any  two 
dirty  pirates  that  ever  breathed. 

So  I  let  go  the  Etoyles  anchor  and  made  her  fast 
for  the  night,  and  then  rowed  me  back  to  my  galliot 
and  prepared  for  my  rest. 


162 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE     villain's     DEN. 

'TwAS  as  I  have  writ,  a  night  vastly  ditterent  from  the 
precedent  one,  beautifully  calm  in  this  little  channel, 
or  river,  with  the  moon  arising  behind  the  wood 
that  bordered  its  eastern  bank,  and  with  a  cool 
breeze  coming  from  the  sea  and  rustlinef  throuo^h 
the  leaves.  And  as  the  moon  rose  above  the  tree- 
tops  she  flooded  all  the  river  with  light,  making  a 
great  shadow  of  the  Etoyle  on  the  water,  and  also 
of  the  galliot. 

I  lay  me  down  upon  the  deck  of  my  craft  wrapped 
in  a  boat-cloak,  as  soon  as  I  had  gotten  things  a 
little  ship-shape  for  the  night  (I  had  anchored 
the  galliot  before  I  Avent  off  to  the  Snow),  but  sleep 
came  not  easily.  There  Avere,-  indeed,  many  things 
a-running  through  my  brain.  Firstly,  there  Avere  my 
poor  dead  sailors  sleeping  below  in  the  water^ 
probably  already  food  for  the  great  variegated  crabs 
that  do  here  abound — whom  I  could  not  but  lament, 
and  especially  Israel  Cromby,  with  his  dying  thoughts 
of  the  poor  old  dependent  mother  at  Rotherhithe. 
Then  there  was  the  position  to  be  thought  of  in 
Avhich  I  now  stood.  I  had  the  galliot  to  get  me 
aAvay  in,  'twas  true,  to  the  adjacent  islands,  some  of 
which  wore  inhabited  by  1113^  own  countrymen,  and 
not  far  off  neither — but,  supposing  I  got   back  the 


THE   villain's   DEN.  lt)3 

treasure  from  the  pirates,  should  I  ever  get  it  safe 
home  to  England  ?  I  knew  not,  as  yet,  how  much  it 
was ;  whether  the  casket  was  all  or  only  a  portion ; 
whether  also  that  portion  was  a  huge  mass  of  gold  or 
silver,  or  a  small  one  of  jewels.  Above  all,  should  I 
get  it  in  any  form  or  shape  whatever  ?  Was  it 
buried  in  the  river  ere  the  last  of  the  pirates  died,  or 
Avere  those  two  men  alive,  and  had  they  got  ashore 
and  buried  it  there  ?  Still  my  fatigues  Avere  such 
that,  in  spite  of  all  my  conflicting  and  unhappy 
thoughts,  I  slumbered  at  last.  Long  and  peacefully  I 
slept  aboard  the  little  craft,  Avhich  had  none  other 
now  but  myself  for  its  inhabitant,  with  the  cool 
night  wind  blowing  all  over  me,  and  freshening  me 
as  I  lay. 

Yet  I  awoke  ere  daylight  had  come — startled  by 
something,  I  knew  not  Avhat ! 

The  moon  Avas  at  her  full  height  noAV,  the  channel 
was  as  light  as  day,  'twas  that,  I  thought  to  myself, 
had  Avaked  me ;  and  I  turned  over  on  my  side  to 
sleep  again.  Yet,  as  I  dozed,  and  should  soon  have 
been  gone  again,  once  more  I  Avas  disturbed.  "  Per- 
haps 'tis  a  beast,"  thought  I,  "  in  the  Avood,  crashing 
through  the  undergrowth," — for  such  I  fancied  to 
be  the  sound — "  perhaps  'tis — "  but  here  I  ended  my 
speculations,  for  I  saw  what  had  aroused  me. 

'Twas  the  tAvo  villains,  Alderly  and  his  diver,  a- 
standing  on  the  bank  of  the  river  gazing  into  it. 
'Twas  their  steps  I  had  heard  crunching  on  the 
underbrush. 

Now  it  did  so  happen  that  our  galliot  had  a  cabin 
aft,  Avith,  cut  into  it  on  either  side  of  the  sternpost, 
l2 


IG-i  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

two  port-holes,  so  that,  lying  here,  I  could  ver^^  well 
see  through  those  scuttles  what  they  were  a-doing 
without  their  seeing  me.  Whether  they  thought  I 
was  not  in  my  vessel  I  could  not  guess  ;  or  whether 
they  knew  I  was,  having  watched  me  all  the  latter 
part  of  the  day  from  the  wood,  but  deemed  me  now 
asleep,  'twas  impossible  for  me  to  tell — yet  doubtless 
'twas  the  latter,  since  they  seemed  wary  in  their 
movements. 

Yet  was  it  obvious  to  me,  watching  them  as  I  did, 
that  both  were  still  under  the  influence  of  the  drink  ; 
as  they  stood  gazing  into  the  water,  first  one  would 
give  a  lurch,  then  the  other,  or  one  would  hiccough, 
and  the  other  would  curse  him  under  his  breath  for 
making  of  a  noise ;  and  once  the  diver — whose  name 
I  knew  not — nearly  fell  forward  into  the  river,  and 
would  have  done  so,  had  not  Alderly  clutched  him 
and  hauled  him  back.  And  all  the  time  the  moon 
enabled  me  to  see  the  latter's  tawdry  finery,  all 
smirched  with  dirt,  with  powder  and  tilth,  and  his 
broken  feather  in  his  hat,  and  the  stains  and  grime 
about  him,  while,  as  for  the  other,  he  had  nought  but 
the  coarsest  of  apparel  upon  him. 

Now,  seeing  they  were  still  drunk,  I  did  begin  to 
think  they  had  a  resort  of  some  sort  in  this  isle, 
perhaps  comrades  upon  it  from  Avhom  they  could 
get  drink,  since  'twas  hours  since  they  had  had 
any  in  the  Snow.  Which  led  me  to  reflect  that,  if 
there  were  more  of  these  wretches  here,  my  case  was 
a  bad  one.  However,  watching  of  their  actions 
drove  these  retiections  from  out  my  liead,  for  a 
time  at  least. 


THE  villain's  dex.  165 

Presently,  one,  Aldevly,  stoops  him  down,  going-  on 
to  his  hands  and  knees  and,  baring  his  arm  up  to  the 
shoulder,  thrusts  it  into  the  water,  and  begins  moving 
it  backwards  and  forwards  as  though  feeling  for 
something  in  it.  And  shortly  he  found  what  he 
wanted,  for  he  lifted  up  a  stone  as  big  as  my  head, 
W'itli  round  it  a  rope  that  ran  on,  into,  and  under  the 
Avater  as  he  lifted  of  it  up.  This  w^as  easy  to  perceive, 
for  the  drops  of  w^ater  sparkled  on  it  like  diamonds  as 
he  held  it  at  his  end. 

"  Ha  !  "  thinks  I  to  mj^^self.  "  I  do  guess  what's  at 
t'other  end  now.  Well,  well,  we  will  see."  Yet,  as  I 
so  thought,  I  looked  to  my  priming.  I  thought  it 
W'Ould  not  be  very  long  ere  I  should  have  to  shoot 
these  two  ruffians,  and  take  my  chance  of  there  being- 
more  of  the  same  sort  on  tlie  isle.  But  the  time  had 
not  come  3"et,  I  did  perceive,  and  meanwhile  I  lay 
perfectl}'  snug  watching  their  doings. 

A  moment  after  Alderly  had  gotten  the  stone  and 
rope  up,  he  threw  away  the  former,  and  began,  with 
his  conn\ade's  assistance,  hauling  and  tugging  at  it, 
and  presently  they  got  ashore  from  under  the 
water  a  long  box  of  about  four  feet — though  'twas  not 
what  I  expected  to  see,  namely,  the  casket.  This,  I 
made  sure,  would  have  been  fished  up,  but  'twas  not. 
I  nev'er  did  see  it  again. 

'Twas  plain  to  observe  there  was  no  more  to  come, 
for  no  sooner  was  this  box  up  than  they  made  as 
though  they  would  depart,  Alderly  letting  the  rope 
drop  back  gently  into  the  water ;  and  then,  as  I  could 
see  by  his  gestures,  making  signs  to  the  diver  to  pick 
t,he  box  up  and  carry  it.    But  this  led  to  an  argument 


106  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

between  tliern  ;  I  could  observe  them  shrufjorinof  of 
their  shoulders  with  a  drunken  gravity,  lurching 
about  now  and  again  as  they  did  so,  and  stumbling 
against  the  box  more  than  once ;  and  then,  suddenly, 
I  perceived  Alderly  strike  the  other  in  the  mouth  and 
knock  him  down. 

"  Now,"  thinks  I,  "  this  leads  to  more  things.  If 
they  go  on  like  this,  there  will  be  only  one  pirate  soon 
for  me  to  contend  with,  so  far  as  I  know." 

Even  as  I  pondered,  my  words  came  true.  The 
diver  got  up,  whips  out  a  long  knife,  and  made  a  rush 
at  the  other — the  weapon  sparkling  as  though  it  was 
dipped  in  phosphorus  in  the  rays  of  the  moon — and 
in  another  moment  they  had  closed  together. 

But  Alderly  was  the  best  man  of  the  two — which 
was  perhaps  why  he  was  chief  of  the  Etoyle — and  ere 
lono:  he  had  hold  of  the  other's  wrist  with  one  hand  and 
had  got  him  round  the  body  with  the  other.  Then,  by 
degrees,  he  did  bring  the  body  down  until  it  lay  across 
his  own  knee,  face  upwards,  and  having,  as  I  did  see,  the 
strength  of  a  bullock,  or  a  vice,  he  forced  the  other's 
arm  up  and  down,  directing  so  his  clenched  hand 
that  he  compelled  him  to  plunge  his  own  dagger  into 
his  own  breast.  Once,  twice,  thrice,  he  did  it ! — the 
diver  screaming  with  the  first  plunge  of  the  knife  into 
his  bosom,  groaning  with  the  second,  and  with  the 
third  making  no  noise.  Then  Alderly  lets  go  the 
diver's  fist  from  out  of  his  own,  and  frees  his  own 
body  from  his  grasp,  and  down  the  diver  fell  to  the 
brink  of  the  river. 

"  You  slew  yourself,"  sa3-s  he,  looking  down  at 
him  ;  "'twas  your  own  knife  that  did  it,  your  own  hand 


THE    villain's   DEN.  167 

that  pliiii^-C(l  it  in."  And  hero  he  Liiiq-hed,  an  awful, 
blood-curdhng  Liugh.  The  laugh  of  a  maniac  or 
a  fiend !  Then  he  put  his  foot  to  the  dead  man's 
body  and  tumbled  it  over  into  the  river,  so  that  I 
saw  it  no  more.  Next,  seizing  on  to  the  long  box — 
and  nearly  falling  over  it  as  he  did  so  in  his  half- 
drunkenness — he  lifted  it  on  to  his  shoulder  and  went 
into  the  wood.  Only,  as  he  departed  I  saw  him  also 
lift  up  his  foot  and  touch  his  shoe  with  his  finger, 
and  hold  that  finger  np  in  the  moon  to  look  at ;  and 
then  he  gave  again  that  awful  laugh.  He  Avas  a- 
lauofhinof  at  the  dead  man's  blood  in  which  he  had 
trampled ! 

"  Now,"  says  I,  "  is  my  time  ;  I  will  find  ont  if  he 
can  also  slay  me.  At  any  rate  he  shall  not  escape 
without  doing  so,"  and  with  these  words  I  lowered 
the  boat  again,  got  into  it  and  went  ashore — the 
distance  from  the  galliot  being  not  twenty  yards. 
And  then,  securing  of  the  boat  to  the  trunk  of  a 
small  tree  by  the  river's  brink,  I  phmged  in  after  him 
to  the  wood.  Only,  you  may  be  sure,  I  had  my 
pistols  with  me  and  my  sword. 

At  first  the  little  wood  was  so  dark  that  I  could 
not  see,  or  scarce  see,  the  moon  a-shining  dimly 
through  the  thickness — a  thickness  all  made  of  wild 
orange,  citron,  and  pomegranate  trees,  as  well  as 
of  campeachy  trees,  and  mountain  cabbage  palms. 
Yet  soon  this  wood  opened  out  somewhat ;  there 
rose  before  my  eyes  a  little  glade,  on  which  the 
moon  did  here  shine  as  thouoh  on  a  sweet  English 
field  at  home,  and,  reaching  this,  I  perceived  by 
stopping  and  looking    carefully  that    my   man   had 


168  THE   HTSPANIOLA   PLATE. 

passed  this  way.  The  long  grass  was  all  trodden 
down — na}',  so  much  so,  that  the  two  must  have  also 
come  this  way  when  they  set  out  as  conu'ades — 
and,  since  the  imprints  of  the  foot-steps  were  most 
uneven  and  without  regularity,  I  felt  sure  my 
drunken  pirate  had  struggled  and  staggered  along 
this  track. 

So  across  the  little  glade  I  Avent,  folloAving  ever 
the  irregular  crushings  down  of  the  grass,  until  I 
came  to  where  it  w\as  bordered  by  more  thick  under- 
brush and  shrub,  and  then,  even  had  I  doubted  I 
was  on  the  steps  of  Alderly,  I  could  do  so  no  longer. 
For  now  through  that  thick  brushwood  and  tangled 
growth  of  briar,  and  lacery  of  trailing  things,  there 
Avas  crushed  aside  a  most  distinct  opening  through 
which  a  man,  or  men,  must  have  passed,  Avhile,  had  I 
desired  further  proofs  of  where  the  man  had  gone 
Avhom  I  sought,  it  was  before  me.  Lying  on  the 
brushwood,  catched  ofi'  and  torn  by  a  thorn,  wa ; 
the  broken  end  of  Alderly 's  red  feather,  the  piece 
that  had  hung-  down  over  his  savaoe  face  as  he 
forced  the  diver  to  slay  himself,  and  that  gave, 
even  in  that  awful  moment,  an  appearance  to  him 
of  almost  comicality.  A  comicality,  though,  to  cause 
a  shudder ! 

Now  did  I,  therefore,  loosen  my  blade  in  its  sheath 
and  set  my  pistols  in  my  belt  carefully,  for,  since  by 
this  time  I  had  gone  a  mile  at  least,  'twas  not  very 
like  1  should  go  nuich  farther  before  coming  on  to  the 
desperado,  unless  he  should  have  turned  off  at  an 
angle — a  thing  I  could  not  judge  he  should  have 
any  reason  to  do.     And  so  I  went  on  very  carefully, 


THE    villain's    den.  IGO 

keeping  ever  a  watch  about  and  aronnd  me,  so  that  I 
should  fall  into  no  trap. 

Soon,  however,  I  did  perceive  that  the  path  turned, 
as  I  guessed  it  might  perhaps  do,  and  I  thought  the 
time  was  not  yet  come  for  me  to  get  up  with  my 
chase,  when,  to  my  astonishment — in  spite  of  my 
former  ideas  that  there  might  be  other  buccaneers 
upon  this  isle — there  came  to  nie  the  sounds  of 
singing  and  revelling,  of  shouting  and  whooping  and 
drinking  of  healths,  and  clapping  of  canikins  or 
•^'lasses  on  a  table. 

"  The  health,"  I  hoard  a  voice  shout,  "  of  Win- 
stanley,  the  diver  of  Liverpool,  the  man  who  strove 
to  contend  with  Alderly.  His  health  in  the  place 
where  he  is  gone,  and  another  to  his  taker  off!"  And 
then  there  followed  the  banging  and  smashinsf  of 
drinking  vessels  on  the  table  again,  and  huzzas  and 
shriekings. 

Next  uprose  a  voice  a-trolling  of  a  song. 

"  When  money's  plenty,  boys,  we  drink 
To  drown  onv  troubles,  oli-oh  ! 
Caronse,  revel,  and  never  tliink, 
Ui^on  the  morrow,  oh-oh  !  " 

"  When  money's  plenty, "  I  heard  Alderly  repeat. 
"  When  money's  plenty  !  Why,  and  so  it  is,  my 
blithe  lads.  Look  here  in  this  box,  my  hearties. 
Here's  enough  and  to  spare  for  all.  Diamonds, 
sapphires,  pearls,  gold  and  silver.  Ha  !  ha !  Drink, 
my  lads.  Give  me  the  bowl.  Peter  Hynde,  my  lad, 
drink  up,  and  j^ou,  Robert  Birtson,  and  Will  Magnus, 
you,  and  you,  Petty,  and  Crow,  and  Moody,  and  fat 
John  Coleman.     Drink,  you  dogs,  I  say,  drink." 


170  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

"  I  have  landed  on  a  nest  of  tbcni ! "  thinks  I  to 
myseh'  "A  dozen  at  least,  I  believe.  Well,  I  uill 
lie  hid  awhile,  and  if  they  o'ermaster  me,  why — " 

"  When  money's  plenty,  boys,  wo  drink! 
And  bring  the  girls  along,  oh ! 
Of  blood  we've  shed  we  never  think, 
Midst  dance  and  jocund  song,  oh  !  " 

burst  out  the  ruffian  again.  Then  he  yelled  out. 
"  A  toast !  a  toast !  The  health  of  Phips  and  that 
accursed  Crafer,  whose  blood  I've  drunk,"  at  which  I 
started.  "  So,"  thinks  I,  "  he  deems  me  dead.  'Tis 
perhaps  best.  Yet  shall  he  learn,"  I  nuittered  twixt 
my  set  lips,  "  that  in  spite  of  him  and  his  horde  I  am 
alive — he  shall — " 

"  And  Bess,  my  Coromandel  girl,  bring  in  the 
meats!"  the  villain  now  shouted.  "Ha!  ha!  here 
she  comes  with  the  steaming  turtle !  Fall  to, 
my  boys,  fall  to ;  and  here  comes  our  Queen  of 
Port  Royal,  our  golden-haired  Barbara  who  loves 
us  well.  My  lads !  a  health  to  the  girl  of  Port 
Royal ! " 

And  aoain  there  came  the  banoing  on  the  table 
of  fists,  then  cans,  and  the  voice  of  Alderly  whooping 
and  shouting. 

"  I  must  see  this  crew,"  1  whispered  to  myself, 
"e'en  though  I  die  for  it.  I  must  see  these  ruffians 
in  their  den  with  their  loathsome  womankind.  I 
have  four  shots  in  my  belt,  and  a  good  sword.  All 
nuist  be  drunk  and  /  am  sober!  I  will  do  some 
execution  amongst  them.''     " 

So  through  the  brushwood  T  Avent  a  pace  or  so, 
parting  the  leaves  as  gentl}' as  might  be — though  that 


THE   villain's   DEN.  171 

I  should  be  heard  there  was  no  fear  amidst  the 
internal  clamour  and  din  and  shouting  of  Alderly. 

Then,  next,  I  saw  before  nie  a  hut,  or  big  cabin, 
built  of  logs,  with  a  wide,  open  door  and  thatched 
with  palm  leaves ;  from  out  the  door  there  gleamed 
the  light  of  a  lamp,  and  as  I  parted  some  boughs  and 
bushes  to  get  me  a  view,  I  could  see  very  well  into 
the  hut. 

And  this  is  what  I  witnessed. 


172 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

MAD  ! 

Inside  the  hut  ran  a  long  table  on  trestles;  upon 
that  table  were  platters  and  drinking  vessels ;  on  it 
also  were  some  dried  fruits,  some  pieces  of  dirty, 
coarse  bread,  and  also  some  scraps  of  jerked  beef,  or, 
as  'tis  called  here  in  the  Caribbee-Indian,  Boucan; 
and  that,  with  the  exception  of  some  drink  in  a  tub, 
was  all ! 

There  was  no  steaming  turtle  or  other  savoury 
viands,  neither  were  there  any  Avomen,  golden-haired 
or  others,  nor  a  nest  of  pirates.  Besides  Alderly 
himself,  there  was  in  the  hut  no  hving  soul  that  I 
could  see.     He  was  alone  I 

Yet,  in  front  of  the  table,  there  lay  something  on 
which  my  eyes  could  not  but  fasten,  the  long  box,  in 
Avhich  I  did  believe  the  stolen  treasure  was.  And 
also  by  its  side  were  three  bags,  or  sacks,  bulging  out 
full  of  coin — I  could  see  the  impress  made  upon  the 
canvas  by  the  pieces  within — and  these  I  did  guess 
had  never  come  out  of  the  wreck  we  had  been  fishing 
on.  They  were,  I  thought— and  found  afterwards 
tliat  my  thoughts  were  right— spoils  from  some 
others  than  us.     The  plunder  of  another  foray! 

liut  at  the  time  I  could  do  nought  but  watch  the 
great  villain,  the  creature  whom  I  could  not  deem 
aught  but  mad,  or,  at  least,  mad  from  the  drink. 


mad!  173 

His  eyes  glistening  and  rolling  like  a  maniac's, 
lie  sat  in  the  middle  of  the  table,  gibbering  and 
grimacing  to  either  side  of  him,  as  if  the  companions 
he  had  named  were  there  ;  now  shouting  out  a  toast, 
then  banoiny  on  the  table  with  both  his  fists,  then 
seizing  a  can  or  mug  in  each  of  them;  next 
calling  out  in  a  deep  voice  "  huzza,  huzza,"  and  then 
altering  it  to  the  shrill  one  of  a  woman  doing 
the  same  thing. 

Next,  he  would  seize  the  scooper  of  the  liquor  tub, 
and,  with  clumsy  bows  to  the  empty  chairs  or  stools, 
for  such  indeed  they  Avere,  would  fill  the  glasses 
standing  on  the  table  in  front  of  those  chairs,  though 
they  being  already  full  he  did  but  pour  liquor  upon 
liquor  until  the  whole  table  streamed  with  it.  Then, 
for  variety,  he  would  tear  with  his  fingers  a  piece  of 
Boucan  off,  and  with  solemn  gravity  lay  it  on  some 
tin  plates  near  him,  saying  to  the  vacant  space  behind 
the  plate : 

"  Barbara,  my  sweet,  'tis  the  choicest  piece  of  the 
haunch  ;  I  beseech  of  you  to  taste  a  little  more  "  ,  or 
"  Coleman,  my  fat  buck,  take  a  bit  more  of  your  own 
kind,"  and  so  forth.  Or  he  would  crumble  off  a  bit 
of  his  dirty,  frowsy  bread,  and,  with  his  filthy  hands 
putting  of  it  in  his  mouth,  would  say,  "  The  turtles' 
eggs  are  at  their  best  now.  'Tis  the  season.  Ha  i 
They  are  succulent ! "  Then  he  would  drink  a  deep 
draught  of  the  spirits  by  him,  call  a  toast,  and  begin 
his  bawlings  and  clappings  again. 

To  see  the  ruffian  sitting  there  in  the  half-dim 
light — for  his  lamp  was  none  of  the  best — grimacing 
and  gibbering  to  vacancy,  and  addressing  people  Avho 


174  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

existed  not,  was  to  me  a  truly  awful,  nay,  a  blood- 
creepinf(  sight !  For  now  I  knew  Avhat  I  had  before 
me.  I  knew  that  this  pirate,  this  man,  whose  hands 
still  reeked  with  the  blood  of  his  comrade — one  of 
those  whom  he  had  but  recently  called  on  them 
to  drink  a  toast  to — was  mad  with  lonir-continued 
drinking  and  p'raps  scarce  any  food  since  they  left 
the  reef;  that,  indeed,  he  had  the  horrors,  called  by 
the  learned,  the  "  Delirium." 

Still,  all  was  not  yet  at  its  worst,  as  I  found  out 
and  you  shall  see. 

Meanwhile,  amidst  his  bcllowings  and  bowlings, 
which  I  need  not  again  write  down,  since  they  varied 
not,  I  pondered  on  what  I  nnist  do.  I  had  the  fellow 
caged  now  ;  if  he  attempted  to  come  out  of  the  hut 
I  was  resolved  to  shoot  him  down  or  run  him  through 
as  I  would  a  mad  dog ;  indeed,  any  way,  I  was  deter- 
mined now  to  be  his  executioner.  He  was  a  pirate,  a 
thief  Avho  had  caused  us  of  the  Fur'ie  much  trouble 
and  loss  of  good  life — and  here  I  thought  of  Israel 
Cromby  and  my  other  poor  men,  all  dead ! — also  he 
was  a  secret  murderer.  He  must  die  by  my  hand — 
but  it  must  not  be  now  when  he  was  mad.  I  Avas 
ordained  to  be  his  executioner,  I  felt,  but  I  would  not 
be  a  secret  nuu'derer  myself  also.  No  !  not  unless  I 
was  forced  to  it. 

But,  still,  I  decided  now  to  advance  in  upon  him 
— the  position  I  was  in  was  cramped  and  })ainrul ;  the 
hut  would  be  better  than  this,  with  now  many  night 
dews  arising  from  the  soil  and  enveloping  of  me,  and 
— if  the  worst  came  to  l,he  worst — I  would  knock  him 
on  the  head  and  secure  him.     Also,  I  remembered,  I 


MAD !  175 

liad  the  treasure  to  secure.  So  I  moved  into  the 
path,  rounded  it,  and,  pistol  in  hand,  advanced  towards 
the  door  of  the  hut,  and,  standing  in  it,  regarded  him 
fixedly. 

At  first  he  saw  me  not.  The  hght  was  growing 
dimmer,  so  that  to  me  he  looked  more  hke  the  dull, 
cloudy  spectre  of  a  man  than  a  man  itself  as  he  sat 
there — perhaps,  too,  I,  with  nought  behind  me  but 
the  dark  night,  may  have  looked  the  same  to  him. 
Then,  as  he  still  sat  talking  to  an  imaginary  figure 
behind  him,  his  conversation  running  on  the  drinkino- 
and  carousing  he  and  his  supposed  conn'ade  had  once 
evidently  had  on  the  coast  of  Guinea,  I  said,  clearly 
thousrh  low — 

"  Alderly,  you  seem  gay  to-night,  and  entertain 
good  company." 

In  truth,  there  was  no  intention  in  my  heart  to 
banter  the  man  or  jest  with  such  a  brute,  onl}^  I  had 
to  let  him  know  of  my  presence  there,  and  one  way 
seemed  to  me  as  good  as  another. 

Instead  of  starting  up,  as  I  had  thought  he  might 
do,  and,  perhaps,  discharging  a  pistol  at  me,  he  turned 
his  head  towards  the  door,  put  that  head  between  his 
two  hands,  and  peered  between  them  towards  where 
I  stood. 

"  Who  is't  ? "  he  asked.  "  I  cannot  see  you.  Is  it 
Martin  come  back  from  the  isles  with  the  sloop  ?  " 

This  gave  me  an  idea  that  there  were  some  com- 
rades  expected — perhaps  from  some  other  villainies  ! 
but  I  had  just  now  no  time  for  pondering  on  such 
things,  so  I  replied : 

"  No,  'tis  not  Martin     But,  '  Captain  '  Alderly,  you 


17G  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

should  know  me;  yon  drank  a  health  to  me  not  long 
ago.     I  am  Lieutenant  Crafer  of  the  Furie." 

"  I  do  not  know  yon,"  he  repHed ;  "  I  never  heard 
of  you.  Yet  you  must  be  dry  in  the  throat.  Come 
in  and  drink." 

In  other  circumstances  I  miyht  have  thonirht  this 
to  be  a  ruse — now  I  could  not  deem  it  such.  Beyond 
all  doubt  he  was  mad — my  only  wonder  was  that  such 
a  desperado  should  not  be  more  ferocious.  Perhaps, 
however,  this  might  be  to  come. 

I  sat  me  down  opposite  to  him  and  regarded  him 
fixedly  in  that  gloomy  light,  and  it  seemed  as  though 
I  brought  by  my  presence  some  glimmer  of  reason  to 
the  wandering  brain. 

"  Crafer ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  Ah  yes,  Crafer !  Drink, 
Crafer,  drink.  So  thou  hast  join'd  us.  'Tis  well,  and 
better  than  serving  Phij^s.  We  have  more  wealth 
here  than  ever  Phips  dreamed  of — if  we  could  but  get 
it  away.  Away  !  Yes  !  away  !  What  might  Ave  not 
do  if  we  could  but  get  it  to  England !  We  might  all 
be  gallant,  topping  gentlemen  with  coaches  and 
horses,  and  a  good  house,  and  see  ridottos  and— but 
stay,  Crafer,  you  nuist  know  my  friends."  And  here 
the  creature  stood  upon  his  feet — I  standing,  too,  not 
knowing  but  Avhat  he  was  going  to  spring  at  me, 
though  he  had  no  such  intention — and  began  naming 
his  phantom  friends  to  me  and  presenting  them,  so 
to  speak. 

"  This,"  says  he,  "  is  Peter  Hynde,  a  gay  boy  and  a 
good  sailor.  Also  he  is  ouiinusicianer  of  nights — he 
singeth  too  a  sweet  song.  Stand  u[),  Hynde,  and 
make  your  service.     And  this  is  Will  Magnus,  with  a 


mad!  177 

good  heart,  but  ever  lacking  money  till  he  joined  us. 
A  brave  lad !  'Tis  he  who  has  cut  many  a  throat ! 
Barbara,  my  dear,  throw  thy  golden  mane  back  and 
kiss  the  brave  gentleman — she  was  but  a  child,  sir, 
when  we  found  her,  yet  now,  now,  she — Ha !  again 
that  wound  !     How  the  thrust  of  the  steel  bites  ! " 

He  sank  back  into  his  chair,  and  tore  at  his 
damask  waistcoat  and  then  at  his  ruffled  shirt — 
yellow  with  dirt  and  spilt  drink,  and  dabbled  with 
thick  blood-stains — and  so,  opening  of  his  bosom,  there 
I  did  see  a  great  gash  just  over  the  heart,  in  his 
left  pap. 

And  I  Avondered  not  now  that  he  Avas  mad  with 
the  drink  and  the  fever  of  his  wound  ;  the  wonder 
was  more  that  he  was  not  quite  dead. 

He  sat  a-gazing  at  this,  with  his  eyes  turned  down 
upon  it,  and  muttered, 

"  One  gave  it  me  as  from  that  accursed  galliot,  as 
they  boarded.  It  seemed  I  had  gotten  my  death. 
Ah !  how  it  burns,  how  it  throbs !  Barbara !  Black 
Bess  I  hast  thou  no  styptic  for  stopping  of  this  flux, 
no  balm  for  this  pain  ?  Ha  !  No  ?  Then  give  me 
drink,  drink;  'tis  the  best  consoler  of  all,  the  best 
slayer  of  pain."  And  here  he  seized  his  ladle,  filled  a 
glass  from  the  tub,  and  drained  it  at  a  gulp.  Then 
he  wandered  on  again :  "  Barbara,  get  you  up  to  the 
chirugeon  at  Kingston  ;  tell  him  I  am  sore  wounded." 

"  Jamaica  is  far  away  from  here,"  I  said  to  him. 
"  Barbara  will  scarce  bring  you  aught  from  the  phar- 
macie  there  to-night."  Then,  bending  forward  to 
him  across  the  table,  I  said,  "  Alderly,  you  are 
wounded  to  the  death  ;  that  stab  and  your  drin kings 


17s  TlIK    HISPANIOLA    I'l.ATE. 

liavo  brought  you  to  tlie  end,  or  nearly  so.  Tell  uie 
truly,  did  this,"  and  I  kicked  the  box  at  my  feet, 
"  and  these  bags  of  coin  come  from  the  plate-ship  ? 
Tell  me!" 

He  peered  at  me  through  the  deepening  gloom 
made  by  the  expiring  lamp,  as  though  his  senses  were 
returning  and  he  knew  me,  and  muttered : 

"  More — more — than  the  plate-ship — this  is  a 
treasure  house — "  and  then,  su<ldenly,  he  stopped  and, 
pointing  a  shaking  linger  over  my  head,  stared  as  one 
who  saw  a  sight  to  blast  him,  and  whispered  in  a 
voice  of  horror : 

"  Look  !  look  !  behind  you.  God  !  I  stabbed  him 
thrice.  Yet  now  he  is  come  back.  See  him,  look  to 
him  at  the  ojjen  door.  'Tis  Winstanley,  the  diver  ot 
Liverpool.  Ah  !  take  th(xse  eyes  away  from  me — awa}' 
— away !  'Twas  your  hand  did  it,  not  mine,"  and  with 
a  shriek  the  wretch  buried  his  head  in  his  own  hands. 

That  the  nuirdered  diver  was  not  there  I  did 
know  very  well,  yet  the  ravings  of  the  man,  the 
melancholy  of  the  hut  in  the  wood,  the  dimness  of 
the  lamp,  all  made  my  very  flesh  to  creep,  and  in- 
stinctively I  did  cast  my  eye  over  iny  shoulder, 
seeing,  as  was  certain,  nought  but  the  moon's  flood 
pouring  in  at  the  door.  Yet  I  shivered  as  with  a 
palsy,  for  though  no  ghost  was  there  all  around  me 
was  ghostly,  horrible  ! 

"With  a  yell  Alderly  sprang  to  his  feet  a  moment 
after  he  had  sunk  his  head  in  his  hands ;  his  looks 
Avere  worse  now  than  before,  his  madness  stronger 
upon  hini ;  great  flecks  of  foam  upon  his  li])s,  and 
from  his  wound  the  blood  trickling  anew. 


mad!  179 

"  Away !  away ! "  he  shouted.  Then  moaned. 
"  Those  eyes !  those  eyes  !  They  scorch  my  very 
soul.  Away ! "  And  he  cowered  and  shrank,  but 
a  minute  later  seemed  to  have  recovered  his  old 
ferocity.  "  Begone ! "  he  now  commanded  the  spectre 
of  his  distorted  vision.  "  Begone  !  "  and  with  that  he 
rushed  forward,  forgetting  in  his  madness  the  table 
was  betwixt  him  and  his  fears,  and  knocking  it  over 
in  the  rush. 

And  with  it  the  lamp  went  too.  Only  fortunately 
it  w^as  at  its  end,  there  was  no  longer  any  oil  in  it — 
otherwise  the  hut  would  have  been  burnt  to  the 
ground. 

But  all  was  now  darkness  save  for  the  moonlio-ht 
on  the  floor  within  and  on  the  brushwood  without,  and, 
as  Alderly  recovered  himself  from  his  entanglement 
with  the  fallen  table  and  trestles,  I  could  see  it 
shining  upon  his  glaring,  savage  eyes.  And  he  took 
me — I  having  been  knocked  to  the  door  by  the 
crash — for  the  ghost  of  the  diver,  the  spirit  he  feai'ed 
so  much. 

"  Peace,  you  fool ! "  I  exclaimed,  "  there  is  no 
spirit  here,  nought  worse  than  yourself  And  stand 
back,  or,  by  the  God  above,  I  will  blow  your  frenzied 
brains  out,"  and  as  I  spoke,  I  drew  a  pistol,  cocked  it 
and  covered  him. 

With  a  howl  he  came  at  me,  missing  my  fire  in 
his  onward  rush,  dashing  the  pistol  from  my  hand 
with  a  madman's  force,  and,  seizing  me  round  the 
waist,  endeavoured  to  throw  me  to  the  earth.  Yet, 
though  I  had  no  frenzy,  I  too  was  strong,  and  I 
wrestled  with  him,  so  that  about  the  hut  we  went, 
M  2 


180  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

knocking  over  first  the  tub  of  liquor  Avith  wliich  the 
place  became  drenched,  and  falling  at  last  together 
on  the  ground.  And  all  this  time,  Alderly  was 
cursing  and  howling,  sometimes  even  biting  at  me, 
and  tearing  my  flesh  with  his  -teeth,  especially  about 
the  hands,  and  gripping  my  throat  with  his  own 
strong  hands — made  doubly  strong  because  of  his 
frenzy.  I  smelt  his  hot,  stinking,  spirit-sodden 
breath  all  over  me ;  I  could  even  smell  the  filth  of  his 
body  as  he  hissed  out : 

"  I  ever  hated  you,  Winstanley ;  I  hated  you  when 
I  made  your  own  hands  slay  you.  I  hated  you  in 
life,  I  hate  you  now  in  death.  And  as  I  slew  you  in 
life,  again  vv^ill  I  slay  you  in  death." 

Then  at  this  moment  he  gave  a  yell  of  triumph. 
His  hand  had  encountered  the  hilt  of  my  sword,  and 
drawinsr  it  forth  from  its  broken  sheath,  he  shortened 
it  to  plunge  it  into  my  breast. 

But  as  he  did  so  I  got  one  of  my  hands  released. 
I  felt  for  my  other  pistol,  I  cocked  it  with  my  thumb, 
when,  ere  I  could  fire,  the  cutlash  dropped  from 
Alderly's  hand  and  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  his  hands 
upon  his  wound. 

"  See,"  he  whispered  now,  "  there  be  two  AVin- 
stanleys :  one  here — one  coming  through  the  wood. 
Are  there  any  more — ?  " 

Staufuerinof,  he  stood  glaring  forth  into  the  wood 
through  the  open  door,  seeing  another  spectre,  as  he 
thought,  there  ;  then  slowly  he  sank  to  the  ground, 
letting  his  hands  fall  awa}'  from  the  gash  in  his 
breast,  from  which  the  tide  now  ran  swiftly. 

"  Oh,  agony  !  agony  ! "  he  moaned.     "  Can  one  live 


wad!  ISl 

and  feel  siicli  pain  as  this.  Nay !  this  is  death. 
Barbara,  draw  near  me.  Listen.  This  hut  is  full  of 
spoil —beneath — none  know  but  I — all  mine — now  all 
yours.  The  other  is  buried — elsewhere — Oh  !  God — 
the  agony !  Barbara — rich — rich — for  life — lady — 
fortune — give  me  drink — drink — "  Then  once  more 
singing  in  a  broken  voice, 

"  Wheu  money's — pleutj — boj^s  —we  driuk 
To  drown—" 

he  fell  back  moaning  again. 
And  so  he  died. 


182 


CHAPTER   XXIIl. 

THE    TREASURE    HOUSE. 

So  now  I  Avas  the  last  of  all  left  who  had  come  away 
from  the  Fwrie.  Neither  of  my  crew  nor  of  this  dead 
ruffian's  was  there  any  one  to  tell  the  tale  but  I.  A 
strange  ending  indeed  to  such  a  flight  and  such  a 
chase. 

The  dead  pii-ate  lay  upon  his  back,  the  blood  from 
his  wound  trickling  down  to  mix  with  the  spirit  from 
the  overturned  cask.  The  box  of  treasure  lay  at  my 
feet,  and,  if  his  dying  words  were  true  and  not  spoken 
in  his  madness,  beneath  my  feet  was  a  vast  treasure. 

But  ere  I  thought  of  that,  there  were  many  other 
things  to  do.  Firstly,  and  before  all,  there  was  rest 
to  be  obtained,  I  had  scarcely  had  any  for  three 
days — namely,  none  in  the  galliot  since  we  Avcre 
awaked  in  our  little  isle  near  the  reef  by  the  firing  of 
the  Furies  guns  ;  and  but  an  hour  or  so  only  before 
the  murder  of  Winstanley,  the  diver.  That  Avas  all, 
and  now  I  could  scarcely  move  for  fatigue.  I  must 
sleep  e'en  though  I  died  for  it.  Only  where  should  I 
obtain  it  ?  Accustomed  as  I  was  to  rough  surround- 
ings, to  fightings  and  slaughter  after  many  years  of  a 
sailor's  life,  this  hut  with  its  loathsome  dead  inhabi- 
tant and  owner  was  too  horrible  and  disgusting  lor 
me  to  find  rest  in  it.  I  could  not  sleep  there  !  Yet 
again,  neither  would  I  go  far  away.     "The  hut,"  the 


THE   TREASURE   HOUSE.  183 

dying  villain  had  said,  "  was  a  treasure  house";  he 
had  told  the  imaginary  Barbara — who  was  she,  I 
Avondered,  who  seemed  to  have  been  the  centre  of 
such  tragedies  ? — that  she  Avas  the  heiress  to  great 
wealth  contained  within  it,  or  beneath  it ;  I  must 
guard  that  hut  with  my  life.  Especially,  I  reflected, 
must  I  do  so  since  he  had  thought  me  to  be  "  Martin 
come  back  from  the  isles  with  the  sloop."  If,  there- 
fore, this  Avas  not  also  part  of  his  ravings,  he  was 
expecting  some  such  person,  doubtless  a  brother  pirate 
— at  any  moment  I  might  have  to  defend  the  place 
against  another  ship's  crew  of  scoundrels. 

Yet  I  must  sleep.  I  could  do  nought  until  I  had 
rested,  but  I  knew  that  when  such  a  rest  had  been 
obtained,  I  should  feel  strong  enough  to,  or  at  least 
endeavour  to,  hold  my  own.     I  must  slee^j ! 

At  last  I  made  up  my  mind  what  I  would  do. 
The  door  of  the  hut,  I  had  learned  by  my  mode  of 
progression,  faced  to  the  west,  therefore  I  would  close 
the  door,  lay  myself  along  outside  it,  so  that  the 
morning  sun,  now  near  at  hand  as  I  guessed,  should 
not  disturb  me,  and  thereby  get  rest  as  well  as  being 
a  guard  over  the  "■  treasure  house."  So,  loading  and 
])riming  my  pistols  carefully — as  well  as  two  of 
Alderly's  which  I  took  off  his  body,  and  which,  in  his 
madness,  he  had  without  doubt  forgotten  he  possessed 
— and  placing  my  cutlash  by  my  side,  I  once  more 
lay  down  to  sleep. 

Undisturbed,  I  nmst  have  enjoyed  some  hours' 
repose,  for  when  I  awoke  the  daylight  Avas  all  arovmd 
me  ;  the  Avood  outside  Avas  bathed  in  the  rich  sunshine, 
though  I  Avas  sheltered  from  the  rays  by  the  hut ;  the 


184  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

tiny  hum-birds  were  darting  in  and  out  of  the  many 
flowers  about,  thrusting  their  long  bills  in  them  to 
lick  up  the  honey  and  the  insects ;  'twas  a  sweet  spot. 
Yet,  when  I  arose  to  enter  the  hut,  all  the  beauty  of 
the  morning  and  of  Nature  did  seem  to  me  blackened 
and  fouled  by  that  abode. 

"  Now,"  I  said  to  myself,  "  what  shall  I  do  ?"  And 
instantly  I  resolved  that  I  would,  to  begin,  make  an 
end  of  Alderly's  carcass.  So,  having  perceived  a 
mattock  and  spade  a-lying  in  the  corner  of  the  place 
— "  perhaps,"  thinks  I,  "  'twas  Avith  them  he  did  bury 
his  treasures  " — I  stooped  down  to  drag  him  forth  into 
the  copse  where  I  could  dig  a  grave  for  him.  Then, 
as  I  bent  over  him,  I  saw  sparkling  in  his  breast  the 
diamond  cross  attached  to  the  chain  which  he  wore  in 
many  folds  round  his  neck. 

I  took  it  off  him,  and  rubbing  it  and  the  gold 
chain  clean  from  his  blood,  did  go  to  the  door  to 
look  at  it — flashing  it  about  to  observe  the  sparkles 
of  the  great  gems,  holding  it  out  into  a  dark  place 
the  better  for  to  see  it  by  contrast,  and  so  on,  as 
I  had  seen  those  do  who  call  themselves  judges  of 
such  things — which  I,  a  poor  sailor  officer,  could  not 
be.  And  then  I  observed  there  was  engraved  on 
the  back  of  the  gold-setting  some  words,  Avhich  I 
deciphered  to  be  : 

"  Mary  Roase,  Baroness  of  White  fields,  from  her 
husband,  Bevill.     Anno  Dou).  159.S." 

"  Well,"  thinks  I,  "  this  at  least  can  scarce  be  fiom 
uur  Spanish  wreck.  Mary  Rose  is  English  enough, 
we  have  had  ships  so  named.  I  dare  say  the  villain 
pillaged  that  from  some  descendant  of  the  lady.     If 


THE   TREASURE   HOUSE.  185 

ever  I  get  home  I  will  see  if  there  is  any  Lord  or  Lady 
of  Whitefields  now." 

Then  I  went  forth  to  dig  the  grave,  which  I  did 
three  feet  deep,  not  far  off  the  hut,  and  higging  out 
the  body — after  I  had  still  more  carefully  searched 
the  clothes,  and  finding  a  few  gold  pieces  consisting  ot 
some  Elephant  guineas,  two  or  three  French  and 
Spanish  pieces,  and  also  some  ducatoons,  all  in  a  bag 
— soon  buried  him.  This  done  I  went  back  to  the 
hut,  though  b}^  now  I  was  hunger-stung  and  could 
very  well  have  ate  some  food.  Though  this  was  not 
to  be  yet,  since  I  must  go  to  the  galliot  to  find  any, 
his  being  filthy.  But  of  drink  there  was  a  plenty — a 
sweet  rill  of  cool  water  running  hard  by.  There  was, 
indeed,  another  tub  unbroached  in  the  corner  of  the 
place,  but  I  cared  not  to  drink  of  the  ruffian's  pro- 
vision ;  why,  I  know  not,  since  I  did  not  disdain  to 
take  his  jewels  and  money.  Yet  so  it  was,  and  I  left 
it  alone,  drinking  onl}'  of  the  water  and  laving  myself 
in  it.  "  And  now  for  the  long  box,"  I  said  ;  "  let  us  see 
what  they  have  robbed  us  of"  For  that  the  box  con- 
tained Avhat  they  had  gotten  up  from  our  wreck  I  did 
never  doubt.  Yet,  as  you  shall  see,  I  was  mistaken. 
I  do  not  now  believe,  nor  did  I  shortly  then,  that 
what  that  box  contained  had  ever  been  an}^  portion  of 
our  stolen  treasure. 

I  burst  it  open  very  easy  with  the  mattock  and  there 
I  found  a  rich  harvest ;  so  that,  indeed,  the  hut  was  a 
treasure  house  when  only  it  had  that  box  within. 
Now,  this  is  what  I  did  find,  and  the  list  which  I  here 
give  you  (with  the  valuations  against  the  items  by 
him)  is  a  just  and  fair  copy  of  that  which  I  did  show 


1^6  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

to  Mr.  Wargrave,  the  jeweller  and  goldsmith  of  Corn- 
hill  (now  retired  very  rich),  when  I  had  gotten  liouie 
again : — 

List  with  Mr.  Wargrave,  his  vahiation.  Gs. 

Two  small  bags  of  pearls,  weighing  with  other 

pearls  thereiu  under  fifteen  grains,  as  I 

judged  from  others  shown  me  by  Mr.  W 1,2-jO 

One  grejit  pearl  wrajiped  in  a  piece  of  damask 

brocade,  six-eighths  of  au  inch  in  its  dia- 
meter, as  I  did  measure.     .     .  2,000 

Another,  the  size  of  a  pigeon's  egg,  full  of 

most  lustrous  sheen,  wi'apped  in  a  piece 

of  deerskin o.ono 

A  little  bag  of  sapphires,  nine  in  all olo 

Some  Turkish  pii-ces  of  gold  about  t  he  si/,(^  and 

weight  of  our  shillings,  twenty-one  in  all. 

These  I  put  in  my  pocket  and  did  sell 

afterwards  in  Portsmouth  for It 

Some  silver  pieces,  too  cumbersome  to  carry 

and  left  with  other  things,  perhaps 5 

A  little  bar  of  gold 80 

Two  pistols  beautifully  inlaid  and  chased  with 

silver,  having  engraved  thei'eon  the  name 

"  Marquis  do  Pouf  visnies,'"  and  date  1580     ....  30 

A  portrait  of  a  girl  done  as  a  medallion,  with 

blue   eyes,    red   gold   hair,    and    a  sweet 

mouth ;  ])erhaps  this  was  Barbara  !     No 

value  for  selling. 
A  child's  coral;  also  a  child's  shoes;  also  a 

lock  of  long  hair,  wlieat  coloured,  wra[iped 

in  silk.     No  value  for  selling. 
And    a   dagger  set  with   little   diamonds  and 

rubies,  the  blade  rusted  very  much      ......         50 

6,744 
I  pondered  nuich  over  these  things,  ft)r,  as  I  have 


THE  TREASURE   HOUSE.  ISY 

writ,  I  am  very  sure  they  never  caiue  out  of  the 
sunken  galleon.  There  was  no  sign  of  wet  having  got 
near  unto  the  box  or  its  contents,  which  must  have 
been  the  case  had  it  been  fished  up  from  that  wreck, 
and  therefore  I  thought  to  myself,  this  has  perhaps 
been  stolen  on  some  cruise  they  were  upon  between 
the  time  they  left  their  boat  at  our  little  isle  and  then 
came  back  to  the  i"eef,  thinking  not  to  find  us,  or  any, 
there.  Yet  this  would  not  do,  neither,  for  their  Snow 
was  no  fighting  ship — not,  I  mean,  a  ship  fit  to  attack 
another  carrying  treasure,  which  would  be  extremely 
Avell  armed — and  she  had  not  fought  till  we  got  at  her 
in  the  river.  That  I  knew  from  the  wounds  and 
damage,  when  I  boarded  and  searched  her,  being 
quite  fresh  and  made  by  us. 

Nor,  again,  could  I  deem  this  box  to  have  been  the 
proceeds  of  a  recent  thieving  expedition  or  attack  on 
some  sea-coast  town  or  place,  for  there  were  not  enough 
men  in  the  Etoyle  to  have  adventured  such  a  thing. 
They  might  have  attacked  a  lonely  house,  or,  as  the 
Spaniards  call  it,  a  villa,  in  one  of  the  many  islands  of 
this  Caribbean  sea,  or  on  the  main  land  of  Terra  Firma, 
yet  this  I  also  doubted,  for  the  contents  of  the  box 
pointed  a  different  Avay.  The  girl  in  the  medallion 
looked  English  by  her  hair,  e}es,  and  colour :  the 
pistols  were  a  Frenchman's.  ^Moreover,  the  box,  the 
lid  of  which  was  all  covered  with  beads  pasted  on  to 
its  lid  and  worked  in  many  forms  of  flowers,  was  like- 
wise English  (my  mother  had  just  such  an  one),  and 
to  prove  for  certain  'twas  so,  inside  the  lid  was  tlie 
name  of  the  workman  who  made  it,  "  Bird,  Falmouth." 
So  at  last  my  conclusion  was  this,  viz.,  that  Alderly 


188  THE   HLSPANIOLA    PLATE. 

valued  the  box  for  some  reason  of  his  own,  perhaps 
desired  always  to  have  some  goods  with  him  that  at 
any  crisis  he  could  transform  into  money,  and  there- 
fore carried  it  about  with  him  wherever  he  went.  I 
never  learned  that  this  was  so,  no  more  than  that  it 
was  not  so,  and  now  I  quitted  thinking  how  it  came 
to  be  with  him.  Perhaps  I  judged  right,  perhaps 
wrong.  But  of  one  thing  I  am  very  sure,  he  had  none 
of  our  treasure  with  him.  The  casket  which  did 
doubtless  contain  that  treasure,  which  must  have  been 
of  precious  stones  alone  judging  by  its  size,  was  of  a 
certainty  dropped  overboard  either  before  Ave  beat 
them,  or  at  the  last  moment  of  defeat.  At  least,  I 
never  did  see  any  of  the  treasure,  though  in  going  to 
find  it  I  found  a  greater.  But  thio  you  will  read  ere 
I  conclude,  as  I  hope  soon  to  do.  I  am  coming  anigh 
the  end. 

Thinking  that  "  j\rartin  with  the  sloo}),"  or  some 
other  wretches,  might  be  returning,  I  next  proceeded 
to  bury  for  a  time  the  box,  which  I  did  by  taking 
it  out  into  the  copse  and  dropping  it  into  a  great 
hollow  cotton-wood  tree  growing  near,  which  I 
inarked  well  in  my  mind's  eye.  Then,  next,  I  set  off 
down  to  the  galliot,  for  now  I  wanted  food  so  badly 
that  I  could  no  longer  go  without  it.  I  had  but 
little  fear  of  any  getting  up  to  the  hut  unbeknown  to 
me,  since,  with  a  seaman's  ideas  to  help  me,  I  con- 
cluded that  the  canal,  or  channel,  or  river,  as,  indeed, 
it  was,  oftcred  the  only  safe  inlet  to  Coffin  Island.  So 
il  they  came  they  nmst  come  the  way  I  was  a-going, 
when  I  could  know  it  and  cither  avoid  or  encounter 
them  as  seemed  best. 


THE  TREASURE   HOUSE.  180 

However,  I  met  none  on  my  way  down,  and  tbnnd 
both  the  Etoyle  and  my  ship  just  as  I  had  left  them, 
and  the  boat  tied  to  the  tree,  also  as  I  had  left  it. 
Then  I  went  aboard  the  galliot,  and  finding  some  food 
and  drink,  set  to  work  to  stay  my  cravings.  There 
was  none  too  much,  I  found,  to  last  long,  though  as 
the  men  had  cooked  the  fish  and  birds  they  were  still 
fresh  enouofh.  Also  there  was  Hour,  and  bread  already 
made,  and  some  peas,  while,  for  the  water,  it  was 
nearly  all  there.  The  fruit  was  quite  rotten  and  not 
to  be  eaten,  but  this  mattered  not  at  all,  since,  on 
CofKn  Island,  I  had  perceived  several  kinds  growmg 
with  profusion,  amongst  others  many  prickly  pears. 

And  now,  as  I  made  my  meal,  I  marked  out  in  my 
mind  what  I  should  do  to  draw  matters  to  a  con- 
clusion.    And  this  I  decided  on. 

"  It  is  a  treasure  house,"  Alderly  had  said  of  his 
hut,  therefore,  firstly,  I  had  got  to  explore  that  house, 
hoping  to  find  therein  as  much  if  not  more  than  we 
had  been  robbed  of.  Then  when  Phips  and  I  met 
again,  as  I  hoped  we  might,  he  should  decide  about 
that  treasiu'e,  and  what  was  to  be  done  with  it.  But 
first  to  find  it.  Yet,  even  as  I  thought  this  there 
came  to  me  another  reflection — viz.,  that  I  could  not 
carry  it  away  Avith  me.  The  galliot  would  take  me 
to  a  neighbouring  island  inhabited  by  my  own  people, 
but  an  officer  alone  in  such  a  vessel,  with  no  hands  to 
work  it  but  himself,  must  necessarily  lead  to  nuich 
talk  and  the  asking  of  many  questions — how  many 
more  would  be  asked  if  that  officer  were  accompanied 
by  boxes  and  chests  of  great  weight  ?  Therefore,  that 
would  never  do  !     I  must  get  away  alone,  leaving  the 


100  THE    HTSPANIOLA    PLATE. 

treasure — if  I  found  any  more  than  I  had  ah'eady 
gotten — somewhere  secure,  and  then  I  must  come 
back  again  for  it,  properly  fitted  out.  Or,  if  I  could 
reach  Phips  ere  he  quitted  the  reef,  we  could  come 
back  together  in  the  Furie,  take  off  the  goods  and  so 
home  with  no  need  for  further  voy agings  out  and  in. 

And,  on  still  reflecting,  this  was  what  I  had  a 
mind  to  do.  The  reef  was  not  a  long  way  off;  a  day 
and  night  would  take  me  there,  with  a  favourable 
wintL  Only  I  nmst  provision  the  galliot  somehow  ;  I 
must  not  go  to  sea  thus ;  but  then  I  remembered,  this 
was  easily  to  be  done  if  I  swallowed  my  squeamish- 
ness.  The  Etoyle  was  full  of  food  and  drink — the 
former  coarse  but  life-sustaining — if  I  took  that  as  I 
took  its  owner's  hordes,  then  I  could  get  away. 

Only,  first  I  had  to  find  the  treasure,  then  dispose 
oi  it  safely.  After  that  I  might  go  at  once.  Indeed, 
if  fortune  still  kept  with  me,  as  she  had  over  done 
of  late,  I  might  be  away  from  this  island  within 
another  thirty  hours. 

And  so  thinking,  I  finished  my  repast  and  set 
about  what  I  h:id  to  do. 


191 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

WHAT    WAS   IN   THE   TREASURE    HOUSE. 

Now,  the  first  thing  was  for  me  to  get  into  the  Etoyle, 
and  bring  a  fair  provision  of  food  and  drmk,  and  then, 
I  thought,  I  would  sink  her,  or,  at  least,  would  get 
her  ready  for  sinking,  so  that  she,  at  any  rate,  should 
never  go  on  anymore  evil  cruises.  This  Avas, however, 
to  be  done  later. 

I  went  aboard  her,  therefore,  directly  I  had  made 
m}'^  meal,  and  brought  off  from  her  some  Boucan, 
about  ten  pounds;  some  dried  neats',  or  deer,  tongues, 
a  good  amount  of  powdered  chocolate,  and  some 
boxes  of  sweetmeats — the  villains  seeminof  to  have  a 
dainty  taste ! — and  also  I  brought  away  some  bottles 
of  Calcavella,  a  Portygee  sweet  Avine,  and  a  small 
barrel  of  rum.  And  also  did  I  take  away  some  cakes 
of  bread,  now  ver}''  hard  and  stale,  but  which,  by 
damping  with  fresh  water  and  then  placing  in  the  sun, 
became  once  more  eatable.  Likewise  I  provided 
myself  with  some  of  their  powder  and  bullets,  not 
knowing  what  use  I  might  yet  have  for  such  things 
on  the  island,  or  when  I  was  away  to  sea  again. 

This  Etoyle  was  indeed  a  strangel}^  laden  bark, 
full  of  the  most  varied  things  the  minds  of  men  coidd 
well  conceive,  and  had  it  been  possible — which  'twas 
not,  being  without  assistance — I  would  have  had  her 
taken  to  one  of  the  West  Tndy  Isles,  and  her  contents 


192  THE    HTSPANIOLA    PLATE. 

there  sold.  She  had  in  her,  to  wit,  elephants'  teeth 
and  tusks,  and  some  gold  dust — though  not  much 
of  any,  neither — which  spoke  to  me  clearly  of  some 
robbings  on  the  Guinea  Coast,  also  some  fine  English 
cloths,  silk  druggets  and  hoUands,  many  packs  of 
whole  suits  of  clothes  for  wearing  ;  some  mantuas,  a 
box  of  lace,  another  of  ribands  (again  I  thought  of  the 
mysterious  Barbara !),  pieces  of  line  silk  diu^oys  and 
some  Norwich  stuffs,  as  well  as  vast  masses  of  tobacco. 
Indeed,  I  thought,  this  Snow  might  have  visited  half 
the  ^vorld  for  her  cargo — had  I  not  very  well  known, 
or  miessed,  that  'twas  all  stolen  out  of  various  other 
ships. 

It  took  me  some  time  shifting  all  that  was  neces- 
sary for  my  forthcoming  voyage — leaving,  you  may 
be  sure,  much  behind  in  the  Etoyle — and  then  laden- 
ing  myself  with  some  provisions  for  the  hut,  I  pre- 
pared to  depart  back  to  it. 

Yet  now  more  counsel  came  to  me.  Supposing, 
thinks  I,  that  while  I  am  away  at  the  hut,  Martin 
with  his  sloop,  or  some  similar  villains,  should  come 
into  the  river !  Why  !  they  would  at  once  see  all !  The 
Etoyle  they  would  perceive  a  battered  craft — and 
doubtless  they  knew  her  very  well — and  they  would 
see  the  strange  galliot.  Tliis  would  not  do,  therefore 
I  must  devise  some  means  if  I  could,  not  only  to 
remove  all  marks  of  our  fray,  but,  if  it  might  be  so,  to 
prevent  anyone  entering  the  river  at  all.  Then,  at 
last,  I  decided  what  I  would  do. 

First  of  all  I  took  the  galliot  down  out  of  the  river 
to  the  sea,  and,  with  a  light  sail  up,  I  got  her  to  a 
little  cove  a  third  of  a  league  away  from  the  mouth, 


WHAT   WAS   IN   THE   TREASURE   HOUSE.  193 

in  which  I  moored  her ;  and  this  cove  had  such 
projecting  spurs  that  none  passing  outside  would  be 
very  hke  to  see  her.  Indeed,  one  would  have  to  pass 
close  by  the  opening  of  it  to  do  so  at  all.  Then, 
getting  to  the  boat  again,  I  rowed  me  back  to  the 
river.  Next  I  brought  down  the  Snow  to  the  month, 
moored  her  fast  across  it,  it  being  not  more  than  forty 
to  tifty  yards  at  the  opening  and  about  fifteen  fathoms 
deep,  as  I  did  plumb,  and  going  l)elow  I  bored  a  many 
holes  in  her  sides  and  bottom  so  that  she  began  to  fill 
at  once,  and  in  half  an  hour  I,  who  was  a-watching 
from  my  boat,  saw  her  settling  down  so  that,  at  last, 
there  was  no  more  of  her  above  water,  her  masts,  as  I 
have  writ,  being  shot  away. 

"  Now,"  says  I,  "  if  Martin  and  his  sloop  come 
m  and  draw  much  water,  'tis  almost  a  certainty  that 
they  shall  go  foul  of  some  part  of  the  fabric,  which 
may  do  me  a  very  good  turn — if  not,  then  must  I 
take  my  chance  against  them,"  with  which  I  again 
prepared  for  the  hut. 

That  day  I  did  very  little  work,  though  so  great 
was  my  desire  to  dig  into  and  find  the  contents  of  the 
"  treasure  house  "  that  I  could  scarce  take  my  neces- 
sary rest.  Yet  I  mastered  myself  so  nuich  that  I 
forced  m3^self  to  sleep,  determining  to  work  at  night 
when  it  was  cool.  So  I  lay  me  down  on  the  east  side 
of  the  place  this  time,  the  sim  having  by  now  gotten 
to  the  west,  and  slept  well,  awaking  not  until  night 
was  at  hand. 

Now,  amidst  all  my  precautions,  'twas  strange  to 
think  I  had  forgotten  one  thing.  I  had  made  no 
provision  for  any  light  at  night.     The  lamp  knocked 

N 


m 


194  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

over  by  tlie  dying  pirate  was  still  there  where  it  had 
fallen,  'tis  true,  but  the  oil  was  all  sisilled  and  1  could 
iind  no  other,  search  as  I  might.  Yet  I  felt  con- 
vinced there  must  be  oil  somewhere,  if  I  coidd  but 
discover  it.  'Twas  not  to  be  conceived  that  Alderly 
and  the  diver  had  this  lamp  with  them  when  they 
plunged  into  the  river  to  escape  from  the  Etoyle ; 
therefore,  if  I  sought,  surely  I  should  tind. 

Yet  how  to  seek !  The  tropic  darkness  came  on 
with  swiftness,  in  a  few  minutes  the  hut  was  as  black 
as  a  pocket ;  and  the  moon  would  not  rise  for  some 
hours  yet !  Well !  there  was  no  hope  for  it,  I  reflected ; 
this  night  at  least  must  bo  wasted,  and  so  I  made  up 
my  mind  to  pass  it  as  best  I  might.  Though  my 
reflections  and  memories  of  the  previous  night's 
scene,  of  Alderly's  drunken  hoAvls,  singings,  and 
toasts,  of  the  spectre  his  luaddened  brain  had  con- 
jured up,  and  of  his  horrid  death,  helped  me  not  at 
all.  1  saw  him  over  and  over  again  sitting  at  the 
table,  filling  the  cans  with  liquor  for  his  imaginary 
guests,  talking  to  Barbara,  shivering  at  the  supposed 
ghost  of  Winstanley,  fighting  with  me— dying.  And 
at  last  I  got  the  creeps,  I  started  at  any  twig  that 
snapped  outside  or  the  cry  of  a  night  bird,  and, 
springing  up,  I  Avent  forth  and  plunged  into  the 
tliickness,  Avherc  I  walked  about  till  daybivak.  And 
in  that  walk  1  e.\})lorcd  the  whole  of  Collin  Island 

verv  ni'jh.  and  saw  under  the  moon,  when  she  had 

1  1 

risen,    that   beyond    the    x'ww    there   Avas    no   other 

entrance  to  it.      Nearly    all    around   elsewhere   were 

craggy   clilVs    to    make    landing    almost    impossible, 

saving  only  one  strip  of  beach. 


WHAT  WAS   IN   THE  TREASURE   HOUSE.  195 

Away  on  Tortola  and  Negada  I  saw  once  or  twice 
lights  burning,  and  wondered  what  the  inhabitants  of 
those  isles  thought  of  their  precious  neighbours  in 
this  one — I  wondered,  too,  if  they  knew  or  dreamed  of 
what  CotHn  Island  contained  !     And  thus  the  nioht 

O 

passed  away,  the  day-spring  came,  and  I  went  back  to 
the  "  treasure  house." 

"  Was  it  to  prove  such  to  me  ? "  I  asked  myself  as 
I  made  a  meal  off  some  of  the  provisions  I  had 
brought  along  with  me.     "  Was  it  to  prove  such  ? " 

The  question  was  soon  answered,  as  you,  my 
unknown  heir,  shall  now  see. 

The  floor  of  the  hut  was  a  mass  of  hlth  that  had 
not  been  disturbed  for  some  time,  and  to  this  had 
been  added  now  the  spilled  liquor  from  the  tub  that 
Alderly  had  flung  over  in  his  mad  convulsions,  as 
Avell  as  some  of  his  blood  where  he  had  fallen  last. 
This,  therefore,  with  the  previous  dirt,  I  set  to  clear 
away  with  the  spade,  after  I  had  removed  the  over- 
turned table,  the  stool,  and  other  things.  And  the 
task  Avas  not  long.  Ere  I  had  been  cleaning  the 
Hoor  ten  minutes,  I  came  upon  an  iron  ring — set  into 
a  trap-door,  immediately  under  where  Alderly 's  chair 
had  been  placed.  It  Avas  not — I  mean  the  trap-door 
— very  far  below  the  surface,  not  indeed  more  than 
three  inches,  and,  even  as  I  tugged  and  tugged  at  it,  I 
could  not  but  ponder  over  the  little  pains  taken  to 
conceal  such  a  hiding  place.  And  I  did  wonder  if, 
Avhen  the  villain  was  away  on  some  of  his  cruises,  he 
had  not  many  a  fear  as  to  whether  his  store  was  not 
being  rifled. 

Howevei-,  this  was  no  time  for  such  wonderments 
N  2 


196  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

and  speculations,  actions  were  now  all,  and  so  again  I 
heaved  at  the  door.  It  would  not  lift,  however,  for  all 
my  pullings,  so  I  cleared  aAvay  still  more  earth,  doing 
so  especially  round  where  it  fitted  into  a  frame,  and  at 
last  prised  it  right  up  with  the  mattock.  And  you  may 
be  sure  with  what  eagerness  I  gazed  into  the  opening. 

First  of  all  I  saw  that  as  yet  I  had  not  reached 
the  treasure,  for  although  the  trap  was  no  larger 
than  to  admit  a  man's  body,  there  were  still  below  it 
some  rude  steps  down  into  the  earth,  which  opened 
up  at  the  bottom  of  them  into  what  seemed  to  be  a 
passage.  And  when  I  got  down  to  the  bottom  of 
those  steps,  I  saw  very  well  that  there  Avas  a  passage, 
or,  indeed,  a  room  cut  into  the  earth;  a  place  about 
six  feet  long  and  five  feet  deep,  being  more  like  a  little 
cabin  than  aught  else. 

And  now  I  knew  that  T  had  got  to  what  I  sou"ht : 
the  treasure  was  here. 

There  stood  on  the  floor,  and  piled  up  one  above 
the  other,  four  (;hests,  or  coffers,  the  very  workman- 
ship of  which  told  me  they  must  be  old.  Certainly, 
they  had  not  been  made  m  these  days  or  anywheres 
near  them.  They  seemed  to  be  of  oak  full  of  little 
wonuholes,  much  carved  and  designed,  and  Avith 
inscriptions  on  them  in,  I  think,  Latin,  of  wliich  T 
understood  not  one  worth  Moreover,  they  had  great 
solid  locks  to  them  as  well  as  padlocks,  but  these 
had  long  since  been  burst  open,  the  reason  whereof 
'twas  not  very  hard  to  seek  out.  I  guessed  that 
those  Avho  took  them  from  their  rightful  owners  could 
not  perhaps  tiiid  the  keys,  and  so  blew  (Ikiu  or  forced 
them  thus  open. 


WHAT  WAS   IN   THE   TREASURE   HOUSE.  107 

I  lifted  the  lid  of  the  nearest  and  peered  in,  and 
there  the  first  object  to  meet  my  eyes  was  a  grinning 
sknll,  the  bone  severed  right  across  the  head  as  though 
with  a  hist}^  sword  cut. 

"  ^7ell ! "  thinks  I  to  myself,  as  I  looked  on  this 
poor  remnant  of  mortality,  "  well !  3^on  are  indeed  a 
strange  Avarden  of  what  may  be  herein.  Yet,  p'raps 
not  so  strange  either  if  all  accounts  of  piratical  doings 
be  true."  For  when  I  was  but  a  lad  in  Oliver's 
service,  and  a-chasing  the  rovers  not  so  very  far 
fi'om  this  spot  where  I  now  was,  'twas  alwa3^s  said 
that  they  Avould  slay  a  man  and  bury  him  over  their 
hidden  treasure,  so  that  he  or  his  ohost  should  frio-hten 
away  others  who  would  meddle  with  it.  And  so  it 
might  have  been  here,  for,  thinks  I,  "  perhaps  as  I  go 
on  I  shall  Mnd  other  parts  of  a  dead  man  in  the  other 
chests." 

Now,  although  'twas  dajdight  above,  'twas  almost 
dark  in  this  vault  or  passage,  small  as  it  was,  so  that 
I  shifted  the  first  coffer  nearer  to  the  bottom  of  the 
steps,  so  as  to  get  a  full  light  upon  it  from  above,  and 
then  I  Avent  on  Avith  my  hunt,  putting  the  death's 
head  aAvay  for  a  Avhile.  Beneath  him,  as  he  had  lain 
a-top,  Avas  Avhat  I  took  to  be  a  piece  of  3^ellow  canvas, 
as  so  it  Avas,  though  on  looking  closer  I  saAV  that 
either  dyed  into  it,  or  cunningly  interwoven,  Avere 
some  flowers  like  our  irises,  and  some  Avords  all  over 
it  faint  Avith  age,  of  Avhich  I  could  distinguish  but  the 
letters  "  ance  "  and  "  smes."  Then,  Avhen  I  lifted  this 
up,  I  found  that  the  coffer  had  little  enough  else  in  it 
but  a  handful  or  so  of  gold  coins  lying  about  amongst 
some  old  things,  such  as  a  pair  of  gloA^es  Avith  great 


198  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

steel  beads  on  the  backs  and  tops  of  the  fingers,  some 
silk  cloths,  a  great  parchment  in  Latin — which  I  laid 
aside— and  such  like.  The  gold  coins  were,  however, 
such  as  I  did  never  see  before,  having  on  them  a 
head  of  an  old  man  with  a  great  brimmed  hat,  and 
stamped  on  them,  Charles  X.,  Roi  de  France,-^  1580. 
And  this  set  me  a-thinking.  These  coins  bore  the 
same  date  as  the  pistols,  inscribed  "  Marquis  dc  Pont- 
vismes,"  and  the  indistinct  words  on  the  canvas 
cloth  of  "  ance  "  and  "  smes  "  were  the  endings  of  the 
words  France  and  Pontvismes.  What  had  I  lighted 
on  here  ?  I  turned  it  over  and  over  in  my  head  all 
that  day,  and  many  a  one  after  that,  but  it  was  very 
long  ere  I  arrived  at  any  decision. 

There  Avere  twenty-seven  of  these  coins  and 
nothing  more  of  any  worth  within  that  strong  box,  so 
I  hoisted  it  aAvay  and  began  upon  a  second.  And  in 
this  I  found  I  had  indeed  come  upon  a  horde.  It  was 
fidl  of  sacks  or  bags  of  coin  of  all  sorts.  Sacks  with 
their  mouths  gaping  open  wide,  bags  tied  up,  and  also 
many  loose  coins  all  a})out.  And  they  were  of  all 
covAifries  and  dates,  there  beiui;  amona'st  them 
Spanish  pieces  of  eight,  Portyguese  crusadoes,  English 
crowns,  and  many  more  French  coins,  as  well  as 
hundreds  of  gold  pieces  of  our  kings  and  queens, 
aAvay  back  to  Queen  Elizabeth.  Later  that  day  I 
counted  of  these  pieces  up,  and  made  them  come  to 
over  two  thousand  pounds. 

*  This  would  appear  at  fir.st  sight  to  be  an  error  on  thi:  part  of 
Nicholas  Crafer.  It  was  not  so,  however ;  Cardinal  Bourbon  was 
elected  King  of  Franco  by  the  league  in  1589  (against  Henri  IV.), 
under  the  name  of  Charles  X.,  and  some  coins  were  struck  by  him.  — 
J.   Ii.-I3. 


WFIAT   WAS    IN   THE   TREASURE   HOUSE.  109 

Then  next,  in  the  others,  I  did  find  as  follows,  on 
the  list  I  enclose ;  all  of  which  I  do  reckon,  one  way 
with  another,  bringcth  the  gross  up  to  what  I  have 
said,  namely,  fifty  thousand  guineas.  Here  is  that 
list. 

Xote. — Uufortuiiately  it  was  not  here.  Reginald  tnnied  all 
the  sheets  ovef  and  over  again,  but  could  not  find  it.  Perhaps 
by  one  of  th^se  pieces  of  carelessness  which  seemed  to  have  per- 
vaded both  Nicholas's  and  Mr.  Wargrave's  system,  it  had  been 
originally  mislaid.  But,  however  that  might  be,  it  was  not  at 
this  period  tliat  the  former's  descendant  was  to  learn  all  tiie 
items  which  went  to  make  up  the  fifty  thousand  guineas. — 
J.  B.-B. 


200 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

TPIE   MIDDLE    KEY. 

So  with  this  111}^  huntings  and  findings  were  all  over. 
I  had  found  a  fortune,  while  the  Lord  only  knew  who 
would  ever  enjoy  the  spending  of  it,  though,  for  one 
thing,  I  felt  very  sure  it  would  not  be  I  myself.  There 
was  no  likelihood  of  that.  I  could  never  get  it  back 
to  England,  and,  if  I  did,  then  'twould  at  once  be 
said  that  I  had  stolen  it — either  with  or  without 
Phips'  connivance,  and  that  he  and  I  were  a  brace 
of  thieves. 

But  what  use  to  ponder  on  such  things  as  these ! 
For  aught  I  knew  I  might  never  get  back  to  England 
after  all;  though,  somehow,  there  was  a  something 
in  my  mind  which  did  ever  tell  mo  I  should  do 
so.  Meanwhile,  the  present  was  enough  to  occupy 
my  attention.  Firstly,  the  night  was  coming  on 
once  more  and  still  I  had  foimd  no  oil,  so  that 
I  must  now  cease  all  labours  until  the  next  day. 
In  truth  I  was  ready  to  do  so,  for  I  was  Avear}'  again 
by  now,  and  another  thing  was  also  very  certain, 
to  wit,  that  in  this  hut  I  must  take  m}^  abode.  I 
could  not  go  a  step  away  with  all  the  treasure  there 
Avas  here. 

So  I  placed  the  oblong  box  down  into  the  vault 
along  with  the  other  goods,  and  then,  after  I  had  made 
an  evening  meal  of  some  neat's-tongue  and  bread  cake. 


THE   MIDDLE   KEY,  201 

washed  down  with  the  water  from  the  rill,  in  which 
also  I  laved  my  face  and  hands,  I  looked  to  the 
primings  of  all  the  pistols,  got  out  my  cutlash,  and, 
stretching  myself  across  the  top  of  the  trap-door,  I 
addressed  myself  to  sleep.  At  first  it  would  not  come 
in  that  horrid  spot ;  again  and  again  I  saw  the  form 
of  the  dying  pirate  and  heard  his  5^ells  and  singing; 
and  toasts.  But  at  last  I  slept  peacefully  until  the 
day  broke. 

And  now  I  had  to  set  about  removing  all  the 
treasure  from  the  hole  where  it  had  lain  for  doubtless 
so  long — for  I  did  not  believe  that  Alderly  was  the 
man  who  had  obtained  all  this  wealth,  but  rather 
that  some  earlier  corsair  than  he  had  done  so  and 
buried  it,  and  that  Alderly  in  some  strange  way  had 
lighted  on  it.  It  was  necessary  that  I  should  find 
a  new  hiding-place  for  it.  "  Martin  with  the  sloop  " 
might — if  he  were  indeed  an  actual  being  and  not 
the  vision  of  some  long  dead  and  gone  comrade, 
perhaps  of  another  part  of  the  world,  as  I  now  had 
a  mind  to  believe — come  back  at  any  moment,  and 
also  he  might  know  of  the  buried  wealth  in  spite 
of  the  pirate's  words  having  been,  "  None  know  but 
I."  For  'twas  useless  to  give  credence  to  any  of 
the  utterances  issuing  from  the  bemused  brain  of 
Alderly — there  might  be  no  Martin,  or  if  there 
were  he  might  know  nothing,  or,  on  the  contrary, 
he  might  know  all.  At  any  rate,  my  part  was  to 
make  ever}- thing  safe. 

But  how  to  do  it  ?  I  must  remove  it  to  a  hiding- 
place  that  would  bo  always  found,  that  should  bo 
marked  in  a  way  and  manner  which  time  could  not 


202  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

destroy.  For  who  could  tell  when  it  iiiight  be  sought 
for  again  ?  I  had  then,  or,  I  should  rather  say,  I  was 
then  maturing  in  my  mind  the  idea  of  writing  down 
all  this  which  I  have  now  done — with  great  pain  and 
labour  to  myself ! — and  that  writing  might  not  see  the 
light  again  for  twenty  years,  perhaps  even  longer. 
Therefore,  'twas  necessary  the  spot  should  be  such  as 
would  never  be  changing,  a  spot  which  must  be  the 
same  fifty  years  hence  as  it  was  then.  Consequently 
a  tree,  for  instance,  could  not  be  made  a  landmark  or 
indicator,  for  tempests  might  blow  it  to  earth,  or 
years  rot  it  away.  Then  I  thought  of  a  spot  on  which 
the  sun  should  fall  at  a  given  day,  hour,  and  minute — 
which,  as  I  have  heard,  is  the  commonest  way  of  all 
for  persons  burying  treasure  to  marlv  the  precise  spot 
— only,  supposing  ere  the  time  to  come  when  the 
hoard  should  bo  sou^'ht  for,  somethincr  was  buildcd 
over  the  spot,  as  might  very  well  be  if  C'otlfin  Island 
became  settled,  as  Tortola  or  Ncgada  and  some  others 
are  ?  This  risk,  therefore,  small  as  it  might  be,  I 
■would  not  run. 

Still,  what  should  I  do  ?  I  must  decide  quickl}^ 
for  if  Martin  and  the  sloop  Averc  real  things  and  not 
shadows  they  might  be  here  at  any  moment,  and  if 
once  my  task  \vere  finished  I  should  not  mind  their 
coming  very  greatly.  I  could,  perhaps,  avoid  them 
somehow  and  get  away,  leaving  the  goods  safe.  Quickly 
I  must  decide.  Then,  as  an  aid  to  my  doing  so,  I 
determined  mc  to  walk  round  the  isle,  thinking  that 
in  such  a  way  a  spot  might  be  found  suitable  for  my 
purpose. 

So  I  set  forth,  going  aruied,  you  may  be  sure. 


THE    MIDDLE   KEY.  203 

Now,  this  daylight  walk  of  mine  about  the  island 
showed  to  me  very  many  things  that  I  had  not 
seen  on  my  midnight  rounds,  when  the  terrors  and 
the  ffhastliness  of  the  hut  had  driven  me  forth.  I 
learned  among  other  things  that,  not  very  far  from 
the  hut  itself,  was  the  little  upland  from  which 
one  could  look  down  upon  the  whole  of  the  isle 
and  all  the  coast  around  it,  and  also  I  could  see 
down  into  my  cove  where  I  had  anchored  the 
galliot,  and  did  observe  her  lying  there  safe  as  I 
had  left  her. 

Also  I  found  that  from  this  spot  I  could  see  for 
many  miles  out  to  sea,  and  observe  that,  at  least  for 
the  present,  there  were  no  signs  of  my  haunting  fear, 
Martin  and  his  sloop.  To  the  south  lay  Tortola, 
Anguilla,  and  St.  Martin;  to  the  east  lay  Negada, 
but  away  to  the  Avest  nought  met  the  eye,  Porto 
Rico  being  out  of  vision.  And  as  for  those  poor 
miserables  who  inhabited  the  two  first  above  mentioned, 
if  they  were  still  alive  and  had  not  died  of  melancholy, 
they  gave  no  signs  of  being  so ;  there  was  no  boat 
upon  all  the  waters,  no  smoke  rising  from  hut  or  cabin ; 
nouo-ht  crave  evidence  of  the  islands  being  inhabited 
but  the  faint  lights  I  had  seen  at  night.  But  what 
concerned  me  and  my  present  desires  most  was  that 
to  the  north  of  this,  Coffin  Island,  I  did  see  some  Httle 
Keys  or  sandy  spots,  covered  with  their  weeds  and 
bushes,  lying  out  about  a  hundred  yards  from  my 
island. 

"Why  not  there?"  thinks  I,  upon  this.  "Why 
not  one  of  those  ?  'Tis  now  the  high  tide,"  as  I  took 
occasion  to  observe,  "  and  they  are  above  water,  there- 


204  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

fore  'tis  not  like  they  Avill  ever  be  siibnicrg-ecl,  or,  if 
even  so,  the}^  will  come  forth  again.  And  there  are 
three  close  too-ether ;  it  shall  be  the  middle  one  if  on 
inspection  all  seems  well." 

So,  upon  this,  I  got  me  down  to  my  boat  and 
rowed  round  from  the  side  of  Coffin  Island,  where 
the  river  was,  to  the  north  where  the  Keys  were,  and 
went  on  to  the  middle  one.  It  Avas,  as  I  have  said, 
covered  with  bushes  and  Aveeds,  none  very  tall,  and 
it  being  now  the  season  there  were  a-many  turtles 
on  it  laying  of  their  eggs,  as  they  Avill  do  in  any 
unfrequented  and  quiet  spot. 

"  Yes,"  says  I,  "  this  must  be  the  place  and  none 
other,"  and  with  that  I  pulled  away  at  a  great  bush 
in  the  middle  of  the  Key  I  was  standing  on,  and 
on  getting  it  up  did  see  that  the  soil  was  nearly 
all  sand.  And  again  I  said,  "  This  must  be  the 
place." 

So  I  went  off  once  more,  resolving  to  get  to 
work  this  very  day,  and,  making  a  journey  to  the 
hut,  I  brought  off  the  spade  and  mattock  and  the 
least  heavy  of  the  coftcrs — I  mean  that  one  that 
had  the  Death  in  it,  and  when  I  was  back  on  the 
Key  I  began  my  digging  at  once,  and  the  sand 
being  extremely  light  I  soon  had  got  down  some 
ten  feet,  so  that  at  last  I  liad  a  task  to  scramble 
out  of  the  treasure's  future  grave.  Then  I  made 
more  journeys,  and,  in  the  end,  by  sunset  had  gotten 
all  the  coffers  as  well  as  the  long  box  on  to  the 
Key.  And  this  night  I  decided  to  sleep  there,  as  I 
wdidd  not  leave  the  goods  alone  until  they  were 
buried— though  I  do  believe  that,  had  I  left  them 


THE   MIDDLE    KEY.  205 

there  exposed  on  the  isle  until  noAv  when  I  write, 
they  would  very  like  have  remained  untouched ;  for 
Martin  I  concluded  now  to  be  entirely  a  myth,  and 
as  for  other  pirates,  they  would  never  come  to  such 
Keys  as  this  when  the  w^hole  place  swarmed  Avith 
real  islands. 

At  sunrise  I  w\as  at  it  again,  having  ate  some 
turtle  eggs  for  my  meal — a  pleasing  change  for  me — 
and  by  midday  all  was  done.  The  four  coffers  and 
the  box  Avent  in  one  atop  of  each  other,  the  upper- 
most one  being,  at  its  lid,  three  feet  from  the  surface, 
and  with  on  top  of  each  a  turtle  shell,  of  which  there 
were  several  lying  about  the  Key.  These  I  put  in  also 
because  the  shells  are  almost  imperishable,  and,  should 
the  coffers  decay,  if  they  have  to  he — as  they  may, 
Avho  knoAvs  ? — tAventy  or  thirty  years  in  the  ground 
before  this  ray  history  is  found,  the  great  shells  Avill 
protect  the  contents  somewhat,  though  no  harm  that 
I  knoAv  of  can  come  to  coins,  jcAvels,  and  so  forth  from 
a-lying  in  the  earth.  Then,  Avhen  all  Avas  tilled  up,  I 
did  most  carefully  arrange  the  place  so  that,  if  by  any 
strange  chance  anyone  should  here  land,  no  signs 
should  be  giA^en  of  a  disturbance  being  made.  I 
replanted  the  bush  over  the  spot ;  Avith  some  brush- 
AA'ood  and  scrub  I  remoA^ed  some  spare  grains  of  sand 
that  had  been  throAvn  up,  and  arranged  everything  as 
best  I  might,  going  so  far  as  to  take  some  turtles'  eggs 
and  place  them  about,  so  that  they  should  give  the 
idea — if  anyone  did  land  here — that  the  turtles  them- 
selves had  disturbed  the  spot  in  their  craAvlings  and 
creepings. 

And  now,  for  your  guidance,  I  Avill  Avrite  doAvn 


20G  THE   HTSPANIOLA  PLATE. 

how  you  shall  tiud  this  spot,  and  also  will  1  draw  as 
well  as  may  be  a  little  map. 

First  you  arc  to  know  that — as  the  hydrographer 
of  his  Majesty's  Admiralty  hath  since  informed 
me— Negada  is  situated  18°  46'  K,  64°  20'  W.; 
Tortola  is  18°  27'  K,  64°  40'  W. ;  and  Coffin  Island 
is  consequently,  since  it  doth  lie  a  little  to  the 
north  of  Negada,  as  near  as  possible  18°  48'  N., 
64°  20'  W.  Wherefore,  if  3'ou  make  these  degrees, 
there  you  shall  j^erceive  that  isle,  shaped  as  it  is 
named,  long  like  a  coffin,  thin  at  the  foot,  broad 
higher  up,  then  somewhat  narrow  again,  the  foot 
pointing  due  west,  the  head  due  east.  Also  the  little 
upland  I  have  spoken  of  riseth  from  the  centre, 
])erhaps  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  one  hundred  and 
eighty  feet.  Then,  due  north  of  that  and  exactly  in 
a  line  Avith  the  shoulder  of  the  coffin-shape,  there 
are  the  Keys,  and  the  middle  contains  the  treasure. 
Now,  read  again.  From  the  north  side  of  the 
middle  key  to  the  spot  where  I  buried  all  the 
coffers  and  the  box  is  fifty-one  good  strides  of 
three  feet  each,  from  the  south  side  to  the  same 
spot  is  fifty-three  strides,  from  the  east  is  forty- 
nine  strides,  from  the  west  is  fifty  strides  and  a 
half.  Therefore,  you  shall  not  miss  it  if  so  be 
that,  when  you  have  taken  your  tirst  measurement 
from  the  spot  Avherc  you  land,  you  stick  in  the 
ground  your  sword  and  there  make,  or  persevere 
until  you  make,  all  your  other  strides  correspond 
witli  wliat  I  liavo  wrote  down.  And  I  have  made 
110  luishikc.  fur  three  tinn's  did  I  go  over  tlie 
ground   and    all    (iiiics    did    the   measurements  tally. 


THE   MIDDLE   KEY. 


207 


Do    you   likewise    aiid    you   sliall    lind    what   I   did 
bury. 

Now  here  is  a  httle  map,  rough,  as  befits  a  draw- 
ing made  by  me,  yet  just  and  true. 


(r                                                        ^ 

2o 

'^r'^^C.g^^'^-i 

Z6 

(7^£u,^ 

/s 

/r 

6^ 


60 


I  shall  be  dead  before  you  who  find  this  can  read 
it,  so  that,  perhaps,  it  boots  not  very  much  that  I 
should  write  down  any  more.  Yet  some  things  I 
desire  to  tell,  and  some  things  I  think  it  right  for  me 
to  leave  on  record. 

But  first  let  me  say  what  was  the  end  of  niy 
sojourn  here. 

When  I  had  buried  all  of  the  treasure  —excepting 
those  pieces  of  gold  which  I  took  away  with  me,  not 
knowing  where  I  might  find  myself  ere  I  reached 
liome — if  ever — I  made  for  the  galliot.  For  now  I 
had  done  with  the  hut — I  never  desired   to   see   it 


asram. 


However,  so  that  no  signs  of  disturbance  or 
diggings  should  be  apparent,  should  any  come  after 
me,  I  first  of  all  covered  up,  on  my  last  visit  to  it,  the 
spot  from  Avhence  I  had  taken  the  treasure,  and, 
moreover,  I  filled  in  the  hiding  place  with  earth 
fetched   from   outside,  and  also  the  descent  bv  the 


208  THE   UISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

steps.  Indeed,  I  would  have  Ijurned  the  plat-e  down  to 
the  ground,  only  that  I  feared  to  set  the  whole  island 
on  tire  and  so  attract  attention  to  my  presence  from 
the  other  isles.  And  that  there  should  be  no  more 
digging,  if  I  could  help  it,  without  great  pains,  I 
dropped  the  spade  and  mattock  into  the  sea. 

I  say  that  I  wished  to  attract  no  attention  from 
the  isles,  the  reason  whereof  was  this,  Avhich  I  had 
arrived  at  after  many  ponderings.  If  I  were  known 
to  be  there,  or  if  I  went  to  those  isles  and  showed 
myself,  I  must  be  subject  to  many  questionings,  must 
explain  all  and  my  chasing  of  the  pirate,  and — Avho 
knows  ? — in  the  course  of  talk  more  might  leak  out 
than  I  should  care  for.  And,  therefore,  I  had  taken 
a  determination ;  I  Avould  not  go  near  the  other  isles, 
but,  boldly  and  without  fear,  directly  the  wind  was 
favourable — which  it  was  not  now — I  would  steer  for 
the  reef  once  more.  'Twas,  I  did  calculate,  not  more 
than  ninety  miles  away;  the  galliot  could  sail  that  very 
easily  in  two  days,  and,  for  finding  the  spot,  why  that 
also  was  very  easy  to  be  done.  I  could  w^ell  steer  a 
course  by  keeping  Porto  Rico  on  my  larboard  beam, 
and  then,  when  the  great  hump  of  Hispaniola's 
Northern  Promontory  did  come  into  view,  could  find 
the  road  to  the  reef 

From  there,  if  Phips  Avas  gone,  I  must  to  the 
Bahamas — for  I  should  not  dare  to  go  ashore  in 
Hispaniola  now,  since  the  news  of  the  Black's  death, 
and  Geroninio's  rage  at  being  defeated  of  wliat 
he  thought  due,  might  lead  me  to  trouble — and  I 
could,  perhaps,  get  to  the  Tnaguas.  These,  for  there 
are  two  of  that  name,  the  Great  and  the  Little,  are  in 


THE    MIDDLE    KEY.  200 

the  Windward  Passages,  well  known  to  navigators, 
veiy  useful  for  putting  into  for  refitting  and  watering, 
and  bclonsiino-  to  our  Crown. 

O         O 

Yet — -for  so  things  will  sometimes  happen — nought 
went  as  I  had  forecast.  And  this  you  shall  hear,  after 
wdiich  my  history  is  concluded — for  which  I  devoutly 
thank  the  Lord,  and  shall,  on  the  Sabbath  after  it  is 
finished,  offer  up  a  special  prayer  of  thanksgiving  in 
Branford  Church  that  I  have  been  allowed  to  bring  it 
to  an  end — and  I  shall  then  have  no  more  to  tell. 


o 


210 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

NICHOLAS    LEAVES   THE    ISLAND. 

Now,  when  all  was  prepared  for  my  setting  forth  and 
Avhen  I  had  gotten  the  galliot  ready  for  her  next  cruise 
and  had  also  taken  in  some  fresh  water,  a  small  live 
turtle,  some  fruit,  and  all  my  bread  and  peas — now 
running  very  low — chance  was  against  me  for  a  while. 
Even  for  three  Aveeks  the  wind  did  blow  strong  from 
the  north-west,  while  all  the  time  I  desired  a  wind 
from  the  south-east,  and  I  began  to  ponder  if  at  this 
season  of  the  year  it  did  not  perhaps  stay  in  the  same 
quarter  altogether.  There  Avas,  however,  nought  to  do 
but  to  possess  my  soul  in  patience,  to  keep  ever  a 
cheerful  heart,  and  to  trust  in  God,  as  all  my  life  I 
have  done.  Meanwhile,  in  some  ways  the  delay  was 
not  altogether  to  be  repined  at,  for  I  made,  during  it, 
several  visits  to  the  Key  in  my  boat  and  observed  that 
now  there  was  no  sign  at  all  of  the  burying  1  had 
made.  The  bush  above  the  spot  had  taken  root  again 
at  once,  and  was  growing  and  flourishing,  some  rain 
storms  that  had  come  had  smoothed  and  made  solid 
the  disturbed  earth,  and  tlic  turtles  were  laying  of 
their  eggs  all  around  as  if  no  human  foot  had  ever 
stood  upon  the  Key. 

One  thing  alone  troubled  me,  and  that  was  food — 
or  rather  bread,  for  this  was  now  running  very  short. 
If  I  did  not  get  away  soon,  T  siiould  have  to  do  without 


NICHOLAS   LEAVES   THE   ISLAND.  211 

it  altogether,  or  go  seek  for  some  in  Negada  and 
Tortola.  Yet  neither,  I  was  resolved,  would  I  do  this, 
but  rather  exist  without  bread  at  all.  I  was  a  sailor, 
I  ever  told  nij'self,  and  a  sailor  should  be  able  to 
endure  all  hardships. 

But  on  the  twenty-second  day  since  I  buried  my 
spoils  a  change  came.  I  was  sleeping  in  the  cabin  of 
my  galliot,  when  with  the  dawn  I  perceived  it.  The 
north-west  Avind  from  which  I  had  been  sheltered  in 
ray  cove  had  never  disturbed  the  vessel ;  now  from 
her  starboard  side,  which  was  to  the  south  as  she  lay, 
there  blew  in  a  hot  southern  wmd,  waves  and  riplets 
came  into  the  cove  from  that  direction  and  lapped 
against  her  bows,  and  she  began  gently  to  rise  and 
fall  and  heel  over  a  little  from  them,  as  though  she 
were  a  living  thing,  impatient  to  be  off. 

"  'Tis  come,"  I  exclaimed,  springing  up.  "  The 
hour  has  come  to  bid  farewell  to  this  spot.  If  this 
wind  hold  forty-eight  hours  I  shall  be  at  the  Inaguas 
if  I  find  not  Phips  at  the  reef." 

The  morn  was  not  3^et  however,  but  was  anigh  as 
I  stepped  to  the  deck;  the  breeze  sweepmg  up  from  the 
lonof  line  of  islands  to  the  south  was  a-fresheninsf ;  the 
stars  began  to  pale,  the  new  moon  to  wane.  No  time 
could  have  been  better  for  me  than  this  quiet  period 
before  the  dawn  to  steal  away. 

In  half  an  hour  I  was  well  outside  the  cove,  the 
masts  stepped,  the  sails  set — and  I  at  the  helm  had 
set  forth  upon  my  road  home.  'Twas  a  strange  voyage 
for  one  alone  to  undertake — had  there  been  another, 
or  even  a  boy,  to  relieve  mo  'twould  have  been  nought ; 
but  now  'twas  a  voyage  without  a  compass  or  aught  to 
o2 


212  THE    HISrAXIOLA    PLATE. 

guide  me,  nothing  indeed  to  help  nie  but  the  mercy  of 
heaven,  my  knowledge  of  the  sea,  and  my  strong  frame 
and  good  health.  However,  we  slipped  round  Coffin 
Island  a  little  later,  and  I  saw  for  the  last  time  the 
spot  that  held  the  buried  treasure.  The  little  Key  was 
visible  beneath  the  now  rising  sun,  the  sea-birds  were 
Avheeling  round  and  about  it,  and  the  blue  water 
rippled  on  its  shores.  And  so  I  took  farewell  of  it, 
knowing  that  I  should  never  see  it  any  more.  May 
you,  whomsoever  you  may  be  for  whom  I  write  this 
narrative,  find  it  as  I  left  it,  unharmed  and  untouched. 
May  your  eyes  gaze  upon  it  and  find  therein  what  I 
left  behind  when  mine  have  long  been  closed  in  death. 

And  now  I  had  nought  to  do  but  steer  my  bark 
for  that  easterly  point  of  Hispaniola  called  of  late  Cape 
Franroy,  and  so  I  should  come  near  to  the  reef,  and 
this,  since  the  wind  was  very  good  and  not  boisterous, 
'twas  easy  enough  to  do.  When  I  was  weary  I  would 
lower  down  the  sails,  lash  the  rudder,  and  so  take 
some  rest — doing  this,  of  course,  by  day  only,  since 
when  the  night  came  I  must  keep  good  watch — and 
then  set  sail  again  when  refreshed,  finding  m}'  course 
easy  enough  by  the  sun  and  breeze. 

And  so  the  first  day  passed,  and  I  did  calculate 
that — allowing  for  my  rest — I  had  left  Cotlin  Island 
some  twenty  to  fifteen  leagues  behind  me,  and,  so  that 
I  should  not  pass  the  Bajo  and  thereby  run  on  to 
Moufihoire  Carre,  or  Turk's  Islands,  I  shortened  sail. 
Yet  this  I  need  not  have  done  neither,  for  in  some 
way  I  had  not  got  my  calculations  aright.  At  dawn 
tlicrc  was  no  land  in  sight  as  I  thought  to  see,  so  that 
the  galliot  had  not  sailed  as  I  guessed,  or  T  had  missed 


NICHOLAS   LEAVES  THE   LSLAND.  213 

my  course.  The  wind,  however,  and  the  sun  forbade 
me  to  think  this,  so  I  made  all  sail  again  and  went  on. 

At  midday  I  did  discover  I  was  on  the  right  tack ; 
Cape  Fran^oy  and  Saniana  rose  on  my  beam  end, 
therefore  I  knew  that  by  altering  my  course  a  point 
to  the  north  I  must  strike  the  spot  Avhere  the  reef 
was.  And  this  I  did,  judging  by  the  sun  that  it  was 
four  of  the  afternoon  when  first  I  saw  the  little  shoal 
waters  over  it. 

I  know  not  even  now  if  I  was  glad  or  sorry  to  per- 
ceive— as  I  did  very  soon — that  the  Farie  was  no 
lonsfer  there.  Yet  I  think  it  was  the  latter,  for  I  had 
hoped  to  hear  the  cheery  shout  of  Phips,  to  see  my 
brother  othcers  come  round  me,  to  hear  the  welcomes 
of  the  men,  and  to  be  able  to  tell  my  tale.  But  'twas 
not  to  be.  All  around  the  reef  was  as  lonely  as  if  no 
plate  ship  had  ever  sunk  there,  no  attempts  ever  been 
made  to  get  up  its  contents,  no  horrid  tragedy  hap- 
pened such  as  that  Avhen  Phips  slew  the  Black  and 
executed  of  his  companion.  Birds  flew  about  all 
over  it,  seeking  perhaps  for  scraps  of  food  where 
not  a  month  ago  they  had  found  a  plenty,  the  little 
waves  foamed  over  the  sunken  reef  Avhere  the  now 
emptied  treasure  ship  lay — but  that  was  all. 

No !  I  forQ-et.  'Twas  not  all.  As  I  drew  near  I 
saw  sticking  up  from  the  water — as  I  had  not  been  able 
to  see  before  because  of  the  flittings  of  the  many  gulls 
— that  which  looked  like  a  jagged  piece  of  mast,  or 
yard  of  a  ship,  with  something  crosswise  a-top  of  it, 
and  my  curiosity  being  great  I  got  the  galliot  near  to 
it.  I  knew  I  could  do  this,  since  she  had  gone  over 
the  reef  often  enoucdi  Avhen  acting  as  a  tender,  and 


214  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

"vvlien  'twas  done  I  saw  that  it  was  indeed  a  mast 
standing  up  endwise  in  the  water,  the  lower  part 
doubtless  fixed  into  some  crevice  or  hole  by  the  diver 
ere  the  Furie  left.  And  the  cross-piece  nailed  on  to 
the  top  of  the  mast  was  in  the  form  of  a  big  arrow 
rudely  carved,  placed  so  that  it  pointed  towards 
Avhere  Europe  was,  and  with  on  it  the  words,  "  To 
Nicholas  Crafer.  ]\Iake  your  way  home."  That  was 
all,  yet  it  told  enough.  The  Furie  had  gone  home 
with  the  treasure  ;  if  I  was  still  alive  I  was  to  go  too. 

*  *  *  ^  ^  * 

Let  me  be  brief  That  remaining  day  and  night  I 
anchored  off  our  original  little  isle,  took  in  some  fresher 
water  than  I  had,  and  caught  some  fishes.  Also  I 
once  more  did  cover  again  the  bleached  bones  of  those 
mutineers  who  had  endeavoured  to  surjDrise  and  seize 
upon  the  Ahjier  Rose — 'twas  the  last  time,  I  reflected, 
it  would  ever  be  done  by  me  or  an^^  There  was  no 
danger  of  losing  the  favourable  wind  by  resting  here 
for  these  few  hours ;  if  anything  it  was  blowing  stronger 
and  fresher  from  the  south-east  than  before.  Nay, 
when  I  jDut  off  in  the  morning  for  the  furtherance  of 
my  course,  it  was  blowing  so  nuich  in  a  manner  I  cared 
not  for,  namely  in  fitful  gusts  followed  by  moments  of 
stillness,  that  I  doubted  me  if  I  was  overwisein  putting 
to  sea  again  yet.  Moreover,  the  Avind  Avas  almost  due 
south  by  now,  so  that  to  make  the  Inaguas  I  should 
have  much  more  trouble  and  Avork  than  when  sailinu' 
larL^e  and  free  before  a  favourable  breeze. 

However,  I  nnist  go,  I  Avould  not  be  detained. 
Indeed,  I  had  come  to  hate  all  this  region  so  nuich 


NICHOLAS    LEAVES    THE    ISLAND,  215 

that,  even  should  a  chance  arise  in  the  future  for  nie 
to  come  out  and  bring  off  all  my  treasure,  I  felt  as 
though  I  should  have  no  mind  to  it.  Phips  might 
come  an  he  would,  and  get  it,  but,  for  m3'self,  I 
wanted  not  to  come  again.  If  the  Hispaniola  plate 
had  been  gotten  back  safely,  then  there  would  be  a 
share  for  me  that  would  keep  me  from  the  wolf  for  the 
remainder  of  my  days.  It  would  not  be  wealth,  but 
would  doubtless  suttice — and  I  had  finished  with 
the  sea ! 

Though  not  yet. 

When  I  was  two  hours  out  from  our  little  isle,  and, 
as  I  believed,  near  unto  Moushoire  Carre,  I  did  dis- 
cover that  I  had  been  foolish  to  put  out  against  so  fast 
risins^  a  wind.  For  it  had  now  freshened  into  a  Q^ale 
due  from  the  south,  so  that  I  had  to  sail  close-hauled 
if  I  Avanted  to  pass  that  place  in  safety,  and  also 
Turk's  Islands.  Nor  even  a  little  later  was  this 
possible,  as  it  blew  more  and  more.  I  could  no  longer 
manacle  both  sails  and  helm.  So  now  I  had  to  take 
down  most  all  my  sail  excepting  the  foresail  to  steady 
the  galliot,  and  to  put  her  head  before  the  Avind, 
abandoning  of  my  course  altogether.  And  not  long 
afterwards  the  storm  had  become  a  furious  one,  the 
whole  heavens  were  obscured,  the  sea  rose  horribly — 
I  saw  at  this  moment  a  picaroon  in  distress  a  little  way 
off  me,  and  shortly  go  down — and  my  galliot  did  seem 
to  be  doomed. 

And  now  I  never  thought  but  that  I  had  reached 
my  journey's  end,  that  all  was  over  with  me.  Huge 
seas  swept  over  the  bows,  the  vessel  soon  began  to  fill 
with  water,  she  rolled  and  tossed  from  side  to  side  so 


21 G  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

that  I  could  not  keep  uiy  feet,  and  then  I  heard  a 
crash,  I  saw  the  mainmast  falhng  swiftly  towards  me, 
I  felt  a  blow  that  shot  a  thousand  stars  from  my  eyes, 
and  I  knew  no  more. 

^  ^  *  *  *  ^ 

When  I  again  recovered  of  my  senses  I  understood 
not  at  first  where  I  was,  excepting  that  I  was  lying  in  a 
berth  in  a  dark  cabin,  that  all  my  head  was  swathed 
m  cloths,  and  that  standing  near  me  was  an  elderly 
man,  regarding  me  attentively. 

"  Where,"  I  asked,  "  am  I  ?  This  is  not  the 
ofalliot." 

"  So,"  he  replied  in  my  own  tongue,  "  3'ou  are  an 
Englishman  !  We  thought  by  the  build  of  your 
galliot  that  you  were  a  Dutchman.  Who  and  what 
are  you  ? " 

"  Lieutenant  Crafer,  late  of  his  Majesty's  navy,  and 
late  first  Lieutenant  of  the  Furie,  Captain  Phips. 
AVhat  ship  is  this  ?  " 

"His  Majesty's  Virgin  Prize,  a  32-gun  frigate, 
Captain  John  Balchen.  Homeward  bound.  "Win 
should  know  this  officer.  Lieutenant  Crafer." 

"  Very  well,"  I  answered.  "  Wq  have  served 
tocfether.  Yet  'tis  not  stranije  if  he  knows  not  me, 
no  razor  has  touched  my  face  for  many  weeks." 

And  so  it  was  that  I  found  myself  bound  to 
]']ngland  in  a  King's  ship,  having  for  her  captain  a 
man  whom  I  had  been  at  sea  with  ere  now,  when  he 
was  n)y  subaltern.  Tliat  I  told  him  ;ill  as  regards  the 
treasure  you  are  not  to  su})pose  ;  that  secret  was  locked 
in  my  own  breast,  to  bo  divulged  to  one  onl}',  Phips. 


NICHOLAS    LEAVES    THE    ISLAND.  217 

But  1  did  give  him  a  very  fair  and  considerable  history 
of  much  that  Ave  had  gone  through,  and,  Hving  with 
him  in  his  cabin  and  at  his  table,  you  may  be  sure 
that  we  had  many  talks  on  the  subject  of  the  sunken 
plate-ship. 

"  Yet,"  said  he  often,  "  I  misdoubt  me  if  King 
James  will  be  there  to  take  his  tenths  when  Phips 
gets  the  Fnrie  home.  The  peoj^le  will  endure  him 
but  little  longer — he  is  now  an  avowed  Papisli — and 
already  there  are  whisperings  of  putting  one  of  his 
daughters  in  his  place.  If  'twere  Mary  all  Avould  be 
well,  since  she  is  married  to  a  staunch  Protestant, 
though  the  country  would  scarce  accept  him,  too,  I 
think. 

Yet,  as  you  will  see  by  later  day  history,  James 
was  still  there  when  I  got  back.  And  this  I  did  on 
Lady  Day  in  the  j^ear  of  our  Lord  16S7,  the  Virgin 
Prize  making  Portsmouth  a  month  after  she  picked 
me  up,  a  corpse  as  they  first  thought,  from  the  deck, 
of  the  galliot,  which  was  cast  off  after  I  was  rescued. 
It  seemed  from  their  calculations  and  mine  that  I 
must  have  been  met  w^ith  some  hours  only  after  I  was 
struck  down,  and  at  first  they  thought  I  had  been 
attacked  by  the  picaroon — which  ships  are  generally 
full  of  thieves— which  they  had  been  a-chasing. 

So,  in  this  way,  I  came  back  from  rn}^  second 
voj'age  to  the  wrecked  Spanish  Plate  Ship,  and  put 
my  foot  once  more  on  my  native  land  at  Portsmouth 
Hard. 

And  now  but  a  few  Avords  more  and  I  have  done. 


218 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

THE     XARKATIYE       ENDS. 

'TwAS  at  the  Navy  Tavern  at  rortsmoiith  that  I 
learned  that  Phips  had  preceded  me  home  but  a 
fortnight,  that  he  had  sailed  to  the  Downs  with  the 
Fiirie  and  all  her  contents,  and  that,  most  faithful  to 
his  word,  he  had  sent  a  letter  for  me.  In  it  he  said 
that  he  prayed  to  God  I  might  some  time  or  other 
get  back  safe  to  England — and  that,  if  he  should  be 
gone  RAvay  again,  he  would  charge  himself  to  leave  my 
share  of  the  sale  of  the  treasure  in  safe  keeping,  of 
which  I  should  be  advised  both  by  a  letter  to  the 
Admiralty  directed  for  me,  and  also  b}^  another  to 
this  tavern.  Likewise,  he  said,  he  trusted  that  I  had 
been  able  to  come  up  Avith  that  most  imconmion 
rogue  and  villain,  Alderly,  that  I  had  taken  vengeance 
of  him  for  his  treachery,  and  that  I  had  recovered 
whatever  I  might  find  he  had  stolen  from  tlic  Plate 
Ship.  And  if,  he  said,  I  had  been  enabled  to  liriug 
that  stolen  wealth  back  with  me,  then  1  was  to  com- 
municate with  his  Grace  of  Albemarle — supposing 
him,  Phips,  gone — who  should  see  that  it  was  properly 
directed  to  the  right  quarters. 

So  there  was  now  nought  for  me  to  do  but  to 
make  for  London  myself,  after  I  had  slept  one  night 
in  the  old  town,  changed  a  few  of  the  gold  pieces  I 
had  taken  off  Aldcrlv  ere  I  buried  him,  and  bouuht 


THE    NARRATIVE   ENDS,  219 

me  a  fair  decent  cliano'c  of  clothes  in  which  to  travel 
and  appear  in  London.  And  in  fifteen  hours  I  was 
there  from  the  time  of  my  setting  out,  and  once 
more  ensconced  in  an  inn  I  had  heretofore  patronised, 
namely,  "  The  Blossoms,"  in  Lawrence  Lane,  Cheap- 
side. 

The  finding  of  Phips  after  this  was  by  no  means 
difficult  ;  even  at  the  inn  they  had  heard  of  his 
arrival :  they  told  me,  indeed,  that  there  was  much 
connnotion  both  on  Change  as  well  as  in  Court  and 
Naval  circles  at  the  amount  of  treasure  he  had 
brought  home  with  him ;  while — says  my  hostess  to 
me — 

"  Might  you,  sir,  be  the  gentleman  they  say  he  left 
behind  to  chase  those  cruel,  wicked  pirates  Avho  had 
stolen  part  of  the  treasure  he  did  find  ? " 

I  answered  that  I  was  indeed  that  officer,  whereon 
she  told  me  that  the  town  talked  nmch  about  me, 
that  even  some  of  the  journals  had  written  discourses 
upon  my  having  gone  off  to  chase  pirates  in  nought 
but  a  ship's  boat — as  they  termed  it — and  that  it 
would  be  a  fine  thing  for  the  gentry  who  produced 
those  sheets  when  they  should  hear  that  I  was  safe 
back  so  very  little  a  while  after  Phips  himself 

HoAvever,  I  Avanted  to  see  Phips  himself,  and  this 
I  very  soon  did,  finding  of  him  by  presenting  myself 
at  the  Duke's  house,  where  I  noticed  a  most  extra- 
ordinary bustle  going  on,  and  discovered  that  his 
Grace  was  just  about  to  proceed  to  Jamaica  to  take 
up  the  governorship  thereof  Poor  man  !  he  did  but 
enjoy  it  a  year,  all  of  Avhich  time  he  was  thinking  of 
nought  but  finding  new  treasure  round  about  that 


220  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

island,  and  then  at  the  end  of  that  his  bottle  took 
him  off.  However,  'tis  the  present  I  have  to  tell  of, 
and  will,  therefore,  but  say  that,  ten  minutes  after  my 
announcement,  the  Duke  came  to  me. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  greeting  me,  "  this  is  the  joyful 
day.  Lieutenant  Crafer ;  I  do  indeed  rejoice  to  sec  }'ou 
back  safe  and  sound,  and  so  will  PhiiDs.  He  is  hard 
by — he  shah  be  sent  for." 

Whereon  he  ordered  a  man  to  go  to  the  lodgings 
and  to  tell  Su-  William  Phips  that  Lieutenant  Crafer 
was  gotten  home  safe  and  sound. 

"  Sir  AVilliam  Phips ! "  I  exclaimed.  "  Sir  William ! 
So  !  has  he  come  to  such  honour  as  that  ? " 

"  He  hath,  indeed,"  laughed  the  Duke,  Avho  seemed 
more  jolly  now  than  when  we  went  out  with  the 
Farie — perhaps  his  new  appointment  making  him  so 
— "he  hath,  indeed.  The  King  seemed  so  well  pleased 
with  his  tenth  that  he  insisted  on  kniohtinir  our 
friend,  and  hath  even  silenced  those  wretches  of  the 
city  who  say  that — that  Phips,  and — well,  no  matter." 
"  What  do  they  say,  my  Lord  Duke  ? "  I  asked, 
though  I  could  very  well  guess. 

"  Oh  !  'tis  nothing,  a  tritlo !  and,  since  neither  the 
King  nor  I  believe  it,  not  to  be  considered." 

"  I  can  imagine  Avhat  they  say,  your  drace,"  I 
exclaimed.  "  It  is  that  we  have  feathered  a  nest 
somewhere — that  all  has  not  been  brought  home  that 

was  found.     Yet,  'tis  not  true " 

"  Tush,  man,  tush  ! "  interrupted  the  Duke.  "  Who 
shall  Ihiiik  it  is?" 

"It  is  not  true,"  I  went  on.  "Every  farthing's 
worth   Phips  got   he  brought  home,  I   will   swear — 


THE   NAllRATIVE   EXDS.  221 

while  as  for  what  xVlderl}^  stole  from  the  plate  ship, 
Avhj,  they  sunk  it  when  Ave  boarded  them." 

"  Man  alive  ! "  exclaimed  the  Duke,  "  who  doubts 
it  ?  I  do  not,  Avho  am  the  chief  concerned,  nor  will 
the  King  hear  a  Avord.  See,  here  is  a  testimon}^  I 
mean  to  gi\'e  to  Phips.  A  gold  cup  I  have  had  made 
out  of  a  thousand  pounds'  Avorth  of  the  treasure.  'Tis 
for  his  Avife  in  Boston,  now  Lady  Phips,  to  Avhom  he 
hath  sent  out  instructions  to  buy  a  fine  brick  house 
to  live  in.  For,  you  must  knoAV,  the  King  hath 
promised  him  the  Governorship  of  Massachusetts  as 
soon  as  it  falls  vacant,  Avhen  he  Avill  be  settled  for 
life." 

I  regarded  the  cup,  A^ery  costly  and  beautiful, 
engraved,  "  From  Christopher,  Duke  of  Albemarle,  to 
his  trusty  friend.  Sir  William  Phips,"  Avhile  the  Duke 
bade  his  servant  bring  us  a  tankard,  and  at  that 
moment  in  came  Sir  William  himself  hot  haste  to 
see  me. 

^  -H^  *  *  *  -x- 

"  No,"  he  said  to  me  that  night,  as  Ave  sat  at  Avine 
in  his  lodgings  hard  by  the  Strand,  "no,  Nick,  that 
hidden  treasure  is  yours,  and  yours  alone.  It  belongs 
not  to  our  providers  here,  nor  does  any  share  pertain 
to  me.  You  it  Avas  A\^ho  found  it,  you  it  Avas  vn^io 
bad  all  the  risk  in  going  to  lind  it.  It  shall  l)e 
yours  and  yours  only,  since  none  other  of  the 
galliot's  creAV  are  noAV  in  existence.  Only,"  he  Avent 
on,  "  as  now  you  are  provided  for,  I  Avould  leave  it 
there  awhile.  Say,  for  another  generation.  For  if 
you  go  and  dig  it  up  now,  then  Avill  the  merchants 


222  THE    ITISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

say  that  tliey  spoke  tnily  when  they  accused  us  of 
robbino-  them." 

"  I  shall  never  go  to  dig  it  uj),"  I  said,  "  I  will  go 
to  sea  no  more.  The  Duke  tells  me  there  is  four 
thousand  pounds  for  me  at  Sir  Josiah  Child's — 'tis 
enough  to  do  very  well  for  my  life.  I  will  buy  me  a 
little  house  somewhere,  and  an  annuit}^  from  some 
nobleman  with  the  rest." 

"  And,"  went  on  Sir  William,  "  in  that  little  house 
find  out  a  hiding  place,  and  leave  therein  a  full 
description  of  Avhere  your  treasure  is,  so  that  those 
who  come  after  you  shall,  if  the}'  care  to  be  at  the 
trouble  thereof,  discover  a  fortune.  You  will  be 
marrj'ing  now,  Nick,  perhaps  ?  " 

"  Nay,"  said  I,  "  I  think  not.  Never  now  !  Once 
when  my  heart  was  young  and  fresh  I  did  love  a 
sweet  3'oung  girl — she  was  the  daughter  of  a  retired 
officer  of  Oliver's,  and  they  dwelt  at  Kew — but  the 
small-pox  ravaged  the  land  and  took  her  from  me.  I 
find  myself  thinking  of  her  often  now ;  perhaps  'tis 
becau.se  the  time  is  drawing  near  when  I  shall  sec 
her  a""ain,  as  young  and  fair  as  she  was  in  those 
bygone,  happy  days ;  but  I  shall  never  have  a  "wife." 

"Poor  Nick,  poor  Nick,"  said  Phips,  laying  his 
great  hand  very  gently  on  my  .shoulder.  "  Poor  Nick. 
So  you  have  had  your  romance  too.  Ah,  well!  so  have 
most  men."  Then  a  little  later  he  said,  "You  know  I 
go  out  again  with  Sir  John  Narborough — I  cannot 
rest  quietly  at  home  in  Boston  till  my  rule  begins  in 
^[assachusetts — we  shall  be  near  your  little  Key — 
shall  I  go  and  dig  your  spoil  ujj  ?  I  would  do  it 
most  faithfully  fur  you,  Nick,  as  you  know." 


THE   NARRATIVE   ENDS.  228 

"  No,"  I  answered,  after  pondering  a- while.  "  Xo, 
not  unless  you  will  do  so  and  take  it,  or  some  of  it, 
for  yourself." 

"  That,"  said  he,  "  I  will  never  do.  Not  a  stiver, 
not  one  coin.     'Tis  all  yours." 

"  Then  let  it  lie  there,"  said  I,  "  for  those  who  shall 
come  after  me.  There  is  one  other  Crafer  left  in 
Hampshire,  a  country  gentleman,  who  has  perhaps 
some  children  now.  It  shall  be  theirs  when  I  am 
gone  if  the}^  choose  to  search  for  it." 

So  we  parted  for  the  last  time,  not  without  tears 
in  our  eyes,  we  having  been  so  much  to  each  other 
for  so  long  that  we  could  not  easily  say  farewell. 

As  for  him,  he  went  on  his  cruise  with  Sir  John 
Narborough,  but,  as  he  after  wrote  me,  he  found 
nothing. 

And  then  the  time  came  for  him  to  take  up  his 
rule  in  his  own  land,  which  he  did  wisely  and  well, 
and  perhaps  because  of  his  old  belief  in  sooth-sayers, 
and  wizards,  and  geomancers — and,  indeed,  the  knave 
I  have  writ  of  did  tell  his  fortune  most  wondrously, 
even  to  his  becoming  a  ruler  thouo^h  not  a  Kino- — 
he  spared  many  in  New  England  who  would  have 
been  barbarously  entreated  otherwise.  And  he  took 
with  him  a  fine  gold  medal,  which  the  noAV  fast 
falling  King  had  had  struck  in  honour  of  his  finding 
the  galleon's  wreck,  having  on  it  the  words  Semper 
tibi  pendent  Hainus,  which  the  curate  of  Mortlake  did 
afterwards  translate  for  me  as  meaning,  '  JMay  thy 
fishing  always  be  as  good  to  thee." 

It  bore  on  it  a  supposed  drawing  of  the  Fitrie,  but 
none  too  accurate,  thouoii  near  enoufdi. 


224  THE    HISi'AXTOT.A    PLATE. 

Of  tho  treasure  tlio  Duke  took  £90,000,  His 
Majesty's  tenth  was  sonietliing  under  £20,000,  but 
not  much,  and  the  merchants  got  many  of  them 
£8,000  to  £10,000,  for  every  £100  they  had  adven- 
tured. This  is  speaking  roundly,  as  I  have  heard 
sums  of  more  and  less  mentioned  in  connection  Avith 
all  concerned.  Phips's  share,  as  he  told  me,  was 
£10,000,  and  would  have  been  more  had  he  not  out 
of  his  own  purse  paid  to  a-many  of  the  seamen  some 
sums  which  the  merchants  withheld  from  them. 
Cromby's  old  mother  was  dead,  I  found  on  inquiring, 
so  that  I  could  do  nothing  there. 

Now,  'twas  some  six  years  afterwards,  and  when 
James  had  been  gone  nigh  that  time  to  France,  that 
Phips  wrote  to  me  he  was  a-coming  to  England  and 
hoped  among  others  to  see  me.  Yet,  alas  !  we  never 
met  again.  I  was  at  this  time  sore  troubled  with 
gout  and  rheumatism — though,  I  thank  God,  uuuAi 
of  both  have  passed  away  —  and  I  could  not, 
therefore,  go  to  see  him.  Nor,  neither  was  he  ever 
able  to  come  to  me.  He  had  not  been  in  London 
many  days  when  he  catchcd  a  cold,  and  this 
turning  to  a  fever  he  died.  And  he  was  buried 
in  the  Church  of  St.  Mary  Woolnoth,  Avhere,  when 
I  was  recovered,  I  went  and  said  a  prayer  above 
his  tomb. 

Why  should  I  write  a  funeral  sermon  on  him  for 
tho.sc  who  never  knew  him  ?  Suffice,  therefore,  if  I 
say  that  he  was  honest,  manly,  and  Godfearing,  and  a 
better  man  did  never  live.  To  me,  his  subaltern,  ho 
was  ever  kindly,  gentle,  and  friendly,  very  courteous, 
yet  also,  when   we  came   to  know  each  other,  very 


THE    NARRATIVE   ENDS.  225 

brotherly ;  and  to  conclude,  I  loved  him.     No  need 
to  say  more. 

Now  I  have  done.  Almost  all  the  evenings  of 
four  months  it  hath  taken  me  to  write  this  story 
down — I  beginning  of  it  in  the  bleak  cruel  nights  of 
winter,  and  ending  of  it  when  the  leaves  are  pushing 
forth.  And  I  have  written  as  truly  as  I  know  how, 
telling  no  lies,  and  trying  also  very  hard  to  make  my 
story  understandable  to  whomso'er  shall  come  across  it. 

My  house — which  I  bought  here,  because  'twas 
across  the  river  in  years  agbne  I  used  to  wander  with 
the  girl  I  loved  so  dear,  and  because  I  can  see  the 
paths  where  we  walked  when  I  arise  from  my  bed 
every  morning — I  shall  leave  to  a  Crafer  for  ever,  so 
that  some  day,  if  the  line  dieth  not  out,  one  of  that 
name  must  find  the  clue.  That  it  shall  be  a  Crafer  I 
do  earnestly  hope,  but  if  not  it  cannot  be  helped. 
And  in  conclusion  all  I  will  now  say  is,  that  I  do 
pray  that  whosoever  readeth  this  narrative,  and 
whosoever  afterwards  shall  tind  the  buried  treasure 
on  the  little  Key,  he  will  use  it  Avell  and  nobly,  de- 
voting some  part  of  it,  if  not  all,  to  God's  service. 
Amen. 

Nicholas  Crafer. 


Tli.G  ISearch  by  Reginald  Crafer, 


227 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

OFF   TO   THE   VIRGIN   ISLES, 

The  passengers  by  the  Royal  Mail  steamer,  especially 
the  younger  and  fairer  members  thereof,  felt  an  emo- 
tion of  oenuine  reOTet  when  Reo'inald  Crater  left  the 
ship  at  Antigua,  there  to  make  the  connection  Avith 
the  company's  vessel,  the  Tyne,  which  runs  to  Anguilla 
and  Tortola  fortnightly. 

For  like  so  many,  nay,  almost  all  naval  officers 
with  but  few  exceptions,  Reginald  possessed  those 
manly  and  pleasant  graces  which  soon  endear  a 
stranger  to  any  number  of  persons  among  whom  he 
may  happen  to  be  thrown ;  and  ere  the  steamer — 
crowded  with  tourists  of  the  better  class  who  were 
avoiding  the  rigour  of  our  winter  by  a  tour  in  the 
West  Indian  Islands — had  been  a  week  out  of  South- 
ampton, he  had  made  himself  a  general  favourite.  Of 
course  he  could  dance — when  did  a  sailor  ever  exist 
Avho  could  not? — also  he  could  sing ;  he  had  seen  much 
of  the  Avorld  and  he  Avas  good-looking.  Let  anyone 
Avho  has  been  on  an  ocean  trip  say  if  these  accomplish- 
ments and  charms  are  not  sufficient  to  at  once  make 
a  man  popular  m  the  conmumity  assembled  on  such 
an  occasion. 

And  also  there  Avas  about  him  some  slight  tinge  of 
mystery,  some  little  reticence  on  his  part,  as  to  Avliat 
he  Avanted  or  desired  to  do  at  Anguilla  or  Tortola, 


f2 


22cS  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

whicli  added  a  flavour  to  the  manner  in  Avhicli  this 
handsome  yonng  otiicer  was  regarded.  For  at  either  of 
these  islands  there  is  nothing  for  a  man  to  do  at  all, 
unless  he  should  desire  to  pass  his  life  in  breeding 
herds  of  goats,  cows,  or  sheep,  or  in  fishing,  or  rearing 
poultr}' ,  or  cultivating  a  little  cotton  or  sugar.  And 
certainly  Keginald  Crafer  did  not  seem  to  be  a  man  of 
that  sort. 

"  It  can't  be  to  see  the  bloomin'  islands,"  said  a 
bagman  on  board  who  was  not  a  favourite,  though 
possessing  vast  information  about  the  locality,  derived 
from  visiting  the  whole  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the 
Caribbean  Sea  on  business,  "because  there's  nothino' 
to  see,  and  as  a  naval  officer  I'll  bet  he's  seen  enough 
islands.     And  it  can't  hardly  be  a  gal." 

"Scarcely,  I  should  imagine,"  said  a  stately  young 
lad}',  by  whom,  as  by  others,  this  person's  remarks 
were  not  much  apjn'eciated,  "  since  1  believe  there  are 
few  gentlemen  or  ladies  there  except  the  Consuls  and 
their  families.  Nor  do  I  see  that  Lieutenant  Crafer's 
business  is  your  affair  or  mine,"  whereon  she  turned 
on  her  heel  and  left  him. 

Meanwhile  Reginald,  who,  perhaps,  was  not  un- 
conscious of  the  curiosity  he  had  raised,  though  taking 
no  notice  of  it,  had  plenty  to  thiidc  of  as  well  as  havmg 
always  to  keep  a  guard  upon  his  tongue. 

Indeed,  it  would  not  be  saying  too  uuich  if  the 
announcement  was  made  that  the  discovery  of  Nicholas 
Crafer's  statement  had  produced  a  total  change,  not 
only  in  this  young  man's  method  of  life,  but  also  in 
his  mind. 

When    he    had     finished    the    perusal    of    that 


OFF   TO   THE   VIRGIN   ISLES.  229 

statement  (which,  yoii  may  remember,  he  began  one 
November  afternoon)  another  day  had  come ;  a  foul, 
nuu'ky,  fog-laden  atmosphere  was  doing  duty  for  the 
dawn.  The  river  reeked  with  it,  and  so  did  the  fields 
across  the  Thames.  Also  the  fire  had  gone  out  now, 
though  he  had  made  it  up  several  times  during  the 
night,  the  lamp  had  consumed  nearly  the  last  drop  of 
oil  in  its  glass  bowl,  and  he  could  hear  his  old  house- 
keeper and  general  servant  shuffling  about  upstairs  as 
though  preparmg  to  begin  the  day.  And  his  eyes 
were  wet  with  tears — tears  which  the  last  page  or  two 
of  that  finely- written,  often  misspelt,  and  sometimes 
nearly  illegible  manuscript  had  caused  to  spring  to 
them.  For  to  him,  young  and  impressive — though 
as  yet  his  heart  had  never  been  fairly  touched  by 
Love's  rose-tipped  wings — there  seemed  a  sadness  in- 
expressible in  the  story  of  his  ancestor's  love  for  the 
dauQfhter  of  one  of  Oliver's  officers  who  had  died  so 
young,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  bought 
the  house,  so  that  daily,  when  he  arose,  the  first 
place  to  meet  his  eyes  should  be  the  spot  where 
they  had  walked  together  in  those  long-forgotten 
years. 

"  Poor  old  Nicholas  !  "  he  thought,  as  he  went  to 
the  French  Avindows  and  drew  the  heav}^  curtains  that 
protected  the  room  from  the  river's  damp,  and  peered 
across  that  river  to  the  other  side ;  "  poor  old  Nicholas  ! 
It  was  there  you  used  to  walk  with  her  when  you 
were  both  young.  It  was  there,  when  you  had  grown 
old  and  she  had  long  since  gone  and  left  you,  that  you 
used  to  gaze  and  dream  of  her.  And,"  he  went  on, 
as  he  turned  back  into  the  room,  "  it  Avas  here,  in  this 


280  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

very  spot,  tAVO  hundred  3'ears  ago,  that  you  sat  night 
b}^  night  writing  that  story  alone,  as  I  this  night 
have  sat  alone  and  read  it.  I  almost  wonder  that 
your  ghost  did  not  come  forth  and  stand  at  my  elbow, 
and  peer  over  my  shoulder  at  your  crabbed,  crooked 
handwriting  as  I  did  so." 

He  dropped  the  manuscript  in  his  pocket  as  he 
finished  his  meditations  and,  going  upstairs,  met  the 
old  housekeeper  coming  down. 

"  Lawks,  Mr.  Reginald  ! "  she  said  Avith  a  start, 
"  what  a  turn  you  give  me  !  Whatever  have  you  got 
up  so  early  for  ? " 

"  I  have  not  been  to  bed  yet,  jMaria,"  he  said,  "  but 
1  am  going  now."  Then,  observing  her  look  of  as- 
tonishment and  the  shaking  of  her  head — perhaps  she 
thouo-ht  he  had  been  wassailing  in  London  and  had 
only  just  come  down  by  the  early  train — he  said,  "  I 
have  been  engagetl  all  night  over  some  family  ]iapers. 
Call  me  at  twelve  and  get  some  breakfast  ready  by 
then.  I  shall  go  to  town  directly  afterwards.  And, 
Maria,  I  shall  be  going  abroad  again  soon;  you  will 
have  the  house  all  to  yourself  once  more." 

"  Ha  ! "  she  said,  with  a  grunt ;  "  well,  who's  afraid  ? 
I  ain't,  neither  of  ghostes  nor  burgulars,  tho'  we  had 

one " 

But  Reginald  was  on  his  way  to  bed  before  she 
had  finished  her  oration. 

"The  first  thing  to  be  done,"  he  thought  to  him- 
self, as  he  splashed  about  in  liis  bath  after  that  five 
hours'  sleep — which  was  enough  for  him,  since  it  was 
more  than  a  watch  below — "is  to  get  a  promise  from 
the  first  Sea  Lord,  on  the  ground  of '  urgent  private 


OFF  TO  THE  VIRGIN  ISLES.  231 

affairs,'  that  I  shall  not  be  called  upon  to  serve  for 
another  year.  If  I  can  manage  that,  then  oft'  I  go  to 
Coffin  Island  and  dear  old  Nick's  treasure.  Lord  bless 
me !  how  I  would  like  to  have  known  Nick — as  Phips 
called  him." 

There  had  come  into  the  young  man's  heart  as  he 
read  that  paper  a  feeling  which,  I  suppose,  often  comes 
into  the  hearts  of  most  of  us  who  have  ever  had  an- 
cestors— the  feeling  that  we  would  like  to  have  known 
them,  to  have  seen  them  and  to  have  shaken  hands 
with  them,  observed  the  quaint  garb  they  wore,  and 
listened  to  their  quaint  speech.  So  it  was  now  with 
Keginald.  He  would  have  liked  to  have  heard 
Nicholas  tell  the  story  instead  of  having  read  it,  would 
like  to  have  stood  by  his  side  when  he  fought  the 
Etoyle,  to  have  been  by  him  when  the  drunken  and 
delirious  pirate  died  singing  his  song,  to  have  accom- 
panied him  on  that  solitary  vo3^age  when  he  kept — 
good  honest  man ! — a  cheerful  heart  and  trusted  to 
his  God  alone  to  watch  over  him. 

"  I  wonder  whose  treasure  it  was  that  he  found  ?  " 
the  young  man  meditated — "not  Alderly's,  at  any 
rate.  The  pirates  never  buried  their  treasure,  thoui-h 
the  story-books  say  they  did,  but  rather  took  it  with 
them  to  their  favourite  haunts  to  spend  in  a  debauch. 
Even  Alderly  was  doing  that  at  the  time  Nicholas 
captured  him ;  ho  had  his  box  with  him,  full  of  ready 
money  for  spending  purposes.  And  those  others,  those 
antique  coins,  those  jewels  and  precious  things,  what 
were  they  ?  Buried,  perhaps,  by  some  French  refugee 
who  had  been  cast  away  on  Coffin  Island  and  found  by 
Alderly,  or  stolen  from  some  French  treasure  ship  by 


282  THE    HISPANtOLA    PLATE. 

an  earlier  pirate  than  Alderly,  yet  still  found  l>y  him. 
Shall  I  ever  know  ?  " 

But,  whether  he  would  ever  know  or  not  was  a 
matter  of  very  small  importance  to  Reginald  C-rafer, 
in  comparison  Avith  the  fact  that  he  was  going  to  find 
them  again  himself,  if  he  possibly  could.  For  that 
they  should  not  lie  any  longer  in  the  middle  Key 
above  Coffin  Island  than  it^  would  take  him  to  go  and 
fetch  them,  he  was  very  firmly  resolved. 

"  The  Key  isn't  likely  to  have  shifted,"  he  reflected, 
"  nor  to  have  become  entirely  covered  by  the  sea  for 
good  and  all.  And  if  it  has,  why,  science  has  ad- 
vanced a  bit  since  the  days  of  Nicholas,  and  we  will 
have  it  out.  The  treasure  has  been  found  twice  as  it 
has  been  buried  twice — once  by  its  original  owner,  as  1 
believe,  and  once  by  Nicholas  ;  I'll  make  the  third 
finder.  There's  luck  in  odd  numbers!"  and  remem- 
berino-  his  Latin,  of  which  he  had  a  better  knowledge 
than  his  sailor  relative  had  had,  he  nnumured, 
"  Nnmero  deus  impare  gam  Jet .'" 

The  Fh'st  Sea  Lord  proved  kind,  perhaps  because 
Reginald  was  a  young  officer  Avho  had  done  well  and 
was  favourably  known  alread}^  besides  having  once 
served  in  his  own  flag-ship  and  come  under  his 
notice ;  and  though  he  hummed  and  hawed  a  little  at 
first,  and  talked  a  good  deal  about  the  shortness  of 
lieutenants,  and  so  many  being  required  to  bo 
calk'd  out  for  the  Naval  IManceuvres,  and  so  on, 
at  last  said  that  he  thought  he  might  promise  that 
Lieutenant  Crafer's  services  should  not  be  asked  for 
for  another  year.  Then,  next,  the  young  man  bought 
a  chart  of  the  Caribbean  Sea,  and,  as  the  charts  of 


OFF   TO   THE   VIRGIN   ISLES.  283 

to-day  are  rather  better  tlian  they  were  in  the  elder 
Crater's  time,  he  found  Cotiin  Island  marked  very 
plainly,  thoTigh  still  not  named,  thereon ;  and  he  also 
saw  the  three  Keys  dotted  on  it.  "  So  that's  all  right 
and  comfortable,"  Reginald  said  to  himself,  whereon 
he  at  once  made  all  his  plans  for  going  on  his  search, 
and,  as  has  been  told,  had  by  now  arrived  at  Antigua, 
Avhence  the  Tywe  goes  fortnightly  to  Tortola  and 
Anguilla. 

Yet,  when  he  had  settled  down  here  to  Avait  for 
that  vessel's  sailino- — which  would  not  be  for  another 
forty-eight  hours — he  scarcely  knew  how  he  should 
set  about  his  work.  Coflui  Island  might  be  inhabited 
by  now,  for  all  he  knew,  though  judging  by  the  little 
knowledge  possessed  of  it  by  any  of  the  personnel  of 
the  ship  in  which  he  liad  come  out,  it  did  not  appear 
very  probable  that  it  was.  Nobody  on  board  that 
ship  could  say  whether  it  was  occupied  or  not,  most 
of  the  officers,  indeed,  being  a  little  haz}'  as  to  where 
Coffin  Island  was. 

However,  by  the  next  day  he  had  gained  one 
piece  of  information  which  might  or  might  not  be 
true,  but  that,  if  the  former,  was  likely  to  throw 
some  difficulties  in  his  way.  He  had  learnt  that 
there  were  inhabitants — as  his  informant  believed, 
though  he  wouldn't  be  certain — on  the  island  ;  for 
that  there  was  such  a  place  as  C(iffin  Island  \vas 
very  well  known  in  Antigua,  if  not  in  the  Royal 
Mail  steamers. 

He  had  encountered  as  he  lounged  about  the 
hotel  in  St.  John's — which  is  the  capital  of  Antigua — 
one  of  those  busy  gentlemen  who  are  to  be  found 


284.  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

in  almost  every  part  of  the  world  to  Avliich  strangers 
come  and  go :  an  American.  This  worthy  person, 
who  was  young,  tall,  and  dandified,  having  in  his 
"  bosom  "  a  beautiful  diamond  pin,  addressed  Reginald 
the  first  moment  he  saw  him  with  such  a  flood  of 
offers  and  questions  as  almost  stunned  him ;  yet  so 
long  was  the  flow  of  oratory  that  it  gave  him  time  to 
collect  his  thoughts  and  be  wary. 

"  If,"  said  Mr.  Hiram  Juby,  as  he  handed  out  a  big 
card  with  that  name  on  it,  "  you  are  thinking  of  settling 
here,  I  can  be  of  assistance  to  you.  Though,  if  you're 
buying  land,  I  should  scarcely  recommend  Antigua. 
It  is  not  very  renumerative  and  not  cheap.  Now,  in 
Dominica,  which  has  no  export  duties,  sir.  Crown  land 
can  be  obtained  for  two  dollars  and  a  half  an  acre. 
Trinidad  is  five  dollars,  St.  Lucia  five ;  Tobaofo,  also 
without  export  duties,  is  two  and  a  half  I  am  also 
an  agent  for  the  United  States  Governmental  In- 
surance Company,  patronised  and  insured  in  1)}^  the 
first  families  of  the " 

"I  am  not  thinking  of  buying  any  land,  ^Fr.  -luby," 
Reginald  said,  (piietl}'. 

"  Then  you  must  be  a  tourist.  Therefore,  \'ou  A\ill 
want  to  know  the  best  hotels.     Now  there  is " 

"  I  shall  stay  at  no  hotels,"  Reginald  again  replied. 

"  Stay  at  no  hotels  !  Then  you  are  perhaps  going 
to  camp  out.  If  so,  I  have  the  agency  for  some  of 
the  best  United  States  tents,  utensils,  rifles  and  guns, 
hickory  fishing-rods,  and  so  forth.  Sir,  will  you  take 
a  cocktail,  or  shall  avc  try  a  dish  of  mangrove  oysters  ? 
Or,  if  you  are  a  conchologist,  mineralogist,  or  botanist, 
I  should  like  to  show  you  some  collections  I  have 


OFF   TO    THE    VIRGIN    ISLES.  235 

for  salo  Avhicli  would  save  you  much  labour  and 
classitication " 

"  Sir,"  said  Reoinald,  "  I  aui  none  of  those  things  ! 
I  {im  a  sailor  amusing  myself  with  a  visit  to  this  lovely 
spot.     I  want  nothing,"  and  he  turned  on  his  heel. 

"  Stay,  sir,  stay,  I  beg,"  Mr.  Juby  said,  going  after 
him  as  he  left  the  verandah.  "  You  are  a  sailor 
visiting  this  lovely  spot,  and  you  want  nothing  I  can 
supply  you  with  !  Why,  sir,  I  have  the  very  thing 
for  you — a  thing  that  would  have  suited  nobody  but 
a  sailor.  I  have  a  little  thirteen-ton  cutter  3"acht — it 
belonged  to  Sir  Barnaby  Briggs — your  countryman, 
sir,  who  died  of  drink,  so  they  said,  not  I,  in  Guada- 
loupe — but  then  these  French  will  say  anything  but 
their  prayers.  And  I  will  let  it  you,  sell  it  to  you, 
furnish  it  for  you,  find  you  a  sailor  man  or  so " 

"  What,"  said  Reginald,  interested  now,  for  he 
thought  perhaps  here  was  the  best  way  of  all  in 
which  to  visit  Coffin  Island — "  what  do  you  want  for 
the  hire  of  it  ? " 

But  before  even  these  terms  coidd  be  arranged, 
Mr.  Juby  insisted — and  he  would  take  no  denial — 
that  they  should  be  discussed  over  the  most  popular 
drink  in  all  the  West  Indian  Islands,  a  cocktail ;  so 
on  to  the  verandah  they  went  to  partake  of  one. 
And  it  was  among  the  various  acquaintances  to 
whom  Mr.  Jub}' — in  thorough  American  fashion — 
insisted  on  "  presenting  "  Reginald,  that  he  learnt  that 
Coffin  Island  was  inhabited. 


230 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

DRAWING    NEAR. 

"  The  Virgin  Isles,"  exclaimed  one  of  these  acquaint- 
ances as  lie  spat  on  the  ground  after  swallowing  his 
cocktail  at  a  gulp,  "  the  Virgin  Isles  !  Why,  darn  the 
Virgin  Isles !  What  can  you  do  there,  young  fellow, 
'cept  go  fishing  ?  That  is,  luiless  you  are  a  Dane  or 
else  a  Dutchman  "■ — by  which  he  meant  a  German — 
"  then  you  might  trade  a  bit. ' 

But  here  Mr.  Juby,  who  didn't  quite  approve  of  his 
new  client  being  called  "young  fellow,"  explained  tbat 
he  Avas  a  gentleman  who  had  neither  come  to  settle  nor 
travel,  but  only  to  see  the  place  generally.  Also,  he 
informed  him,  as  if  the  whole  thing  was  settled — 
which  it  wasn't — that  Mr.  C'rafer  had  hired  the  late 
Sir  Barnaby  Briggs's  yacht  from  him  and  was  going 
to  make  some  tours  in  it. 

"  Oh  !  "  said  the  other,  scraping  the  frozen  sugar 
off  the  rim  of  his  empty  glass  as  he  spoke,  and 
sucking  it  off  his  linger — "  ( )h  !  if  that's  all,  he's 
welcome  enough  to  yo  to  the  A^iry-in  Isles  if  he  wants 
to.  I  thought  he  wanted  to  shove  some  dollars  into 
coco-growing  or  Lilici'ian  cortce.     A  tourist,  eh  ?  " 

"  That's  all,"  said  licginald,  "  only  a  tourist." 

"Well!  there's  good  enough  sailing  round  the 
Virgin  Isles  or  any  others  in  these  parts,  if  you  want 
to  sail;    but  1   thought    Mi',   -luby   said  you    were   a 


DllAWING   NEAR.  237 

sailor.  Now,  if  you  are,  -what  do  you  want  to  go 
sailiii'  about  for  ?  Isn't  dry  land  good  enough  for  a 
sailor  off  duty  ? " 

"Do  you  know  the  Virgin  Islands?"  asked  Reginald, 
not  carino-  to  notice  the  man's  cantankerous  dis- 
position. 

"  Know  'em !  I  ufuess  I  do  know  'em !  all  tlic  lot. 
And  not  one  worth  a  red.  Which  do  you  jiarticular 
want  to  see  ? " 

"  All  of  them,"  replied  Reginald.  "  Perhaps 
Tortola  in  particular." 

"  Tortola !  the  rottenest  of  the  lot,  except,  perhaps, 
Anegada.  Or,  p'raps  I'd  best  say  Coffin  Island. 
That  is  about  the — there  !  well ! I'll  be " 

"  Coffin  Island ! "  exclaimed  Reginald,  now  very 
wary.  "  That's  a  sweet  name  !  What  sort  of  a  ])lace 
is  that  ? " 

"  Kinder  place  ,tit  to  go  and  die  in,  to  just  roll 
yourself  up  in  and  kick.  Kind  of  a  dog's  hole, 
covered  with  palm  trees,  gros-gros,  moriches  and  all, 
Spanish  baggonets  and  sich  like.  A  place  as  is  all 
yellow  and  voylet  and  pink  and  crimson  with  flowers, 
and  smells  like  a  gal's  boodwar,"  (this  was  an  awful 
mouthful  for  him,  but  he  got  it  out  safely),  "  though  I 
don't  know  nnicli  about  gals'  boodwars  neither.  My 
dauu'hters  ain't  got  none." 

"  It  must  be  lovely,"  Reginald  said  quietly. 

"  Love— ly  !"  the  man  echoed.  "  liove — ly  !  Bah! 
there  ain't  five  pounds'  trade  in  it  a  year.  The 
oranges  and  guavas  ain't  worth  fetching  when  you 
can  get  'em  in  the  other  places  without  half  the 
trouble,  nor  more  ain't  the  nutmegs.      Likewise,  it's 


238  THE    lllSPANIOLA    I'LATE. 

chock-a-bluck    full   of  tarantula    spiders    and   centi- 
pides." 

"In  such  a  case  I  suppose  it  is  uninhabited," 
Reginald  hazarded. 

"  Well,  no  it  ain't,  not  altogether,"  the  other 
replied.  "  Leastwajs,  that's  to  say  partly.  There's  a 
fisher  fellow  lives  there  when  he  ain't  nowheres  else, 
and  he's  got  a  son  and  a  darter.  Tliey've  been  a 
living  there  for  over  a  cent'ry,  I've  heard  tell." 

"  What ! "  exclaimed  Reginald  and  Juby  together 
while  others  round  who  had  been  listenino-  to  the 
discourse  burst  out  lauijliing. 

"  For  over  a  cent'ry  and  more,"  the  man  went  on, 
''this  fellow  Bridges'  family  have  been  living  there " 

"Only,"  chimed  in  another  man,  "that  ain't  the 
name.     It  ain't  Bridges  at  all     It's  Aldrido-e." 

"  No,"  said  still  a  third,  "  it  isn't  Aldridgc  neithci', 
though  something  like  it." 

"  Are  you  telling  the  story  or  am  I  ? "  exclaimed 
the  first.  "  And  darn  the  name  !  What  do  names 
matter  ? "  Here  he  was  appeased  by  the  thought  ful- 
ness of  Reginald,  who  suggested  some  more  cocktails 
round,  after  which  he  went  on — 

"  More  than  a  cent'ry,  I've  heard  they've  l)ccn 
there.  You  see,  this  family  is  a  bit  wrong  in  their 
heads,  and  they've  got  mto  those  heads  the  idea  that 
somewhere  in  that  darned  Coffin  Island  there's  a  mort 
of  treasure  buried " 

Reginald  was  sipping  his  cocktail  as  the  man 
arrived  at  this  point,  and  his  teeth  clicked  involun- 
tarily against  the  glass  as  the  latter  uttered  the  last 
words ;  but,  beyond  this,  he  did  not  betray  himself. 


DRAWING    NEAR.  239 

Yet  it  seemed  to  liiiu  that  bis  heart  beat  quicker 
tiian  before.  "  And,  therefore,  if  it's  to  be  found," 
the  man  continued.  "  they  mean  to  hnd  it.  Yet  no 
one  as  I  ever  heard  of,  or  knew,  beheves  it's  there. 
If  it  Avas  to  be  got,  they'd  have  got  it  before.  They 
do  say  they've  dug  up  half  the  ishmd  looking  for  it. 
But  there,  I  don't  know,  I've  never  been  ashore  in 
Coffin  Island  mj^self " 

"  But,"  said  Reginald,  "  30U  said  just  now  that  the 
man  only  lived  there  when  he  did  not  live  somewhere 
else.     Does  he  leave  his  island  sometimes,  then  ? " 

"  He  does  and  so  does  the  son.  You  see,  mister, 
up  that  way  the  jjeople  are  sailors — like  yourself! — 
just  because  they  can't  be  much  else.  And  good  sailors 
they  are,  too,  as  well  as  tishermen,  so  when  they've 
got  no  turtle  nor  lish  to  take,  as  hapj)ens  in  some 
times  of  the  year,  they  go  off  as  sailors  in  any  ship 
in  these  parts  as  wants  hands.  Now,  some  of  'em 
goes  down  Asjoinwall  and  Colon  way — that  there 
once-supposed-to-be-going-to-le-made  Panama  Canal 
took  a  lot  of  men  down  there — and  some  goes  to  the 
other  Islands,  even  up  to  Jamaiky  and  so  on.  Well, 
the  old  man  and  his  son  can't  always  just  live  on 
then-  stock-rearing  and  fishing  and  turtle-catching, 
and  so  off  they  goes  too,  to  get  a  few  more  dollars  to 
buy  a  cask  of  rum  or  something  they  Avant." 

"  But  the  daughter ;  she  cannot  go  as  a  sailor 
too  ! " 

"  Oil,  no !  But  she  can  stop  at  home  and  look 
after  the  shop.  And  they  do  say  that  she's  quite 
able  to  do  it.     She's  a  caution,  I've  heard." 

This    Avas   all    the    man   kncAv,   and,    under    the 


240  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

intluence  of  the  coijktails,  lie  would  have  been  very 
willing  to  go  on  telling  more,  had  he  had  any  further 
information.  And,  indeed,  considering  the  distance 
of  Antigua  from  Coffin  Island,  it  was  extraordinary 
that  he  should  have  been  able  to  tell  so  much.  Or, 
rather,  it  would  have  been  extraordinar}-,  were  it  not 
for  the  amount  of  intercourse  and  comnumication 
that  takes  place  between  all  the  numerous  islands  in 
the  Antilles,  and  the  gossip  that  is  carried  backwards 
and  forwards,  and  is  for  ever  floating  about  among 
the  sparse  population  of  these,  now,  much-neglected 
places. 

By  night  Reginald  had  changed  his  plans;  instead 
of  going  on  to  Tortola  in  the  Tyne,  he  had  decided  to 
hire  Sir  Barnaby  Briggs's  3'acht,  the  Fompeia,  from 
Mr.  Juby,  and  to  finish  his  journey  in  her.  To  him 
it  seemed  the  wisest  thing  he  could  do.  He  would 
attract  less  attention  at  Tortola  as  a  man  cruising 
about  for  a  holiday  in  the  region :  and,  by  living  on 
board,  ho  would  be  exposed  to  little  questioning. 
Moreover,  so  good  a  sailor  as  he  wanted  no  assistance 
in  managing  such  a  craft  as  this  ;  in  calm  w^eather  he 
could  go  about  where  he  liked,  and  in  bad  weather 
shelter  could  be  run  for  and  reached  in  almost  half 
an  hour  among  the  continuous  chain  of  islands 
hereabouts.  And,  finall}',  he  could  work  his  way  up 
to  Coffin  Island,  take  some  observations  of  the  strange 
family  dwelling  thereon,  and  see  if  the  Keys  looked 
as  if  they  too  had  been  submitted  to  the  searching 
process. 

It  was  a  tough  job,  however,  to  bring  the  astute 
Juby  to  terms,  even  over  so  trifling  a  thing  as  hiring 


DRAWING   NEAR.  241 

the  Pornpeia.  At  first  he  wmild  hardly  name  the 
sum  he  wanted,  and  then,  when  that  was  arranged  at 
£20  a  month — which,  after  all,  was  not  out  of  the 
way — he  made  various  other  stipulations,  more,  as  it 
seemed  to  Reginald,  for  the  pleasure  of  so  making 
them  and  fussing  about,  than  for  any  wonderful 
advantage  to  himself 

"  I  must  have  a  deposit,"  he  said,  adding  cheer- 
fully, "  yachts  do  get  sunk  even  here,  and  there's  no 
telling  what  might  happen,  though  I'm  sure  of  one 
thing,  sir,  you  wouldn't  run  away  with  her.  Then  she 
must  be  insured  m  the  United  States  Governmental 
Insurance  Company  for  the  other  half,  and " 

But,  to  cut  Mr.  Juby  short,  Reginald,  who  had 
brought  a  very  comfortable  little  sheaf  of  Bank  of 
England  notes  wherewith  to  prosecute  his  search, 
consented  to  his  terms,  and  became  the  tenant  of  the 
lamented  Sir  Barnaby's  yacht.  She  proved,  Avhen  he 
Avent  down  to  see  her  before  finally  concluding 
negotiations,  a  very  serviceable-looking  little  cutter, 
strongly  built,  having  a  good  inventory,  her  ballast 
all  lead,  copper  all  new,  a  full  outfit,  and  a  double- 
purchase  capstan.  And  she  bore  on  her  the  name  of 
a  well-known  Barbadoes  builder,  of  whom,  probably, 
the  late  baronet  had  purchased  her  new. 

"  I  don't  mind  taking  that  nigger  as  far  as 
Tortola,"  said  Reginald,  pointing  out  a  man  loafing 
about  St.  John's  harbour,  "  if  he  wants  a  job  as  he 
says  he  does,  but  he'll  have  to  go  ashore  there.  I'm 
fond  of  sailing  by  myself  and  shan't  employ  him 
regularly,  at  any  rate." 

And  in  this  way  he  set  off'  upon  his  journey  once 
Q 


242  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

more,  sailing  the  rompeia  himself,  and  letting  the 
negro  potter  about,  cook  a  meal  or  two,  and  gossip  a 
little  on  subjects  of  interest  in  the  islands,  but  of  none 
at  all  to  him.  And  at  Tortola — to  which  the  man 
belonged — he  sent  him  iishore,  telling  him  that 
whenever  the  cutter  came  in  and  out  he  could  come 
and  see  if  he  was  wanted,  and  perhaps  earn  a  shilling 
or  two.  The  weather  was  everything  that  could  be 
desired,  and,  had  Reginald  been  the  most  Cockney 
yachtsman  that  ever  kept  a  yacht  in  the  Thames, 
instead  of  a  skilful  sailor,  he  would  have  found  it  all 
he  Avished,  while  the  cruise  past  the  intermediate 
islands  was  charming  even  to  him,  who  had  seen  so 
much  of  the  world. 

The  great  peak  of  Nevis  interested  him  by  recall- 
insf  the  fact  that  it  was  in  this  island  that  Nelson 
found  his  wife,  when,  as  caj^tain  of  the  Borras,  he 
brought  his  ship  here  after  chasing  the  French  fleet ; 
while  St.  Kitt's,  with  its  "  Mount  Misery,"  and  its 
claims  to  be  the  Gibraltar  of  the  West  Indies,  ap- 
pealed also  to  his  naval  mind.  And,  when  the  scarlet- 
roofed  houses  of  St.  Thomas,  surrounded  by  the 
glorious  foliatje  of  that  fair  island,  hove  into  sio^ht  as 
the  Pompeia  left  Santa  Cruz  on  her  port  beam,  he 
felt  a  ihrill  of  satisfaction,  mixed,  perhaps,  with 
excitement  at  the  knowledge  that  Coffin  Island  was 
at  hand.  Another  day  or  so  would  bring  him  to  the 
place  of  wliich  his  relative  had,  in  his  quaint  style, 
left  so  graphic  a  description ;  he  would  probably 
come  into  contact  with  the  strange  family  that 
dwelt  in  Coffin  Island ;  he  would  be  near  his  in- 
heritance. 


DRAWING   NEAR.  243 

"  Yet,"  he  said  to  liiinselt',  as  he  set  the  yacht's 
head  a  point  further  north,  to  run  np  Avhat  still  retains 
its  old  name  of  "  Sir  Francis  Drake's  Passage  " — "  yet 
is  it  my  inheritance  ?  Or  does  it  not  by  right  belong 
to  this  poor  family,  who,  it  seems,  have  for  over  a 
hundred  years  been  searching  hopelessly  for  it  ?  Is  it 
theirs  or  mine  ?  Theirs — who,  by  some  strange  fate, 
have  come  to  the  knowledge  that  treasure  is  buried 
here,  perhaps  was  buried  by  their  OAvn  ancestors,  who 
loft  the  story  of  it — or  mine,  who  am  only  the 
kinsman  of  the  man  who  lighted  on  that  treasure, 
but  could  not  take  it  away  with  him  ?  Well !  I 
shall  see.  Perhaps,  when  T  have  met  these  people 
who  live  in  so  primitive  a  state,  I  shall  knoAv  better 
what  to  do — know  whether  it  is  best  to  get  the 
treasure  and  go  off  with  it,  or  do  my  duty,  and,  if  it 
is  rightly  theirs,  restore  it  to  them." 

So,  you  will  perceive,  not  only  was  Reginald  a 
romantic  and  adventurous  young  man,  but  also  a 
very  straightforward  one ! 


2-H 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

OUT   OF   THE   DEPTHS   OF   A    FAR   DISTANT   PAST. 

Two  days  after  these  reflections  the  Pomj^eia  was 
making  her  entrance  under  very  Hght  sail  mto  that 
river — spoken  of  variously  by  Nicholas  as  a  canal,  an 
inlet,  and  an  outlet — in  Avhich  the  fight  with  the 
Etoyle  had  taken  place.  And  it  almost  seemed  to 
Reginald  as  if  he  must  himself  have  been  a  partaker 
of  that  fight,  so  visibly  did  his  predecessor's  story 
rise  before  his  mind  now  that  ho  was  in  the  very 
spot. 

"  It  was  here,"  he  thought,  as  he  lowered  the  last 
remaining  yard  of  sail,  "  that  the  Etoyle  was  across 
the  stream,  there  that  the  galliot  lay  before  they  went 
at  them.  Heavens  and  earth  !  why  does  not  Nicholas 
rise  up  before  my  sight  with  his  round  face  and  light 
bob  wig,  as  he  appears  in  the  little  picture  at  home, 
and  in  his  scarlet  coat  ? — but — no,  he  would  not  have 
them  on  here.  Those  braveries  were  not  for  cruises 
such  as  he  was  upon." 

Then  he  looked  around  again. 

"  Which,  I  wonder,  was  the  spot  where  Alderly 
drew  up  the  box  from  under  the  water,  and  where  he 
murdered  the  diver  ?  Which  the  spot  where  the  path 
led  up  to  the  hut  ?  Why  does  not  some  spirit  rise  to 
point  these  things  out  to  me  ?" 

All  was  very  calm  here  now  as  the  romantic  young 


OUT  OF  THE  DEPTHS  OF  A  FAll  DISTANT  PAST.      245 

man  indulq-ed  in  these  meditations.  There  was  no 
sign  of  hfe  about  the  island — of  human  hfe  ;  it  was  as 
still  as  though  it  were  uninhabited.  Yet  all  the  tropic 
life  was  there,  all  the  gorgeous  colouring  of  which  the 
Yankee  settler — if  he  were  a  Yankee — Avho  told  him 
the  story  of  the  place  had  spoken.  The  fan-palms, 
the  moriches,  and  the  gros-gros  grew  side  by  side; 
red  poinsettias  mingled  with  wild  begonias,  purple 
dracasna  and  yellow  crotons  ;  the  rattans  and  orchids 
were  tangled  together  in  an  indescribable  confusion  of 
beauty. 

"  It  is  the  isle  of  Nicholas's  description.  No  doubt 
about  that ! "  said  Reginald.  "  And,"  he  continued, 
drawing  his  pipe  from  his  pocket  and  lighting  it,  "  I 
am  here  as  once  Nick  was  here.  AVhat  a  pity  there 
is  no  one  to  represent  the  nuu-dered  diver  and  his 
assassin,  the  drunken,  maddened  pirate." 

As  he  reflected  thus  he  heard  the  bark  of  a  dog  a 
little  distance  otf;  a  few  moments  later  he  heard 
another  sound  as  though  branches  were  being  parted  ; 
presently  a  voice  spoke  to  the  dog,  and  then  the 
foliage  growing  down  to  the  river's  bank  was  pushed 
aside,  and  a  woman  came  out  from  that  foliage  and 
stood  gazing  at  hhn. 

"  A\'ho  are  you  ? "  she  asked.  "  And  what  do  you 
want  ? " 

From  his  cutter  to  the  shore,  thirty  to  forty  feet 
oti",  he  m  return  gazed  upon  her,  though  his  surprise 
did  not  prevent  his  remembering  he  Avas  a  gentleman, 
and,  from  the  distance,  taking  off  his  hat  to  her  Avhile 
he  put  away  his  pipe.  She  stood  before  him,  sur- 
rounded by  all  tljat  luxuriance  of  colour  and  tropical 


246  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

vegetation,  a  girl  "  soiiietliing  more  than  connnon  tall," 
and  of,  perhaps,  nearly  twenty  years  of  age.  A  girl 
dressed  in  a  light  cotton  gown — a  very  West  Indian 
robe,  both  in  its  plain  quality  and  pattern— that  hung 
loosely  upon  her,  yet  did  not  conceal  the  shapely  form 
beneath.  On  her  head  she  wore  a  large  flapping  straw 
hat,  but  it  was  not  at  her  hat,  but  at  what  was  beneath 
it,  that  Reginald  looked.  Her  features  were  beautiful 
— there  is  no  other  word  but  this  simple  one  to  de- 
scribe them — her  colouring  that  which  is  often  found 
in  these  regions,  but  scarcely  anywhere  else ;  the  eyes 
a  dark,  lustrous  hazel,  the  eyebrows  black,  the  hair, 
which  hung  down  like  a  mane  upon  her  back,  golden, 
with  a  tinge  of  copper  red  in  it. 

"  Who  are  you?"  she  asked  again,  though  he  noticed 
that  her  voice  was  not  a  harsh  one,  nor,  in  spite  of  the 
question,  an  angry  one.     "  What  do  you  require  ? " 

"  Pardon  me,"  replied  Reginald,  still  spellbound  at 
her  appearance.  "Pardon  me.  I  hope  this  is  no  in- 
trusion. I  am  yachting  in  a  small  way  about  the 
islands  here.  And  among  other  places  that  attracted 
my  attention  was  this  river.  I  trust  my  presence  is 
not  objectionable." 

"  No,"  the  girl  replied  quietly.  Then  she  said, 
"  ]Jo  you  belong  to  the  islands,  or  arc  you  English  or 
American  ? " 

"  I  am  English,"  he  answered.  "  A  sailor  in  Her 
^Majesty's  service." 

She  paused  a  moment,  as  though,  it  seemed  to  him, 
scarce  knowing  Avhat  to  say,  then  she  spoke  again. 

"  Are  you  going  to  land  ?  " 

"  If  I  may  do  so.     If  it  is  permissible." 


OUT  OF  TliE  DEPTHS  OF  A  FAR  DISTANT  PAST.      247 

"  Oh,  yes,"  she  said.  "  You  may  do  so.  Sometimes 
people  land  here." 

He  took  her  permission  at  once,  and,  dropping 
the  cutter's  anchor,  drew  up  the  dinghy  that  was  aft 
of  her,  and,  getting  into  it,  stepped  on  shore  close  by 
her  side.  And,  as  he  did  so,  he  wondered,  "  Was  it 
here  that  Nicholas  landed  ? " 

lilwn  once  more  taking  off  his  hat  as  he  came  near 
to  her,  he  said  : 

"  Why  do  people  sometimes  land  here  ?  Have  you 
any  particidar  object  of  interest  in  your  island  ?  "  He 
woidd  like  to  have  added  in  a  'j^allant  fashion,  and 
sailor-like,  "  besides  yourself,"  but,  on  consideration, 
refrained  from  doing  so. 

The  girl  smiled,  as  he  could  see,  while  she  bent 
down  to  quiet  the  dog  that  was  jumping  about 
Reginald  as  though  welcoming  a  new  acquaintance. 
Then  she  replied — 

"  No,  not  any  particular  object.  Yet  people  come 
here  because  there  is  a  history  attached  to  my  family, 
or,  perhaps  I  should  say,  my  family  really  has  a  history 
connected  with  this  island — though  I  for  one  do  not 
believe  it." 

"  And  that  history  is  ?  "  Reginald  asked  eagerly. 

"  An  ancestor  of  mine  was  supposed  to  have  biu'ied 
a  treasure,  or  to  have  found  one,  and  never  been  able 
to  remove  it.  Yet,  since  ho  lived  a  wild  life — for  I 
fear  he  was  a  ])irate — he  left  with  his  wife,  a  mere 
girl,  a  full  description  of  where  it  could  be  found 
should  he  at  any  time  fail  to  return  to  her.  He  did 
fail  at  last  to  return,  and  the  place  which  he  had  named 
was  this  island,  the  exact  spot  being  a  cellar  under  a 


248  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

iiiit."     She  paused  a  moment,  then  she  added,  "The 
hut  was  found  and  the  cellar,  but— the  treasure  was 


gone. 


Whether  the  faintness  which  came  over  Reginald 
at  this  moment — a  thing  he  had  never  experienced 
before — was  caused  by  the  change  from  the  cool  sea 
breezes  to  the  warmth  exhaled  by  the  thick  vegetation 
of  the  island  and  the  rich  odour  sent  forth  by  the 
flowers,  he  has  never  yet  been  able  to  tell.  All  he 
knows  is  that,  at  her  words,  the  place  where  they 
were  standing  swam  round  him,  the  palms  seemed  to 
be  dancing  a  stately  measure  with  each  other  and 
the  island  spinning,  too,  while  he  heard  the  girl's 
voice  exclaiming : 

"  You  are  not  well.     What  has  overcome  you  ? " 

"  I  do  not  know,"  he  replied.  "  It  must  be  the 
heat  ashore ;  yet  I  am  used  to  all  kinds  of  heat.  A 
little  water  would  revive  me.  I  will  go  back  to  the 
cutter." 

"  There  is  a  rill  close  by,"  she  said ;  "  come  and 
drink  from  that." 

He  went  towards  it,  following  (he  direction  she 
indicated,  his  mind  still  confused,  his  brain  whirling. 
"  Where  had  he  heard  of  a  rill  before  in  connection 
with  the  island  ? "  he  asked  himself ;  yet  as  he  did  so 
he  knew  very  well  it  was  somewhere  in  Nicholas's 
narrative.  And  the  hut  and  the  collar  beneath  ! 
Above  all,  a  girl  whose  red  mane  was  thrown  behind 
her  !     Where  had  he  heard  of  one  such  as  that  ? 

He  drank  from  the  Avell  and  cooled  his  hands  and 
face — still  reuiembering  that  Nicholas  had  in  some 
portion  of  his  story  described  how  he  had  done  this 


OUT  OF  THE  DEPTHS  OF  A  FAR  DISTANT  PAST.      249 

same  tiling — and  all  the  time  the  girl  stood  watching 
him. 

"  You  will  pardon  me  this  exhibition  of  weakness, 
I  hope,"  he  said.  "But  I  am  all  right  now.  And  your 
story  is  so  interesting,  so  much  like  a  romance,  that — 
if  I  may  stay  a  little  longer — I  should  like  to  hear 
some  more  of  it.  That  is,  if  my  curiosity  is  not 
oftensive." 

"  No,"  the  girl  said  simply,  and  her  very  ease  before 
him  and  her  lack  of  ceremony  showed  how  nuich  a 
stranger  she  was  to  any  worldly  conventionality.  "  I 
am  very  glad  to  have  anyone  to  talk  to.  One  gets 
tired  of  hving  always,  or  nearly  always,  alone." 

"  Alone  !  But  surely  you  don't  live  alone  in  Coffin 
Island  ?  I  had  heard  there  were  at  least  two — two 
men  here." 

"  There  are  sometimes— my  father  and  brother ; 
but  they  go  away  to  sea  for  weeks  together,  especially 
since  they  have  almost  abandoned  the  thought  of  our 
finding  the  fabulous  treasure.  They  are  away  now, 
though  I  expect  them  back  soon." 

"  And  you  are  not  afraid  to  live  here  all  by 
yourself  ? " 

"  Afraid !  Why  should  I  be  ?  We  cannot  find  the 
buried  treasure,  therefore  it  is  not  likel}^  anyone  else 
could  do  so.  And  there  is  nothuig  else  here  to  tempt 
anyone." 

"  Was  there  not  ?  "  Reginald  reflected.  "  Was 
there  not  ?  "  Yet  she  seemed  so  innocent  and  simple 
that  he  could  not  tell  her  his  thoughts.  He  could 
not  tell  her,  as  he  might  have  told  a  more  worldly 
girl,  that  to  many  men  there  was  a  greater  temptation 


250  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

ill  that  graceful  form  and  tliose  hazel  eyes  and  tawny- 
golden  hair  than  in  all  the  dross  beneath  the  surface 
of  the  earth.     So  he  only  said — 

"  But  if  you  found  the  treasure  ?  What  would 
you  do  then  ? " 

"  We  should  go  away,  I  suppose — though  I  should 
be  sorry  to  leave  this  island.  We  should  go  into 
the  world  then — perhaps  to  Antigua  or  Trinidad." 
Reginald  here  politely  concealed  a  smile,  and  she 
Avent  on,  "  But  I  hope  we  shall  never  find  it.  My 
father  and  brother  are  used  to  the  life  they  lead  here ; 
I  do  not  think  the  outer  world  >vould  suit  them." 

"  But  they  are  sailors  and  have  seen  it,  you  say  ? " 

"  They  are  sailors,  but  not  such  as  you.  They  are 
simple,  rough  men,  scarcely  able  to  read  or  to  write. 
That  was,  I  think,  why  they — why  my  father — sent 
me  to  school  at  Antigua." 

"  But  how  do  you  live  while  they  are  away  ? "  lie 
asked  her  now. 

"  Yery  well.  I  have  the  hut,  and  there  is  always 
})leiity  of  dried  meat  and  fresh  fruit.  And  sometimes 
1  tish,  or  shoot  a  bird.  There  are  plenty  here  of  both 
kinds."  Then  she  stopped  and,  looking  at  him,  said, 
"  ^\^)uld  you  like  to  see  our  home  ?    It  is  not  far." 

The  girl's  naivete  won  on  him  so  that  there  was 
but  one  reply  possible— an  immediate  and  fervent 
assent  to  this  invitation  :  and  a  few  moments  later 
they  Avcre  treading  a  path  through  the  wood. 

"The  path,"  Reginald  said  to  himself,  "lliat 
doubtless  he  walked,  leading  to  tlie  hut  Avhere  he  saw 
Alderly  die.     The  same,  yet  all  so  difibrent !" 

"  A  little  glade  on  which  the  moon  did  shine  as 


OUT  OF  THE  DEPTHS  OF  A  FAR  DISTANT  PAST.      251 

tliougli  on  a  sweet  English  field  at  home,"  he  remem- 
bered Nicholas  had  written — and,  lo  !  they  were  in  it 
now.  A  little  glade  bordered  on  all  sides  by  golden 
shaddocks,  grape-fruits,  citrons  and  lime-trees,  with, 
at  their  feet  and  trailing  round  them,  the  many-hued 
convolvuli  of  the  tropics,  passion-flowers  and  gran- 
dillos.  Only,  instead  of  seeking  for  a  blood-stained 
sea-robber,  Reginald  was  following  in  the  footsteps  of 
this  woodland  nymph — this  girl  whose  beauty  a]id 
innocence  acted  like  a  charm  upon  him. 

Then,  next,  they  entered  the  tangled  forest  that 
Nicholas  had  passed  through,  and  here  again  all  was 
as  he  had  described  it.  The  gleaming  leaves  of  the 
star-apple  shone  side  by  side  Avitli  the  palms  and 
cotton-trees ;  the  fresh  cool  plantains  and  the  cashews 
stopped  their  way  sometimes ;  the  avocados  and  yams 
and  custard-apples  were  all  around  thein.  And  turn- 
ing a  bend  of  the  path  they  came  upon  the  hut,  even 
as,  two  centuries  ago,  Nicholas  had  come  upon  the  hut 
where  Alderly  had  played  host  to  the  spectres  of  his 
drunken  imagination. 

Of  course  it  could  not  be  the  same  ;  the  old  one 
must  long  ago  have  rotted  away,  even  if  not  pulled 
down.  This  to  which  the  girl  led  him  was  a  large, 
substantial  wooden  building,  painted  Avhite  and  green, 
with  all  around  it — which  made  it  appear  even  larger 
— a  balcony,  or  piazza,  and  with  jalousies  thrown  over 
the  rails  of  the  piazza  from  above  the  windowless 
frames.  On  the  balcony  were  rude  though  comfort- 
able chairs  covered  with  striped  Osnaburgli  cloths; 
ao'ainst  the  railinfj  there  stood  a  gun — it  was  hers  ! — 
and  there  were  large  calabashes  standing  about,  some 


2/32  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLA'l-E. 

full  of  water  and  some  empty,  witli  smaller  ones  for 
drinking"  from. 

"  This  is  my  home,"  the  girl  said.  "  And  it  is  here 
that  we  have  lived  for  nearly  two  hundred  years,  the 
house  being  rebuilt  as  it  fell  into  disrepair  from  time 
to  time.  I  pray  you  to  be  seated.  Later,  when  you 
have  rested,  you  shall  see  where  the  diggings  have 
been  made  in  the  searches  for  the  supposed  treasure." 

"  And  where,"  said  Reginald,  speaking  as  one  in  a 
stupor,  "  is  the  spot  you  told  me  of,  the  cellar  Avhere 
the  treasure  once  had  been  ?  " 

"  It  is  below  the  floor  of  this  verandah  we  are 
standing  on.     Wh}^  do  yon  ask  ?  " 

"  Your  story  interests  me  so,"  he  replied.  "  It 
seems  so  like  a  dream.  But,"  he  continued,  "later 
on,  another  da}^,  perhaps  you  will  teU  me  all  of  it.  For 
instance,  I  should  so  much  like  to  know  how  your 
ancestor,  who  at  last  never  returned,  came  to  possess 
the  treasure  and  to  leave  it  buried  here." 

"  He  found  it  here,"  she  said,  "  by  chance,  and  ever 
afterwards  he  made  this  island  a  resort  of  his.  I  have 
told  you  he  was  a  bad  man — I  am  afraid,  a  pirate." 

Aijfain  there  came  a  feelin^  into  Recnnald's  mind 
that  he  was  losing  his  senses,  that  he  was  going  mad. 
And  the  next  question  he  asked,  with  the  answer  he 
received,  might,  indeed,  have  justified  him  in  so 
thinking. 

"  Will  you  Loll  me,"  ho  said,  "to  Avhom  I  owe  this 
hospitable  reception  on  Collin  Island?  Will  you  tell 
me  your  name  ? " 

"  My  name,"  she  rc[)licd,  "  is  Barbara  Aldcrly." 


253 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

SOME   LIGHT   UPON   THE    PAST. 

Her  name  Avas  Barbara  Alderly !  This  girl  whose 
beauty  was  as  fresh  and  pure  as  her  mind  was  inno- 
cent, the  girl  who — in  spite  of  being  able  to  shoot 
birds  for  her  food  and  cook  them  too,  or  to  sail  a  boat 
as  well  as  Reginald  himself  could  do — looked  as 
delicate  as  any  girl  brought  up  in  an  English  country 
house,  was  Barbara  Alderly,  his,  the  pirate's,  de- 
scendant !  It  seemed  impossible — impossible  that  she 
could  claim  relationship  with  such  as  he  had  been  ; 
yet  it  was  so  ! 

A  week  passed  from  the  time  she  had  divulged 
her  name,  a  week  in  Avhich  they  were  always  together 
during  the  daytime — he  going  to  his  boat  at  night, 
and  joining  her  agam  in  the  early  morning — and 
in  that  week  each  had  told  the  other  their  story, 
Barbara  being  the  first  to  relate  hers.  But  in  justice 
to  Reginald  it  must  be  said  that,  never  from  the 
moment  he  had  heard  who  she  was,  had  he  had  one 
thought  of  keeping  back  from  her  the  secret  of  where 
the  treasure  was  hidden,  or  of  depriving  her  and  her 
relations  of  one  farthing  of  it. 

"  It  must  all  be  theirs,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  all, 
all.  I  could  not  go  away  from  this  island  with  one 
penny  of  it  in  my  pocket  and  continue  to  think 
myself  an  honest  man." 


254  THE    HTSI'ANTOLA    PLATE. 

But  first  he  had  to  hear  her  family  story — in  itself 
a  romance,  if  ever  there  was  one— she  telling  it  to 
him  a  few  days  after  their  acquaintance,  as  they 
sat  on  the  verandah,  while  he  drank  some  water 
from  one  of  the  calaljashes,  flavoured  with  a  dash 
of  whisky  brought  up  by  him  from  the  Pompeia, 
and  she  played  with  her  inseparable  companion,  the 
dog,  Carazo. 

"You  nmst  know,"  she  began,  "  that  it  was  not 
until  some  years  after  Simon  Alderly — who  was  the 
man  I  think  to  have  been  a  pirate — failed  to  return 
to  Port  Royal,  where  he  lived,  that  his  still  3'Oung 
wife,  Barbara — her  name  being  the  same  as  mine — 
found  the  paper  telling  her  of  the  treasure  in  this 
island." 

'•  Barbara ! "  Reginald  interrupted,  memory  re- 
calling Nicholas's  words  once  more.  "Barbara!  A 
portrait  of  a  girl  with  blue  eyes,  red  gold  hair,  and  a 
sweet  mouth  ! " 

"What  do  you  mean,  sir  ? "  exclaimed  his  young 
hostess,  looking  at  him  for  the  first  time  with  some- 
thing like  surprise,  if  not  alarm.  "  How  do  you  know 
she  was  like  that  ?  She  has  been  dead  for,"  and  she 
counted  rapidlj^  on  her  fingers — "  for  one  hundred  and 
seventy  years !  " 

"Miss  Alderly,"  Reginald  replied,  "  will  you  believe 
me  if  I  tell  you  that  I  think  T  shall  be  able  to  throw 
some  light  upon  your  fauiily  history  when  I  have 
heard  it  ?  I  have  something  to  tell  you  as  well  as  to 
listen  to." 

"  Then,'' said  the  girl,  "your  presence  here  is  not 
due  to  accident.     You  have  come  purposely  to  this 


S<1ME   LIGHT   UPON   THE    PAST.  255 

island  in  connection  with  the  hidden  wealth  it  is 
sujjposed  to  contain." 

"  Yes  ! "  he  said,  "  yes,  I  could  not  tell  you  an 
untruth.  I  have  come  purposely  here  to  find  out 
about  that  wealth.  Believe  me,  my  presence  bodes  no 
harm  to  3^ou  or  yours,  no  deprivation  of  what  belongs 
rightly  to  you." 

"  Oh  I "  she  said,  "  how  happy  that  will  ma^.Le 
father.     But  will  you  not  tell  me " 

"  With  your  permission,"  he  replied,  "  I  will  not 
tell  you  anything  imtil  you  have  told  me  your  story. 
Then  I  will  keep  nothing  back  from  3'ou — I  will, 
indeed,  help  you  to  recover  that  which  has  been 
souo'ht  for  so  lono- " 

"  You  know  Avhere  it  is  ?  " 

"  I  think  so.  I  discovered  the  secret  in  Eno-land, 
and  I  came  out  here  to  dig " 

"  But,"  she  again  interrupted,  "  if  you  discovered 
the  secret,  then  this  treasure  is  yours,  not  ours." 

"  No,"  he  said  hastily,  "  no ;  it  Avould  have  been 
mine  had  I  not  found  that  there  were  people  in 
existence  Avho  are  more  righteously  entitled  to  it. 
Now  I  shall  find  it,  if  I  can,  for  you.  Pray  continue 
your   tale.      When   that   is   concluded   I    will  begin 


mine." 


For  some  time  he  could  not  brinar  her  to  do  so, 
his  words  having  caused  her  much  excitement ;  but  at 
last  she  took  up  the  thread  of  her  narrative — the 
narrative  interrupted  so  early  in  its  commencement. 

"  This  Barbara,"  she  said  at  last — while  all  the 
time  her  clear  e3^es  had  a  searching,  almost  troubled, 
look,  as  she  kept  them  fixed  on  him — "  this  Barbara 


256  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

of  whom  you  seem  to  know,  or  to  have  guessed  the 
appearance,  though  I  cannot  say  if  it  is  a  correct  one, 
had  herself  a  strange  history.  Simon  Alderly  had 
found  her,  a  child  of  about  four  years  old,  alone  and 
deserted  on  one  of  the  Lucayos  group,  and,  since  there 
was  a  boat  washing  about  on  the  coast  of  the  island, 
he  thought  that  possibly  she  had  drifted  ashore  in  it, 
while  her  parents,  or  those  who  had  saved  her,  had 
fallen  into  the  sea  from  the  boat  after  escaping  from 
some  sinking  ship.  He  took  her  off,  however,  carried 
her  to  Port  Royal,  and,  after  bringing  her  up,  married 
her  when  she  was  fifteen.  Then  he  left  her  in  charge 
of  his  house  there,  while  he,  following  the  calling  of  a 
sea-captain,  was  frequently  away  from  home,  some- 
times for  weeks  at  a  time,  sometimes  for  months, 
sometimes  for  more  than  a  year.  But  whenever  he 
returned  he  always  brought  a  great  deal  of  money — 
generally  composed  of  the  coins  of  several  different 
nations — half  of  which  he  always  gave  to  her  foi 
future  household  expenses,  spending  the  remainder  in 
great  rejoicing  while  he  stayed  on  shore." 

"  This  is,  of  course,  family  history,"  Reginald 
hazarded,  "  handed  down  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion ?     Is  it  not  ?  " 

"You  shall  hear,  though  you  have  guessed 
right.  Our  family  records  since  that  time  have  been 
carefully  kept." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon  for  interrupting  you,"  Regi- 
nald said.     "  Pray  go  on." 

"However,"  the  girl  continued,  stroking  Carazo's 
ears  all  the  wliile  as  she  did  so,  "  the  time  came  when 
he  retuiiicd  no  more;  he  disappeared  finally  hi  1G87." 


SOME   LIGHT   UPON   THE    PAST.  257 

"  Ah  !  "  exclaimed  Reginald  involuntarily. 

Again  her  soft  hazel  eyes  stared  full  at  him  as 
she  exclaimed,  "  You  are  aAvare  of  that ;  you  know  it 
as  well  as  I  do  ! " 

"  Yes,"  he  answered,  "  I  know  it.  Once  more 
forgive  me." 

"  Perhaps,"  she  said,  "  you  know  as  much,  or  more 
than  I  do  !  " 

"  No,"  he  replied,  "  after  that  I  know  no  more. 
After  the  year  1687  down  to  this  period  I  know 
nothing  further  of  Simon  Alderly — indeed  I  did  not 
even  know  that  his  name  was  Simon ;  what  you 
tell  me  of  incidents  after  that  period  will  he  new 
to  me." 

"  And  you  will  tell  me  all  you  know  when  I  have 
finished?"  she  asked,  looking  at  him  with  such 
trusting  eyes  that  no  man,  unless  he  Avere  a  scoundrel, 
could  have  had  one  thought  of  obtaining  her  confi- 
dence and  yet  holding  his  own. 

"  On  my  honour  I  wilJ,"  he  answered,  "  even  to 
telling  you  where  I  believe  your  wealth  is  hidden." 

She  made  a  gesture  as  though  deprecating  the 
word  "your,"  and  then,  seeing  he  was  waiting  eagerly 
for  her  to  continue,  she  did  so. 

"  He  disappeared  finally  in  1687— Barbara  never 
heard  of  him  aofain.  Then  as  time  went  on  she  fjrew 
very  poor.  There  had  been  a  son  born  to  them  whom 
she  had  brought  up  to  be  a  sailor,  too,  hoping  thereby 
that,  when  he  also  became  a  roamer,  he  might  some- 
how gather  news  of  his  father ;  and  by  turning  the 
house  into  an  inn,  she  managed  to  exist.  In  that 
way  years  passed  and  she  began  to  grow  okl,  while 
u 


258  Tin:  iTisrANioLA  plate. 

her  son  still  followed  the  sea,  though  never  rising  to 
be  anything  more  than  a  humble  seaman.  But  more 
years  after,  when  she  was  getting  to  be  quite  an  old 
woman,  her  house  was  blown  down  in  a  hurricane — 
though  it  had  survived  the  terrible  one  of  1722,  when 
all  the  wharves  at  Port  Royal  were  destroyed — and 
then — she  found  something." 

"  What  ? "  asked  Reginald.  "  What  was  it  ? "  He 
remembered  what  David  Crafer  had  found  under 
circumstances  not  dissimilar,  and,  perhaps,  because  he 
was  a  sailor — and  thereby  given  even  in  these  modern 
days  to  belief  in  strange  and  inysterious  things — he 
wondered  if  the  hand  of  Fate  had  pointed  out  to  that 
old  Barbara  some  marvellous  clue  to  where  the 
treasure  was.  Yet  he  knjw  that  it  could  scarce  have 
told  her  of  the  removal  of  the  chests  of  treasure  from 
the  island  to  the  Key. 

"  She  found,"  went  on  the  Barbara  of  to-day,  "  a 
little  walled-up  wooden  cupboard " 

"  Great  Heaven  ! "  he  muttered  beneath  his  breath, 
so  that,  this  time,  she  did  not  hear  him. 

"  Close  to  the  place  where  he  used  to  sit  and  drink 
when  at  home,  but  of  the  existence  of  which  she 
was  ignorant.  Yet,  she  remembered,  he  had  often 
told  her  that  there  were  secret  hiding-places  in  the 
house,  and  that,  if  he  died  suddenly  or  never  came 
back,  she  was  to  search  diligently  and  she  would  lind 
them.  Especially  he  bade  her  search  in  (hat  room  ; 
but,  what  with  waiting  and  watching  for  his  return, 
she  had  forgotten  his  instructions.  And  now  that  it 
Avas  burst  open,  the  wall  that  secured  it  being  only  a 
plank  of  wood  which  lull  out  at  the  first  violence  of 


SOME   LIGHT   UPON   THE   PAST.  259 

the  hurricane,  she  found  this  cupboard  full  of  various 
pieces  of  money,  gold  and  silver,  and  a  paper  in  his 
writinsf  tellino-  her  of  his  treasure  in  this  island." 

"  Then  it  was  his  ! "  exclaimed  Reginald. 

"  By  discovery.  He  wrote  that  he  had  put  into 
Coffin  Island — as  it  was  called  even  so  long  ago  as 
his  time — in  a  storm,  and  that,  while  roaming 
about  the  place,  he  and  his  comrades  had  come 
upon  a  hut,  old  and  long  since  built,  but  quite 
deserted  now.  Then  he  went  on  to  write — my  father 
has  the  paper  now,  and  I  have  often  seen  it — that 
the  sloop  he  had  was  sent  to  Tortola  to  fetch 
provisions " 

"  Was  it  in  charge  of  a  man  named  Martui,  by  any 
chance  ?  "  asked  Reginald. 

But  now  he  saw  how  imprudent  he  was.  As  he 
mentioned  that  name  the  girl  started  from  her  seat 
and  retreated  from  him  to  the  other  end  of  the 
verandah. 

"  You  frisfhten  me,"  she  said.  "  I  do  not  under- 
stand.     How  do  you  know  this  ? " 

"  Do  not  be  alarmed,  I  beg,"  he  answered  in  return. 
"  When  you  have  told  your  story  I  will  put  into  your 
hands  a  paper  that  has  been  found,  written  by  a 
forerunner  of  mine  who  knew  Simon  Alderly.  Then 
you  will  see  how  I  know  Avhat  I  do.  Pray  feel  no 
alarm.  I  mean  you  nothing  but  good-will,  nothing. 
The  treasure  shall  be  yours  and  no  one  else's.  Will 
you  trust  in  me  ? " 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  once  more  calmed.  "  Yes,  1  will." 
Then  she  seated  herself  again  and  at  his  persuasion 
continued  the  narrative,  while  Reginald  could  not  but 
R  2 


260  THE    HISPAXIOLA    PLATE. 

reflect  how  little  fear  Nicholas  need  have  had  of 
"  Martin  coming  back  with  the  sloop." 

The  bewildered  mind  of  the  drink-inflamed  pirate 
had  mixed  up  two  separate  sojourns  in  Cofiin  Island ! 

"  The  sloop  went  to  Tortola  to  purchase  provisions, 
and,  since  they  were  shorthanded,  there  being  but 
three  men  exceptmg  my  ancestor,  all  went  in  her  but 
him.  And  then  it  was  he  found  the  treasure,  it  beinof 
in  a  vault  or  cavern  beneath  the  floor  of  the  hut.  It 
Avas  the  simplest  way  in  which  he  unearthed  it,  he 
wrote,  and  had  he  not  been  alone  it  must  have  been 
discovered  by  the  others  as  well  as  he.  There  was  a 
trap-door  in  the  flooring,  with  a  great  ring  to  it,  quite 
visible  to  anyone,  and  opening  easily.  And  when  he 
went  down  some  steps  into  the  cavern  ho  found  it  all 
— all !  Only  he  had  no  chance  to  take  it  away  then, 
he  wrote  to  his  wife  ;  so,  putting  a  vast  number 
of  gold  pieces  in  his  pocket,  he  carefull}^  closed  the 
traj)-door  up  again  and  covered  it  over  with  earth, 
which  he  stamped  down  with  his  feet  so  that  his 
companions  should  observe  nothing.  And  in  the 
paper  which  he  left,  giving  such  instructions  as  were 
necessary,  which  were  not  many — the  place  was  so 
easily  to  be  found — he  wrote  down  that  he  had  smce, 
whenever  opportunity  oflered,  paid  visits  to  Coflin 
Island,  but,  being  always  accompanied  by  conn-ades, 
he  never  yet  had  had  a  chance  of  removing  it.  And, 
he  said,  if  ho  never  brought  it  home  and  she  found 
the  paper,  then  she  must  go  to  Collin  Island  after  his 
death  and  get  it  for  herself  It  was  a  large  treasure, 
a  great  fortune,  he  wrote,  it  must  not  be  lost." 

"  So,"  said  ricginald,  "  she  camo  hero  ? " 


SOME   LIGHT   UPON   THE    PAST.  261 

"  She  came  here,"  the  girl  continued,  "  and  with 
her  came  her  son  and  a  woman  he  had  married,  a 
Barbadian.  But  through  all  the  generations  from  the 
day  she  came— which  was  in  the  year  1723 — and  I 
am  the  eighth  in  descent  from  her,  they  have  never 
found  the  treasure.  The  vault  was  there,  but  there 
was  nothing  in  it." 

"  Yet  your  family  have  continued  to  seek  for  it," 
exclaimed  Reginald.  "  I  should  almost  have  thought 
they  would  have  desisted." 

"  No,"  Barbara  replied,  "  they  never  desisted.  For^ 
first,  they  thought  that  Simon  might  have  changed 
the  hiding-place  after  he  had  left  the  paper  in 
Jamaica — the  life  he  led  would  probably  necessitate 
his  doing  so,  since  his  companions  might  otherwise 
have  also  fomid  the  vault — and,  next,  the  island  had 
become  their  home.  Simon's  son  bouo-ht  it  for 
half-a-crown  an  acre,  his  wife  having  some  little 
money,  and  we  have  lived  here  ever  since,  while 
every  man  who  has  succeeded  to  it  has  made  further 
search," 

So  the  tale  v/as  told,  and  now  the  time  had  come 
for  Reginald  to  tell  his. 

And  as  that  night  he  took  farewell  of  Barbara,  he 
said — 

"  To-morrow  I  shall  toll  you  why  the  treasure  has 
never  been  found  by  your  family.  To-morroAV  I  shall 
bring  you  a  narrative  left  by  that  connection  of  mine, 
saying  where  the  treasure  is  hidden.  He  knew 
Simon  Alderly,  and  he  found  out  the  hiding-place." 

"  And  was  Simon  indeed  a  pirate  ? "  Barbara  asked. 

"  Would  it  grieve  you  to  hear  he  was  ? " 


2C2  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

She  thought  a  moment  before  replying,  and  then 
she  said — 

"  No,  for  we  have  always  thought  him  to  be  one. 
No,  not  if  it  will  not  make  you  think  worse  of  me  for 
having  descended  from  him." 

"I  knew  that  was  so,"  Reginald  replied,  "when  you 
told  me  your  name.  And  I  do  not  think  I  showed 
by  my  manner  that  I  thought  any  the  worse  of  you." 


263 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

THE   SOLITUDE   IS   INTERRUPTED. 

The  weather  had  changed,  and,  as  is  always  the  case 
m  the  tropics,  the  change  was  extreme. 

The  wind  blow  now  from  the  north-east,  dashing 
the  sea  up  in  mountains  on  to  the  strip  of  beach 
around  that  quarter  of  Coffin  Island,  hurling  it  with  a 
roar  like  great  claps  of  thunder  over  the  beach  on  to 
the  vegetation  beyond  it,  crasliing  down  trees  and 
saplings,  and  entirely  obliterating  for  a  time  the 
three  little  Keys,  in  the  middle  one  of  which  was 
Simon  Alderly's  treasure.  This  Key  Reginald  had 
gazed  upon  more  than  once  since  he  had  been  in  the 
island ;  he  had  even  pointed  it  out  to  Barbara  on 
the  morning  after  she  had  told  her  tale,  and  had 
added  the  few  missing  links  to  the  knowledo-e  she 
already  possessed  ;  and  he  had  also  informed  her  that 
therein  lay  her  fortune. 

"  So,"  the  girl  said  on  that  morning,  as  she  gazed 
do^vn  from  the  cliff  on  which  they  stood  to  where 
the  already  fast-rising  waves  were  washing  over  the 
spot  in  question,  "  it  is  there  they  ought  to  have 
searched.  It  has  laid  there  all  the  time !  Yet  no 
one  ever  thought  of  those  little  islets.  Well !  I 
am  glad  i " 

"  Why  ? "  asked  Reginald,  as  he  looked  round  at 
her.     He  had  given  her  his  arm  to  steady  her  against 


2G4  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

the  iicrce  wind  blowing  now  under  the  purple,  sun- 
coloured  clouds  rolling  up  from  the  north-east,  and 
she  had  taken  it.  Yet,  as  she  did  so,  she  scarcely 
knew  why  she  should  accept  that  proffered  arm.  She 
Avas  used  to  all  changes  of  weather  in  this,  her  island  ; 
she  could  stand  as  easily  upon  the  tallest  crags  that  it 
possessed  as  any  of  her  goats,  or  even  the  sea-birds 
that  dwelt  upon  them,  could  do.  Yet,  still,  she  had 
taken  it ! 

"  Oh  !  I  don't  know,"  she  replied  in  answer  to  his 
question;  "yet— yet,  I  think  I  am.  Because—"  she 
paused  again,  and  then  went  on.  "  Because,  you  see, 
if  any  of  my  people  had  found  it  before  now— before 
you  came  here— wh}^  you  would  have  found  nothing 
yourself  Avhen  you  arrived,  after  you  had  made 
so  long  a  journey.  And,  we  should  have  been  gone 
— you  and  I  would  never  have  met." 

Something  in  the  sailor's  nature  tingled  as  she 
said  those  Avords  in  her  simphcity — something,  he 
ivnew  not  what.  Still,  in  response,  he  turned  his 
eyes  on  her,  and  gazed  into  those  other  clear  eyes 
beside  him,  shaded  with  their  long,  jet-black  lashes. 
Then  he  said — 

"  For  us  never  to  have  met  would  have  been  tlie 
worst  thing  of  all,  Barbara." 

It  seemed  absurd  to  call  her  j\Iiss  Alderly,  here  in 
this  wild  tropical  garden  inhabited  only  by  them- 
selves ;  to  give  her  the  stilted  prefix  that  would  have 
been  required  in  the  midst  of  civilisation.  So,  not  for 
the  first  time,  he  had  addressed  her  by  her  Christian 
name.  And  to  her — who  i3crhaps  in  her  schooldays 
only,  in  Antigua,  had  ever  known  what  it  was  to  be 


THE   SOLITUDE    IS    IXTERRUPTED.  205 

spoken  of  as  Miss  Alderly — it  appeared  not  at  all 
stranofe  that  he  should  so  address  her. 

"  But,"  he  went  on,  "  as  for  the  treasure,  as  for  the 
finding-  of  it— that  might  as  Avell  have  happened  fifty 
or  a  hundred  years  ago  as  now.  It  is  yours  and  your 
family's ;  not  a  farthing  of  it  belonged  to  my  relative, 
nor  belongs  to  me." 

"  That  shall  never  bo,"  she  replied.  "  My  father, 
although  a  rough,  simple  sailor,  is  an  honest,  straight- 
forward man ;  he,  at  least,  would  never  hear  of  such 
a  thing  as  your  not  having  your  share.  And  for  my 
brother "  but  here  she  paused. 

"  Why,^'  asked  Reginald,  after  a  moment  had 
elapsed — "  wh}^  do  you  hesitate  at  the  name  of  your 
brother  ? " 

"  Because,"  she  replied,  "  he  is  different.  He  is," 
and  she  buried  her  face  in  her  hands  for  a  moment 
and  then  uncovered  it  again — "  he  is  a  cruel,  grasping 
man,  selfish  and  greedy.  He  rules  us  more  as  if  he 
were  father  than  father  himself,  and  he  tyrannises 
even  over  him.  He  takes  all  the  money  they  both 
earn  while  they  are  away  together,  and,  generally,  he 
spends  it.  When  they  went  to  Aspinwall,  at  the  time 
they  were  so  busy  about  the  Canal,  he  took  all  they 
had  both  earned  and  spent  it  at  the  Faro  and  Monte 
tables,  as  they  call  them  dovvTi  there.  And  once  he 
struck  father  before  me,  when  they  were  both  at 
home,  because  he  wanted  to  go  over  to  Porto  Rico, 
where  the  Spaniards  gamble  day  and  night,  and 
father  would  not  give  him  the  money  for  some  goats 
he  had  sold  to  a  Tortola  dealer.  Oh  ! "  she  continued, 
"he  is  terrible!  and  when  he  takes  his  share  of  what 


2G6  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

is  ill  tlic  Key,  I  dread  to  think  of  what  he  will  do 
with  it." 

As  she  finished,  the  storm  increased  with  such 
violence  that  it  was  necessary  for  thera  to  leave  the 
crag  on  which  they  stood — otherwise  they  would 
possibly  be  blown  off  it  ere  many  moments  had 
elapsed.  Moreover,  the  hot  rain  was  beginning  now — 
and  in  these  regions  only  a  few  moments  elapse 
between  the  fall  of  the  first  drop  and  the  drenching 
downpour  of  a  tropical  storm ;  it  was  time  for  them 
to  seek  the  refus^e  of  Barbara's  home.  The  thunder, 
too,  was  very  near  now,  so  at  once  they  hurried 
onwards,  gaining  the  desired  shelter  before  the  worst 
of  the  storm  had  set  in. 

It  was  to-day — the  day  following  Barbara's  account 
of  Simon  Alderly — that  Reginald  had  promised  to 
read  to  her  Nicholas's  narrative.  He  had  it  in  his 
pocket  now ;  indeed  he  regarded  it  as  too  precious  a 
thing  to  leave  carelessly  about,  and  consequently  it 
was  always  wath  him,  and  to-day  he  proposed  ere 
leaving  her  to  get  through  some  portion  of  it.  He 
meant  to  read  it  all  through,  partly  as  a  story  that  he 
thought  would  interest  the  girl,  partly  as  a  justifica- 
tion of  Nicholas.  For,  he  considered,  if,  since  she 
already  believed  her  ancestor  to  be  a  pirate,  he  proved 
to  her  that  he  was  indeed  such,  then  Nicholas  must 
be  acquitted  in  her  mind  for  having  himself  removed 
and  hidden  away  that  which  did  not  belong  to  him. 
So  they,  having  reached  the  house,  sat  themselves 
down  to  the  narrative,  he  to  read  and  she  to  listen. 
They  were  no  longer  able  to  sit  upon  the  verandah 
since  the  rain  now  beat  down  pitilessly  and  as  though 


THE   SOLITTTDE   IS    INTERTIUPTED.  2G7 

it  never  meant  to  cease,  and  the  wind,  even  in  the 
middle  of  the  httle  island,  was  very  boisterous.  And 
so,  when  the  jalousies  had  been  fastened  tightly  to 
prevent  the  flapping  they  had  previously  made, 
Reginald  began  Nicholas's  story,  prefacing  it  with 
the  account  of  how  it  had  been  found. 

It  was  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  day  when  this 
young  couple,  who  had  so  strangely  been  brought 
together  in  this  island,  began  that  story — for  they 
met  and  parted  early ;  it  was  nearly  nightfall  when 
Reginald  arrived  at  the  descrij)tion  of  how  Alderly 
died  singing  his  drunken  song.  And  amidst  the 
swift-coming  darkness — a  darkness  made  more  in- 
tense b}'  the  heavy  pall  of  clouds  that  himg  above 
the  island — there  seemed  to  come  over  them  both 
that  feeling  of  creepiness,  of  melancholy  horror,  which 
Nicholas  had  described  himself  as  becoming  over- 
whelmed with. 

The  girl  seemed  far  more  overcome  by  this  feeling 
than  Reginald  was.  She  started  again  and  again  at 
every  fresh  gust  that  shook  the  frail  fabric  in  which 
she  dwelt,  her  eyes  stared  fixedly  before  her  as  though 
she  saw  the  spectre  of  her  pirate  ancestor  rising  up, 
and  once  she  begged  him  to  desist  for  a  moment  from 
his  readingf. 

"  It  was  below  here,"  she  whispered,  "  below  the 
ver}^  spot  where  we  sit,  that  that  wretch,  that  mur- 
derous villain,  died  in  his  sin.  Oh !  it  is  horrible ! 
horrible  to  think  that  we  have  all  lived  here  so  long, 
that  I  was  born  here.     Horril)le  ! " 

"  Barbara,"  said  Reginald,  "  do  not  regard  it  so 
seriously.     I  was  wrong  to  read  you  all  I  have — yet. 


2G8  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

til  ink.  Think!  It  is  two  hundred  years  since  it  all 
liappened — we  have  nothing  to  do  with  that  long- 
bnried  past." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  she  said.  "  I  know  that  -we  have  not. 
Yet — yet — this  is  the  very  spot— the  very  place. 
That  makes  it  all  so  much  more  horrible,  so  much, 
more  ghostly.  And  to-night,  I  know  not  why,  I 
feel  as  I  have  never  felt  before,  nervous,  frightened, 
alarmed,  as  though  at  some  danger  near  at  hand. 
Let  me  light  the  lamp  ere  yon  continue." 

"  It  is  the  storm  has  made  you  nervous,"  he 
replied,  trying  to  soothe  her  while  he  assisted  her 
to  arrange  the  lamp.  "  Tlie  air,  too,  is  charged  with 
electricity — that  alone  will  unstring  your  nerves,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  darkness  and  the  noise  of  the 
tempest.  I  have  done  wrong,  Barbara ;  I  have  selected 
the  worst  time  for  reading  this  horrible  story  to 
you.  I  should  have  chosen  one  of  the  bright  days 
when  we  could  sit  on  the  crags  and  have  nothing 
but  the  brilliant  sun  about  and  over  us." 

She  glanced  up  at  him  with  a  smile  in  her  clear 
eyes — the  smile  that  never  failed  to  make  him  think 
that  he  had  lit  on  some  woman  belonging  to  another 
world  than  his,  it  was  so  full  of  innocence  as  well  as 
a  simple  trust  that  would  have  well  befitted  a  little 
child — and  laid  her  hand  upon  his  arm  as  though 
to  assure  him  that  he  had  done  nothing  to  affright 
her.  But,  as  she  did  so,  there  came  a  terrific  flash 
of  lightning  whi(;h  ilhuninatcd  all  the  tropical  wood 
outside — as  they  could  see  through  the  slats  of  the 
jalousie — and  then  a  roar  of  thunder  that  made  the 
girl  scream  and  let  fall  the  lamp  just  lighted. 


THE    SOLITUDE   IS   INTERRUPTED.  269 

But  Regiiicald  caught  it  deftly,  and  placing  it  on 
the  table  said  with  a  smile — • 

"It  would  never  do  for  another  lamp  to  be 
overturned  here  as  one  was  so  long  ago.  Come, 
Barbara,  cheer  uj^,  take  heart !  We  will  read  no 
more  to-night." 

"  Yes,  yes,"  she  exclaimed.  "  Read.  Go  on  read- 
ing and  finish,  your  story.  Besides,  we  must  do 
somethino:  to  pass  the  ni^ht — you  cannot  go  to 
your  yacht,  and  I — I — ;  for  the  first  time  in  my  life 
I  fear  to  be  alone.  I  dread,  though  I  know  not  what. 
I  have  been  alone  nioht  after  nicfht  here  for  even 
weeks  and  months  together,  and  never  feared  any- 
thing. Yet,  now,  I  am  afraid.  Pray,  do  not  leave 
me  to-nioht." 

He  looked  at  her,  admiring,  almost  worshipping 
her  for  the  innocence  she  showed  in  every  word 
she  spoke,  and  then  he  said — 

"  Have  no  fear,  I  will  not  leave  you  if  you  wish 
it.  But,  Barbara,  Ave  must  do  something  else  to 
pass  the  hours  away  than  read  old  Nicholas's  story. 
AVhat  shall  we  do  ?     Let  us  have  a  game  of  cards." 

There  were  some  packs  in  her  house  that  they 
had  played  with  before  now — cards  brought  from 
other  islands  by  her  dissolute  brother,  with  which, 
to  pass  the  long  nights  in,  as  she  frankly  owned, 
trying  to  get  the  better  of  his  father ;  but  she  would 
not  play  now. 

"  No,"  she  said.  "  Let  us  come  to  the  end  of 
the  tale.  I  cannot  rest  until  I  have  heard  it  all. 
Do,  do  finish  it." 

"  A^ery   well,   if  you   will,"   he   answered.     "  And, 


270  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE 

at  any  rate,  the  worst  is  told.  There  is  nothing 
more  to  shock  or  affright  you.  Nothing  but  the 
burying  of  the  treasure  in  the  spot  where  it  now 
hes,  and  Avhere  we  will  dig  it  up." 

The  jalousies  rattled  as  he  spoke — yet  at  this 
moment  the  wind  had  ceased,  and  nought  was  heard 
but  the  steady  downpour  of  the  rain. 

But,  perhaps  because  of  the  incessant  noise  the 
storm  had  made  for  some  hours,  neither  of  them 
noticed  this  peculiar  incident,  though  Reginald 
glanced  up  as  the  blind  stirred. 

Then  he  began  again,  reading  on  through 
Nicholas's  strange  story,  and  doing  so  Avith  particular 
emphasis,  so  that  she  might  grasp  every  word  of 
his  description  as  he  told  how  the  measurements 
were  to  be  taken  in  the  middle  Key.  And  Barbara 
sat  there  listening  silently.  Yet,  as  he  turned  a 
leaf — ^having  now  got  to  that  part  of  the  account 
where  Nicholas  was  picked  ujj  by  the  Virgin  Prize 
— he  paused  in  astonishment  at  the  appearance  of 
her  face. 

For  she  was  gazmg  straight  before  her  at  the 
jalousie,  her  eyes  opened  to  their  widest,  her  features 
drawn  as  though  in  fright,  her  face  almost  distorted. 

"  Look  !   Look  !  "  she  gasped.  "  Look  at  the  blind." 

And  he,  following  her  glance,  Avas  for  the  moment 
appalled  too. 

A  large  hand  was  grasping  half-a-dozen  of  the 
slats  in  its  clutch ;  between  those  slats  a  pair  of 
human  eyes  were  twinkling  as  they  peered  into  the 
room. 

As  Reginald  rose  to  rush  at  the  intruder,  whoever 


THE   SOLITUDE   IS   INTERRUPTED.  271 

he  was,  Barbara  gave  another  gasp  and  fell  back 
fiimting  mto  her  chair;  and  then,  before  her  com- 
panion could  ask  the  owner  of  those  eyes  what  he 
meant  by  his  intrusion,  the  blinds  were  roughly 
thrust  aside,  and,  following  this,  there  came  a  man 
of  gi-eat  size,  from  whom  the  water  dripped  as  from 
a  dog  who  had  just  quitted  a  river — a  man  whose 
face  was  all  bruised  and  discoloured  as  though  he 
had  been  badly  beaten. 


272 


CPIAPTER    XXXIII. 

THE     island's     owner. 

"  Who  are  yon,  and  what,  do  you  want  ? "  asked 
Reginald,  confronting  the  intruder ;  while,  as  he 
spoke,  he  observed  that  the  coarse  and  scanty  clothes 
in  which  he  was  clad  were  drenched  with  more  water 
than  even  the  heavens  could  have  poured  on  him. 

He  was  a  man  of  great  bulk,  young  as  himself, 
and  with  a  mass  of  reddish-yellow  hair  that  hung 
about  his  face,  matted  and  dishevelled  from  the  wet 
in  which  it  was  soaked;  and  as  he  advanced  into 
the  room  the  water  dripped  off  him  on  to  the  floor. 

"  Want !  "  he  replied,  "  want !  What  should  a 
man  want  in  his  ovai  house  but  rest  and  comfort 
after  a  storm  ?  Master,  this  is  my  house  !  I  had 
best  ask  Avhat  you  want  here  ?  And  at  night — alone 
Avith  my  sister." 

Yet  he  did  not  pause  for  an  ansAver,  but  going  up 
to  Avhere  that  sister  lay  back  in  the  SAvoon  that  had 
overcome  her,  he  shook  her  roughly  by  the  shoulder 
and  called  out — 

"Come,  get  over  your  fit.  I  have  bad  neAVS  for 
you." 

"  Be  a  little  more  gentle  Avith  her ! "  Koginald 
exclaimed.  "  We  can  bring  her  to  in  a  better  manner 
than  that;"  and  as  he  spoke  he  Avent  to  the  spirit 
flask  ho  had  brought  up  from  the  yacht,  and  moistened 


THE  island's  owner.  273 

her  lips  with  some  of  the  whisky,  and  bathed  her 
forehead  with  water  from  one  of  the  cahibashes. 

"  What  the  devil  is  the  matter  with  the  t;irl  ? " 
asked  her  brother.  "She  has  never  been  used  to 
indulging-  in  such  weaknesses — what  does  it  mean  ? " 

"it  means,"  the  other  replied,  "  that  the  storm 
has  frightened  her." 

"  Bah  !  she  has  seen  plenty  of  them  since  she  was 
born.     We  are  used  to  storms  here." 

"  And  also,"  Reginald  went  on,  "  she  saw  a  man — 
you — outside,  listening  to  us.  She  saw  your  hand  on 
the  blind  and  your  face  through  the  slats,  but  did 
not  recognise  you.  It  is  not  strange  that  she  should 
be  frightened." 

But  by  this  time  Barbara  was  coming  round — she 
opened  her  eyes  as  her  brother  spoke,  then  closed 
them  again,  as  though  the  sight  of  him  was  horrible 
to  her,  and  shivered  a  little.  But,  after  a  moment, 
she  opened  them  once  more,  and,  fixing  them  on  him, 
said — 

"  You  have  come  back.     Where  is  father  ? " 

"  He  is  dead,"  he  said,  using  no  tone  of  regret  as 
he  spoke,  and,  indeed,  speaking  as  he  might  have 
done  of  the  death  of  some  stranger.  "  He  is  dead 
not  an  hour  ago.  The  storm  drove  us  here,  brought 
us  home.  But  as  we  reached  the  shore,  for  we  could 
not  oet  round  to  the  creek,  the  breakers  flung  our 
boat  over,  and  us  out  of  it.  I  was  fortunate  enough 
to  scramble  on  land,  but  the  old  man  had  no  such 
luck.  He  was  carried  out  to  sea  again,  and  I  saAv  no 
more  of  him." 

Barbara  had  burst  into  tears  at  the  first  intimation 
s 


274  THE    HISrAXlOLA   PLATE. 

of  lier  fatlier's  death,  and  now  slie  wept  silently,  her 
brother  sitting  regarding  her  calmly  while  he  si}>pcd 
at  Reginald's  flask  as  though  it  were  his  own ! — and 
the  latter  felt  his  whole  heart  go  out  to  her  in 
sympathy.  Yet^how  could  he  comfort  her  ?  The 
one  whose  place  it  was  to  do  that  was  now  by  her 
side,  but  being  a  rough,  uncouth  brute,  as  it  was 
easy  to  see  he  was,  he  neither  offered  to  do  so,  nor,  it 
seemed  probable,  would  he  hnve  done  aught  but 
mock  at  any  kind  words  Reginald  might  speak. 

"  Father  !  Father  ! "  the  girl  sobbed.  "  Oh,  father ! 
And  I  have  been  looking  forward  so  much  to  your 
return — hoping  so  much  from  it.  Thinking  how 
happy  we  might  be." 

Her  brother — who  seemed  to  consider  that,  after 
having  told  her  of  old  Alderly's  death,  no  further 
remark  on  the  subject  Avas  necessary,  and  Avho,  if  he 
knew  what  sympathymeant,  certainly  did  not  consider 
it  needful  to  exhibit  any — had  by  now  turned  his 
back  to  them  and,  going  to  a  cupboard,  was  busily 
cno-ao-ed  in  forauinor  in  it.  Reginald  had  seen  Barbara 
take  food  out  of  this  cupboard  ere  this,  both  for  him 
and  for  herself — food  consisting  of  dried  goat's  flesh, 
cheese  and  other  simple  things — and  therefore  he  was 
not  surprised  at  the  man  doing  so  now.  But  he  was 
somewhat  surprised  at  hearing  Barbara,  Avhilc  her 
brother's  back  was  turned,  whisper  to  him — 

"  Say  nothing  at  present  about  the  Key." 

He  nodded,  willing  to  take  his  line  of  action  from 
her  in  anything  she  might  suggest  in  the  circumstances 
which  had  noAV  arisen;  yet  he  felt  that  his  silence 
would  make  his  presence  there  still  more  inexplicable. 


THE   TRLAXP'S   OWNER.  275 

But,  also,  his  trust  was  so  firm  in  the  girl  that  without 
hesitation  he  determined  to  do  as  he  was  bidden. 

Presently  her  brother  turned  away  from  the  cup- 
board, coming  toAvards  them  again  and  bearing  in  one 
hand  a  piece  of  coarse  bread  and,  in  the  other,  a  scrap 
of  meat  he  had  found. 

"  Been  here  long  keeping  Barbara  company  ?  "  he 
asked,  while  his  twinkling  eyes — how  unlike  hers! 
Keginald  thought — glistened  maliciously.  "  We  don't 
often  get  visitors  here." 

"  Indeed,"  Reginald  replied ;  "  I  have  heard  dift'er- 
ently.  I  was  told  in  Tortola  that  curiosit}^  about  the 
strange  history  of  your  island  brought  many  people 
hero.  And,  having  a  little  yacht  which  I  have  hired 
and  being  a  sailor  myself,  I  ventured  to  pay  a  visit." 

"Sailor,  eh?  What  line?  American  and — but, 
there,  it's  easy  enough  to  see  you're  a  Britisher.  What 
is  it  ?     Royal  Mail,  eh  ? " 

"  I  am  in  the  Royal  Navy.  A  lieutenant.  And 
my  name's  Crafer." 

"  Crafer,  eh  ?  and  in  the  Royal  Navy  ?  I  don't 
think  much  of  the  Royal  Navy  myself.  A  damned 
sight  too  condescending  in  their  Avays,  as  a  rule,  are 
the  gentlemen  in  your  line — that  is,  when  they  take 
any  notice  of  you  at  all.  Well,  if  you're  going  to  stay 
I  hope  you're  not  like  that.  And  my  name's  Alderly 
— Joseph  Alderly.     That's  good  enough  for  me." 

"  I  certainly  did  hope  to  stay  a  little  longer.  I  am 
on  leave  and  like  cruising  about." 

"  Your  boat's  in  the  river,  you  say  ? " 

"  Yes." 

"  Why  don't  you  live  in  it  instead  of  in  this  house. 


27G  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

then  ?  Or  at  Tortola,  where  there  is  a  hotel  ?  Tn 
some  of  the  islands  hereabouts  my  sister  would  get  a 
bad  name  if  it  was  known  she  was  entertainino'  younfj- 
English  officers  all  alone." 

At  his  words  Reginald  sprang  to  his  feet,  Barbara 
also  rising,  her  hazel  eyes,  that  were  usuall_y  so  soft 
and  innocent,  flashing  indignant  glances  at  her  brutal 
brother. 

"  You  don't  know,  you  don't  understand,"  she  began; 
"  if  you  did  you  would  behave  differently.  Mr.  Crater 
has  come "     But  Reginald  was  speaking  also. 

"  Mr.  Joseph  Alderly,"  he  said,  "  this  is  the  first 
night  I  have  ever  stayed  in  your  house  as  late  as  this. 
I  should  not  be  here  now  Avere  it  not  for  the  storm. 
However,  I  will  trespass  upon  your  hospitality  no 
longer.  Miss  Alderly,  I  wish  you  '  Good-night.'  "  He 
touched  her  hand  as  he  spoke — not  knowing  what  her 
glance  meant  to  convey,  yet  feeling  sure  that  there 
must  be  much  she  would  have  said  to  him  if  she  had 
had  but  the  opportunity — and  then  he  turned  on  his 
heel,  passed  through  the  jalousie,  and  so  out  on  to 
the  verandah. 

The  storm  was  ceasing  as  he  went  forth,  the 
clouds  Avere  rolling  awa}'^  to  the  south ;  around  him 
there  were  the  odours  of  all  the  tropical  flowers,  their 
perfume  increased  threefold  by  the  rain.  He  knew 
the  path  so  well  now  from  having  traversed  it  many 
times  backwards  and  forwards  from  the  Ponnpeia, 
that  it  took  him  ver}^  little  time  even  in  tlie  dark  to 
reach  the  bank  of  the  river,  to  unmoor  the  dinghy, 
and  to  get  on  board  the  craft.  Then,  lighting  his 
pipe,  he  sat  himself  down  in  his  little  cabin  to  meditate 


THE  island's  owner.  277 

on  what  this  fresh  incident— the  arrival  of  Joseph 
Alderly — might  mean. 

"  I  should  know  better  what  to  think,"  he  mused, 
"  if  I  only  knew  how  long  he  had  been  behind  the 
bhnd.  The  brute  may  have  been  there  for  sufficient 
time  to  have  heard  all  the  last  instructions  of  old 
Nicholas  about  finding  the  treasure  which  I  read  out. 
Or  he  may  have  heard  only  enough  to  give  him  an 
inklino-  that  I  know  where  the  treasure  is.  Let  me 
see,"  and  he  put  his  hand  in  his  pocket  and  drew  forth 
his  forerunner's  narrative. 

"  Yes,"  he  muttered,  as  ho  turned  over  the  leaves, 
"  yes,  I  had  got  far  enough — having  reached  the  rescue 
of  Nicholas  by  the  Virgin  Prize — for  him  to  have 
heard  all  if  he  was  there.  If  he  was  there  ;  that's  it. 
Only — was  he  ?  or  did  he  come  later  when  there  was 
nothing  more  to  be  overheard  than  the  description 
of  Nicholas  leaving  the  island  ?  " 

Again  he  pondered,  turning  the  arrival  of  Alderly 
over  in  his  mind,  and  then  he  remembered  how  the 
jalousies  had  rattled  at  a  time  when  the  wind  had 
lulled,  though  he  had  taken  little  heed  of  the  fact 
beyond  glancing  up  from  the  papers.  Yet,  as  he 
racked  his  mind  to  recall  what  they  had  been  saying, 
or  he  reading,  at  the  moment,  he  remembered  the 
words  he  had  uttered — 

"  There  is  nothing  to  tell  you  now  but  the  burying 
of  the  treasure  in  the  spot  where  it  lies  and  where  we 
will  dig  it  up." 

These  had  been  liis  words,  or  very  similar  ones. 
If  Alderly  had  been  there  then — if  he  had  arrived  on 
the  verandah  by  the  time  they  were  uttered — he  knew 


278  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

all.  He  bad  heard  the  middle  Key  mentioned,  he 
had  heard  how  the  measurements  Avere  to  be  taken, 
he  knew  as  much  as  PiCfdnaid  and  Barbara  knew. 
But — had  he  been  there  ?  was  it  his  hand  that  shook 
the  blind,  or  was  it  some  light  gust  of  air,  a  last  breath 
of  the  stonn  ?     That  was  the  question. 

Still,  independent  of  this — indeed,  far  beyond  the 
thought  of  the  treasure,  which  he  had  definitely 
decided  he  would  take  no  portion  of,  since  it  was  not, 
could  not  be,  his  by  any  right — his  mind  was  troubled. 
Troubled  about  Barbara  and  her  being  alone  with  the 
savaije  creature  who  was  her  brother — "  Heavens  ! "  he 
thought,  "  that  they  should  be  the  same  flesh  and 
blood!" — troubled  to  think  of  what  form  his  brutality 
might  take  towards  her  if  he  suspected  that  she  knew 
where  all  the  long-sought  v/ealth  was  hidden  away. 

"  But,"  he  said  to  himself,  as  he  still  sat  on  smoking, 
"  no  harm  shall  come  to  her  if  I  can  prevent  it — if  I 
can !  nay,  as  I  will.  He  may  order  me  out  of  these  moor- 
ings since  the  whole  island  is  his — ^Avell,  let  him.  If  he 
does,  I  will  tind  out  Nicholas's  cove  and  anchor  myself 
there — or,  better  still,  I  will  go  and  lie  off  the  middle 
Key.  And,  by  the  powers  !  if  he  does  know  that  the 
treasure  is  there  and  begins  to  dig  for  it,  not  a  penny, 
not  a  brass  farthing  shall  he  take  away  Avithout  my 
l)eing  by  to  see  that  he  shares  fair  and  fair  alike  Avith 
his  sister.  He  seems  capable,  from  Avhat  I  have  seen 
of  him  and  she  has  told  me,  of  taking  the  Avhole  lot 
olf  to  AspiuAvall  or  Porto  Rico  and  losing  it  in  one 
of  his  loathsome  gambling  dens,  Avhile  he  leaves  her 
here  alone  ! " 

He  went  on  deck  of  his  little  craft  as  he  made  these 


THE  ISLANDS  oavxe:x.  279 

reflections,  and,  more  from  sailor-like  habit  than  aught 
else — since  no  one  ever  came  into  the  river — he 
trimmed  his  li«dits  and  arrani>'ed  them  for  the  niofht, 
and  then  went  to  his  cabin  and  turned  in.  But  before 
ho  did  so,  he  cast  a  glance  up  to  where  Barbara's 
home  Avas,  and  saw  that  on  the  slight  eminence  there 
twinkled  the  rays  of  the  lamp  through  the  now  opened 
windows.     All  was  well,  therefore,  for  this  night. 

Yet  he  could  not  sleep.  He  could  not  rest  for 
thinking  of  the  girl  up  there  Avith  no  one  hut  that 
brutal  kinsman  for  a  companion  ;  with  no  one  to  help 
her  if  he  in  his  violence  should  attempt  to  injure  her 
— a  thing  he  would  be  very  likely  to  do  if  he  ques- 
tioned her  about  aught  he  might  have  overheard,  and 
she  refused  to  satisfy  him. 

At  last  this  feeling  got  too  strong  for  him — so 
strong  that  he  determined  to  go  and  see  if  all  was  well 
with  her.  Therefore,  ashore  he  went  again,  and, 
maldng  his  way  up  quietly  through  the  glade  and  the 
little  wood,  he  came  within  sight  and  earshot  of  the 
hut.  And  there  he  soon  found  that,  no  matter  how 
fierce  and  cruel  a  nature  Alderly's  was,  he  at  least 
meant  no  harm  to  the  girl  herself 

She,  he  could  see  from  the  close  proximity  to  the 
hut  which  he  had  attained,  was  lying  asleep  upon  a 
low  couch  on  which  ho  had  often  sat,  a  couch 
covered  with  Osnaburgli  cloth  and  some  sl^ins. 
Alderly  was  sitting  at  the  table,  drinking  and  smoking 
and  occasionally  singing.  He  had  evidently  found 
some  liquor  of  his  own — probably  stowed  away  by  him 
ere  setting  out  on  his  various  cruises — and  was  pouring 
it  out  pretty  rapidly  into  the  nmg  he  drank  from. 


280  THE    HISI'ANIOLA    PLATE. 

"  Heavens !  "  exclaimed  lieginald.  "  How  the  past 
repeats  itself!  Here  stand  I,  a  Crafer,  Avatching  an 
Alderly  in  his  cups,  even  as,  two  hundred  years  ago, 
my  relative  stood  here  watching  this  man's.  And  he 
sings  there  as  he  drinks,  even  as  his  rascally  forerunner 
sang,  too — the  one  when  his  father  has  not  been  dead 
many  hours,  the  other  when  he  had  murdered  a  man! 
And  Barbara — well,  there  is  Barbara  in  place  of  the 
fancied  Barbara  the  other  conjured  up.  It  is  the  past 
all  over  again,  in  the  very  same  place,  almost  the  very 
same  hour  at  night.  Let  us  hope  that,  as  all  came 
well  with  Nicholas  afterwards,  so  it  may  with  me. 
And  with  Barbara,  too.     Yes,  with  Barbara,  too." 

Whereon,  seeing  that  all  was  well  for  the  present 
at  any  rate,  he  moved  silently  away  and  so  regained 
his  boat. 


281 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

JOSEPH    ALDEllLY. 

In  the  morning,  when  he  woke  and  went  on  to  the 
deck  of  his  Httle  craft,  he  saw  Barbara  standing  on 
the  river's  brink — evidently  waiting  for  him  to  be 
stirring.  Therefore,  he  at  once  got  into  his  dinghy 
and  went  ashore  to  her. 

"  What  is  he  doinsf  now  ? "  he  asked,  as  he  took 
her  hand  and  noticed  for  the  first  time  the  absence  of 
the  splendid  flush  of  health  upon  her  face  that  was 
generally  there.  This  morning  she  had  dark  purple 
rings  under  her  eyes — as  though  she  had  not  slept  or 
had  been  weeping. 

"  He  is  asleep  now,"  she  said,  "  after  sitting  up 
drinking,  singing,  and  muttering  to  himself  till  nearly 
daybreak.  Oh,  Mr.  Crafor ! "  she  broke  off,  "  what  is 
to  be  done  ? " 

"  What  does  he  know  ? "  asked  Reginald  in  return. 
"Did  he  hear  any  of  the  story  I  read  to  you?  How 
long  had  he  been  at  the  window  before  you  noticed 
him  ? " 

"  I  cannot  tell.  Yet  I  think  he  susj^ects.  Before 
I  Avent  to  sleep  he  asked  me  what  brought  you  here, 
and  whether  you  Avere  hunting  for  the  treasure,  and 
also  what  that  paper  was  3^ou  were  reading  to  me  ?" 

"  And  what  did  you  tell  him  ?  " 

•'  1  would  not  tell  a  lie,  therefore  i  s^iid  it  was  an 


282  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

account  of  the  isLand,  written  by  a  connection  of  yours 
who  had  been  here  long  ago." 

"  And  then  ? " 

"  And  then  he  said  he  Avould  Hke  to  see  it.  He 
said  he  was  sure  you  would  show  it  to  him." 

"  Was  he  !  I  am  sure  I  shall  do  nothingf  of  the 
kind.  Yet  I  do  not  know,"  and  Reginald  broke  oft'  to 
meditate.  Following  which  he  went  on  again.  "  But 
he  must  see  it  after  all.  Barbara,  the  treasure  is  his 
and  yours.     He  must  be  told." 

"  No,  no,"  she  said.  "  It  is  not  his — it  is  yours — 
yours— yours.  Oh  !  it  would  be  wicked,  shocking,  to 
think  that  you,  the  only  person  in  the  world  to  whom 
the  chance  came  of  finding  out  where  it  is  hidden, 
should  not  be  entitled  to  it,  or  at  least  to  half  of  it. 
And  think,  too,  of  the  journey  you  have  made,  the 
expense  you  have  been  put  to,  the  trouble  you  have 
taken.  And  all  for  nothing ;  to  ofet  nothinir  in 
return." 

"  I  have  got  something  in  return,"  he  said.  "  Your 
friendship  !     Have  I  not,  Barbara  ?  " 

"Yes,"  the  girl  whispered,  or  ahnost  whispered, 
while  to  her  checks  there  came  back  the  rose-blush 
ho  loved  so  much  to  see.  "  Yes.  But  what  is  that  in 
comparison  to  what  you  ought  to  have  ?  " 

"  Everything,"  ho  replied  earnestly.  "Everything. 
Far  more,  perhaps,  to  me  than  you  thinlv.  But  now 
is  scarcely  the  time  to  tell  you  how  dear  that  friend- 
ship is.  Instead,  let  us  tliinlc  of  what  is  best  to  be 
done." 

"  At  present,"  she  replied,  "  I  am  sm-e  tlic  best 
thing  is  to  keep  the  secret.     If  he  knew  it  was  there 


JOSEPH   ALDERLY.  283 

he  would  get  it  up  somehow — and,  I  think,  he  would 
go  away  with  it.     Then  you  would  get  nothing." 

"  But  I  want  nothing." 

"  I  don't  care,"  she  replied.  "  I  am  determined  you 
shall  have  half.  Oh  !  promise  me,  promise  me  you 
will  tell  him  nothing  unless  he  agrees  to  give  3'OU 
half." 

At  tirst  he  again  refused,  and  still  again,  but  at  last 
he  agreed  to  her  request,  or  at  least  so  far  consented 
that  he  said  he  would  make  a  proposal  to  her  brother. 
He  would  suggest  that,  on  his  being  willing  to  divide 
whatever  they  should  find  into  three  parts — one  for 
Alderly,  one  for  Barbara,  and  one  for  him — he  would 
inform  him  where  he  thought  the  treasure  was  buried. 
But  that  he  would  take  no  more  than  a  third  he  was 
quite  resolved,  he  told  her. 

"  It  will  be  useless,"  she  said,  "  useless  to  do  that ! 
He  will  never  consent  to  my  having  a  third  ;  if  he  did 
he  would  take  it  away  from  me  directly  afterwards." 

"  Would  he  ! "  exclaimed  Keginald.  "  Would  he  ! 
I  would  see  about  that." 

"  At  any  rate,  he  would  try  to  do  so.  Therefore, 
it  would  be  far  better  for  you  to  insist  on  one  half 
By  taking  one  third  you  would  only  get  a  lesser  share, 
while  he  would  get  more." 

At  last,  therefore,  Reginald  determined  he  would 
go  and  see  her  brother  and,  as  he  said,  sound  him. 
Only  he  was  resolved  on  one  thing.  Alderly  should 
neither  see  Nicholas's  manuscrij^t  nor  be  told  the 
exact  spot  where  the  buried  treasure  was  until  they 
had  come  to  some  terms. 

"  And,  remember,"  he  said   to  her,  '•'  if  I  get  one 


284  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

half  from  him,  you  take  from  me  what  represents  one 
third."  To  which  again  the  girl  protested  she  would 
never  consent. 

After  this  they  parted,  she  going  back  to  the 
hut,  and  he  saying  he  would  follow  later,  since  they 
resolved  it  would  be  best  to  keep  the  knowledge  of 
their  having^  met  that  morninQ-  from  her  brother. 

When,  hoAvever,  Reginald  himself  arrived  at 
Alderly's  house  he  found  that  person  gone  from  it 
and  Barbara  alone — standing  on  the  verandah  and 
evidently  watching  for  his  coming. 

"  He  has  gone  down  to  the  shore,"  she  said,  "  to 
see  if  he  can  find  anything  of  poor  father's  body.  At 
least  that  is  what  ho  says  he  has  gone  for,  as  well  as 
to  see  if  his  boat  is  capable  of  being  repaired.  Alas  1 
I  fear  he  thinks  more  of  the  boat  than  of  father's 
death." 

"  If  he  thinks  so  much  of  the  boat,"  Reginald 
remarked,  "  it  scarcely  looks  as  if  he  has  much  idea  of 
there  beinof  a  larsfe  treasure  to  his  hand.  However,  I 
will  go  and  see  him.  Where  did  he  come  ashore  last 
night  ?  " 

"  Very  near  to  the  Keys,"  she  answered.  "  Indeed, 
close  by." 

So  Reginald  made  his  way  across  the  island  to  that 
spot,  and,  when  he  had  descended  the  crags  and 
reached  the  small  piece  of  beach  there,  he  saw  Alderly 
engaged  in  inspecting  the  wrecked  craft  which  had 
brought  him  safely  back  to  his  island  over-night. 
It  had  been  at  its  best  but  a  poor  crazy  thing — 
a  rouij^h- built  cutter  of  about  the  same  size  as  the 
Poiiiprda,  but    very    different  as  regards    its    fittings 


JOSEPH    ALDERLY.  285 

and  accoininodation.  It  was  open-decked,  with  a 
"svi'etclied  cabin  aft  into  which  those  in  her  might 
creep  for  rest  and  shelter,  and  with  another  one  for- 
ward— but  these  were  all  there  Avas  to  protect  them. 

"  She  is  badly  injured,"  Reginald  said,  after  having 
wished  Alderly  good-morning  and  received  a  surly 
kind  of  grunt  in  reply.  "  I  am  afraid  there  is  not 
much  to  be  done  to  her." 

"  Mister,"  said  Alderly,  suddenly  desisting  from  his 
inspection,  and  turning  round  on  the  other  man  with- 
out taking  any  notice  of  his  remark,  "  I  am  glad  you 
came  here  this  morning.  You  and  I  have  got  to  have 
some  talk  together,  and  we  can't  do  it  better  than 
here." 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Reginald.  "  What  would  you 
like  us  to  talk  about  ?  " 

"  It  ain't  what  I'd  like  to  talk  about,  but  what  I  am 
a-going  to  talk  about  as  you've  got  to  hear.  Now, 
look  you  here.  I  ain't  no  scholar  like  Barb  over  there 
— she  was  sent  to  school  because  the  old  man  was  a 
fool — ^and  I'm  a  plain  man.  I've  had  to  earn  my  living 
rough— very  rough — and  p'raps  I'm  a  bit  rough  my- 
self. But  I'm  straight — there  ain't  no  man  in  the 
islands  straighter  nor  what  I  am." 

"  Being  so  straight,  perhaps  you  will  go  on  with 
what  you  have  to  say.  Meanwhile,  Mr.  Alderly,  let 
me  be  equally  straight  with  you.  Your  manner  is 
offensive,  and,  as  you  say,  '  very  rough.'  Therefore,  I 
may  as  well  tell  j'ou  that  it  doesn't  intimidate  me. 
We  are  both  sailors,  only  I  happen  to  have  been  in  a 
position  of  command,  while  your  rank,  I  gather,  has 
been  always  more  or  less  of  a  subordinate  one.     So,  if 


286  TITE    HTSPANIOLA   PLATE. 

you'll  kindly  remember  that  I  expect  civility,  we  shall 
get  along  very  well  together." 

Alderly  glanced  at  him,  perhaps  calculating  the 
strength  of  the  thews  and  sinews  of  so  finely  built  a 
young  man ;  then  he  said — 

"This  is  7712/  island,  you  know,  mister,  and  all 
that's  in  it." 

"  Precisely.  And  you  mean  that  I  am  in  it. 
Well,  so  I  am.  Only,  you  understand,  I  can  very 
soon  get  out  of  it.     The  sea  isn't  yours  as  well." 

"  Suppose  I  wasn't  to  let  you  go !  Suppose  I 
stopped  up  the  mouth  of  the  river  where  your  craft  is 
a-lying  !     Then  you'd  be  in  it  still." 

"  Yes,"  said  Reginald,  "  so  I  should.  Only,  all  the 
same,  I  should  go  when  I  pleased.  I  am  not  a  baby — 
but,  there,  this  is  absurd.     Say  what  you  want  to  say." 

"  Well,  I  will.  What  was  that  paper  you  was 
a-reading  to  my  sister  in  my  house  last  night  ? " 

"  A  little  history  of  this  island,  which  a  forerunner 
of  mine  happened  to  visit  some  two  centuries  ago." 

"  Two  cent'ries  ago  !  Oh !  It  didn't  happen  to 
say  anything  about  the  treasure  old  Simon  Alderly 
had  stowed  away  here,  did  it  ? " 

"  Since  you  ask  me  so  directly,  and  as  it  is  your 
business,  I  will  reply  at  once.     It  did." 

For  a  moment  Aldcrly's  face  was  a  sight  to  see. 
First  the  brown  of  his  face  turned  to  a  deeper  hue, 
then  the  colour  receded,  leaving  him  almost  livid, 
then  slowly  the  natural  colour  returned  again,  and  he 
said,  huskily — 

"  It  did,  eh  ?  So  I  thought,  though  I  don't  Imow 
why  the  wench.  Barb,  told  me  a  lie." 


JOSEPH    ALDEllLY.  287 

"  A  re  you  sure  she  did  tell  you  a  lie  ?  I  don't, 
tliiiik  your  sister  seems  a  person  of  that  sort." 

"  Never  mind  my  sister.  Tell  me  about  the 
treasure — my  treasure.  I  am  the  heir,  you  know ;  I 
am  the  only  Alderly  left  after  two  cent'ries  hunting 
for  it — 3^ou  Avas  right  about  them  cent'ries,  mister. 
Two  it  was.    Where  is  that  treasure  ?    Go  on,  tell  me." 

"  I  have  not  quite  made  up  my  mind  about  doing 
that,"  said  Reo-inald.  "  It  remains  for  me  to  decide 
whether  I  shall  do  so  just  yet." 

"  It  remains  for  you  to  decide  whether  you  will 
tell  me  where  my  propert}^  is !  It  does,  does  it  ? 
And  what  else  ? — what  do  it  remain  for  me  to  do  ?  " 
and  he  advanced  so  close  to  Reginald  and  looked  so 
threatening,  both  from  his  angry  glances  and  his 
great  height  and  build,  that  many  a  man  might  have 
Ibeen  coAved.     But  not  such  a  man  as  Resfinald  Crafor ! 

"  What  do  it  remain  for  me  to  do — eh  ? "  he  asked 
again.     "  To  kill  you,  p'raps." 

Reg^inald's  laiio-h  rang  out  so  loud  at  this  that  it 
might  have  been  heard  on  the  Keys  outside — the 
Kej^s  Avhereon  the  treasure  Avas.  And  it  made 
Alderly's  fury  even  greater  than  before. 

"  I  coidd  kill  you,  mister,  easy,  if  I  Avanted  to. 
And  no  one  Avould  never  knoAV  of  it  except  Barb. 
And  if  she  knoAved  of  it,  Avh}'^,  I'd  kill  her  too.  Any- 
hoAV,  I  mean  to  have  my  fortune." 

"  As  to  killing,"  said  Reginald,  "  I  don't  quite 
agree  Avith  you.  You  seem  to  me  a  poAverfiil  kind 
of  a  person,  Avithout  much  knoAvledge,  hoAvever,  of 
using  that  poAver."  Here  Alderly  stamped  with  fiiry. 
"  Therefore,  you  are  not  so  very  terrible.     HoAvever, 


288  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

about  your  fortune.  To  begin  with,  are  you  quite 
sure  it  is  yours  ? " 

'  Why  !  whose  else  is  it  if  it  ain't  mine  ? "  the 
bully  asked,  stupidly  now.  "  Ain't  this  island  mine 
now  father's  dead  ? " 

"You  say  it  is,  though  I  am  sure  I  don't  know 
whether  you  are  telling  the  truth  or  not.  It  might 
be  as  nmch  your  sister's  as  yours."  Alderly  burst  out 
laughing,  scornfully  this  time ;  but  Reginald  went  on. 
''  Your  father  might  have  left  a  will,  you  know, 
leaving  her  a  portion  of  it,  or,  indeed,  the  whole,  if  he 
didn't  approve  of  3'our  general  behaviour." 

Alderly  laughed  again — though  now  he  looked 
rather  white,  the  other  thought ;  and  then  he  said 
emphatically  : — 

"  Father  didn't  leave  no  papers.  So  I'm  the  heir. 
Girls  don't  count,  I'm  told."  All  of  which — both 
laughter,  pallor,  and  remarks — led  Reginald  to  form 
a  suspicion  that  whatever  papers  the  elder  Alderly 
might  have  left  had  been  destroyed. 

"  I  think  they  do,"  said  Reginald,  "  and  certainly 
Miss  Alderly  counts  in  my  opinion.  For,  if  eventually 
I  decide  to  tell  you  where  your  treasure  is,  she  will 
have  to  have  her  portion." 

"  She  will  have  her  portion,"  said  Alderly  decidedly, 
"  which  will  be  that  I  shall  look  after  her.  And  I 
suppose  you'll  want  a  portion,  too." 

"  Yes,  rather,"  the  other  replied,  remembering  that 
he  had  promised  to  make  no  stipulations  about 
Barbara.  So  he  corrected  himself  now,  and  said,  "Of 
course  I  suppose  you  will  look  after  her.  A\'ell, 
remembering  that,  I  shall  want  one  half" 


JOSEPH   ALDERLY.  289 

"  One  half ! "  exclaimed  Alderly,  almost  shouting 
out  the  words  in  his  excitement.  "  One  half !  My 
God  !  One  half  of  all  that  treasure  !  Just  for  coming 
here  to  tell  me  where  it  is !  Why !  you  nuist  be 
mad,  Mr.  Crater,  or  whatever  you  call  yourself.  Mad ! 
Mad  !  Why  !  sooner  than  do  that  I'd  fetch  a  hundred 
o'  my  pals  and  mates  from  all  around,  from  the 
islands  and  up  from  Aspinwall  and  Colon,  and  dig 
the  whole  place  up  till  we  found  it.     One  half !  " 

"  And  dig  the  whole  place  up  ! "  repeated  Reginald. 
"  Just  so.  Only,  you  know  that  when  your  ancestress, 
the  first  Barbara,  and  her  son  came  here  they  found 
the  treasure  had  been  removed  from  the  place  where 
Simon  left  it,  and  none  have  ever  been  able  to  find  it 
since.     Isn't  that  so  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  muttered  Alderly,  "  it  is,  damn  you  ! " 

"  Very  well.  You  don't  own  all  the  islands  round, 
of  Avliich  there  are  some  scores,  inhabited  and  un- 
inhabited. And,  presuming  that  the  treasure  in 
question  has  been  moved  to  one  of  these — and  there 
is  no  one  knows  whether  it  has  or  not  but  myself" 
(he  determined  not  to  bring  Barbara  in  further  than 
was  necessary) — "  what  good  would  all  the  digging  of 
you  and  your  '  pals  and  mates '  do  in  this  place,  Mr. 
Alderly  ? " 

To  which  the  other  could  only  answer  by  a 
muttered  curse. 


200 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

DANGER     IMPENDING. 

Alderly  was  now  at  bay  ! 

For  a  couple  of  claj^s  he  raved,  stormed,  an6 
alternately  endeavoured  to  extract  from  Reginald  and 
from  his  sister  a  hint  as  to  which  of  the  islands  the 
treasure  had  been  removed  to.  But  it  was  all  of  no 
avail.  Barbara,  whose  gentle  nature  had  conceived 
almost  a  hatred  against  her  unnatural  brother  for  the 
utter  indifference  ho  had  shown  to  their  father's  fate, 
avoided  him  as  much  as  she  could,  and,  when  not 
able  to  do  so,  refused  to  acknowledge  that  she  knew 
anything  more  than  that  Mr.  Crafer  possessed  the 
secret  of  the  hidden  store. 

While,  as  for  Reginald,  he  simply  said,  whenever 
Alderly  sought  him  out — which  the  latter  did  fre- 
quently, since  the  other  would  go  no  more  to  his  hut, 
— "  One  half  is  what  I  want  if  we  dig  it  up  together." 

But  to  Alderl}',  who  among  all  his  other  bad 
qualities  possessed  that  of  inordinate  greed,  this 
pro[)osal  appeared  so  enormous  that  he  could  not 
briny'  himself  to  consent  to  it. 

"  And  if  we  don't  dig  it  up  together,"  said  Reginald, 
who  had  not  the  slightest  compunction  in  playing  on 
the  fears  and  covetousness  of  the  man,  "  why,  I  shall 
have  to  dig  it  up  by  myself — which  you  cannot  prevent 
my  doing  if  it  is  not  on  your  property,  you  know. 


I)AN(JE11    IMl'ENDK.d.  291 

Then  I  sliall  take  it  all,  except  what  I  hand  uveu  to 
some  lawyer,  or  English  representative,  m  one  of  the 
islands  for  your  sister's  use." 

"  But  it  is  mine,  mine  alone  ! "  the  infuriated  wretch 
Avould  excLiim.  "  Mine,  even  if  it  is  outside  Coffin 
Island.     Simon  was  my  relative,  and  he  found  it." 

"And  Nicholas  Crafer  was  mine,"  replied  the 
other,  "  and  he  found  it,  too.  It  belonged  to  him  as 
much  as  to  Simon,  and,  what's  more,  the  secret 
belongs  to  me  and  not  to  you.  And  as  you  are  a 
card  player  and  a  'sportsman,'  Mr.  Alderly,  you'll 
understand  what  a  strong  card  that  is  in  my  favour." 

It  was  so  strong  a  card  that  Alderly  acknowledged 
to  himself  in  his  own  phraseology  that  "  he  was  beat." 
That  is,  he  was  "beat"  by  fair  means,  and,  being  a 
brute  and  a  savage  in  whose  nature  there  seemed  to 
run  all  the  worst  strains  of  his  ancestor,  Simon,  he 
soon  took  to  turning  over  in  his  mind  how  he  could 
win  by  means  that  were  foul. 

And  on  how  these  means  could  be  brought  about 
he  pondered  deeply,  roaming  round  the  island  as  he 
did  so,  Barbara's  gun  under  his  arm  with  which  to 
shoot,  now  and  again,  a  gull  or  some  other  ccpially 
harndess  or  useless  bird  ;  or  sitting  on  the  crags,  or 
the  beach  when  the  tide  was  out,  thinking  ever.  And 
what  he  thought  about  more  than  anything  else  was, 
"  How  could  he  obtain  possession  of  that  paper  which 
he  had  seen  in  Crafer's  hand  ? "  For  in  that  paper 
lay  the  secret,  he  felt  sure,  of  the  spot  to  which  the 
treasure,  his  treasure,  had  been  removed. 

It  may  be  told  here  that,  although  he  had  been 
outside  the  jalousie  on  the  night  of  the  storm  Avhich 
t2 


292  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

drove  him  lioiuo,  and  liis  fatlier  to  his  doom,  for 
longer  than  either  Barbara  or  Reginald  knew,  he  had 
gleaned  bnt  a  very  imperfect  knowledge  of  what  the 
latter  had  read  out.  Some  words  he  had  caught, 
such  as  "  when  you  have  taken  your  first  measure- 
ment from  the  spot  where  you  land,  you  stick  in  the 
ground  your  sword,  and  then  make,  or  persevere  until 
you  make,  all  your  other  strides  correspond  with  what 
I  have  wrote  down."  Yet  this  told  nothing.  He 
had  not  heard  nor  caught  the  mention  of  the  Keys, 
therefore  the  measurement  might  apply  to  any  of  the 
scores  of  little  islands  in  the  Virgin  Archipelago. 
Also  he  had  heard  Reginald  read  out  from  his  papers, 
"  now  here  is  a  little  map,  rough  as  befits  a  drawing 
made  by  me,  yet  just  and  true."  But  of  what  use  was 
this  map — unless  he  could  set  eyes  on  it !  Ah  !  that 
was  it.     If  he  could  set  eyes  on  it ! 

He  had  heard  other  sentences,  too;  a  portion  of  the 
conclusion  of  Nicholas  Crafer's  narrative,  but  they 
would  not  piece  together  into  one  explicit  whole. 
He  was,  indeed,  at  bay.  He  knew  the  treasure  had 
been  moved  somewhere,  and  he  knew  that,  in  the 
possession  of  this  fellow  who  was  now  in  that  gimcrack 
yacht  in  the  river,  was  a  description  of  where  the 
treasure  was,  as  well  as  a  map  showing  the  spot ;  but 
he  knew  no  more. 

And  as  ho  thought  it  all  over,  sitting  upon  a  crag, 
he  (j-round  his  large  white  teeth  and  beat  the  rock 
beneath  him  with  the  butt  of  Barbara's  gun  in  his 
rao'e.  But,  at  last,  it  seemed  that  he  had  made  up 
his  mind,  had  resolved  upon  his  plan;  for  with  a 
smothered  oath — the  use  of  which  expletives  he  was 


DANGER   IMPENDING,  293 

very  frequent   in — lie   sprang  to  his   feet,  while  he 
muttered  to  himself — 

"  One  half!  One  half!  Ho  !  Ho  !  No  !  Not  one 
half,  not  one  shilling,  not  one  red  cent." 

As  he  rose,  there  came  across  the  little  grassy 
plateau  behind  the  crag  his  sister,  Barbara.  For  a 
moment  she  paused  and  glanced  at  him,  and,  perhaps 
because  she  knew  him  so  well  and  had  studied  all  his 
evil  moods  from  infancy,  she  observed  something  in 
his  face  inore  evil,  more  threatening  than  usual. 
Then  she  said — ■ 

"  I  want  my  gun." 

"  What  for  ? " 

"  There  are  some  large  parrots  come  across  from 
Anegada.  You  said  you  wanted  some  for  your  sujDper 
Avhen  next  a  Hock  came.  See,  there  are  two  in  the 
gros-gros  down,  there.  Give  me  the  gun,"  and  taking 
it  from  his  hand,  she  cocked  it  and  aimed  at  the  two 
birds  in  the  palm-tree  half-way  down  the  cliff. 

"  What  is  the  use  ?  "  he  said  roughly.  "  They  will 
fall  into  the  sea  below  and  we  can  never  get  them,  it 
is  too  deep." 

But  ere  he  could  say  more  she  fired,  missing  her 
mark,  if,  indeed,  she  had  aimed  at  it.  Then  she 
uttered  an  exclamation  and  dropped  the  gun,  letting 
it  fall  a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  below  into  the 
deep  sea. 

"  You  fool ! "  he  said,  "  you  infernal  fool ! "  And  he 
looked  as  though  he  were  going  to  strike  her  for  her 
carelessness.  "  You  fool !  it  was  the  only  firearm  we 
had  in  the  island,  and  now  you  have  let  it  go  where 
we  can  never  get  it  back.     Barbara,  a  beating  would 


294  TJIK    JIISI'ANIOLA    PLATE. 

do  you  good.  I  have  a  niind  to  give  yi»ii  one  or  fling 
you  over  the  cUff  after  it." 

"It  kicked,"  she  said,  "and  hurt  me.  And,  after 
all,  it  doesn't  matter  nmch.  It  was  old  and  scarcely 
ever  shot  straight.     I  could  do  nothing"  with  it." 

*'  I  could,  though,"  he  replied,  still  scowling  at 
her,  "It  would  shoot  what  I  wanted.  That  was  good 
enough  for  me." 

And  Barbara,  as  she  looked  him  straight  in  the 
eyes,  said  inwardly  to  herself — 

"  I  know  it  would  shoot  what  you  wanted.  That 
is  why  it  will  never  shoot  again." 

He  changed  the  subject  after  grumbliuQ-  at  and 
abusing  her  for  some  time  longer,  and  said — 

"  Where's  that  follow  now,  that  admirer  of  yours  ? 
I  haven't  seen  him  to-day." 

"  I  saw  his  yacht  go  out  two  or  three  hours 
ago,"  she  said,  treating  the  remark  about  Reginald's 
admiration  with  intinite  contempt — as  of  late  she  had 
treated  most  of  his  speeches.  "  I  suppose  he  has  gone 
for  a  sail.  Or,  perhaps,  over  to  Tortola  or  Anegada  to 
buy  himself  some  food.  Since  you  will  not  show  him 
much  civility,  I  suppose  he  does  not  want  to  be 
beholden  to  you  for  even  so  much  as  a  mango  or  a 
shaddock." 

"  I've  a  mind  to  put  a  chain  across  the  river's 
jnoutli  and  stop  him  ever  coming  into  the  river  again." 
But  while  he  spoke  he  started  at  a  thought  that  came 
into  his  mind,  and  said — 

"  My  God !  Suppose  he  is  gone  to  the  island 
Avhere  he  knows  the  treasure  was  removed  to ! 
Suppose  that !     And  to  dig  it  up  and  be  ofi'  with  it. 


DANOEi;    IMPENDIXO.  295 

Barbara!"  he  almost  shrieked,  "  which  is  that  island 
— where  is  it  ? " 

"  Ort'er  him  the  fair  half  he  requires,"  she  said, 
"  and  find  out.     That's  the  best  thing  you  can  do." 

People  who  live  in  civilised  places  do  not  often  see 
a  man  with  the  temper  of  a  wild  beast  exhibit  that 
temper.  There  are  many  men  Avith  such  tempers, 
it  is  true,  in  the  most  enlightened  and  refined  sj^ots ; 
but  their  surroundinsfs  force  them  into  some  sort  of 
decency,  however  much  they  may  be  raging  in  weirdly. 
Here,  in  Coffin  Island,  civilisation  was,  if  not  non- 
existent, at  least  at  a  discount,  and  Joseph  Alderly, 
who  had  the  disposition  of  a  tiger  without  the  tiger's 
redeeming  quality — love  for  its  own  kind — gave  way 
at  Barbara's  last  remark  to  such  a  tempest  of  fury  as 
would  have  disgraced  that  animal.  He  rushed  at 
his  sister,  howling,  cursing  and  blaspheming,  with  the 
evident  intention  of  hurling  her  over  the  cliff,  which 
she — agile  as  a  deer — avoided,  so  that  had  he  not 
thrown  himself  down  violently,  he  nuist  have  gone 
over  instead  ;  and  then  he  gave  his  vile  infirmity  full 
swing.  Curses  on  her,  on  Crafer,  even  on  himself, 
poured  from  his  mouth ;  he  dug  his  heels  into  the 
earth  and  kicked  stones  and  pebbles  away  from  him 
as  though  they  were  living  creatures  Avhich  could 
feel  his  fury;  and  all  the  time  he  interlarded  his 
blasphemy  Avith  such  remarks  as,  "  It  is  mine,  uiine, 
mine.  I  will  have  it,  even  though  I  cut  his  throat. 
]\Iine  !  mine  !  mine  !  One  half — my  God  !  One 
half!" 

Thus  the  savage  exhibited  his  temper  without 
restraint ;  it  was  his  only  manner  of  doing  so.     Had 


29G  THE    UISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

he  been  an  Engiisli  gentleman,  he  would  probably 
have  had  just  the  same  temper,  only  it  would  have 
taken  a  different  shape.  He  would  have  browbeaten 
his  wife  or  female  kin,  have  bullied  his  servants,  and 
probably  kicked  his  dog.  And  then,  as  Alderly 
soon  did,  he  would  have  calmed  down,  feeling  much 
relieved  ! 

Barbara  waited  until  at  last  he  seemed  quieter — • 
regarding  him  with  scorn,  though  not  surprise,  since 
she  knew  his  disposition — when  she  said  : 

"  I  don't  think  you  understand  Mr.  Crafcr.  Like 
all  his  countrymen  he  can  be  very  firm,  I  imaofine, 
and  like  all  English  sailors " — and  there  was  a  per- 
ceptible accentuation  of  the  Avord  "  Enghsh  " — "  he 
seems  very  brave.     You  won't  frighten  him." 

He  still  muttered  and  mumbled  to  himself— 
though  it  seemed  to  her  he  was  meditating  something 
all  through  the  end  of  his  paroxysm — and  at  last  he 
said  : 

"  When  is  he  coming  back  ?  I  suppose  you 
know." 

"  How  should  I  know,  and  why  should  he  come 
back  ?  Your  welcome  has  not  been  very  warm,  and, 
as  you  say,  he  may  have  gone  to  the  other  island 
where  the  treasure  has  been  removed  to." 

Again  at  this,  to  him,  awful  suggestion,  it  seemed 
as  if  his  brutal  fury  was  going  to  break  out  once 
more,  but  this  time,  by  an  effort  that  was  no  doubt 
terrific,  he  calmed  himself  and  was  contented  to 
exclaim  : 

"  I  don't  believe  that !  If  he  came  to  fetch  it 
away,  why  didn't  he  do  so  before  now  ?     There  was 


DANGER  IMPENDING.  297 

no  one  to  interfere  with  him.  Vou  may  depend  it's 
ah  a  he — the  treasure's  here  in  my  island,  and  he 
hasn't  dug  it  up  because  he  couldn't.  He  was  afraid 
of  you  before  I  came  back." 

"  My  admirer — and  afraid  of  me  !  Well !  "  ex- 
claimed Barbara,  with  a  different  note  of  scorn  in  her 
voice  now. 

"  Or  he  was  pla^dng  at  being  your  admirer  to 
throw  dust  in  your  eyes  and  get  away  with  it  all 
somehow." 

Here  Barbara  shrugged  her  shoulders ;  but  even 
that  significant  gesture  was  allowed  to  pass  also  with- 
out an  explosion.  He  was  calming  himself,  taming 
himself,  she  saw  ])lainly,  and  she  guessed  at  once  that 
he  had  a  reason  for  what  he  did.  What  was  that 
reason  ?     She  resolved  to  know. 

"  I  suppose  I  must  yield,"  he  said,  with  a  strange 
look  in  his  eyes.  "  Barbara,  Ave  must  give  in.  You 
go  and  see  him  and  tell  him  I'll  go  halves.  Though 
it's  a  cruel  shame,  a  wicked  shame." 

"  Is  it  ?  I  don't  think  so.  He  came  all  the  Avay 
from  England  to  get  it  all  for  himself,  and  it  was 
only  when  he  found  that  there  were  descendants  of 
Simon  on  the  island  that  he  resolved  to  give  it— to 
share  it !  "  she  corrected  herself 

"  Well,  we  must  do  it.  liJut  to  think  of  his  taking 
half  away  !     When  will  he  come  back  ? " 

"  I  tell  you  I  don't  know." 

Her  brother  again  plunged  into  meditation.  Then 
he  said : 

"  You  go  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  and  watch 
till  he  comes  in.     You  can  talk  to  him  better  than  I 


298  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

can — you're  what  they  call  a  lady,  I  suppose.  At  any 
rate,  you're  edycated.  Then  tell  him  wh;it  I  sa}^ — 
that  I'll  give  in  and  go  shares — that  is,  if  yoii  can't 
wheedle  him  into  takinsj  less.  You're  a  fine-looldng 
girl,  Barbara,  as  good  a  looking  girl  as  ever  I've  seen 
in  Jamaica  or  Darien,  or  even  up  to  New  York  ;  if 
you  played  your  cards  right  we  could  get  the  lot 
out  of  him." 

The  girl  shrank  away  from  him  with  such  a  look 
of  disgust — for  the  odious  leer  upon  his  face  told  her 
quite  as  plainly  as  his  words  did,  if  not  more  so,  what 
he  meant — that  he  refrained  from  continuing.  AVhat- 
ever  plot  he  was  maturing — and  he  was  maturing  a 
deep-laid  one — he  saw  that  this  was  not  the  way  to 
work  it.     Therefore  he  continued  his  instructions. 

"  Go  down  and  meet  him  when  he  comes  in.  It 
Avill  be  to-night  when  the  tide  sets  here  from  Tortola. 
Then  come  home  and  tell  me.  And  to-morrow — "  he 
said  the  word  "  to-morrow  "  slowly,  and  with  a  sound 
in  his  voice  that  roused  her — "  to-morrow,  if  he's 
willing,  we'll  get  to  work.     Now  g'O." 

She  turned  on  her  heel  without  a  word  beyond 
saying  "  Very  well,"  and  in  a  moment  she  was  gone, 
her  lithe  form  disappearing  instantly  amongst  the 
bamboos  and  Spanish  bayonets,  the  poinsettias  and 
begonias,  that  grew  up  close  to  the  plateau.  And 
beyond  the  chattering  of  the  aroused  vert-verf.s  and 
QiCest-ce  (jiril  dit's,  there  was  nothing  to  show  that 
she  had  set  out  upon  her  errand. 

He,  the  savage  owner  of  that  beautiful  island,  sat 
exactly  where  he  had  been  sitting  so  long,  still 
muttering  to  himself,   laughing   once   or   twice,  and 


DANGER   IMPENDING.  299 

repeating  over  and  over  again  the  words,  "  To-morrow, 
to-morrow."  And  as  he  did  so,  a  pleasing  vision 
came  before  his  eyes,  and  only  once  it  was  marred — 
by  what  seemed  to  be  a  great  wave  of  blood  passing 
before  them.  Otherwise,  it  showed  him  all  that  could 
gladden  such  a  heart  as  his.  A  southern  gambling- 
hell  Avith  the  tables  piled  with  gold,  all  of  Avhich  he 
Avas  winning  for  himself  by  the  aid  of  the  vast  capital 
he  possessed.  A  gambling-hell  with  the  lights  turned 
down  low  for  coolness,  and  with  iced  drinks  being 
passed  about  to  all  therein  ;  a  place  through  which 
the  sound  of  soft  nuisic  was  borne,  in  which  fair- 
haired  women  caressed  him,  and  made  much  of  him. 
Then,  next,  he  saw  a  verdant  hill  above  a  summer 
sea,  a  villa  with  marble  steps  and  corridors ;  outside, 
the  splashing  of  fountains  amidst  the  palms  around 
them.  And  still  the  c-'olden-haired  women  were  ever 
present,  contending  with  each  other  for  his  favours — 
his,  the  wealthiest  man  in  those  tropic  regions ! 

That  was  the  vision  he  sfvw,  before  rising  and 
going  slowly  down  the  path  that  led  to  the  beach 
where  his  patched-up  cutter  was  moored. 


300 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

BEWARE  ! 

The  girl  Avent  on  her  mission  willingly  enougli — 
indeed,  had  her  brother  not  ordered  her  to  go  and 
watch  for  the  retnrn  of  Reginald,  she  had  quite 
determined  in  her  own  mind  some  time  before  to 
seek  him  out,  and  to  wait  for  his  coming  back. 

For  she,  who  had  observed  Joseph  carefully  all  her 
lifetime,  could  read  his  nature  as  easily  as  a  book ; 
she  knew  what  those  tempests  of  fury,  followed  by  an 
enforced  self-subduing,  meant.  Above  all,  she  knew 
what  the  sudden  determination  on  his  part  to  share 
the  treasure — or  the  appearance  of  sudden  determin- 
ation— meant  also.  It  meant  either  trickery,  or 
violence,  or  murder.     Most  probably  the  latter ! 

His  greed  for  money  to  squander  on  himself  had 
always  been  great,  even  from  boyhood.  In  those  days, 
and  before  he  could  earn  anything  for  himself,  he 
would  rob  his  father  of  small  sums,  pilfering  them 
from  his  pocket  when  he  slept,  or  from  places  whero 
he  kept  his  earnings ;  later  on,  if  a  goat  or  a  sheep 
were  tnken  by  him  to  Tortola  and  sold,  there  would  be 
always  some  dispute  about  the  price  obtained,  always 
something  missing.  And  when  he  was  a  man  the 
scenes  between  him  and  his  father,  the  tights  and  the 
ill-treatment  to  which  old  Aldcrly  was  subjected, 
Avere  sufficient  to  make  him  stand  forth  in  very 
distinct  characters. 


BEWARE  !  301 

Therefore,  she  knew  that  he  intended  something 
now  against  Reginald  Crafer — she  felt  perfectly  sure 
that  never  Avould  her  brother  allow  the  latter  to 
become  possessed  of  one-half  of  whatever  buried 
treasure  there  niisfht  be.  What  his  exact  intentions 
were  she  could  not,  of  course,  make  sure.  It  might 
be  that  he  meant  to  watch  him,  until,  in  some  way, 
the  spot  where  the  treasure  was  should  be  revealed, 
Avhen,  by  some  trickery,  Joseph  Avould  manage  to 
secure  it  all ;  it  might  be  that  he  had  resolved  to  do 
the  worst  and  slay  him.  For,  if  he  could  do  that,  then 
he  would  become  possessed  of  the  papers  which  told 
where  the  treasure  was,  and,  since  he  was  able  to  read 
enough,  she  thought,  to  decipher  even  the  crabbed, 
indistinct  characters  in  the  writing,  as  she  had  seen 
them  to  be,  to  thus  possess  himself  of  all.  And  she 
knew,  too,  that  whatever  Joseph  did  Avould  be  done 
by  stealth  and  craft — the  only  way  in  which  he  ever 
worked  when  not  consumed  by  his  passion — and, 
therefore,  he  was  doubly  to  be  suspected  and  guarded 
against. 

All  through  the  Avarm  tropical  afternoon  she 
sat  on  by  the  bank  of  the  river ;  it  was  the  very 
spot,  as  she  knew,  or  thought  she  knew,  where  two 
centuries  ago  Simon  Alderly  had  slain  the  diver — 
thinking  always,  and  taking  no  heed  of  all  the  multitu- 
dinous animal  life  around  her.  The  hummino--birds 
hovered  in  front  of  her,  bright  specks  of  gorgeous 
colour  ;  the  butterflies,  representing  in  their  brilliant 
bodies  ever}^  known  hue,  flitted  backwards  and 
forwards  ;  sometimes  a  monkey  peered  at  her  with 
wide-open  eyes  from  moriche  and  bamboo,  and  insects 


802  THE    IIISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

of  numerous  vtiiieties  crept  about  tlio  bush-ropes  and 
the  fan-pahus,  while  all  around  her  was  the  waruith 
and  perfume  of  the  tropics. 

Yet  she  heeded  none  of  these  things.  They  were 
the  accompaniments  of  the  whole  of  her  young  exist- 
ence, and— even  had  they  not  been — she  woidd  not 
now  have  noticed  them.  Her  thoughts  were  intent 
on  the  saving  of  a  human  life — a  life  she  had  come 
to  love,  the  life  of  the  handsome  Englishman  who 
had  journeyed  from  far-off  England  to  her  lonely, 
desolate  home. 

Presently  she  knew  that  night  was  at  hand,  that  it 
Avas  coming  swiftly.  The  atmosphere  was  all  suffused 
by  a  rich  saffron  hue,  into  which  the  crimson  tints  of 
the  sun  and  the  blue  of  the  heavens  were  being 
absorbed  ;  the  sun  itself  was  sinking  over  the  mount 
behind  her ;  even  the  air  was  cooling  and  becoming 
fresher. 

"  If  he  would  only  come,"  she  whispered  to  herself ; 
"  if  he  would  only  come  before  night  falls." 

And  then  she  resolved  to  go  to  the  mouth  of  tlic 
river  and  look  for  him.  To  do  so  meant  that  she 
must  force  her  way  through  a  hundred  yards  of  under- 
growth of  cacti  and  all  kinds  of  clinging  creepers  ;  yet 
she  was  so  anxious  to  see  him  and  to  warn  him  of  the 
danger  in  which,  she  felt  sure,  he  would  stand  on  his 
return,  that  she  did  not  hesitate  a  moment.  There- 
fore she  plunged  bodily  in  amongst  the  luxuriant 
vegetation,  and,  after  a  considerable  amount  of 
struggling  and  a  numerous  quantity  of  scratches 
received,  stood  at  last  upon  the  beach,  gazing  almost 
south  towards  Tortola. 


BEWARE  I  303 

And  soon  she  stnv  that  he  was  corning-  back^ — as 
she  had  never  donbted  he  would  come :  he  had  not 
parted  from  her  iu  a  manner  that  meant  a  last  fare- 
well ! — he  was  very  near  the  island  now,  not  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  away. 

Presently  he,  too,  saw  her  standing  there  regard- 
ing him,  and,  as  he  did  so,  took  his  handkerchief  from 
his  pocket  and  waved  it  to  her.  And  live  minutes 
later  the  Fompeia  passed  in  between  the  river  banks, 
so  that  they  could  speak  to  each  other. 

'•  Why  !  how  did  you  get  through  the  undergrowth, 
Barbara  ? "  he  asked,  astonished  to  see  her  on  the 
beach,  which,  from  the  landing  path,  was  almost  in- 
accessible. 

"  I  wanted  to  see  if  you  were  coming  back,"  she 
answered,  "  and  so  forced  my  way." 

"  Wait  till  I  have  anchored  opposite  the  path,"  he 
said,  "  and  I  will  come  back  with  the  dinghy  and 
bring  you  oft'."  And  so  he  passed  on  to  the  usual 
place  where  he  moored  the  yacht — simply  because  the 
path  from  the  hut  to  the  river  came  down  opposite — 
and  then,  anchoring,  he  got  into  the  dinghy  and  went 
to  fetch  her. 

"  Shall  I  put  you  ashore,"  he  asked,  "  or  will  you 
come  on  board  ? " 

"  On  board,"  she  said ;  "  we  can  talk  bettor  there. 
Ashore  there  may  be  ears  hidden  behind  any  palm  or 
under  any  bush.     Take  me  on  board." 

He  looked  at  her  with  one  swift  glance,  wonderino- 
what  could  have  happened  now,  but  he  said  nothing; 
and  after  a  few  strokes  the}'  stood  on  the  deck  of  his 
little  craft.     Then  he  brought  her  a  tiny  deck-chair 


304  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

and  bade  her  be  seated,  while  he  leaned  against  the 
gunwale  by  her  side. 

"  What  is  it,  Barbara  ? "  he  asked,  looking  down 
at  her.     "  What  is  it  now  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know,"  she  said,  speaking  very  low  and 
casting  glances  over  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  as 
thouofh  doubting;'  whether  that  other  one  niisfht  not  be 
hidden  somewhere  beneath  the  thick  foliage  of  the 
shore.     "  Yet,  Mr.  Crafer,  I  fear." 

"  For  what  ? " 

"For  you.  He  is  meditating  something.  I  am 
sure  of  it.  He  has  bidden  me  come  to  you  and  say 
that,  to-morrow,  he  will  agree  to  share  the  treasure 
with  you  if  you  will  show  him  where  it  is.  No,"  she 
went  on,  seeing  a  smile  appear  upon  Reginald's  face, 
"  no,  it  is  not  so  simple  an  ending  as  you  think, 
I  am  certain — I  feel  positively  sure  from  what  I 
know  of  him — that  he  means  to  do  nothing  of 
the  kind." 

"  Then  why  the  suggestion  ? "  he  asked.  "  What 
is  the  use  of  it  ?  " 

"  To  gain  time,  to  have  the  night  in  which  to  think 
over  and  work  out  some  scheme.  Perhaps,"  she  said, 
leaning  a  little  forward  to  him  in  her  earnestness,  so 
that,  even  in  the  now  swift-coming  darkness,  he  could 
see  her  large  starry  eyes  quite  clearly,  "  to  have  the 
night  in  which  to  attempt  some  injury  to  you.  Oh ! 
Mr.  Crafer,  for  God's  sake  be  on  your  guard.  You  do 
not  know  him  as  I  do." 

"  Have  no  fear,"  he  said,  touching  her  hand  gently, 
as  though  in  thanks  for  her  warning,  "  have  no  fear. 
Yet  I  will  be  careful.     But  what  can  he  do  to-night, 


BEWARE !  305 

even  if  he  wished  to  do  hariu  ?     I  am  as  safe  here  in 
this  httle  3'acht  as  in  a  castle." 

"  You  do  not  know.  With  him  one  can  never 
tell  what  he  is-  thinking  of  doing — what  his  designs 
are.  His  life  has  been  terribly  rough,  and  he  has 
lived  among  lawless  people  and  in  lawless  places. 
And  his  desire  for  wealth  is  such  that,  knowing  your 
life  is  the  only  thing  that  stands  between  him  and  a 
great  sum  of  money,  as  he  believes,  he  would  liesitate 
at  nothing.     No  !     Not  even  at  taking  that  life." 

Then  she  told  him  of  the  incident  of  the  oun, 
and  how  she  had  let  it  fall  into  the  sea  so  as  to  put 
it — the  only  firearm  in  the  place — out  of  harm's  way. 
He  thanked  her  again  for  this  precaution  for  his 
safety,  and  then  she  said  that  she  must  go.  It  was 
dark  now,  and  doubtless  her  brother  would  be  waitincf 
for  Reginald's  answer,  since  she  thought  it  very 
j)robable  that  he  was  quite  as  well  aware  that  the 
Pompeia  was  once  again  anchored  in  the  river  as 
she  was  herself". 

"Heaven  bless  you,  Barbara,  for  your  kindly, 
generous  nature,  and,  above  all,  for  your  thought  for 
me,"  Reginald  exclaimed.  "  That  I  shall  remember 
it  always  you  cannot  doubt.  And  be  sure  I  will  be 
very  careful,  even  here,  aboard.  Though  I  do  not 
see  what  he  can  do.  Our  old  friend,  Simon,  would 
have  attacked  Nicholas  openly  if  the  circumstances 
had  been  similar,  and  they  would  have  fought  it  out 
to  the  grim  death.  Your  brother  can't  do  that,  and 
— short  of  an  open  fight  in  the  river — -he  can  do 
nothing.  Therefore,  Barbara,  have  no  fear  for  me. 
And  I  am  armed,  too.  See ! "  and  with  a  smile  he 
u 


306  THE    HLSPANIOLA    PLATE. 

showed  her  a  neat  little  revolver — one  of  Webley's  New 
Express — a  powerful  weapon,  though  light  and  handy. 

"  God  grant  it  may  not  come  to  that ! "  she 
answered,  with  a  shudder.  "  Bad  as  he  is,  it  would 
break  my  heart  if  he  should  die  at  your  hands." 

"  It  shall  not  come  to  that,"  Reginald  replied.  "  I 
only  showed  it  to  you  to  ease  your  mind.  And  you 
may  be  sure  that  since  he  has  no  firearms  I  would 
not  use  one  on  him." 

Then,  as  he  put  her  ashore  in  the  dinghy  he  said 
that,  of  course,  she  would  tell  her  brother  that  he 
was  willing  to  come  to  terms.  "  That  is,"  he  explained, 
"  to  go  halves.  Which  halves  mean  that  I  am 
looking  after  your  interests,  you  know,  and " 

"  Fray,  pray,"  she  interposed,  "  do  not  let  us  even 
think  of  such  things  now.  If  I  have  misjudged  him, 
as  I  hope  most  earnestly  I  have,  then  there  will  be 
time  to  talk  about  shares  and  so  forth.     If  I  have 

read  him  aright "  but  here  she  broke  oft'  with  a 

little  shiver,  and,  holding  out  her  hand  to  him  as 
they  stood  on  the  river's  brink,  wished  him  "  Good- 
night." 

"  Good-night !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Good-night ! 
Why,  surely,  I  may  accompany  you  part  of  the  way 
at  least  ?  I  always  do  so  when  we  are  any  distance 
from  your  home." 

"  No,"  she  answered,  "  no.  Go  back  at  once  to 
your  yacht.  At  once,  I  say,  and  get  on  board  her. 
Uh !  if  you  did  but  know  the  terror  I  am  in  for 
your  safety." 

"  Barbara  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Barbara  !  Why  !  it 
is  a  dream,  a  fantasy " 


Ceware!  o07 

"No,"  she  said,  "no.  It  is  no  dream,  no  fantasy. 
For  my  sake,  for  my  sake,  1  beseech  3-011 — p^o  back 
and  make  yourself  secure.  Believe  me,  I  know 
him ! "  and  she  turned  as  though  to  run  up  the 
slio-ht  ascent. 

"  For  your  sake,  then,  I  will,"  he  said.  "  For  your 
sake.  We  Avill  meet  to-morrow.  Good-night,  Bar- 
bara." Then  he  suddenly  asked,  anxiously — "  But 
you — there  is  no  danger  to  you  ? " 

"  No !  no !  Good-night,"  she  said,  "  God  keep 
you.  Oh !  this  dread  is  terrible,"  and  then,  giving 
him  a  sign  to  go  without  further  loss  of  time,  she- 
sped  up  the  path. 

He  did  not  share  at  all  in  Barbara's  dread  of  her 
brother,  perhaps  because  he  was  a  man,  and,  perhaps, 
also,  because  he  had  not  been  used  to  witnessing 
years  of  violence  on  that  brother's  part ;  indeed,  he 
believed  her  terrors  to  be  purely  feminine — the  terrors 
that  many  Avomen  feel  in  all  parts  of  the  world  ibr 
that  Avorst  of  despots,  the  domestic  tyrant.  But  being 
neither  vain  nor  conceited,  he  did  not  for  one  moment 
associate  those  terrors  Avith  any  regard  she  had 
allowed  herself  to  conceive  for  him,  nor,  thereby,  mp.ke 
allowances  for  them  in  that  Avay.  Indeed,  he  had 
very  little  idea  that  she  regarded  him  as  anything 
more  than  a  stranger,  Avho,  by  the  peculiar  knowledge 
he  possessed  of  the  buried  Avcalth,  Avas  far  more  inter- 
esting than  the  fcAV  tourists  Avere  Avho  sometimes 
visited  Coffin  Island.  Yet  he  forgot  she  alloAved  him 
to  call  her  Barbara,  Avhile  ahvaj's  herself  addressing 
him  Avith  formality. 

He  was  not,  however,  so  foolhardy  as  to  neglect  a 
u  2 


308  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

caution  given  him  by  one  who  was  not  only  inter- 
ested in  him  but,  also,  thoroughly  well  acquainted 
with  the  scheming  and  violently  dangerous  nature  of 
Joseph  Alderly.  He  therefore,  on  regaining  the 
deck  of  the  Ponvpeia,  took  such  precautions  as  were 
possible.  He  drew  up  the  little  dinghy  from  the 
water  and  placed  it  on  the  deck  parallel  with  the 
port  side,  and,  when  he  entered  his  cabin,  he  Avas 
careful  to  leave  the  door  open  so  that  any  outside 
sounds  from  either  the  river  or  the  banks  would  be 
plainly  heard. 

Then — since  there  was  no  more  to  be  done — he 
went  into  the  cabin  and,  mixing  himself  some  whisky 
and  water,  prepared  to  watch  as  long  as  he  could 
keep  his  eyes  open,  making  one  sacrifice  to  the 
supposed  necessity  for  a  caution  in  so  far  that  he 
decided  not  to  lie  down  during  the  night. 

"  There  is  nothing  else  to  do,"  he  reflected;  "hardly 
any  danger  to  ward  off.  He  can't  make  such  an 
attack  on  me  as  I  suggested  his  ancestor,  Simon, 
Avould  very  likely  have  done,  and  there  is  no  other 
way  possible,  for  he  cannot  get  on  board  without 
my  knowing  it,  and,  if  he  could,  I  am  as  good  a 
man  as  he  ! " 

Yet  still  he  determined  to  watch  carefully  until 
at  least  the  dawn  had  come ;  for  then  would  be 
sufficient  time  to  begin  considering  how  he  should 
meet  Alderly  and  arrange  for  digging  up  the  buried 
treasure. 


309 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

"AND   DEATH   THE   END   OF   ALL." 

It  was  a  particularly  dark  night  and  all  was  very- 
calm.  The  moon  did  not  top  the  eastern  bank  of  the 
river  until  long  past  midnight,  and  the  stars  gave  but 
little  light.  Also,  the  silence  was  extreme.  Some- 
times, it  is  true,  he  could  hear  the  rustling  of  birds 
and  small  animals  in  the  luxuriant  vegetation  on  either 
bank,  or  catch  the  whisper  of  the  soft  night  breezes 
among  the  gros-gros,  the  moriches,  and  the  great 
leaves  of  the  green  bananas  :  but  that  was  all.  And 
sparkling  all  around  him,  as  they  whirled  in  their 
evolutions,  Avere  the  myriads  of  fireflies  that  make 
every  tropical  acre  of  ground  look  like  an  illuminated 
garden  ;  but,  beyond  these  and  the  dim  stars  above  the 
opening  between  the  two  banks,  there  was  nothing 
else  to  be  seen.  Even  the  great  trunks  of  the  trees 
were  shrouded  in  gloom,  and  seemed  nothing  but 
dense  patches  on  the  sombre  background. 

Reginald  sat  on  in  his  cabin,  his  pipe  in  his  mouth, 
his  tumbler  by  his  side,  the  portholes  and  the  door 
open  for  coolness  and  also  for  precaution's  sake.  And 
on  the  table  upon  which  he  leant  his  elbows  there  lay 
the  revolver.  He  had  promised,  voluntarily  promised 
Barbara,  he  would  not  use  the  weapon  upon  her 
brother,  who  had  none ;  yet  he  did  not  know  but  that, 
should   a  crisis   come,   he    might   have   occasion  to 


310  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

do  SO.  If  Alderly  were  the  scheming  scoundrel  the 
unhappy  g'irl  beheved  him  to  be,  then  it  Avas  by  no 
means  iinUkely  that  he,  too,  might  possess,  secretly, 
A  similar  pistol  which  he  had  carefully  kept  her  in 
ignorance  of.  Or,  since  he  was  so  big  and  powerful,  if 
by  any  chance  he  could  board  the  Pompeia — as  he 
might  do  b}^  swimming  from  one  of  the  banks — it 
might  come  to  a  hand-to-hand  fight,  in  Avhich  Alderl}^ 
would  possibly  be  armed  with  other  weapons,  and 
thereby  force  Reginald  to  use  his  own.  But  he  was 
resolved  there  should  be  no  use  of  it  unless  absolutely 
necessary. 

"How quiet  it  all  is,"  he  meditated, as  he  sat  there, 
"  how  undisturbed.  Surely  Barbara  had  no  need  foi 
fear  on  my  account !  Why,  Nicholas  could  hardly 
have  been  more  secure  when  he  had  the  island  all  to 
himself  after  Simon  Alclerly's  death,  than  I  am  now." 

And  this  thought  set  his  mind  off  into  another 
train,  a  reflection  of  the  similarity  there  was  between 
him  and  his  kinsman,  and  between  their  actions  in 
this  spot — in  spite  of  two  hundred  years  having  rolled 
away. 

"  Nicholas  had  his  galliot  anchored  here,"  he 
thought  ;  "  perhaps  in  the  very  spot  where  I  am  now. 
He,  too,  used  the  path  up  to  the  hut — not  far  away 

from  here  the  Snow  was  sunk — and — and — and " 

He  gave  a  start  and  shook  himself  He  had  nearly 
fallen  asleep !  He  was  very  tired,  for  the  da}^  had 
been  a  long  one,  wliat  Avith  sailing  back  from  Tortola 
—to  which  he  had  gone,  as  Barbara  surmised,  to  pur- 
chase provisions — and  his  having  been  now  awake 
and   on   the   stretch  for  more  than  eighteen  hours. 


"AND   DEATH   THE    END   OF   ALL."  311 

Therefore,  to  try  and  arouse  himself,  he  went  on  to 
the  deck  of  the  Fompeia,  and  inhaled  the  fresh  night 
air  as  he  peered  all  around.  But  there  was  nothing  to 
be  seen,  nothing.  Nor,  had  there  been  anything  out  of 
the  ordinary,  could  he  have  seen  it.  The  darkness 
was  intense. 

He  sat  down  asfain  on  the  locker  which  ran 
round  the  cabin  and  formed  a  seat,  sitting  bolt  upright 
this  time  to  prevent  sleep  coming  upon  him,  though 
all  the  while  he  kept  telling  himself  that  such  pre- 
caution was  unnecessary.  Alderly  was  safe  asleep  in 
his  own  house,  he  felt  sure,  or  was  sitting  up  drinking 
and  carousing  by  himself,  as,  so  Barbara  told  him, 
Avas  always  his  habit.  He  would  sit  and  drink,  she 
had  said,  and  smoke,  and  as  often  as  not  play  a  game 
of  cards  by  himself  with  an  imaginary  opponent,  and 
efo  on  doino-  so  far  into  the  nio-ht.  Then,  when  at  last 
he  was  exhausted  and  could  drink  no  more,  he  would 
roll  off  his  chair  on  to  the  floor,  and  so  lie  there  and 
sleep  off'  his  nightly  debauch.  He  was  doubtless 
doing  that  now. 

As  Reginald  pondered  thus,  he  again  let  his  elbows 
rest  on  the  table  and  put  his  head  in  his  hands. 

"  The  air  is  so  hot ! "  he  murmured,  unloosing  his 
flannel  shirt-collar  as  he  did  so,  "  so  hot !  And — there 
— is — no — danger.  Yet  I  promised  her,"  again  rousing 
himself,  "  yet — yet — Alderly  stabbed  the  diver — if  he 
had  had  a  revolver — in  the  casket — Barbara " 

He  was  asleep.  Asleep  peacefully,  though  wearily, 
worn  out  with  his  long  day ;  and  presently  there  was 
no  noise  in  all  the  tranquil  night  but  the  sound  of  his 
regular  breathing,  and  the  ripple  of  the  little  river 


312  THE    HISPANIOLA    J'LATE. 

against  the  bows  of  the  Pomimia,  as  it  fiowcd  down  to 
the  sea. 

Yet  once  he  stalled  from  his  shnnbers,  heavino;  in 
thoiri,  as  he  thought,  a  distant  shriek,  and  hastily 
went  on  deck,  wondering  if  aught  could  have  befallen 
the  girl  up  at  the  hut,  but  only  to  find  that  it  was 
some  nioht  bird  that  had  alarmed  hiui.  For  in  the 
woods,  away  up  towards  where  the  Alderlys  dwelt,  he 
could  hear  the  macaws  chatterini? — the  birds  which 
occasionally  passed  from  one  island  to  another — and 
an  owl  hooting. 

"  It  is  nothing,"  he  said  Avearily,  "  nothing.  My 
nerves  are  overstrung — I  have  heard  such  sounds 
often  at  nisrht  since  I  have  been  here.  It  is  nothino-. 
They  are  fast  asleep  enough  up  there.  And — and — 
I  need  watch  no  longer," 

So,  utterly  overcome  now  by  the  desire  for  slum- 
ber that  had  seized  upon  him.  and  not  more  than  half 
awakened  even  by  the  visit  to  the  deck,  he  stretched 
liimself  out  at  full  length  on  the  locker  to  q-qI  an  hour 
or  so  of  rest.  Yet  he  was  careful  to  place  the  revolver 
near  to  his  hand. 

It  wanted  still  an  hour  to  the  time  when  the  moon 
would  be  above  the  fronds  of  the  tallest  palms  on  the 
eastern  bank — a  time  at  which  even  all  the  insect  life 
of  the  island  seemed  at  last  to  be  hushed  to  rest — 
Avhen,  to  the  ripple  of  the  river  and  its  soft  lap  against 
the  yacht's  forefoot,  was  added  another  sound — the 
sound,  subdued,  it  is  true,  yet  still  one  that  would 
have  been  perceptible  to  anyone  who  was  awake  in 
that  )\acht — of  something  disturbing,  something  pass- 
ing through  the  waters  ;  but,  had  the  sleeper  awakened 


"AND   DEATH   THE   END   OF   ALL."  -SIB 

to  hear  it,  lie  could  have  seen  nothing-.     All  was  still 
too  dark,  too  profound. 

But  he  himself  was  seen— seen  by  a  pair  of  gleam- 
ing eyes  staring  at  him  through  the  cabin  window, 
the  blinds  of  which  had  not  been  drawn,  nor  the 
latchwork  closed  ;  a  pair  of  eyes  that  glistened  from 
out  a  face  over  which  the  hair,  all  dank  and  matted 
with  water,  curled  in  masses.  The  face  of  Joseph 
Alderly ! 

Presently  an  arm  came  through  the  cabin  window, 
an  arm  long,  bare,  and  muscular,  the  hand  stretched 
to  its  fullest  length,  the  lingers  sinuous  as  all  powerful 
fingers  are,  and  striving  to  reach  the  pistol  on  the  table, 
across  the  body  of  the  sleeping  man.  Yet  soon  they 
desisted  ;  they  were  half  a  foot  off  where  the  Aveapon 
lay ;  any  eiibrt  to  project  more  of  that  arm  into  the 
cabin  would  almost  certainly  aAvake  the  sleeper.  So 
arm  and  hand  were  withdrawn,  and  again  the  evil 
face  of  Alderly  gazed  down  upon  Reginald  Crafer. 
Once,  too,  the  hand  that  had  failed  in  its  endeavour 
sought  its  owner's  breast  pocket,  and  drew  forth  a 
long  glittering  knife;  once  through  the  open  window  it 
raised  that  knife  over  the  other's  throat — all  open  and 
bare  as  it  Avas  ! — and  then  the  hand  Avas  drawn  back, 
the  face  and  arm  were  AvithdraAvn  ;  the  villain  had 
disappeared. 

And  still  Reginald  slept  on,  unknoAving  hoAA'  near  to 
death  he  had  been,  how  near  to  having  the  shining 
Aveapon  driven  through  his  throat.  Slept  on  and 
heard  nothing.  Slept  on  Avhile  the  lamp  hanging  in 
the  cabin  burnt  itself  out— he  had  not  fed  and  trinnned 
it  over-night — and  until,  above,  through  the  fan-like 


314  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

leaves  of  palm,  bamboo,  and  cyclanthiis,  there  stole  a 
ray  of  moonlight  that  shone  down  directly  on  tlio 
sleeping  man's  features. 

Half  an  hour  later  he  began  to  turn  restlessly,  to 
mutter  to  himself — perhaps  it  was  the  flooding  of  the 
rays  of  the  now  fully  uprisen  mor)n  upon  his.  face  that 
was  awaking  him — and,  gradually,  to  return  to  the 
knowledge  of  where  he  was.  Yet  still  he  could  not 
for  a  moment  understand  matters — the  lamp  v.'as 
burning  brightly  when  he  went  to  sleep,  and  all  was 
dark  as  pitch  outside ;  now  the  cabin  was  illuminated 
by  the  moon,  and  all  outside  was  light.  Then  he 
recognised  he  had  been  asleep,  and  also  that  he  was 
in  his  yacht. 

He  turned  round  to  get  up  and  go  on  deck  to 
see  if  day  was  breaking,  and,  as  he  did  so  and  put  his 
feet  to  the  cabin  floor,  he  started.  It  was  covered 
with  water — ivater  a  foot  deep — half  up  to  his  knees. 
Looking  down,  he  perceived  it  shining  in  the  rays  of 
the  moon  as  a  large  body  of  water  always  shines 
beneath  those  ravs. 

"  Heavens  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  she  is  fillino-  sinking- ! 
She  will  not  float  another  ten  minutes ;  the  Avatcr  is 
almost  flush  with  her  deck  already."  And  he  rushed 
to  the  cabin  door. 

He  had  left  that  door  open  ere  he  slept,  he  felt 
positive.     Now  it  was  shut. 

"  She  has  listed  a  bit,  perhaps,"  was  the  first 
thought  that  came  to  his  mind.  Yet  in  another 
moment  that  idea  was  dispelled.  The  Fompeia  was 
sinking  on  as  even  a  keel  as  did  ever  any  water-logged 
boat ;  there  was  no  list  in  her.     Then,  almost  feelinsr 


"AND   DEATH    THE   END   OF   ALL."  315 

sure  o    what  he  would  discover  a  niouicnt  later,  ho 
tried  to  open  the  door. . 

It  was  fast. 

"  I  knew  it,"  he  muttered  through  his  teeth,  as  he 
shook  and  banned  at  the  door — there  was  no  time  to 
be  wasted  ;  even  now  the  water  was  on  a  level  with 
the  top  of  the  locker  on  which  he  had  lately  slept ;  a 
few  more  minutes  and  the  yacht  must  sink — "  I  knew 
it.  It  is  the  whole  history  over  again.  Phips  was 
locked  in  his  cabin — danni  the  door  and  he  who  closed 
it ! — and  I  am  locked  in  here  to  sink  with  the  boat 
and  be  drowned  like  a  rat.  There's  no  chance — a 
child  could  scarcely  escape  through  those  windows  ! 
Oh !  Joseph  Alderly,  if  I  ever " 

He  stopped.  Across  the  stream,  from  down  by  the 
mouth  of  it,  there  came  the  most  awful,  blood-curdling- 
cry  he  had  ever  heard,  the  death  cry  of  one  who  knew 
he  was  uttering  his  last  shriek,  knew  that  his  doom 
was  fixed.  A  horrid  shriek,  followed  by  the  words, 
"  Help  !  help  ■ " — and  then  silence — dense  as  before. 

"  Ay  !  call  for  help,"  muttered  Keginalcl.  "  Who- 
ever you  are,  you  do  not  want  it  more  than  I.  Another 
five  minutes  and  the  end  will  have  come." 

He  looked  round  the  cabin  in  hope  of  some  means 
of  escape  presenting  themselves,  and  his  eyes  lighted 
on  the  revolver.  Then  he  knew  that,  if  he  Avere  but 
accorded  time,  only  a  few  moments,  he  might  get  free. 
But  more  than  two  or  three  such  moments  would  not 
be  his ;  the  water  was  nearly  to  his  waist  now.  Once, 
twice,  thrice,  the  report  of  the  pistol  rang  out  from 
that  doomed  yacht,  each  shot  shattering  the  lock  and 
panels ;  and  then  one  sturdy  push  was  sufficient  to 


316  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

force  the  door  open  against  the  water,  and  for  him  to 
be  standino-  half  in  the  river,  half  out ;  and  at  that 
instant  he  felt  a  heaving  beneath  his  feet,  he  felt  he 
was  sinking  to  his  shoulders,  that  he  was  swimming 
with  nothing  beneath  him  any  longer.  The  yacht 
was  gone  ;  he  had  not  been  a  minute  too  soon  ! 

The  current  was  strong — the  river  being  swollen 
with  the  recent  rains — and  it  bore  him  downwards  to 
the  mouth,  he  not  struofo-Unsr  aci^ainst  it,  as  he  knew 
very  well  that  he  could  easily  Land  on  the  sea-beach 
outside.  So  he  went  with  the  tide  until  gradually  he 
reached  the  outlet,  and  there  he  saw  a  sight  that 
might  well  affright  him,  even  after  what  he  had  gone 
through.  He  saw  the  face  of  Alderly  on  the  waters, 
an  awful  look  of  fear  in  the  wide-open  eyes,  and  the 
jaws  tightly  clenched,  but  with  the  lips  drawn  back 
from  the  white  teeth  on  which  the  moon's  rays 
glistened.     And  he  saw  that  he  was  dead. 

"  My  God ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  How  has  he  died  ? " 
And  as  he  so  pondered  he  swam  towards  the  villain, 
whose  head  bobbed  about  on  the  water  as  thouirh 
there  were  no  limbs,  nor  even  trunk,  beneath.  But 
all  the  time  as  it  turned  round  and  round  the  ej^es 
gleamed  Avitli  a  horrible  light  under  the  moon,  and 
the  great  strong  teeth  glistened  behind  the  drawn  lips. 

Another  moment,  and  he  knew  how  Alderly  had 
died.  The  water  in  which  he  swam  towards  him 
tasted  Salter  than  sea- water  as  it  touched  his  lips,  and 
its  clearness  was  discoloured — crimson!  And  even 
as  Rcijinald  seized  the  head  of  the  now  limbless  trunk 
and  towed  it  to  the  bank,  striking  out  with  all  his 
power  for  fear  of  a  similar  dreadful  fate  befalling  him 


"AND   DEATH   THE   END   OF   ALL."  317 

— which  was  probable  enough,  since  the  shark  is,  hke 
the  tiofer,  eaoer  for  more  when  once  its  taste  is  whetted 
— he  thouoht  to  himself : 

"  Out  of  the  depths,  out  of  the  depths  the  past 
rises  ao'ain  and  again." 

Then,  sweating  with  fear,  he  gave  one  last  master- 
ful side-stroke  and  landed  safely  on  the  shingle, 
dragging  his  gory  burden  after  hiiv\ 


31S 


CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

THE   OWNER   OF   THE    TREASURE. 

The  white  shark — for  such  it  is  which  is  the  most 
terrible  in  these  regions — that  had  taken  both 
Alderly's  legs  off  above  the  knee,  so  that  he  must 
have  soon  bled  to  death,  had  doubtless  done  so  Avhile 
his  intended  victim  was  escaping  from  the  trap  he 
had  set  for  Reginald. 

Each  bite — for  the  brute  nuist  have  given  two — 
was  as  clean  as  though  the  limbs  had  been  snipped 
off  by  a  pair  of  blunt  scissors,  and,  as  Reginald  re- 
garded the  mangled  trunk  in  the  moonlight,  he  could 
not  but  thank  his  Maker  that  he  had  not  been  the 
next  victim,  for  he  recognised  how  narrow  his  own 
escape  was.  His  experience  as  a  sailor  told  him  that 
where  the  sharks  have  found  one  prey  they  will, 
sometimes  for  weeks,  hover  about  in  expectation  of 
another,  and  he  could  only  wonder— while  his  wonder 
was  tinged  with  devout  gratitude — why  he  should 
not  also  by  now  be  torn  in  half 

As  he  dragged  the  body  up  the  slope  of  the 
shinde,  meaninti:  to  cover  it  over  witli  palm  leaves 
until  Barbara  had  seen  the  face— the  lower  part  she 
must  not  be  allowed  to  see — and  then  to  bury  it,  a 
bundle  of  papers  fell  out  of  the  pocket  of  the  dead 
man's  rough  shirt,  Avhich  he  picked  up  and  put  in  his 
own.     It  nnist  be  handed   to    ]]arbara,  he  refiectod, 


THE   OAVNEU   OF  THE   TREASURE.  81 U 

who   was   now    the  last  of    the   Alderlys,   and  con- 
sequently the  heiress  to  all  the  wealth  of  the  Key  ! 

"  Which  is,"  reflected  Reginald,  "  the  very  best 
thing  that  could  possibly  have  happened.  She  will 
now  be  able  to  lead  the  life  so  beautiful  a  woman 
ought  to  lead,  a  life  which  she  by  her  education  and 
womanly  ideas  is  fitted  to  lead.  For  her,  nothing 
could  be  better  than  Alderly's  death." 

Yet,  when  he  thought  of  her  inexperience — had 
she  not  believed  that  Trinidad  was  the  world  ! — and 
of  how  she  was  all  alone  now  without  kith  or  kin,  he 
could  not  but  wonder  what  would  become  of  her. 

"  At  least,"  he  pondered,  "  I  pray  she  may  fall  into 
the  hands  of  no  such  an  adventurer  as  this,"  and  he 
glanced  at  Alderly's  mangled  body.  "  That  would  be 
too  awful.  Better  anything  than  that,  even  to  finding 
her  fortune  gone  when  we  dig  up  the  Key.  Though 
that  would  be  a  strange  climax,  too,  to  all  that  has 
taken  place.  Gone  !  great  heavens,  what  an  idea !  To 
think  of  it !  To  think  that  when  we  go  to  unearth  it 
we  may  discover  there  is  nothing  to  be  got.  The  very 
thought  makes  my  blood  run  cold.  But — bah  !  it  is 
nonsense.     It  must  be  there  ! " 

His  blood  was  running  cold,  though  not  from  this 
idea  which  had  come  into  his  mind,  but  from  the 
wetting  he  had  received. 

Therefore,  as  soon  as  the  sun  burst  upon  the 
island  once  more,  he  stripped  himself  of  his  clothes, 
and,  laying  them  out  to  dry,  proceeded  to  dry  himself 
also  by  the  old-fashioned  method  of  running  up  and 
down  the  beach.  Then,  when  but  a  short  exposure  of 
his  garments  to  the  sun  had  sufiiced  to  render  them 


320  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

once  more  wearable,  lie  put  them  on  again  and  set 
out  for  Barbara's  home. 

"  Though,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  it  is  no  easy  task 
to  break  such  news  to  her.  Alderly  was  not  kind  to 
her,  and  she  knew  his  failings  and  despised  him — yet 
he  was  her  brother,  and  his  death  was  awful.  But  it 
must  be  told." 

He  made  his  way  with  the  usual  difficulty  through 
all  the  entanuiement  of  the  luxuriant  vegetation  that 
STew  down  to  the  beach,  and  at  last  reached  the 
path  leading  to  the  hut.  Indeed,  he  was  eager  to  get 
there  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  he  had  such  dismal 
news  to  break  to  Barbara,  since  he  was  somewhat  sur- 
prised that  he  had  neither  seen  nor  heard  anything  of 
her  now.  He  had  almost  feared  to  denude  himself  of 
his  clothes  at  daybreak,  thinking  that  at  any  moment 
the  girl  might  come  down  to  him — it  being  her 
custom  to  rise  at  that  time — and  when  an  hour  had 
passed,  as  it  had  now  done,  he  was  still  more  aston- 
ished at  not  seeing  her.  She  must  know  by  now 
that  her  brother  was  not  in  his  house ;  she  must  have 
known  long  ago  that  he  had  not  sat  up  carousing  far 
into  the  night  as  was  his  habit.  Where  was  she? 
What  could  have  happened  ? 

His  fears  became  intensified  as  her  house  came 
into  sight.  For  he  soon  perceived  that  the  jalousies 
were  not  opened,  and  that  the  door  on  the  verandah 
was  closed — a  thing  he  had  never  known  before  to  be 
the  case,  from  daybreak  until  late  night — nay,  worse, 
more  appalling  than  all  to  him,  was  to  see  that  behind 
the  slats  of  the  jalousie  of  the  front  room  there 
was   a   light    burning — the    light   of  the  lamp   that 


THE   OWNEIl   OF   THE   TREASURE.  321 

stood  always  on  the  table  in  the  middle  of  the  living- 
room. 

Springing  up  the  wooden  steps  leading  to  the 
verandah,  he  rattled  the  slats  in  great  agitation,  and 
called  loudly,  "  Barbara  !  Barbara,  are  you  there  ?  "  a 
summons  which,  he  thanked  Heaven,  instantly  pro- 
duced a  reply.  He  heard  the  bark  of  her  dog,  who 
knew  him  well  now  ;  but  no  answer  came  from  her. 

Unable  to  bear  any  further  suspense,  fearing  the 
worst,  namel}',  that  her  brother  had  murdered  her 
before  he  set  forth  on  his  attempt  to  do  as  much  for 
him,  and  remembering — fool  that  he  was,  as  he  called 
himself ! — the  shriek  he  had  heard  in  the  night  and 
attributed  to  some  of  the  disturbed  denizens  of  the 
island,  he  tore  the  jalousie  aside  and  entered  the 
general  room. 

And  then  he  knew  why  Barbara  had  nut  come  to 
seek  him  at  daybreak  as  was  her  wont. 

She  was  lying  on  the  lounge,  or  rude  sofa,  her 
hands  bound  in  front  of  her,  her  feet  tied  together, 
and  in  her  mouth  a  rude  gag  made  of  a  coarse  pocket- 
handkerchief  By  her  side  was  the  dog,  moaning  and 
whimpering,  but  making,  when  he  entered,  an 
attempt  to  jump  up  and  fondle  him.  It  also  Avas  tied, 
to  the  foot  of  the  couch. 

"  Oh  !  Barbara  ! "  he  exclaimed,  rushing  for^ward 
to  her,  while  he  saw  with  intinite  thanks  that 
her  eyes  Avere  o]jen,  and  that  she  seemed  to  have 
suffered  no  further  brutality  than  being  made  a 
prisoner  of  "  Oh  !  Barbara !  that  he  should  have 
treated  you  so  ! " 

Then  in  a  moment  lie  bad  taken  the  gag  from  her 
v 


822  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

nioutli  and  had  set  her  free,  while  all  the  time  he  was 
speaking  kindly  and  considerately  to  her,  and  pitying 
her  for  having  been  so  treated.  And  her  first  words 
were : 

"  Thank  God,  you  are  alive  !  I  have  been  picturing 
you  to  myself  for  hours  as  dead.  Did  he  not  try  to 
kill  you  ? " 

"Yes,  Barbara,"  he  said,  after  a  mouicnt's  pause, 
almost  dreading  to  tell  her  the  tale,  yet  recognising 
that  ho  nuist  do  so.     "Yes,  he  tried  to  kill  me." 

"How?" 

"  By  drowning.  He  must  have  bored  some  holes 
in  the  yacht  unknown  to  me,  when  I  slei'jt.  Oh ! 
]Jarbara !  I  know  I  promised  to  keep  careful  watch, 
yet  I  Avas  so  tired,  and  at  last  I  fell  asleep.  When  I 
awoke    the   yacht   was   full   of  water — was   sinking. 

Then "  he    hesitated  to  tell  her  of  how  he  had 

been  locked  in  the  cabin — "  I — I  escaped — I  swam  for 
my  life." 

"  And  he  ? "  she  asked  faintly,  almost  in  a  whisper. 
"What  of  him?" 

"  He  is  dead." 

"  Ah  !  yes,"  she  replied,  with  a  shiver.  "  I  know. 
I  heard  the  report  of  your  revolver.  Then  I  knew  all. 
Oh  !  how  I  wish  he  had  not  died  at  yoin-  hands ! " 

"  He  did  not  die  at  my  hands,  Barbara.  He  was 
dr ;  he  died  in  the  water." 

"  Tell  me  all,"  she  said,  still  faintly.    "  Tell  me  all." 

Therefore  he  told  her  the  whole  of  the  dreadful 
story,  omitting  only  the  most  blackening  act,  the 
double  treacher}'  and  attempt  of  Alderly  to  take  his 
life  without  giving  him  one  chance  of  escape. 


THE   OWNER   OF  THE   TREASURE.  323 

"  I  never  tlioiiglit  to  see  you  again,"  she  whispered, 
when  his  recital  was  finished.  "  Nevci',  never.  For," 
she  went  on,  telling  now  her  experiences,  "  I  knew  by 
midnight  tliat  what  I  had  dreaded  he  would  attempt 
was  about  to  take  place.  At  that  hour  he  left  oft' 
drinkinsf,  havini?  taken  much  less  than  was  usual  all 
the  evening,  and  rising  he  went  to  the  cupboard,  from 
Avhich,  though  he  thought  I  could  not  do  so,  I  saw 
him  take  out  his  long  knife.  It  was  one  he  brought 
back  from  Uruguay,  from  Paysandu,  where  they 
slauo-hter  the  oxen  wholesale.  I  have  heard  him  say 
more  than  once  that  it  was  too  good  to  slay  beasts 
with,  and  more  fit  to  use  on  men — and  once  he  drew 
it  upon  father.  So  that  I  kncAV  he  meant  ill  to  you. 
Then  1  tried  to  escape  to  give  you  warning,  only  ho 
would  not  let  me.  He  seized  me,  tied  me  as  you  saw, 
and  gagged  me,  though  I  shrieked  once,  hoping  to 
alarm  you — indeed,  he  threatened  to  kill  me.  And,  at 
last,  after  he  had  also  tied  the  dog — he  would  have 
slain  that  too,  I  feel  sure,  had  it  uttered  one  cry — he 
left  me  to  the  horrors  of  the  night.  Without  one 
word  he  went  away,  not  even  saying  when  he  Avould 
return.  And,"  the  girl  concluded,  "  when  I  heard 
your  pistol  shots  I  fainted  from  fear — fear  of  Avhat  was 
ffoinsr  on.  Oh !  thank  God,  thank  God,  that  he  did 
not  murder  you — that  you  were  not  obliged  to  take 
his  life  in  self-defence." 

"I  am  thankful,  too,"  he  said;  "above  all  things, 
thankful  for  }our  sake."  After  which  he  added, 
"  Now,  Barbara,  would  it  not  be  best  for  you  to  come 
with  me  and  see  his  body  ?  I  nmst  bury  it,  you 
know,  and  then  I  ought  to  go  over  to  Tortola  and  tell 
v  2 


324  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

the  Commissioner.  I  suppose  he  should  be  informed 
of  his  death." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  she  said.  "  Only — how  are  you  to 
go  ?     The  yacht  is  lost." 

"  There  is  his  own  boat.     Where  is  that  ? " 

But  Barbara  could  not  tell  him,  and  soon  after  he 
found  out.  But  now  he  prepared  to  go  back  to  the 
beach  to  bury  her  brother's  body,  and  ho  was  not 
altogether  surprised  when  she  refused  to  accompany 
him. 

"  You  have  told  me  he  is  dead  and  how  he  died," 
she  said.  "  That  is  enough — what  more  can  I  need  ? 
And  for  himself — oh !  why  should  I  see  him  ?  He 
never  cared  for  me  as  a  brother  should,  his  last  act 
was  one  of  cruelty  to  me,  and  he  went  forth  to  nuu'der 
you.  Moreover,  he  was  callous  about  father's  death, 
did  indeed  rejoice  in  it,  I  beheve,  because  by  it  he 
became  master  of  the  place.  No,  I  will  not  go  and 
see  him ;  I  could  not  bear  to  look  upon  him  again. 
And,"  she  concluded,  "  my  only  regret  is  that  you 
should  have  the  task  of  burying  him.  It  would  have 
been  better  almost  had  he  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the 
river." 

Therefore  Keginald  Avent  off  upon  this  duty,  but 
before  he  did  so  he  gave  to  Barbara  the  water-soaked 
packet  of  papers  ^vhich  he  had  taken  from  Alderly's 
shirt-pocket. 

"  They  fell  out,"  he  said,  "  after  I  had  brought  him 
ashore.  There  was  nothing  else.  The  knife  you 
speak  of  must  have  sunk  to  the  bottom  ;  perhaps  he 
even  tried  to  defend  liimsclf  against  the  shark  with  it 
in  his  last  moments.     We  shall  nevci  know  !  " 


THE   OWNER   OF   THE   TREASURE.  825 

Nor  did  he  ever  know  how  that  long  Uruguay 
knife  had  once  been  nearly  thrust  into  his  breast  as 
he  lay  sleeping ;  nor  that  with  the  knife,  which  had, 
indeed,  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  river,  had  also  sunk 
the  auoer  with  which  he  had  bored  half-a-dozen  holes 
(each  of  the  circumference  of  an  ordinary  cork)  in  the 
bottom  of  the  Pompeia.  One  thing  did,  however, 
strike  him  as  strange  as  he  meditated  over  it  all, 
namely,  that  from  the  time  when  Alderly  nmst  have 
bored  those  holes  in  the  yacht  to  the  time  when  she 
sank  a  considerable  period  had  undoubtedly  elapsed. 
And  he  wondered  if  it  was  during  that  period  that  he 
had  managed  to  get  on  board  and  close  the  cabin  door. 
Then,  as  he  was  burying  him,  he  knew  ;  he  found  out 
that  his  would-be  murderer  had  indeed  visited  the 
Poinpcici. 

For  he  was  mistaken  when  he  told  Barbara  earlier 
that  there  was  nothing  else  on  her  brother's  body.  As 
he  prepared  to  put  the  trunk  into  the  hole  he  had 
dug  for  it — while  still  the  fixed  open  eyes  stared  up 
at  him,  this  time  in  the  morning's  simlight,  and  still 
the  beautifully  white  teeth  gleamed  in  that  light — he 
observed  that,  besides  the  papers  wliich  had  dropped 
from  his  shirt,  there  wore  still  some  others  that  had 
remained  within  the  pocket. 

And  drawing  them  out  he  saw  that,  all  soaked  as 
they  were  like  the  others,  they  were  the  narrative  of 
Nicholas  Crafer. 

"  So,"  he  thouo'ht,  Avhilo  he  felt  faint  and  sick 
as  he  mused — "  so  he  was  in  the  cabin,  after  all ! 
Heavens  !  he  must  have  crept  in  Avhile  I  slept,  have 
rifled  my  pockets  in  the  dark  when  the   lamp  had 


.320  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE 

gone  out,  have — faugh  ! — had  his  foul  hands  all  about 
mo  !  Thank  God  !  he  must  have  come  Avhon  the  lio-ht 
had  burnt  out,  otherwise  he  would  have  seen  the 
pistol." 

He  never  knew  that  the  ruffian  had,  in  truth, 
known  the  pistol  was  there,  but  had  forgotten,  or 
feared  to  use,  it  when  in  the  cabin  later  on. 

He  tossed  the  remains  into  the  hole  he  had  dusf, 
touching  them  v/ith  the  greatest  disgust  and  loathinof, 
and  then  covered  the  spot  up  hurriedly  and  stamped 
the  earth  down  over  it,  and  took  his  way  back  to 
Barbara.  And,  as  he  went,  he  determined  that 
he  would  not  toll  her  of  this  further  instance  ot 
villainy  on  her  brother's  part.  Henceforth  she  should 
learn  no  more  of  the  woi'kino's  of  that  wicked  heart 
and  brain. 

When  he  i-eached  the  hut  he  saw  her  on  the 
verandah,  seated  in  the  usual  chair  and  with  tears  in 
her  eyes.  The  papers  he  had  given  her  were  stretched 
out  on  a  table  before  her,  and,  as  he  mounted  the  steps, 
she  held  out  one  to  him  and  bade  him  read  it.  A 
glance  showed  that  it  was  a  will  made  by  her  father, 
a  will  properly  drawn  up  and  attested  at  soTue  lawyer's 
office  in  Tortola ;  a  will  by  which  everything  was  loft 
to  her,  including  the  island  and  the  treasure  if  e\er 
found — indeed,  all  that  he  possessed. 

"  Because,"  he  read,  in  the  cramped  legal  hand  of 
the  person  who  had  drawn  it  out,  "  of  the  cruelty,  the 
greed  and  the  evil  temper  of  my  son  to  me,  as  well  as 
his  ill-treatment  of  me  and  my  dear  daughter,  Bar- 
bara, I  give  and  bequeath  to  her  all  and  everything  of 
which  1  may  die  possessed,  including  CoflGin  Island, 


THE    OWNER    OF   THE    TREASURE.  327 

any  buried  treasure  tliat  may  cliance  to  be  found,"  etc., 
etc.,  etc. 

"  Great  heavens  !  "  Reginald  thouo-ht  to  liimsclf,  as 
lie  handed  her  back  the  will,  "there  was  no  end  to  the 
scoundrel's  wickedness.  How  could  this  villain  be 
Barbara's  brother ! " 


328 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

THE   APPROACHING   SEARCH 

Reginald  found  Joseph  Alderly's  lioat  on  the  same 
evening,  when  he  was  out  on  a  tour  about  the  coast 
of  the  island  on  the  look-out  for  it.  As  he  suspected, 
Alderly  had  brought  it  round  to  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  river's  mouth,  preferring  to  get  at  him  that 
way  instead  of  by  the  path  down  from  his  house.  His 
reasons  for  doing  so  might  have  been  manifold, 
the  young  man  knew  very  well — reasons  that  would, 
doubtless,  at  once  occur  to  such  a  scheming  brain  as 
that  of  the  dead  ruffian.  For,  independcntl}^  of  the 
fact  that  he  would  have  strongly  wished  to  avoid  any 
cncovmter  with  him  on  shore — and,  for  aught  he  knew, 
Reginald  might  be  ashore  at  any  period  of  the  night — 
he  miu'ht  have  brouaht  his  cutter  to  that  neighbour- 
hood  so  as  to  be  able  to  get  away  from  tlie  island  at 
once,  after  the  sinking  of  the  Pompehi  had  been 
accomplished. 

For  instance,  had  his  plan  succeeded  he  could  have 
sailed  to  Anegada  or  Tortola  Avithin  two  or  three  hours 
from  the  time  of  the  crime  being  conunitted,  and,  arriv- 
ing at  cither  place  in  the  night,  could  have  very  easily 
induced  the  belief  that  he  had  anchored  much  earlier 
than  he  had  actually  done.  In  those  spots  very  little,  if 
any,  notice  is  taken  after  darlc  of  what  boats  are  about — 
especially  such  boats  as  Alderly's,  which  are  common 


THE  APPROACHING  SEARCH.  320 

all  over  the  islands — and  bis  aUhi  wonld  consequently 
have  held  good  when  Reginald  was  reported  missing. 
And  even  the  report  of  his  being  missing  would  not 
have  spread  abroad  for  probably  some  time  after  the 
event.  None  but  tourists  came  to  Coffin  Island,  and 
Barbara  would  have  been  unable  to  get  away  from  it ; 
while,  since  the  Pompeia  would  have  disappeared  for 
ever  from  human  eyes,  no  one  could  have  absolutely 
said  that  her  temporary  owner  was  dead.  He  might 
just  as  Avell  have  gone  off  with  her  to  some  other 
island  as  she  have  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  river, 
and  Alderly  could,  therefore,  have  returned  without 
his  sister  being  able  to  advance  one  proof  that 
Reginald  Crafer  had  been  made  away  with. 

"  Though,"  said  Reginald  to  himself,  as  he  mused 
over  the  amtter  while  he  inspected  Alderly 's  own 
boat,  "  if  I  had  been  drowned  after  she  heard  the 
pistol  shots,  she  would  certainly  have  thought  I  had 
died  trying  to  defend  m3^self.  And,  had  her  scoun- 
drelly brother  managed  to  survive  me,  Barbara  woidd, 
if  I  mistake  not,  have  taxed  him  very  plainly  with  my 
death." 

He  found  the  cutter  anchored  in  about  three 
fathoms  of  water,  and  had  to  get  out  to  her  in  such  a 
crazy,  water-logged  punt — in  which  Alderly  must  him- 
self have  come  ashore — that  he  feared  every  moment 
the  thing  w^iuld  sink  under  his  weight,  and  expose  him 
to  the  chance  of  a  similar  fate  to  that  which  had 
overtaken  its  owner.  However,  it  was  sounder  tliau 
it  looked,  and,  on  inspecting  the  larger  craft,  he  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  she  would  be  navigable  across 
to  Tortola  if  she  escaped  bad  weather — of  which  there 


330  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

Avere  no  sioj-ns  now.  The  dead  man  had  managed  to 
patch  her  up  in  a  manner  very  creditable  to  his 
knowledge  of  seacraft,  and  to  set  right  tlic  injuries 
slie  had  received  Vvdien  cast  ashore ;  so  that,  as  far  as 
the  journey  over  to  the  Conunissioner  was  concerned, 
ho  mio'ht  start  at  once. 

"  Though,"  he  pondered,  as  he  inspected  the 
cutter  and  found  nothing  inside  her  beyond  her 
ordinary  gear  but  a  bottle  of  rum,  some  meat  and 
coarse  bread,  and  a  pipe — "  though  there  is  no 
reason  why  I  should  hurry  myself.  We  had  better 
begin  to  dig  up  the  treasure  now,  I  think,  and,  mean- 
while, this  dog's  hole  of  a  boat  will  serve  for  my 
habitation  as  well  as  the  poor  Fompeia,  though  it's 
not  quite  so  sweet  and  wholesome." 

Whereon  he  hauled  up  her  anchor,  got  her  round 
to  the  river,  and  moored  her  as  near  as  possible  over 
the  spot  Avhere  the  sunken  yacht  lay. 

"  I  may  have  to  pay  Juby  a  good  deal,  for  her,"  he 
mused,  as  he  went  up  the  path  to  Barbara's  house. 
"  However,  we  ought  to  find  the  wherewithal  on  the 
Key  to  do  so.  I  suppose  she  will  give  me  enough  to 
do  that."  And  he  laughed  to  himself  as  the  tliought 
passed  through  his  mind. 

Barbara  was  eating  her  evening  meal  when  he 
reached  the  hut,  and  he  sat  down  to  share  it  with  her, 
telHng  her  that  henceforth  she  would  have  to  keep 
him  in  food  as  long  as  they  were  together. 

"Iliad  loaded  the  Pompeia  up  with  all  sorts  of 
good  things  such  as  are  to  be  procured  in  the  islands 
and  at  their  stores,"  he  said,  trying  to  be  gay  and  also 
to  brighten  her  up,  "  but  I  might  have  saved  myself 


THE   APPROACHING   SEARCH,  S-ll 

tliG  trouble.  They  are  at  tlie  bottom  of  the  river,  and 
there  they  Avill  stay  until  they  arc  rotten.  So, 
Barbara,  I  must  live  on  you." 

She  gave  him  one  swift  glance  from  the  sweet 
hazel  eyes  under  the  straight  black  eyebrows — eyes 
whose  lids  were  red  now  from  long  weeping — and  he 
understood  it  well  enough.  He  knew  that  she  would 
give  him  everything  she  possessed  in  the  world, 
including  her  very  life,  as  well  as  the  fortune  that  was 
now  to  be  hers — if  old  Nicholas  had  made  no  mistake, 
and  if  no  one  had  ever  lighted  on  the  Key  and  its 
contents  between  the  time  of  his  departiu-e  and  the 
coming  of  the  otner  Barbara. 

"  By-the-bye,"  he  said,  as  they  ate  their  supper 
side  by  side,  and  Barbara  tried  to  put  such  choice 
morsels  of  her  poor  ])lain  food  as  there  were  on  his 
plate,  which  attention  he  managed  sometimes  to 
avoid — "  by-the-bye,  Ave  don't  know  after  all  Avhat  we 
are  really  going  to  discover.  Nicholas  managed  to  lose 
one  of  the  most  important  parts  of  his  manuscript, 
the  list,  as  he  calls  it,  of  part  of  what  he  found.  It 
is  a  good  thing  he  didn't  mislay  the  description  of 
the  Key  and  the  measurements  as  well.  If  he  had 
done  that  we  should  have  been  in  a  fix." 

"  But,"  said  Barbara,  "  he  has  said  what  is  in  the 
long  box.  We  know  that,  at  any  rate.  Surely  that's 
a  fortune  in  itself  ? " 

"  What !  six  thousand  pounds  !  Why,  Barbara, 
when  you  go  out  into  the  world,  the  real  world, 
London,  the  Continent,  swagger  German  and  Swiss 
places  in  the  summer,  and  Rome  and  the  Riviera  in 
the  winter,  you'll  find  what  a  little  bit  of  money  six 


832  THE    HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

thousand  pounds  make.  No  !  Nick's  fifty  thousand 
'  guineas  '  must  be  found  for  3^ou  before  you  become 
anything-  Hke  a  swell  heiress  with  a  romantic  history, 
run  after  i)y  all  the  men  for  your  beauty  and  your 
wealth." 

"  Don't— don't  talk  like  that !  "  the  girl  said.  •'  It 
pains  me  to  hear  you  joking  like  that.  I  know 
nothing  of  the  places  you  mention,  and  as  to  men 
running  after  me — oh,  don't,  don't !  And  besides,  you 
have  forofotten — it  is  not  mine." 

"  Every  penny  of  it ! "  exclaimed  Reginald,  "  except 
what  Mr.  Jidjy  wants  for  the  yacht  if  uninsured." 

"No!  no!  no!"  she  said.  "Remember,  it  is  not 
in  the  island — my  island,  I  suppose,  now.  The  Keys 
are  as  much  3'0iu"s,  or  anyone  else's,  as  mine.  And  if 
it  had  been  on  the  island,  and  we  had  dug  it  up,  I 
would  not  have  taken  it.  If  3^ou  would  not  have 
shared  it  with  me — I — I — well,  I  would  have  thrown 
it  into  the  sea." 

"  What  a  nice  ending  to  poor  old  Nick's  troubles 
and  labours  here  in  finding  it,  and  at  home  in  writino" 
his  long  account  in  tliat  queer  fist  of  his  !  And  also 
to  all  that  your  peoj^le  have  gone  thi'ough,  from  your 
nauiesake  dowuAvards.  No,  no,  Barbara !  We  won't 
throw  it  back  into  the  sea,  at  any  rate.  And  to- 
morrow we'll  dig  it  u}).     Shall  we  ?  " 

This  was  agreed  upon,  and  then  Reginald  prepared 
to  leave  her.  He  offered  to  stay  in  the  house  if  she 
I'elt  nervous — as  she  had  once  Iioforo  implored  him  to 
do  ;  but  now  she  said,  "  No,  she  was  not  nervous. 
She  feared  nothing:  now.  There  was  no  one  else  who 
could  come  to  harm  him  or  her  ;  the  island  was  theirs 


THE   APPllOACHING   SEARCH.  833 

and  theirs  alone."  He  noticed  that  she  called  it 
"  theirs  "  and  not  "  hers,"  but  made  no  remark  on  the 
subject,  since  an  idea  had  arisen  in  his  mind  :  he  knew 
now  what  the  future  of  the  treasure,  of  Barbara,  and 
of  himself  must  be ! — and  he  proceeded  to  arrange  for 
their  movements  on  the  morrow. 

"  It  will  be  low  water  two  hours  after  daybreak," 
he  said,  "  and  by  that  time  I  will  have  brought  the 
cutter  and  the  boat  round  to  the  strip  of  beach 
nearest  to  the  Ke3"s.  You  might  meet  me  there, 
Barbara,  and  bring  some  food  and  fresh  Avater,  and 
then  we  will  begin.  Meanwhile,  let  me  have  what- 
ever tools  and  implements  you  possess  for  digging. 
I  will  take  them  with  me  and  bring  them  in  the 
cutter  in  the  morning." 

In  the  shed  behind  the  hut  they  found  what 
Avas  required,  an  old  spade  and  a  nearly  new  one,  a 
pickaxe  and  some  ropes — for  the  Alderlj^s,  father 
and  son,  had  had  to  attend  to  their  garden  in  this 
tropical  island  almost  as  much  as  though  they  had 
lived  in  Europe — and  these  would  be  enough,  he 
thought. 

So,  shouldering  them,  he  bade  her  "  Good-night " 
— it  seemed  to  each  as  though  their  hands  were 
clasped  together  longer  and  more  tightly  now  than 
they  had  ever  been  before ! — and  went  his  way  down 
to  the  river  once  more. 

It  would  have  been  strange  if,  to-nit,dit — the  nio-ht 
before  the  story,  that  his  ancestor  had  written  in  those 
long  past  and  forgotten  years,  was  to  be  realised — he 
should  not  have  had  a  host  of  thoughts  whirling 
through  his  brain;   if  past  and  present  had  not  been 


B34  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATK 

strangely  confused  and  jumbled  up  togetlier  in  that 
brain. 

There  lay  the  cutter,  a  dark  indistinct  mass,  in  the 
midst  of  the  stars  reflected  from  above ;  in  the  very 
self-same  spot  Avhere  so  many  other  small  vessels, 
all  connected  with  him,  Avitli  Barbara,  and  Avith  the 
treasure,  had  lain  before.  Itself  the  property  of  a 
villain  whose  villainy  was  inherited  through  centuries, 
it  occupied  the  spot  in  that  little  river  where  once  the 
Etoyle  had  been  moored,  where  she  had  been  sunk, 
and  where  Simon  Alderly  and  his  nnnxlered  victim, 
the  diver,  had  got  ashore.  Also  there,  or  close  by,  had 
been  the  galliot  of  honest  Nicholas  v/ith  its  dying 
and  dead  crew,  and  with  Nicholas  sleeping,  or  trying 
to  sleep,  in  that  place  of  death,  or  watching  Alderly 
in  his  nnu'derous  madness  as  he  slew  his  companion. 
And  he  pictured  to  himself  the  sloop  with  the  un- 
known Martin  having  probably  been  anchored  there 
before  those  days — doubtless  as  full  of  reckless,  blood- 
stained scoundrels  as  was  the  Etoyle  herself;  ho 
remenibered  how,  not  twenty-four  hours  before,  the 
gi'aceful  and  pretty  Pompeia  had  ridden  at  anchor 
on  the  river's  bosom — and  now  she,  too,  had  gone  to 
join  the  other  wrecks  beloAV  the  Avater. 

He  shuddered  as  these  thoughts  passed  through 
his  mind ;  shuddered  at  all  that  the  treasure  had  led 
to  in  the  way  of  murder  and  death. 

"  It  Avas  here,  here  Avhere  I  stand,"  he  Avhispered 
to  himself,  "that  the  diA'er  Avas  slain:  there,  in 
the  river,  that  the  bones  of  the  pirates  lie,  and 
also  those  of  the  crew  of  the  galliot ;  above — Avhcre 
she,   the  pure   outcome   of  so   much   evil,   dwells — 


THE  APPROACHING  SEAnCH.         B35 

that  Simon  Alderly  died  mad  and  without  time 
to  repent." 

A  slant  of  the  rising  moon  gleamed  through  the 
wood  on  to  the  bank  and  played  on  the  waters  of  the 
river  lower  down ;  the  ray  was  thrown  upon  the  very 
spot  where,  last  night,  he  had  seen  the  staring  eyes 
and  the  glistening  teeth  of  Joseph  Alderly,  as  the 
limbless  body  swirled  round  with  the  stream — and  he 
started  and  shivered. 

"  Heavens  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  it  is  a  charnel-house, 
a  place  of  horror!  I — I  cannot  sleep  in  that  boat 
to-night." 

He  turned  from  the  accursed  spot — all  beau- 
tiful as  it  was  now  beneath  the  rising  moon,  and 
illuminated  with  myriads  of  fireflies,  while  over  and 
above  all  was  the  luscious  perfume  of  tropical  plants 
and  flo^vers — and  went  his  way  through  the  thick 
underbrush  to  a  part  of  the  shore  beyond  the  spot 
where  the  body  of  Joseph  Alderly  had  been  buried, 
avoiding  that  place  as  he  proceeded.  Then,  when  he 
had  gone  some  distance,  he  chose  a  bit  of  the  beach, 
high  and  dry  above  the  line  of  the  already  receding 
sea,  and,  laying  himself  down  upon  it,  gazed  far  oA-er 
the  waters  to  where  a  few  lights  sparkled  at  intervals 
from  the  little  island  of  Tortola. 

But  ere  he  slept,  and  when  a  deejD  sense  of  fatigue 
was  stealing  over  him,  he  ]'ose  once  more,  and,  kneeling 
down  by  the  spot  he  had  selected,  he  prayed  long  that, 
whatever  the  morrow  might  bring  forth,  at  least  one 
thing  might  be  granted.  He  praj^ed  that  all  the 
bloodshed,  and  the  cruelty  that  that  treasure  had  been 
the  cause  of  for  more  than  two  centuries,  had  ended 


336  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

tit  last,  never  more  to  be  renewed — he  prayed  that, 
henceforth,  it  might  bring  only  happiness  and  peace 
in  its  train. 

"  For  her,  for  her,"  he  whispered.  "  For  her  and 
for  me." 

And,  feeling  sure  that  his  prayer  was  heard  and 
would  be  granted,  he  laid  himself  down  again  and 
soon  was  sleeping  peacefully. 


837 


CHAPTER    XL. 

THE    SEARCH. 

As  the  dawn  came,  and  a  cool  wind  blew  over  the 
watd'r  and  brushed  his  cheek,  he  arose  from  a  night  of 
refreshing  slumber — the  first  for  tAvo  days — and  took 
his  way  back  to  the  cutter.  Then,  reaching  her,  he 
soon  unmoored,  made  the  boat  fast  astern,  and,  get- 
ting down  the  river,  sailed  round  the  island  to  the 
spot  where  the  Keys  were. 

It  took  him  an  hour  to  fetch  the  beach  in  two 
tacks,  and  then  he  saw  that,  early  as  he  was,  Barbara 
was  there  before  him,  and  that  she  Avas  seated  on  the 
shore,  the  dog  at  her  feet  and  a  basket  by  her  side. 

This  morning  her  eyes  were  no  longer  red — she 
had  done  with  weeping  for  her  vile  brother,  he  thought 
— and  her  colour,  always  beautiful,  excej)t  since  the 
events  of  the  last  iew  days  had  (hiven  it  all  awa}^ 
had  now  come  back  to  her.  She,  too,  he  knew,  had 
slept  peacefully  at  last,  and  in  that  peaceful  rest  all 
her  loveliness  had  returned. 

"  Now,  Barbara,"  he  said,  after  they  had  exchanged 
their  morning  greetings,  he  from  the  boat,  and  she 
from  the  shore,  "  Ave'U  call  the  boat  away,  and  off  we 
go  to  your  inheritance.  In  a  fcAV  hours  you  Avill,  I 
trust,  be  put  in  possession  of  it."  Saying  Avhich,  he 
anchored  the  cutter,  got  into  the  boat  and  cast  her  off, 
and  so  rowed  ashore  for  Barbara.  He  had  found  out 
w 


ooo 


33S  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

that  tliG  capabilities  of  this  boat — crazy  as  it  seemed 
■ — were  quite  equal  to  carrying  them,  and  the  imple- 
ments for  digging,  out  to  the  Key  a  hundred  yards  off, 
and  he  also  knew  that,  by  leaving  Barbara  on  the 
middle  Key  when  they  had  found  the  treasure,  he 
could  convey  each  of  the  boxes,  or  coffers,  back  to  the 
island  one  by  one.  Then,  as  to  the  final  ren:ioval  of 
them  and  thoir  owner  from  Coffin  Island — well,  that 
Avould  all  be  arranged  for  later. 

A  few  minutes  only  and  they  stepped  out  upon 
the  soft  Avet  sand  of  the  middle  Key — they  stood  upon 
the  place  that,  perhaps,  no  other  foot  had  trodden 
since  Nicholas  left  it  more  than  two  hundred  years 
ago.  There  was  nothing  to  bring  anyone  to  that 
particular  atom  of  an  island  among  all  the  thousands 
upon  thousands  of  islands  with  which  the  marine 
surface  of  the  world  is  dotted,  not  even  a  search  for  the 
turtles  and  the  eggs  they  laid.  For,  in  these  regions, 
those  creatures  are  so  common  that  nobody  desiring 
to  procure  one  would  have  even  troubled  to  visit 
the  middle  Key  while  the  outer  ones  were  easier 
of  access. 

"  I  begin  to  feel  very  nervous  now  we  have  reached 
here,  and  the  search  is  about  to  begin,"  Barbara  said. 
"  Oh  !  what  shall  we  find — or  shall  we  find  any- 
thing ? " 

"  Make  your  mind  easy,"  Reginald  replied,  although 
he  himself  felt  unaccountably  excited,  too,  at  what 
was  before  them.  "  The  story  left  by  Nicholas  bears 
the  stamp  of  truth  on  every  line  of  it ;  I  would  stake 
my  existence  on  his  having  buried  the  boxes  as  he 
wrote.      And   as   to    their   having   been   disinterred, 


THE    SEARCH.  339 

why !  there  is  no  possibility  of  that.  Come,  let 
us  beg'in." 

He  looked  round  at  the  sea  as  he  spoke,  and  scanned 
the  little  crisping  waves  as  they  rolled  on  to  the  Key's 
shore,  and,  involuntarily  and  sailor-like,  searched  the 
horizon  to  see  if  there  was  any  sail  in  sight,  any  likeli- 
hood of  their  being  observed.  Yet,  as  he  knew  and 
told  the  girl  by  his  side,  there  was  no  chance  of  that. 

"  On  this,  the  east  side  of  the  Key,"  he  said,  "  there 
is  nothing  nearer  than  the  Cape  de  Verd  Islands  and 
the  African  coast,  and  nothing  passes  east  or  west 
within  twenty  miles  of  this  place.  We  Avill  make  a 
beginning." 

Then  they  sat  down  on  the  brushwood  of  the 
island,  disturbing  as  they  did  so  a  great  two-hundred- 
pound  turtle  that  crawled  gasping  away,  and  Reginald, 
taking  out  the  noAv  water-stained  and  blurred  pages 
of  Nicholas,  began  to  read  over  carefully  his  measure- 
ments and  instructions  for  finding  the  exact  spot 
where  the  buried  treasure  lay. 

" '  From  the  north  side  of  the  middle  Key  is  fifty- 
one  good  strides,  of  three  feet  each,'"  he  repeated  from 
the  paper ;  '"from  the  south  side  is  fifty- three,  from  the 
east  is  forty-nine,  from  the  west  is  fifty  strides  and  a 
half.'  Barbara,  let  us  measure.  I  will  begin  froui 
this,  the  south  side." 

Very  carefully  he  paced  out  the  strides,  "good 
ones,"  as  his  predecessor  had  directed,  only,  instead 
of  sticking  in  the  ground  a  sword — which,  of  course, 
he  did  not  possess  here — he  put  a  large  white  stone. 
Then,  as  Nicholas  had  himself  done,  three  times 
did  he  go  over  the  ground,  making  all  the  strides 
w  2 


340  THE   HISPANIOLA   PLATE. 

correspond  Avitli  the  ancient  niannscript ;  and  at  last 
he  said  to  Barbara,  "  Now  we  will  dig." 

"It  is  only  three  feet  from  the  surface  to  the  top- 
most turtle  shell,"  he  remarked,  as  he  took  off  his 
light  jacket  and  rolled  up  his  sleeves.  "  Ten  minutes 
will  show  if  we  have  hit  it  right." 

At  the  end  of  those  ten  minutes  he  found  that, 
thouQfh  he  had  made  a  mismeasurement  of  a  foot  and 
a  half  from  the  east  to  west,  he  had  otherwise  judged 
his  distance  with  sufficient  accuracy.  The  treasure, 
certainly  the  topmost  turtle  shell,  was  there.  The 
spade  struck  against  the  edge  of  that  shell  instead  of 
the  exact  middle  of  it ;  in  a  few  minutes  more,  by 
digging  the  sand  up  further  to  the  west,  the  whole  of 
it  was  exposed,  its  convex  side  rising  towards  them. 

"  We  have  found  it,"  he  exclaimed.  "  We  have 
found  it,  Barbara  !     The  treasure  is — yours ! " 

****** 

What  was  in  the  oblong  box  has  been  told  by 
Nicholas  himself,  therefore  it  is  not  necessary  to  write 
down  an  account  of  its  contents  again.  Roughly,  too, 
he  has  told  what  he  found  in  the  first  two  "  coffers" 
or  chests,  including  the  "  grinning  skull,"  which  they, 
of  course,  found  also.  But  Nicholas's  hst  had  been 
lost,  therefore  one  somewhat  more  full  shall  now  be 
given,  leaving  his  account  of  the  first  strong  box  to 
speak  for  itself.  And  also  in  the  second, "  the  Spanish 
pieces  of  eight,  the  Portyguese  crusadoes,  English 
crowns,  and  many  more  French  coins  as  Avell  as 
hundreds  of  gold  pieces  of  our  kings  and  queens  away 
back  to  Elizabeth,"  were  all  there  as  he  has  described, 


THE   SEARCH.  341 

SO  neither  need,  they  be  again  set  down.  It  was  when 
they  came  to  the  third  cotf'er  that  their  curiosity  was 
the  most  aroused,  for  with  it  began  their  search  for 
something  he  had  left  no  account  of,  something  that 
was  described  in  that  "  hst "  which  was  missing. 
Therefore,  they  opened  it  with  ahnost  trembhng  hands 
— when  it  had  been  brought  up  to  the  surface — 
Avondering  what  they  should  find. 

On  the  top  lay  a  deerskin,  dressed  and  trimmed, 
showing  that  wlienever  it  might  originally  have  been 
put  in,  it  had  at  least  belonged  to  people  who  had 
some  of  the  accessories  of  civilisation  about  them, 
since,  had  it  belonged  to  wild  and  savage  persons,  ic 
would  have  been  hardly  dressed  at  all,  nor  would  it 
have  possessed  any  trimming  at  the  edges.  This  they 
lifted  off,  only  to  come  to  a  variety  of  smaller  skins, 
such  as  those  of  fox,  goat,  and  sheep,  which  it  was  easy 
to  perceive  Avere  simply  used  as  wrappers  to  large 
substances  within  them. 

"  These  coverings,"  said  Reginald,  as  he  unwrapped 
one,  "  seem  to  point  to  England,  or  at  least  Europe,  as 
the  spot  whence  they  came ;  well,  let  us — ah  ! " 

There  rolled  from  out  the  one  he  was  at  that 
moment  unwinding  a  beaker  a  foot  high,  of  a  dull 
copper  colour,  much  embossed  with  leaves  and  flowers. 
Yet,  dull  as  it  was,  even  their  slight  knowledge  was 
enough  to  tell  them  it  was  gold.  Also  its  shape  Avas 
antique  enough  to  show  that  it  Wiis  no  new  piece  of 
workmanship,  even  when  Simon  Alderly  had  found  it 
— if  he  did  find  it,  as  seemed  most  likely ;  its  long, 
thin  lip,  thin  neck,  and  big  body  proclaimed  it  of  the 
middle  ao'es  at  least. 


342  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

"  So,"  said  Reginald,  giving  it  a  rub  Avith  some  of 
the  sand  by  his  side,  under  which  the  dim  coppery 
hue  turned  to  a  more  golden  yellow,  "  this  is  Number 
Three.  If  the  other  box  is  fidl  of  such  gold  ornaments 
the  find  will  be  worth  having." 

In  this  box  itself  there  were  no  more  Gfold  beakers, 
only,  instead,  it  was  full  of  silver  plate  of  all  kinds, 
and  all  enveloped  in  skins.  There  were  also  two  more 
beakers,  but  in  silver,  many  cups  and  chalices,  some 
with  covers  to  them  and  some  without,  several  silver 
ewer.s,  a  long  vase  all  neck  and  spout,  some  extremely 
ancient  candelabras,  and  a  Avoman's  silver  daQfirer, 
known  in  old  days  as  a  wedding  knife. 

"  Oh ! "  said  Barbara,  appalled  at  the  sight  of 
objects  so  unfamiliar  to  her,  Avho  had  never  drunk  out 
of  aught  but  calabashes,  gourds,  and  cheap  eartlien- 
ware — "  Oh !  it  seems  a  sin  to  dig  all  these  beautiful 
things  up." 

"  A  greater  one  to  let  them  lie  in  the  earth,"  said 
Reginald  with  a  laugh.  "  Come,  let's  go  on  to  Number 
Four  and  see  what  he  has  cfot  inside  him." 

"  Now,  Barbara,"  Reginald  said  next,  as  they  began 
on  Number  Four.  "  Shut  your  eyes  until  I  tell  you  to 
open  them." 

The  girl  obeyed — indeed,  all  through  this  treasure 
hunt,  or,  as  it  had  now  become,  treasure  inspection, 
they  were  more  like  a  boy  and  girl  playing  with  new 
toys  than  a  grown  man  and  a  young  woman  just  about 
to  leave  her  teens  behind  her — and,  when  he  told  her 
to  open  them,  she  saw  that  he  had  come  upon  a 
nuuibcr  of  little  plump  bags  tied  at  the  neck.  These 
bags  Averc  made  of  a  coaise  kind   o(  linen  cloth,  or 


THE   SEARCH.  84-0 

Russia  cluck,  and  were  much  discoloured ;  yet,  rough 
as  they  Avere,  they  did  not  prevent  the  impression  of 
coins  being  seen  inside. 

"  Here  we  come  to  the  money — let's  hope  it's  not 
copper !  "    exclaimed  Reginald. 

Again,  when  they  opened  the  first  bag  and  poured 
out  the  contents  into  Barbara's  lap,  it  looked  as  though 
they  had  found  copper ;  but  again,  as  before,  what 
seemed  cojjper  was  in  reality  gold.  But  the  pieces 
Avhich  they  siiw  were  such  as  they  had  never  seen  the 
like  of  before,  such  as  they  never  were  able  to  guess 
the  name  of  until  some  time  afterwards,  Avhen  more 
experienced  numisiiiatists  than  this  young  sailor  and 
the  girl  by  his  side  had  the  handling  of  them.  What 
they  absolutely  found  was :  First,  a  bag  full  of  Eliza- 
beth "  soveraines,"  valued  in  her  time  at  30s,  each, 
it  containing  two  hundred  and  six  of  these  pieces. 
Then  there  was  a  bag  full  of  angels  of  the  same  reign, 
valued  at  12s.  each,  of  angelets  at  6s.,  and  of  quarter 
angels  at  3s.,  there  being  of  these  smaller  coins  three 
hundred  and  eleven  in  the  little  sack.  The  third  bag 
they  opened — a  larger  one — contained  fifty  gold 
crowns  of  Henry  YIII.'s  reign,  fifty  gold  half-crowns 
of  Elizabeth's — the  former  having  the  figure  of  the 
king  on  horseback — and  in  it,  also,  were  one  hundred 
and  thirty  rose  nobles,  eighty -five  double-rose  nobles, 
eighty-three  double-rose  rials,  or  reals,  each  of  the  value 
of  30s.,  and  two  double  gold  crowns,  these  two  being 
the  largest  and  most  valuable  of  any  of  the  coins  they 
found. 

"  We  are  getting  on,  Barbara  ;  we  shall  have  a  nice 
stock  to  take  back  to  the  hut,"  Reginald  said,  as  he 


344  THE    HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

tied  the  bags  up  again  exactly  as  before.  '•'  However, 
let's  continue.  This  box  is  a  monster  and  contains 
the  most  of"  all." 

Whoever  had  put  together  all  this  treasure  of 
money — as  well  as  what  was  to  come — was,  it  is  certain, 
a  methodical  person ;  for,  with  the  exception  of  the. 
above  coins  of  Henry  VIH.  being  mixed  with  those  of 
his  daughter  (there  was  not  one  of  her  sister,  Mary's 
reign),  the  different  monarchs  had  been  kept  separate 
and  distinct  from  one  another.  This  was  shown  by 
the  next  three  bao-s,  two  of  which  contained  sfold  coins 
of  James  I.'s  reisfn,  but  of  no  other  Enoiish  kinac.  Ot 
these,  the  first  had  in  it  two  hundred  and  one  spur- 
rials  of  the  value  of  15s.  each — these  coins  beiuLT  so 
called  from  the  rays,  issuing  out  of  the  sun  upon  them, 
resembling  the  rowels  of  spurs — one  hundred  and 
three  of  the  single  rose  rials,  and  four  single  crowns. 
The  second  bag  had  exactly  one  hundred  single 
crowns  by  themselves  ;  the  third  had  two  hundred  and 
two  small  gold  pieces,  French  ones,  they  being  crowns 
of  the  sun  as  originally  coined  by  Louis  XL,  and 
valued  in  England  in  Elizabeth's  time  at  7s.  each. 

"  Well,  Barbara,"  Reginald  said,  as  they  finished 
these  bags,  "  what  do  you  think  of  your  fortune  as 
far  as  it  has  gone  ?  After  we  have  had  some  food  we 
will  go  on  and  see  what  more  there  is." 

"  I  think,"  the  girl  replied,  as  she  opened  her 
basket  and  took  from  it  some  bread,  eggs,  a  piece  of 
cold  roasted  goat's  flesh,  and  some  of  the  fruit  which 
grew  in  such  profusion  on  Coffin  IsLuid — "  I  think  as  I 
have  always  thought,  nauiel}',  that  it  is  nut  uiy  fortune 
but  yours,  and  that " 


THE   SEARCH.  345 

"  All  !  "  interrupted  Eegiiuild.  "  Well !  we  won't 
quarrel  OA'er  that  now.  So  I'll  put  my  question  in  a 
different  way.  What  do  you  think  of  the  fortune  as 
far  as  it  has  gone  ?  " 

"  I  think  it  is  a  shame  to  dig  it  up.  It  seems  like 
digging  up  the  poor  dead  creatures  who  put  it  first  in 
the  vault — who  wrapped  it  all  up  so  carefully,  and 
tied  the  money  up  in  bags  as  if  they  felt  sure  the  day 
Avonld  come  when  the}^,  or  those  dear  to  them,  would 
inherit  it  all.  And  think  of  what  strauQ-ers  it  has 
come  to,  not  only  now  but  before  !  Simon  Alderly  had 
no  real  right  to  it,  neither  had  Nicholas  Crafer,  nor 
have  you  nor  I." 

"You  or  I — you,  of  course— mean  to  keep  it, 
though,  Barbara.  It  has  been  ours  for  two  hundred 
years :  yours  by  the  first  discovery^— namely,  by  the 
respected  Simon.:  mine  by  the  second — namely,  the 
worthy  Nicholas ;  and,  in  spite  of  any  silly  old  laws 
about  treasure  trove,  why,  finding's  keepings.  Besides, 
the  treasure  trove  was  two  hundred  years  ago.  Our 
ancestors  are  responsible  for  that  part  of  it.  We,  on 
the  contrary,  can  show  a  two  centuries'  title — t'lat's 
good  enough  for  all  the  lawyers  in  the  world, I  fancy.' 

With  jokes  and  badinage  such  as  this  the  3^oung 
man  passed  the  luncheon,  dinner,  or  meal-hour — 
whichever  it  should  be  called — away.  Indeed,  at  this 
time,  when  the  long-buried  wealth  of  the  past  was 
being  at  last  revealed  to.  its  ultimate  heirs  and 
possessors,  he  was  anxious  above  all  things  to  keep 
off  the  discussion  of  whoso  it  was,  and  who  was  to 
have  it  and  who  was  not.  As  has  been  suofgested  a 
little  earlier,  he  saw,  he  knew — or  felt  almost  positive 


34G  THE   HI8PANI0LA   PLATE. 

that  lie  saw  and  knew — Avliat  was  the  final  disposition 
of  all  that  the  Key  Avas  now  disgorging,  only — -the 
present  was  not  the  time  to  speak  abont  that  dis- 
position to  Barbara.  So,  as  ninch  as  possible,  he  kept 
to  other  matters  in  connection  with  the  task  they 
were  noAv  engaged  npon. 

"  Whoever  they  Avere,"  he  Avent  on  meditatively, 
as  the  simple  re])ast  drcAV  to  an  .end,  "  Avho  originally 
OAvned  it  all,  they  must  almost  certainly  have  been 
our  country  people.  Although  we  don't  either  of  us 
know  what  those  coins  are,  Ave  can  at  least  see  that 
they  are  mostly  English,  and  all  about  one  period, 
namely,  Elizabeth's  and  her  successor's,  James.  Now, 
let's  see.     Charles  I.  succeeded  James,  eh,  Barbara  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  girl.  "  Yes.  At  school  Ave 
thought  Charles  I.  the  most  interesting  of  all  the 
English  kings." 

"  Ah  !  "  said  Reginald ;  "  Avell,  I've  heard  other 
people  say  differently.  Our  chaplain  in  tlie  lanthe, 
for  instance,  used  to  Avrangle  Avith  the  paymaster  for 
hours  about  him,  and  call  him  all  kinds  of  names. 
However,  let's  put  tAvo  and  tAVO  together.  Charles's 
Avas  an  uncomfortable  sort  of  rei^n,  for  others  besides 
himself,  and  all  sorts  of  rurapusses  Avero  going  on — 
people  flying  from  England  to  America,  et  cetera.  I 
Avondcr  if  the  gentleman  Avho  oAvned  all  these  things 
Avas  one  of  those  ?  He  might  be,  you  knoAV,  and  have 
got  drifted  doAvn  here  after  making  bad  Aveather  of  it 
iu  thejVtlantic;  or  the  pirates — hem  ! — of  his  own  day, 
Barbara — no  alhisions  meant  to  respected  ancestors ! — 
might  have  scixcd  on  him~or — or — half  a  dozen 
things.     I  don't  suppose  avc  ever  shall  find  out." 


THE    SEARCH.  347 

"  No,"  she  said,  "  I  don't  suppose  ^\c  shall.  Per- 
haps it's  better  that  we  never  should.  It  might 
interfere  with  your  enjoyment  of  it  all." 

Whereon  Reginald  laughed  once  more,  while  a 
beautiful  but  tell-tale  blush  came  to  the  girl's  face  — 
possibly  it  had  dawned  on  her,  too,  by  now,  how  the 
ultimate  possession  of  the  treasure  might  be  arranged! 
— and  then  they  proceeded  to  inspect  what  remained. 


348 


CIIAI'TKR   XLI. 

'Jiii;  i:.\j). 

A\'iiAT  (lid  rciiiuiii  in  tliis  big  chest  was  now  to  bo 
examined,  and  tliey  observed  that  the  same  pre- 
cautions had  been  taken  in  the  way  of  coverings  and 
wrappings  as  witli  all  the  previous  finds. 

"  A\'hich,"  said  lleginald,  descanting  thereon  as  he 
unwound  the  wrappers,  "  shows  one  thing,  if  no  more. 
It  testifies  that  all  the  spoil  belonged  to  the  same 
individual,  or  individuals.  But  Avho  was  he,  Barbara, 
who  was  she,  or  Avho  were  they?  That's  what  I 
want  to  know." 

It  was,  however,  what  neither  lie  nor  Marbiira  nor 
anyone  else  were  ever  to  know — the  treasure  hidden 
centuries  ago  was,  indeed,  found,  but  all  knowledge  of 
Avho  or  Avhat  they  were  Avho  had  so  hidden  it  away 
Avas  lost  for  ever.  The  treasure  of  those  forgotten 
ones  remained  to  come  to  these  y<»ung  people  at  last, 
but  all  history,  record,  and  memory  of  the  owners  had 
vanished  entirely  from  the  Avorld. 

"  What's  this  ?  "  exclaimed  Beginald,  unwinding 
a  roll  as  they  continued  their  inspection — "what's 
this?"  while,  as  he  spoke,  there  was  revealed  to  him 
a  band  of  inetal  that  looked  as  though  it  was  a 
])oi'ti()ii  of  some  circular  object.  It  was,  in  truth,  the 
front  part  of  an  ancient  coronet,  or  crown,  having  set 
into  it  five  mbics  and  a  diamond,  the  ffold  beintr  in 


THE    END.  349 

this  case  far  more  yellow  and  less  coppery  lookin.i^ 
than  that  of  the  coins  had  Ijeen.  And  as  Reginald 
tnmed  the  thing  about  in  the  glowing  light  of  the 
Caribbean  Sea,  the  gems  sparkled  and  winked  and 
flashed  their  many-coloured  rays  in  their  eyes,  as 
though  they  themselves  were  pleased  once  more  to  be 
free  from  the  darkness  in  which  they  had  lain  so  long. 

"Swells  in  their  day,  no  doubt,"  said  the  young 
man,  referring  to  those  who  had  once  oAvned  all  these 
valuables,  "  to  have  worn  such  things."  And  again  he 
exclaimed :  "  AVho  on  earth  could  they  have  been  ? " 

The  next  things  they  unrolled  were  five  bars  of 
gold,  or  rather  lumps  of  gold,  since  instead  of  being  of 
the  shape  and  form  bars  are  now,  they  were  in  cubes, 
though  one  was  triangular.  "  A  quarter  of  a  pound 
weight  each,  Barbara,"  the  young  man  said,  balancing 
them  on  his  hand.  "  A  quarter  of  a  pound  each,  if 
an  ounce.  I  wonder  the  Respected  One  could  refrain 
from  carrying  all  this  wealth  off  to  his  own  particular 
Barbara,  or  that  old  Nichokas  didn't  tiy  to  get  it  away 
in  the  Galliot." 

Barbara  only  smiled — indeed,  at  this  moment, 
woman  as  she  was,  she  was  trying  the  effect  of  the 
front  part  of  the  coronet  as  a  bracelet  on  her  arm,  and 
was  turning  her  wrist  about  to  observe  the  flashing  of 
the  stones — and  then  Reginald  proceeded  with  his 
inspection. 

"  Hullo  !  what  have  we  got  now  ? "  he  exclaimed, 
as  he  unfolded  the  next  object  that  came  to  hand. 

"What  he  had  got  now  proved  to  be  a  sword- 
handle,  cross-shaped  and  broken  off  sharp  about  an 
inch  below  the  silver  guard-plate.     In   this   handle, 


Qr> 


150  THE    lIlSl'ANi()I,A    PLATE. 

■\vliicli  itself  was  massive  silver,  rouglily  fretted  so 
that  a  tirm  grasp  might  be  obtained,  were  more 
precious  stones,  mostly  diamonds,  but  with  one  or  two 
missing  from  their  sockets  or  settings. 

"  Undoubtedly  swells,"  murmured  Reginald  again, 
"  or  else  freebooters.  Fancy,  Bavl  >ara,  if,  after  all,  the 
original  depositor  of  these  things  was  a  sea-robber  or 
pirate  himself!  One  would  imagine  he  could  hardly 
have  got  such  a  collection  of  things  otherwise. 
Unless,  on  the  other  hand,  he  had  been  a  pawnbroker, 
called,  I  believe,  in  those  days  a  Lombard  merchant. 
What  do  you  think  ? " 

"  I  am  gettiu"-  tired  of  finding-  these  thinsfs," 
the  girl  said,  listlessly.  "  I  hope  there  are  not 
many  more." 

"  We'll  soon  see." 

They  had,  however,  nearly  finished  their  worlv  by 
now  ;  the  remainder  of  the  chest's  contents  were  soon 
examined.  They  found,  to  conclude,  a  little  bag  of 
unset  gems — a  handful  of  rubies  and  diamonds  ;  they 
found  also  a  gold  musk  ball,  and  a  little  silver  casket 
full  of  musk,  the  aroma  of  which  had  Ion"-  since 
departed,  and  they  also  discovered  a  small  iron-bound 
box  full  of  gold  dust.  Some  drinking  cups,  very 
small  ones,  they  likewise  found,  and  some  pieces  of 
ivory  sawn  into  slabs,  several  extremely  curious  and 
very  unwieldy  rings  with  precious  stones  in  them, 
a  pouncet  box  in  gold,  and  various  pieces  of  antique 
lace,  black  with  ag(\ 

And  this  concluded  their  find. 

"  Altogether,"  said  Reginald,  "  I'll  bet  that  Nicholas 
was  not  far  wrong  in  his  couiputation  of  the  value  of 


THE    END.  351 

the  things  in  his  own  da}',  and,  I  expect,  even  in  these 
times,  the  contents  of  the  oblong  box  and  the  chests 
won't  fall  far  short  of  his  '  tiftie  thousand  f(uineas.' 
But  one  thing  we  ought  to  keep  for  hick,  Barbara,  and 
never  part  with — and  that's  the  skull,  or  '  Death,'  as 
Nick  called  it.  It  kept  its  watch  and  ward  well 
through  all  the  years." 

*****  * 

That  evening,  as  the  sun  dipped  below  Porto 
Rico,  they  sat  once  more  together,  as  they  had  so  often 
sat  in  the  last  month,  upon  the  verandah  of  Barbara's 
house.  Within,  in  the  living-room,  Avere  piled  the 
chests  and  the  oblonij^  box,  all  having  been  brouo-ht 
from  the  Key  to  the  shore,  and  from  the  shore  to  the 
building,  by  their  united  efforts.  And  on  Barbara's 
face  there  was  a  look  of  sadness  j)itiful  to  see,  and  in 
her  eyes  the  signs  that  the  tears  were  not  far  away. 

"  It  seems,"  she  said,  speaking  very  low,  "as  though 
with  the  finding  of  this  treasure  my  life  is  finished, 
even  as  the  quest  of  my  family  is  finished,  too.  There 
is  nothing  more  to  be  done." 

"  Is  there  not,  Barbara  ? "  asked  Reginald,  also 
speaking  low,  and  with  more  seriousness  in  his  tone 
than  had  been  aj)parent  since  they  had  grown  such 
friends  and  intimates.  "  Is  there  not  ?  Is  there  not 
a  long  lifetime  before  3'-ou  in  which  to  enjoy  your 
new-found  wealth — the  wealth  that  has  come  to  you 
after  two  centuries  of  search  for  it  ?" 

"  Oh  ! "  she  exclaimed,  springing  to  her  feet  and 
standing  before  him,  "  wh}^  speak  in  that  way  ?  Why 
say  such  things  ?     The  wealth  is  yours,  yours  onl}^ 


352  THE   HISPANIOLA    PLATE. 

and  you  know  it.  It  was  yon  who  bronght  it  to  light. 
It  was  your  ancestor's,  who  might  have  taken  it  away 
with  him  for  ever  had  he  chosen.  And  when  it  was 
at  Last  found,  where  was  it  ?  Not  even  on  our  land, 
on  the  property  that  is  mine.  What  part,  what  share 
have  I  in  it  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you,  Barbara,"  he  said,  rising  himself, 
also,  and  standing  by  her,  while,  if  possible,  his  voice 
became  now  more  deep  and  earnest.  "  1  will  tell  you 
what  part  and  share  is  yours.  The  share  not  only  ot 
all  that  we  have  to-day  unearthed,  but  of  my  life. 
The  share  of  everything  I  have  in  this  world,  even  this 
treasure,  if  it  is  rightly  mine.  My  sweet,  I  loved  you 
almost  from  the  very  first,  I  loved  you  beyond  all 
doubt  from  the  time  that  lie  came  back,  and  I  knew 
that,  together,  we  must  protect  ourselves  from  him. 
Barbara,  I  love  you  now,  and  shall  love  you  all  my 
life  until  I  die.  Will  you  not  share  that  life  with  me, 
share  all  with  me  for  ever  ?  " 

His  arm  stole  round  her  as  he  spoke  and  ho  drew 
her  softly  towards  him,  while,  as  he  did  so,  her  golden 
head  drooped  to  his  shoulder,  the  soft  eyes  looked  up 
at  him  from  beneath  the  dark  lashes,  and,  for  the  lirst 
time,  their  hps  met. 


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Cookery,  A  Year's.     By  Phyllis  Browne.    3s.  6d. 
Cookery  Book,    Cassell's  New   Universal.      By  Lizzie  Heritage, 
With  12  Coloured  Plates  and  other  Illustrations.     Strongly  bound  in 
Half-leather.     1,350  pages.     6s. 
Cookery,   Cassell's    Shilling,     woth  Thousand,    is. 
Cookery,  Vegetarian.     By  A.  G.  Pavne.     is.  6d. 
Cooking  by  Gas,  The  Art  of.     By  Marie  J.  Sugg.     Illustrated.   2s. 
Cottage   Gardening,  Poultry,    Bees,   Allotments,  Etc.      Edited  by 
W.    Robinson.     Illustrated.     Half-yearly   Volumes,   I.,   II.,   and   III. 
Cloth,  2s.  6d.  each.     Vol.  IV.,  3s. 
Count   Cavour  and    Madame    de    Circourt.      Translate!    by   A.    J 

Butler.    Cloth  gilt,  ids.  6d. 
Countries  of  the  World,  The.     By  Robert  Brown,  M.A.,  Ph.D.,  &c 
Complete  in  Six  Vols.,  with  about  750  Illustrations.     4to,  7s.  6d.  eai  li. 
Cyclopaedia,  Cassell's  Concise.    Brought  down  to  the  latest  date.   With 

about  600  Illustrations.     Cheap  Edition.     7s.  6d. 
Cyclopaedia,  Cassell's  Miniature.    Containing  30,000  subjects.   Cloth, 

2s.  6d.  ;  haU-ro.xburgh,  4s. 
Defoe,  Daniel,  The  Life  of.     By  Thomas  Wright.     With  16  FuUpagf 

Illustrations.     Cloth  gilt,  21s. 
Delectable  Duchy,  The.     Stories,  Studies,  and  Sketches.     By  Q.     6s. 
Dick   Whittington,  A  Modern.       l',y  James  Pavn.     In  One  Vol.,  6s. 
Diet  and  Cookery  for  Common  Ailments.     By  a  Fellow  of  the  Koyal 

College  of  Physicians,  and  Phvllis  Browne.     5s. 
Dog,  Illustrated  Book  of  the.    By  Vero  Shaw,  \\..\.    With  28  Coloured 

Plates.     Cloth  bevelleil,  35s.  ;   half-morocco,  45s. 
Domestic  Dictionary,  The.     Illustrated.     Cloth,  7s.  6d. 
Dore  Bible,  The.     With  200  Full-p.-ige  Illustrations  by  Dor6.     15s. 
Dore    Don    Quixote,    The.     With  .ibout  400  Illu  trations  by  Gustave 

l)(iKK.  C/ic-aA  Edition.  Bevelled  boirds,  gilt  edges,  IOS.  6d. 
Dore  Gallery,  The.  With  250  Illustrations  by  DoK^..  4(0,  42s. 
Dore's  Dante's  Inferno.     Illustrated  by  Gustave  Dork.     With  Preface 

by  A.  J.  Buti,i:k.     Cloth  gilt  or  bucl;ram,  7s.  6d. 
Dora's    Dante's  Purgatory  and   Paradise.      IlUistratcd  by  Gustave 

I)i)Ri';.     Chcnfi  h'diiion.     7s.  6d. 
Dore's  Milton's  Paradise  Lost.   Illustrated  by  DoriS.  410,  21s.  Popular 
Edition.     Cloth  gilt  or  buckram  gilt,  7s.  6d. 


Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Company's  Publications. 


Dorset,  Old.     Chapters  in  the  History  of  the  County.     By  H.  J.  Moule, 

M.A.     I  OS.  ed. 
Dressmaking,  Modern,  The  Elements  of.    By  Jeannette  E.  Davis. 

Illustrated.     2S. 
Earth,    Our,   and  its   Story.     By  Dr.  Robert  Brown,  F.L.S.     With 

Coloured  Plates  and  numerous  Wood  Engravings.  Three  Vols.  gs.  each. 
Edinburgh,  Old  and  New.  With  600  Illustrations.  Three  Vols.  gs.  each. 
Egypt:  Descriptive,  Historical,  and  Picturesque.  By  Prof.  G.  Ebers. 

With  800  Original  Engravings.  Popular  Edition.  In  Two  Vols.  42s. 
Electric    Current,    The.      How    Produced   and    How   Used.      By    R. 

MuLLiNEUX  Walmslev,  D.Sc,  etc.     Illustrated.     los.  6d. 
Electricity  in   the   Service  of  Man.      Illustrated.    .New  and  Revised 

Edition.     los.  6d. 
Electricity,  Practical.     By  Prof.  W.  E.  Avrton.     7s.  6d. 
Encyclopaedic  Dictionary,  The.     In  Fourteen  Divisional  Vols.,  los.6d. 

each  ;  or  Seven  Vols.,  half-morocco,  21s.  each  ;  half-russia,  25s. 
England,  Cassell's  Illustrated  History  of.     With  2,000  Illustrations. 

Ten  Vols.,   gs.  each.     Revised  Edition.     Vols.  I.  to  VII.   gs.  each. 
English  Dictionary,  Cassell's.     Giving  definitions  of  more  than  100,000 

Words  and  Phrases.     Superior  Edition,  5s.      Chca/t  Edition,  3s.  5d. 
English  History,  The  Dictionary  of.     Cheap  Edition.     los.  6d. 
English  Literature,  Library  of.     By  Prof.  Henry  Morlev.     Complete 

in  Five  Vols.,  7s.  6d.  each. 
English  Literature,  Morley's  First  Sketch  of.  Revised  Edition.  7s.  6d. 
English  Literature,  The  Story  of.     By  Anna  Buckland.    3s.  6d. 
English  Writers.  By  Prof.  Henry  Morlev.    Vols.  I.  to  XI.     5s.  each. 
Etiquette    of  Good    Society.     New  Edition.     Edited  and  Revised   by 

Lady  Colin  Campbell,     is.  ;  cloth,  is.  6d. 
European  Pictures  of  the  Year.    Reproductions  of  Continental  Pictures 

of  1894.     Paper  covers,  2S.  6d.     Cloth,  4s. 
Fairway  Island.    By  Horace  Hutchinson.    Cheap  Edition.    3s.  6d. 
Family    Physician,    The.      By   Eminent  Physicians  and  Surgeons. 

New  and  Rez'ised  Edition.     Cloth,  2is.  ;  Ro.xburgh,  25s. 
Fiction,  Cassell's  Popular  Library  of.     3s.  6d.  each. 


The   Medicine   Lady.     By  L.  T. 

Meade. 
Out  of  the  Jaws  of  Death.    By 

Frank  Barrett. 
The  Snare  of  the  Fowler.    By 

Mrs.  Alh.xander. 
"  La    Bella  "    and   Others.      By 

egerton  Castle. 


LEONA.     By  Mrs.  MOLESWORTH. 

Fourteen  to  One,  Etc.    By  Eliza- 
beth Stuart  Phelps. 

Father    Stafford.     By    Anthony 
Hope. 

Dr.  DumXnVs  Wife.     By  Maurus 
Jokal 


Field  Naturalist's  Handbook,  The.     By  the  Revs.  J.  G.  Wood  and 

Theodore  Wood.     Chea/y  Edition.     2s.  6d. 
Figuier's  Popular  Scientific  Works.     With  Several  Hundred  Illustra- 
tions in  each.      Newly  Revised  and  Corrected.    3s.  6d.  each. 
The  Human  Race.  Mammalia.  Ocean  World 

The  Insect  World.  Reptiles  and  Birds 

,  World  before  the  Deluge.     The  Vegetable  World. 
Flora  s  Feast      A  Masque  of  Flowers.     Penned  and  Pictured  by  Walter 

Crane.     With  40  Pages  in  Colours.     "JS. 
Football,  The  Rugby  Union  Game.     Edited  by  Rev.  F.  Marshall. 

Illustrated.    New  and  Enlarged  Edition.     7s.  6d. 
Franco-German  War,  Cassell's  History  of  the.     New  Issue.  Vol    I. 

Containmg  about  250  Illustrations,     gs. 
Eraser,  John    Drummond.       By   Philalethes.       A   Story  of    Tesuit 

Intrigue  in  the  Church  of  England.     Cheap  Edition.     IS.  6d. 
Garden   Flowers,   Familiar.     By  Shirley  Hibberd.     With  Coloured 

Plates  by  F.  E.  Hulime,  F.L.S.   Complete  in  Five  Series.  12s.  6d.  each. 
Gardening,  Cassell  s  Popular.     Illustrated.     Four  Vols.    5s.  each. 
Gazetteer  of  Great   Britain   and    Ireland,    Cassell's.      Illustrated. 

Vol.  I.     7s.  6d. 
Gladstone,  William  Ewart,  The  People's  Life  of.    Illustrated,    is. 


Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Company' i  Publications. 


Gleanings  from   Popular  Authors.    Two  Vols.     With  Original   Illus- 

trations.     4to,  gs.  each.     Two  Vols,  in  One,  15s. 
Gulliver's  Travels.    With  88  Engravings  by  Morten.     Cheap  Edition. 

Cloth,  3s.  6d.  ;  cloth  gilt,  5s.  

Gun  and   its   Development,   The.     By  W.   W.   Greener.     With   500 

Illustrations.     los.  5d. 
Heavens,  The  Story  of  the.     By  Sir  Robert  Stawell  Ball,  LL.D., 

F.R.S.,  F.R.A.S.    With  Coloured  Plates.     Popular  Edition.     12s.  6d. 
Heroes    of   Britain    in    Peace    and    ^Var.     With   300  Original  Illus- 
trations.    Two  Vols.,  3s.  6d.  each  ;  or  One  Vol.,  7s.  6d. 
Highway  of  Sorrow,  The.     By  Hesba  Stretton  and  »♦**»***.     6s. 
Historic  Houses  ofthe  United  Kingdom.  Profusely  Illustrated.  los.  6d. 
History,    A    Foot-note    to.     Eight   Years  of  Trouble   in   Samoa.     By 

Robert  Louis  Stevenson.     6s. 
Home    Life    of  the    Ancient    Greeks,    The.       Translated   by  Alice 

Zimmern.     Illustrated.     7s.  6d. 
Horse,  The    Book  of  the.     By    Samuel    Sidney.     With  17  Full-page 

Collotype  Plates   of    Celebrated    Horses    of   the   Day,  and  numerous 

other  Illustrations.     Cloth,  15s. 
Houghton,  Lord  :  The  Life,  Letters,  and  Friendships  of  Richard 

Monckton    Milnes,     First    Lord    Houghton.      By  Sir  Wemyss 

Reid.     In  Two  Vols.,  with  Two  Portraits.     32s. 
Household,  Cassell's  Book  ofthe.      Complete  in  Four  Vols.     5s.  each. 

Four  Vols,  in  Two,  half  morocco,  25s. 
Hygiene  and  Public  Health.  By  B.  Arthur  Whitelegge,  M.D.  7s.  6d. 
India,    Cassell's   History   of.     By  James  Grant.      With  about   400 

Illustrations.     Two  Vols.,  gs.  each.     One  Vol.,  155. 
In-door  Amusements,  Card   Games,  and  Fireside  Fun,  Cassell's 

Book  of.     Cheap  Edition.     2S. 
Into    the    Unknown:    A   Romance  of  South  Africa.     By   Lawrence 

Fletcher.     Clieap  Edition.     3s.  6d. 
Iron  Pirate,  The.     A  Plain  Tale  of  Strange  Happenings  on  the  Sea.    By 

Max  Pemberton.     Illustrated.     5s. 
Island  Nights'  Entertainments.    By  R.  L.  Stevenson.    Illustrated.  6s. 
Kennel  Guide,  The  Practical.     By  Dr.  Gordon  Stables,     is. 
King's  Hussar,  A.     Edited  by  Herbert  Compton.     6s. 
Ladies'   Physician,  The.     By  a  London  Physician.    6s. 
Lady    Biddy    Fane,    The    Admirable.     By  Frank  Barrett.     New 

Edition.     With  12  Full-page  Illustrations.     6s. 
Lady's  Dressing-room,  The.    Translated  from  the  French  of  Baroness 

Staffe  by  Lady  Colin  Campbell.     3s.  6d. 
Letters,  the  Highway  of,  and  its  Echoes  of  Famous   Footsteps. 

By  Thomas  Archer.     Illustrated.     los.  6d. 
Letts's    Diaries    and   other    Time-saving    Publications    published 

exclusively  by  Cassell  &  Company.  {A  list  free  on  application.) 
'Lisbeth.     A  Novel.     By  Leslie  Kbith.     One  Vol.     6s. 
List,  ye  Landsmen  !     By  W.  Clark  Russkll.     One  Vol.     6s. 
Little  Minister,  The.     By  J.  M.  Barkie.     Illustrated  Edition.      6s. 
Little   Squire,  The.     By  NIrs.  Henry  de  la  Pasture.     3s.  6d. 
Llollandllaff  Legends,  The.  By  Louis  Llollandllaff.   is.  ;  cloth.  2s. 
Lobengula,  Three  Years  With,  and  Experiences  in  South  Africa. 

By  J.  Coopbk-Chauwick.     3s.  6d. 
Locomotive  Engine,  The  Biography  of  a.    By  Henry  Frith.    3s.  6d. 
Loftus,  Lord  Augustus,  The  Diplomatic  Reminiscences  of.     First 

and  Second  Series.     Two  Vols.,  each  with  Portrait,  32s.  each  Series. 
London,   Greater.     By   Edward  Walkord.      Two   Vols.     With  about 

400  Illustrations,     gs.  each. 
London,     Old    and    New.       Six     Vols.,   each    containing    about    200 

Illustrations  and  Maps.     Cloth,  gs.  each. 
Lost  on  Du  Corrig  ;  or,   'Twixt  Earth  and   Ocean.    By  Standish 

O'Grady.     With  8  Full-page  Illustrations.     5s. 


Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Company!  Publications, 


Man    in  'Black,    The.    By  Stanley  Weyman.      With  12  Full-page 

Illustrations.     3s.  6d. 
Medicine,  Manuals  for  Students   of.    [A  List  forwarded  fiost  free.) 
Modern  Europe,  A  History  of.     By  C.  A.  Fyffe,  M.A.      Complete  in 

Three  Vols.,  with  full-page  Illustrations,  7s.  6d.  each. 
Mount  Desolation.    An  Australian  Romance.    By  W.  Carlton  Dawe. 

Cheap  Edition.     3s.  6d. 
Music,  Illustrated   History  of.     By  Emil  Naumann.      Edited  by  the 

Rev.  Sir  F.  A.  Gore  Ouselev,  Bart.     Illustrated.   Two  Vols.  31s.  6d. 
National  Library,   Cassell's.     In  Volumes.     Paper  covers,  3d. ;  cloth, 

6d.     {A  Complete  List  of  the  Volumes  post  free  on  application.) 
Natural    History,    Cassell's    Concise.      By    E.  Perceval  Wright, 

M.A.,  M.D.,  F.L.S.     With  several  Hundred  Illustrations.     7s.  6d. 
Natural    History,    Cassell's    Newr.      Edited    by    Prof.    P.    Martin 

Duncan,  iVI.B.,  F.R^S.,  F.G.S.     Complete  in  Six  Vols.    With  about 

2,000  Illustrations.     Cloth,  gs.  each. 
Nature's  Wonder  Workers.   By  Kate  R.  Lovell.    Illustrated.    3s.  6d. 
New  England  Boyhood,  A.     By  Edward  E.  Hale.     3s.  6d. 
Nursing  for  the   Home   and   for  the    Hospital,   A   Handbook  of. 

By  Catherine  J.  Wood.     Cheap  Edition,     is.  6d.  ;  cloth,  2s. 
Nursing  of  Sick   Children,   A  Handbook  for  the.      By  Catherine 

J.  Wood.    2s.  6d. 
O'Driscoll's  Weird,  and  other  Stories.     By  A.  Werner.     5s. 
Ohio,  The  Nevi'.     A  Story  of  East  and  West.    By  Edward  E.  Hale.  6s, 
Oil  Painting,  A  Manual  of.     By  the  Hon.  John  Collier.    2s.  6d. 
Our  Own  Country.    Six  Vols.    With  1,200  Illustrations.     7s.  6d.  each. 
Painting,  The   English   School   of.      Cheap  Edition.     3s.  6d. 
Painting,  Practical  Guides  to.     With  Coloured  Plates  : — 


Marine  Painting.     5s. 
Animal  Painting.      5s. 
China  Painting.    5s. 
Figure  Painting.    7s.  6d. 
Elementary    Flower    Paint- 
ing.   3s. 


Tree  Painting.    5s. 
Water-Colour  Painting.   5s. 
Neutral  Tint.    5s. 
Sepia,  in  Two  Vols.,  3s.  each  ;  or 

in  One  Vol.,  5s. 
Flowers,  and  How  to   Paint 

Them.    5s. 


Paris,  Old  and  New.     A  Narrative  of  its  History,  its  People,  and  its 

Places.       By    H.    Sutherland    Edwards.       Profusely    Illustrated. 

Complete  in  Two  Vols.,  gs.  each;  or  gilt  edges,  los.  6d.  each. 
Patent    Laws    of  all    Countries,   Gleanings   from.     By  W.   Lloyd 

Wise.    Vol.  I.     Price  is.  6d. 
Peoples  of  the  World,  The.     In  Six  Vols.     By  Dr.  Robert  Brown. 

Illustrated.    7s.  6d.  each. 
Perfect  Gentleman,  The.  By  the  Rev.  A.  Smythe-Palmer,  D.D.  3s.  6d. 
Photography   for  Amateurs.      By  T.  C.   Hepworth.      Enlarged  and 

Revised  Edition.     Illustrated,     is.  ;  or  cloth,  is.  5d. 
Phrase  and  Fable,  Dictionary  of.     By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Brewer.     Cloth, 

3s.  6d.  ;  or  with  leather  back,  4s.  6d. 
Picturesque  America.     Complete  in  Four  Vols.,  with  48  Exquisite  Steel 

Plates    and    about    800   Original   Wood   Engravings.      £2  2s.    each. 

Popular  Edition.,  Vol.   I.,  18s. 
Picturesque  Canada.    With  600  Original  Illustrations.  Two  Vols.    {Jo  6s. 

the  Set. 
Picturesque    Europe.        Complete    in     Five    Vols.       Each     containing 

13   Exquisite   Steel   Plates,   from  Original    Drawings,  and   nearly  200 

Original   Illustrations.     Cloth,   £21;  half-morocco,  £31   los.  ;  morocco 

gilt,  £52ios.    Popular  Edition.     In  Five  Vols.,  i8s.  each. 
Picturesque  Mediterranean, The.  With  Magnificent  Original  Illustrations 

by  the  leading  Artists  of  the  Day.  Complete  in  Two  Vols.  £2  2s.  each. 
Pigeon  Keeper,  The  Practical.  By  Lewis  Wright.  Illustrated.  3s.  6d. 
Pigeons,  The  Book  of.     By  Robert  Fulton.     Edited  and  Arranged  by 

L.  Wright.    With  50  Coloured  Plates,  31s.  6d. ;  half-morocco,  £2  2s. 


Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Compa>iy's  Publications. 


Pity  and  of  Death,  The  Book  of.     By  Pierre  Loti.     Translated  by 

T.  P.  O'Connor,  M.P.     5s. 
Planet,  The  Story  of  Our.      By  T.  G.  Bonney,  D.Sc,  LL.D.,  F.R.S., 

F.S.A.,  F.G.S.     With    Coloured    Plates    and  Maps    and    about    100 

Illustrations.     31s.  6d. 
Playthings  and  Parodies.     Short  Stories  by  Barry  Pain.     5s. 
Poems,  Aubrey  de  Vere's.   A  Selection.    Edited  by  J.  Dennis.   3s.  6d. 
Poetry,  The  Nature  and  Elements  of.     By  E.  C.  Stedman.     6s. 
Poets,  Cassell's  Miniature  Library  of  the.     Price  is.  each  Vol. 
Pomona's  Travels.     By  Frank  R.  Stockton.     Illustrated.    5s. 
Portrait  Gallery,  The  Cabinet.  Complete  in  Five  Series,  each  containing 

36  Cabinet  Photographs  of   Eminent    Men   and    Women.     With   Bio- 
graphical Sketches.     15s.  each. 
Poultry  Keeper,  The  Practical.      By  L.  Wright.     Illustrated.   3s.  6d. 
Poultry,  The  Book  of.     By  Lewis  Wright.    Pofiular Edition,    ids.  6d. 
Poultry,  The    Illustrated   Book  of.     By  Lewis  Wright.     With  Filty 

Coloured  Plates.     Neiv  and  Revised  Eaition.     Cloth,  31s.  6d. 
Prison  Princess,  A.     A  Romance  of  Millbank  Penitentiary.     By  Major 

Arthur  Griffiths.     6s. 
Q's  \A/^orks,  Uniform  Edition  of.    5s.  each. 


Dead  Man's  Rock. 
The  Splendid  Spur. 
The  Blue  Pavilions. 


The  Astonishing  History  of  Troy  Town. 
"  I  Saw  Three  Ships,"  and  other  Winter's  Tales. 
Noughts  and  Crosses. 


Queen  Summer  ;  or.  The  Tourney  of  the  Lily  and  the  Rose.  With  Forty 
Paces  of  Designs  in  Colours  by  Walter  Crane.     6s. 

QueenVictoria,  The  Life  and  Times  of.  By  Robert  Wilson.  Com- 
plete in  Two  Vols.     With  numerous  Illustrations,     gs.  e.ich. 

Quickening  of  Caliban,  The.  A  Modern  Story  of  Evolution.  By  J. 
CoMPTON  Rickett.     Cheap  Edition.     3s.  6d. 

Rabbit-Keeper,  The  Practical.     By  Cuniculus.     Illustrated.     3s.  6d. 

Raffles  Haw,  The  Doings  of.    By  A.  Conan  Doyle.  Ne^v  Edition.  5s. 

Railways,  Our.  Their  Origin,  Development,  Incident,  and  Romance. 
By  John  Pendleton.     Illustrated.     2  Vols.,  24s. 

Railway  Guides,  Official  Illustrated.  With  Illustrations,  Maps,  &c. 
Price  IS.  each  ;  or  in  cloth,  2s.  each. 


London  and  North-Western 

Railway. 
Great  Western  Railway. 
Midland  Railway. 
Great  Northern  Railway. 


Great  Eastern  Railway. 
London  and  South-Western 

Railway. 
London,    Brighton    and    South 

Coast  Railway. 
South-Eastern  Railway. 


Rovings  of  a   Restless  Boy,   The.     By  Katharine  B.  Foot.     Illus- 

ir.-itfd.     5s.  .         _        .    .        ,,.       .     ,    „.        .  , 

Rivers   of   Great    Britain :     Descriptive,  Historical,  Pictorial. 

The  Royal  Rivek  :    The  Thames,   from   Source   to   Sea.      Popular 
Edition,  i6s.  ,  .  ,     ,    t- 

Rivers   of   the   East  Coast.      With   highly   finished   Engravings. 

PoMilar  Edition,  i6s.  ^  ,.  .  ,       „,•  , 

Robinson   Crusoe,    Cassell's    New   Fine-Art     Edition    of.      With 

upwards  of  100  Original  Illustrations.      7s.  6d. 
Romance,  The  'World  of.     Illustrated.     Cloth,  gs. 
Royal  Academy  Pictures,  1894.     7s  6d. 

Russo-Turkish  War,   Cassell's    History  of.     With   about    500   Illus- 
trations.    Two  Vols.      gs.  each.  r       t>     u-        i<- 
Sala,  George  Augustus,  The  Life  and  Adventures  of.      By  Himself. 

In  Two  Vols.,  demy  8vo,  cloth,  32s. 
Saturday  Journal,  Cassell's.     Yearly  Volume,  cloth.  7s.  6d. 
Scarabffius.     The  Story  of  .-in  African  Beetle.      I'.y  the  Mariiuisf.  Clara 

Lanza  and  James  Clarence  Harvey.     Cheap  Edition.    3s.  6d. 


Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Company's  Publications. 


Railway  Library,  Cassell's.    Crown  8vo,  boards,  as.  each. 

"^         J',  ^^^  GORDON.   KNIGHT   ERRANT. 

GOTHAM,     1883.      By    Barclay 
North. 


Metzerott,  shoemaker.  By  Kath- 
arine P.  WOODS. 

David  Todd.    By  David  Maclure. 

COMMODORE  Junk.  ByG.  Manville 
Fenn. 

St.  Cuthbert's  Tower.  By  Flor- 
ence Warden. 

The  Man  with  a  Thumb.  By  Bar- 
clay North. 

By  Right  not  Law.  By  R. 
Sherard. 

Within  Sound  of  the  Weir.  By 
Thomas  St.  E.  hake. 

Under  a  Strange  Mask.  By  Frank 
Barrett. 

The  coombsberrow  Mystery.  By 
Tames  Colwall. 

A  Queer  Race.    By  W.  westall. 

Captain  Trafalgar.  By  Westall 
and  Laurie. 

The  Phantom  City.  By  w.  Westall. 


The  Diamond  Button.  By  Barclay 
North. 

Another's  Crime.  By  Julian  Haw- 
thorne. 

The  yoke  of  the  Thorah.  By 
Sidney  Luska. 

Who  is  John  noman!  By  Charles 
Henry  Beckett. 

The  Tragedy  of  brinkwater.  By 
Martha  L.  Moodey. 

An  American  Penman.  By  Julian 
Hawthorne. 

Section  558;  or,  The  Fatal  Letter. 

By  JULIAN  HAWTHORNE. 

THE  Brown  stone  boy.    By  W.  H. 

Bishop. 
A    Tragic    Mystery.     By  Julian 

Hawthorne. 
THE   Great   Bank   Robbery.    By 

JULIAN  Hawthorne. 


Science   for  All.     Edited  by  Dr.  Robert  Brown.     Revised  Edition. 

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Shaftesbury,  The  Seventh  Earl  of,  K.G.,  The  Life  and  Work  of.  By 

Edwin  HoDDER.     Cheap  Edition.    3s.  6d. 
Shakespeare,  The    Plays  of.     Edited   by  Professor   Henry   Morlev. 

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Shakespeare,  Cassell's  Quarto   Edition.     Containing  about  600  Illus- 
trations by  H.  C.  Selous.     Complete  in  Three  Vols.,  cloth  gilt,  £3  3s. 
Shakspere,  The  International.    Edition  de  Liixe. 

"  King  Henry   VIII."      Illustrated   by    Sir  James   Linton,    P.R.I. 
[Price  on  apflication.') 

"  Othello."     Illustrated  by  Frank  Dicksee,  R.A.     £3  los. 

"  King  Henry  IV."     Illustrated  by  Eduard  Gkutzner.     £3103. 

"As  You  Like  It."     Illustrated  by  Emile  Bayard.     £3103. 
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Social  England.     A  Record  of  the  Progress  of  the   People.     By  various 

writers.  Edited  by  H.  D.  Traill,  D.C.L.  Vols.  I.  and  II.  15s.  each. 
Social  Welfare,  Subjects  of.  By  Rt.  Hon.  Lord  Playfair,  K.C.  B.  7s. 6d. 
Sports  and  Pastimes,  Cassell's  Complete  Book  of.     Cheap  Edition. 

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Squire,  The.     By  Mrs.  Parr.     Popular  Edition.    6s. 
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Two  Vols.    21S. 
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Statesmen,  Past  and  Future.     6s. 

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Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Company's  Publications. 


(A  List  of  tlie  Vohimes  puhlished  post  free  on  application.) 
Sybil  Knox:  a  Story  of  To-day.     By  Edward  E.  Hale.     6s. 
Thackeray  in  America,  With.    By  Eyre  Crowe,  A. R. A.   111.  los.  6d. 
The  "  Short  Story"  Library. 


By  OC TAVB 


By    Miss    FANNY 


A   Singer's   Wife. 

MURFREE.      53. 

The  Poet's  Audience,  and  Delilah- 

By  Clara  Savile  Clarke.    6s. 
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The    Black    Arrow. 

Louis  Stevenson. 
King    Solomon's    Mines. 
RroKR  Haggard. 
Hepworth.     2s.  6d. 
I   have  Known.     By  G.  A 
Vols.     2IS 


By     RonERT 


By     H. 


Sala. 


otto  the  Knight,  &c. 

Thanht.    5s. 
Eleven  Possible  Cases.   By  Various 
Authors.     6s. 

The  "Treasure  Island"    Series. 
3S.  6d.  each. 
"Kidnapped."  By  R.L.  Stevenson. 
Treasure    Island.      By    Robert 

I^OUIS  Stevknson. 
The  Master  of  Ballantrae.       By 
Robert  Louis  Steven'so.v. 

They  Met  in  Heaven.     By  G.  H 

Things  I  have  Seen  and   People 
With  Portrait  and  Autograph.     2 

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Tiny  Luttrell.     By  E.  W.  Hornung.     Popular  Edition.     6s. 

Toy  Tragedy,   A.     By  Mrs.  Henry  ds  la  Pasture,     is. 

To  Punish  the  Czar  :  a  Story  of  the  Crimea.  By  Horace 
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Treatment,  The  Year- Book  of,  for  1895.  A  Critical  Review  for  Prac- 
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full-page  Coloured  Plates  by  W.  H.  J.  Boot.     12s.  6d.  each. 

"Unicode":  the  Universal  Telegraphic  Phrase  Book.  Desk  or 
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United  States,  Cassell's  History  of  the.  By  Edmund  Ollier. 
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Universal  History,  Cassell's  Illustrated.    Four  Vols.     gs.  each. 

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Wood,  Rev.  J.  G.,  Life  of  the.  By  the  Rev.  Theodore  Wood. 
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Work.  The  Illustrated  Weekly  Journal  for  Mechanics.  Yearly  Volumes, 
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World   of  \Vit   and   Humour,   The.     With  400    Illustrations.     7s.  6d. 

World   of  Wonders.     Two  Vols.     With  400  Illustrations.    7s.  6d.  each. 

Wrecker,  The.    By  R.  L.  Stevenson  and  L.  Osbourne.    Illustrated.    6s. 

Yule  Tide.     Cassell's  Christmas  Annual,     is. 


40 


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6d. 


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§iblEs  anb  Hcligiotts  Morka. 

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The  Storv  of  Moses  and  Joshua.    By  the  Rev.  J.  Telford. 

The  Storv  ot  the  Judges.    By  the  Rev  J.  Wycliffe  Gedge. 

The  Story  of  Samuel  and  Saul.    By  the  Rev.  D.  C.  TOVEY. 

The  Storv  Ol  David.     By  the  Rev.  J.  WILD. 

The  Storv  of  Joseph.  Its  Lessons  for  To- Day.  By  the  Rev.  GEORGE  BAINTON. 

The  StoiV  of  Jesus.     In  Verse.     By  J.  R.  MACDUFF.  D.D. 

Bible,  Cassell's  Illustrated  Family.     With  900  Illustrations.     Leather, 

gilt  edges,  £2  los. 
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Bible  Manual,  Cassell's  Illustrated.    By  the  Rev.  Robert  Hunter, 

LL.D.     Illustrated.     7s.  6d. 
Bible  Student   in  the   British  Museum,  The.      By  the   Rev.   J.   G. 

KiTCHiN,  M.A.     New  and  Revised  Edition,     is.  4d. 
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Bunyan,  Cassell's  Illustrated.    With  200  Original  Illustrations.    Cheap 

Edition.     7s.  6d. 
Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress.    Illustrated  throughout.    Cloth,  3s.  6d.; 

cloth  gilt,  gilt  edges,  5s. 
Child's  Bible,  The.     With  200  Illustrations.     \$oih  Thousand,     js.  5d. 
Child's  Life  of  Christ,  The.     With  200  Illustrations.     7s.  6d. 
"Come,  ye  Children."   Illustrated.  By  Rev.  Benjamin  Waugh.  3s.  6d. 
Conquests  of  the  Cross.     Illustrated.      In  3  Vols.     gs.  each. 
Dore  Bible.     With  238  Illustrations  by  GustaveDor6.     Small  folio,  best 

morocco,  gilt  edges,  £15.  Poptclar  Edition.  With  200  Illustrations.   15s. 
Early  Days  of  Christianity,  The.     By  the  Ven.  Archdeacon  Farrak, 

D.D.,  F.R.S.     Library  Edition.     Two  Vols.,  24s.  ;  morocco,  £2  2s. 

Popular  Edition.     Complete  in  One  Volume,  cloth,  6s.;  cloth,  gilt 

edges,  7s.  6d.  ;  Persian  morocco,  los.  5d.  ;  tree-calf,  15s. 
Family  Prayer-Book,  The.     Edited  by  Rev.  Canon  Garbett,  M.A., 

and  Rev.  S.  Martin.      With   Full-page  Illustrations.     New  Edition. 

Cloth,  7s.  6d. 
Gleanings   after    Harvest.     Studies  and  Sketches  by  the  Rev.  John  R. 

Vernon,  M.A.     Illustrated.    6s. 
"Graven  in  the  Rock."     By  the  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  Kinns,  F.R.A.S., 

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"Heart  Chords."     A  Series  of  Works  by  Eminent  Divines.     Bound  in 

cloth,  red  edges,  One  Shilling  each. 


MV  Bible.  By  the  Right  Rev.  W.  BOYD 
Carpenter,  Bishop  of  Ripon. 

MY  Father.  By  the  Right  Rev.  ASH- 
TON  OXENDEN,  late  Bishop  of  Mont- 
real. 

My  work  for  God.  By  the  Right 
Rev.  Bishop  COTTERILL. 

My  Object  in   Life.     By  the  Ven. 

Archdeacon  Farrar,  D.D. 
My  aspirations.     By   the   Rev.   G. 

Matheson,  D.D. 
My  Emotional  Life.     By  the  Rev. 

Preb.  CHADWICK,  D.D. 
MY    BODY.     By  the   Rev.  Prof.    W.   G. 

BLAIKIE,  D.D. 

Helps    to    Belief.      A    Series    of 


My  Growth  in  Divine  Life.  By  the 
Rev.  Preb.  REYNOLDS,  M.A. 

MY  SOUL.     By  the  Rev.  P.  B.  POWER, 

M.A. 
MY  Hereafter,    By  the  Very  Rev. 

Dean  Bickersteth. 

MY  Walk  with  God.  By  tlie  Very 
Rev.  Dean  MONTGOMERY. 

MY  AIDS  TO  THE  DIVINE  LIFE.  By 
the  Very  Rev.  Dean  BOYLE. 

MY  SOURCES  OF  Strength.     By  the 

Rev.  E.E.Jenkins,  M.A.,  Secretary 

of  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

Helpful    Manuals    on   the   Religious 

Difficulties  of  the  Day.  Edited  by  the  Rev.  Teignmouth  Shore,  M.A., 

Canon  of  Worcester.     Cloth,  is.  each. 


CREATIO.V.  By  Harvey  Goodwin,  D.D., 
late  Bishop  of  Carlisle. 

THE  Divinity  of  Our  Lord.  By 
the  Lord  Bishop  of  Derry. 

THE  MORALITY  of  THE  OLD  TESTA- 
MENT. By  the  Rev.  Newman 
Smyth,  D.D. 


MIRACLES.       By   the     Rev.    Brownlow 

Maitland.  M.A. 
Prayer.     By  the  Rev.  T.  Teignmouth 

Shore,  M.A. 
THE  ATONEMENT.     By  WiUiam  Connor 

Magee,   D.D.,    Late    Archbishop    of 

York. 

5  B.  11.94 


Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Company's  Publications. 


Holy  Land  and  the  Bible,  The.     By  the  Rev.  C.  Grikie,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

(Edin.).     Two  Vols. ,  24s.     /ttustrateit  Eitiiion,  One  Vo\.,  21s. 

Life  of  Christ,  The.     By  the  Ven.   .'\rchdeacon  Farrar,  D.D.,  F.R.S. 

Library  Edition.    Two   Vols.     Cloth,   24s.  ;   morocco,  42s.      Cheap 

Illustrated  Edition.      Cloth,  7s.  6d.  ;  cloth,  full  gilt,  gilt  edges, 

IDS.  6d.     Popular  Edition  (Revised  and  Enlmxe'),  8vo,  cloth,  gilt 

edges,  7s.  6d.  ;  Persian  morocco,  gilt  edges,  los.  6d.  ;  tree-calf,  15s. 
Moses  and  Geology  ;  or,  The  Harmony  of  the  Bible  with  Science. 

V>y  the  Rev.   Samuel  Kinns,   Ph.D.,    F.R.A.S.      Illustrated.      New 

Edition  on  Larger  and  Superior  Paper.      8s.  6d. 
New  Light  on  the  Bible  and  the  Holy  Land.     By  B.  T.  A.  Evetts, 

M.A.     Illustrated.     2is. 
New  Testament  Commentary  for  English  Readers,  The.    Edited 

by  Bishop  Ellicott.     In  Three  Volumes.  21s.  each.   Vol.  I.— The  Four 

Gospels.     Vol.    II.— The  .\cts,  Romans,  Corinthians,  Galatians.      Vol. 

III.— The  remaining  Books  of  the  New  Testament. 
New  Testament  Commentary.     Edited  by  Bishop  Ellicott.     Handy 

Volume    Edition.      St.   Matthew,   3s.  6d.     St.    Mark,  3s.     St.    Luke, 

3s.  6d.     St.  John,  3s.  6d.    The  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  3s.  6d.  Romans 

2S.  6d.     Corinthians  I.  and  II.,  3s.     Galatians,  Ephesrans,  and  Philip 

plans,    3S.       Colossians,    Thessalonians,    and    Timothy,    3s.      Titus, 

Philemon,   Hebrews,    and   James,   3s.      Peter,    Jude,    and   John,   3s. 

'Ihe  Revelation,  3s.      An  Introduction  to  the  New  Testament,  3s.  5d. 
Old  Testament  Commentary  for  English  Readers,  The.     Edited 

by  Bishop  Ellicott.   Complete  in  Five  Vols.  21s.  each.  Vol.  I. — Genesis 

to   Numbers.     Vol.    II.  — Deuteronomy  to  Samuel   II.      Vol.    III. — 

Kings  I.   to  Esther.     Vol.    IV.— Job  to   Isaiah.     Vol.  V.  -Jeremiah  to 

Malachi. 
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Volume    Edition.      Genesis,    3s.   6d.        E.\odus,    3s.      Leviticus,    3s. 

Numbers,  2S.  6d.      Deuteronomy,  2S.  6d. 
Plain   Introductions   to  the  Books  of  the  Old  Testament.     Edited 

by  Bishop  Ellicott.     3s.  6d. 
Plain  Introductions  to  the  Books  of  the  New  Testament.     Edited 

by  Bishop  Ellicott.     3s.  6d. 
Protestantism,  The  History  of.      By  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Wylie,  LL.D. 

Containing  upwards  of  600  Original  Illustrations.  Three  Vols,  gs,  each. 
Quiver  Yearly  Volume,  The.     With  about  600  Original   Illustrations. 

7s.  6d. 
Religion,     The     Dictionary    of.      By  the    Rev.    W.   Bf.nham,    B.D. 

(.heap  Edition.     los.  6d. 
St.  George  for  England  ;  and  other  Sermons  preached  to  Children.     By 

the  Rev.  T.  Thi(;nmouth  Shore,  M.A.,  Canon  of  Worcester.     5s. 
St.   Paul,  The  Life  and  Work  of.     By  the  Ven.  Archde.icon  Farrar, 

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Shall  VVe   Know  One  Another  in  Heaven?     By  the  Rt.  Rev.  J,  C. 

Rvi.E,  D.D.,  liishop  of  Liverpool.  Clu-ap  Edit  on.  Paper  covers,  6d. 
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"Sunday,"  Its  Origin,  History,  and  Present  Obligation.      By  the 

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Arithmetics,  Cassell's  "  Belle  Sauvage."     By  George  Ricks,  B.Sc. 

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British    Empire    Map   of  the   World.       New   Map   for    Schools    and 

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Cookery  for  Schools.    By  Lizzie  Heritage.     6d. 
Dulce   Domum.      Rhymes  and  Songs  for  Children.       Edited  by  John 

Farmer,  Editor  of  "  Gaudeamus,"  &c.     Old  Notation  and  Words,  5s. 
N.B. — The  words  of  the  Songs  in  "Dulce  Domura"  (with  the  Airs  both 

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Euclid,  Cassell's.     Edited  by  Prof.  Wallace,  M.A.     is. 
Euclid,  The  First  Four  Books  of.  New  Edition.  In  paper,  6d.  ;  cloth,  gd. 
Experimental  Geometry.     By  Paul  Bert.     Illustrated,     is.  6d. 
French,  Cassell's  Lessons  in.     New  and  Revised  Edition.     Parts   I. 

and  II.,  each  2s.  6d.  ;  complete,  4s.  6d.     Key,  is.  6d. 
French-English  and   English-French    Dictionary.      Entirely  New 

and  Enlarged  Edition.     1,150  pages,  8vo,  cloth,  3s.  6d. 
French  Reader,  Cassell's  Public  School.    By  G.  S.  Conrad.   2s.  6d. 
Gaudeamus.     Songs  for  Colleges  and  Schools.     Edited  by  John  Farmer. 

5s.     Words  only,  paper  covers,  6d.  ;  cloth,  gd. 
German     Dictionary,     Cassell's     New      (German-English,     EngUsh- 

German).     Cheap  Edition.     Cloth,  3s.  6d. 
Hand  and  Eye  Training.   By  G.  Ricks,  B.Sc.  2  Vols.,  with  16  Coloured 

Plates  in  each  Vol.  Cr.  410,  6s.  each.  Cards  for  Class  Use,  5  sets,  is.  each. 
Hand  and  Eye  Training.     In  two  Volumes.     Vol.  I.  Designing  with 

Coloured  Papers.     Vol.  II.  Cardboard  Work.     By  G.  Ricks  and 

Joseph  Vaughan.    2s.  each. 
Historical    Cartoons,   Cassell's    Coloured.      Size  45  in.  x  35  in.,  2s. 

each.     Mounted  on  canvas  and  varnished,  with  rollers,  5s.  each. 
Italian  Lessons,  with  Exercises,  Cassell's.     Cloth,  3s.  6d. 
Latin  Dictionary,  Cassell's  New.     (Latin-English  and  English- Latin.) 

Revised   by  J.  R.  V.  Marchant,  M.A.,  and   J.   F.  Charles,   B.A. 

Cloth,  3s.  6d.     Lar^e  Paper  Edition,  5s. 
Latin  Primer,  The  First.     By  Prof.  Postgate.     is. 
Latin  Primer,  The  New.     By  Prof.  J.  P.  Postgate.    Crown  8vo,  2s.  6d. 
Latin  Prose  for  Lower  Forms.     By  M.  A.  Bayfield,  M.A.     zs.  6d. 
Laws  of  Every-Day  Life.     By  H.  O.  Arnold-Forster,  M.P.    is.  6d. 

Special  Edition  on  Green  Paper  for  Persons  with  Weak  Eyesight.     2S. 
Lessons  in  Our  Laws;  or,  Talks  at   Broadacre  Farm.     By  H.  F. 

Lester,  B.A.     Parts  I.  and  II.,  is.  6d.  each. 
Little  Folks'  History  of  England.     Illustrated,     is.  6d. 
Making  of  the  Home,  The.     By  Mrs.  Samuel  A.  Barnett.     is.  6d. 
Marlborough    Books: — Arithmetic    Examples,    3s.     French   Exercises, 

3s.  6d.     French  Grammar,  2s.  6d.     German  Grammar,  3s.  6d. 
Mechanics  and  Machine  Design,  Numerical  Examples  in  Practical. 

By  R.  G.  Blaine,  M.E.    New  Edition,  Rei'ised  and  Enlarged.    With 

70  Illustrations.     Cloth,  2s.  6d. 
Mechanics  for  Young  Beginners,  A  First  Book  of.     By  the  Rev. 

J.  G.  Easton,  M.A.     4s.  6d. 


Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Company's  Publications. 

Natural    History    Coloured    Wall    Sheets,    Cassell's    New.       17 

Sulijects.  Size  39  by  31  in.     Mounted  on  rollers  and  varnished.    3s.  each. 

Object  Lessons  from  Nature.      By  Prof.  L.  C.  Miall,  F.L.S.     Fully 

Ilhistrated.     Ne^u  and  Enlarged  Edition.    Two  Vols.,  is.  6d.  each. 
Physiology  for  Schools.      By  A.  T.  Schofield,   M.D.,  M.R.C.S.,&c. 
Illustrated.     Cloth,  IS.  gd.  ;   Three  Parts,  paper  covers,  sd.  each  ;   or 
cloth  limp,  6d.  each. 
Poetry  Readers,  Cassell's  New.     Illustrated.     12  Books,  id.  each  ;  or 

complete  in  one  Vol.,  cloth,  is.  6d. 
Popular  Educator,  Cassell's  NE'W.    With  Revised  Text,  New  Maps, 
New  Coloured   Plates,   New  Type,  &c.      In  8  Vols.,  5s.  each;   or  in 
Four  Vols.,  half-morocco,  50s.  the  set. 
Readers,  Cassell's  "Higher  Class."     {List  on  application.) 
Readers,  Cassell's  Readable.     Illustrated.     (List  on  a/>plication.) 
Readers  for  Infant  Schools,  Coloured.      Three  Books.     4d.  each. 
Reader,  The  Citizen.     By  H.  O.  Arnold-Forster,  M.P.    Illustrated. 

is.6d.    Also  a  .Scottish  Edition,  cloth,  is.  6d. 
Reader,    The    Temperance.     By  Rev.  J.  Dennis  Hird.     Crown  8vo, 

IS.  6d. 
Readers,  Geographical,  Cassell's  New.    With  numerous  Illustrations. 

(List  on  application.) 
Readers,  The  "Modern  School  "Geographical.  (List  on  application.) 
Readers,  The  "Modern   School."    Illustrated.     (List  on  application.) 
Reckoning,    Howard's  Art   of.     By  C.    Frusher    Howard.      Paper 

covers,  IS.  ;  cloth,  2S.     Netv  Edition,  5s. 
Round  the  Empire.     By  G.  R.  Parkin.     Fully  Illustrated,     is.  6d. 
Science  Applied  to  Work.     By  J.  A.  Bower,     is. 
Science  of  Everyday  Life     By  J.  A.  Bower.     Illustrated,     is. 
Shade  from  Models,   Common  Objects,   and  Casts  of  Ornament, 

How  to.     By  W.  E.   Sparkes.    With  25  Plates  by  the  Author.    3s. 
Shakspere's  Plays  for  School  Use.    9  Books.     Illustrated.     6d.  each. 
Spelling,  A  Complete  Manual  of.     By  J.  D.  Morell,  LL.D.     is. 
Technical   Manuals,  Cassell's.     Illustrated  throughout : — 

Handrailing  and  Staircasing,  3s.  6d.— Bricklayers,  Drawing  for,  3s. — 
Building    Construction,    2S.  —  Cabinet-Makers,    Drawing   for,   3s.  — 
Carpenters  and  Joiners,  Drawing  for,  3s.  6d. — Gothic  Stonework,  3s. — 
Linear   Drawing  and  Practical   Geometry,    2s. — Linear  Drawing  and 
Projection.     The  Two  Vols,  in  One,  3s.  6d. — Machinists  and  Engineers, 
Drawing  for,  4s.  6d.— Metal-Plate  Workers,  Drawing  for,  3s.— Model 
Drawing,  3s.— Orthographical  and  Isometrical  Projection,  2s.— Practical 
Perspective,  3s.— Stonemasons,  Drawing  for,  3s.— Applied  Mechanics, 
by  Sir  R.  S.  Ball,  LL.D.,  2s.— Systematic  Drawing  and  Shading,  2s. 
Technical  Educator,  Cassell's  NEW.  An  entirely  New  Cyclopa;dia  of 
Technical  Education,  with   Coloured  Plates   and  Engravings.       Four 
Volumes,  5s.  each. 
Technology,    Manuals    of.      Edited    by   Prof.    Ayrton,   F.R.S.,  and 
Richard  Wormell,  D.Sc,  M.A.     Illustrated  throughout  : — 
The  Dyeing   of  Textile    Fabrics,   by   Prof.   Hummel,   5s.— Watch  and 
Clock  Making,  by  D.   Glasgow,  Vice-President   of   the    British  Horo- 
logical  Institute,  4s.  6d.— Steel  and  Iron,  by  Prof.  W.  H.  Greenwood, 
F.C.S.,  M.I.C.E.,  &c.,  5S.— Spinning  Woollen  and  Worsted,  by  W.  S. 
B.  McLaren,  M.  P.,  4s.  6d.— Design  in  Textile  Fabrics,  by  T.  R.  Ashen- 
hurst,  4s.  6d.  — Practical    Mechanics,  by  Prof.   Perry,  M.E.,  3s.  6d.— 
Cutting  Tools  Worked  by  Hand  and  Machine,  by  Prof.  Smith,  3s.  6d. 
Things   New  and    Old  ;  or.   Stories    from    English    History.      By 
H.  O.  Arnold-Forster,  M.P.     Fully  Illustrated,  and   strongly  bound 
in    Cloth.      Standards     I.     &     II.,   gd.    each;    Standard    III.,    is.; 
Standard  IV.,  is.  3d.  ;   St.and.ards  V.,  VI.,  S:  VII.,  is.  6d.  each. 
This  World  of  Ours.    By  H.  O.  Arnold-Forster,  M.P.     Illustrated. 
3s.  6d. 


Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Company's  Publications. 


goolis  for  ^0un0  people. 

"Little  Folks"  Half-Yearly  Volume.  Containing  432  410  pages,  with 
about  200  Illustrations,  and  Pictures  in  Colour.  Boards,  3s.  6d. ;  cloth,  5s. 

Bo-Peep.  A  Book  for  the  Little  Ones.  With  Original  Stories  and  Verses. 
Illustrated  throughout.   Yearly  Volume.    Boards,  2s.  6d.  ;  cloth,  3s.  6d. 

Beneath  the  Banner.  Being  Narratives  of  Noble  Lives  and  Brave 
Deeds.     By  F.  J.  Cross.     Illustrated.   Limp  cloth,  is.    Cloth  gilt,  as. 

Told  Out  of  School.     By  A.  J.  Daniels.     Illustrated.     3s.  6d. 

Five  Stars  in  a  Little  Pool.     By  Edith  Carkington.     Illustrated.    6s. 

The  Great  Cattle  Trail.    By  Edward  S.  Ellis.    Illustrated.    2s.  6d. 

Red  Rose  and  Tiger  Lily.    By  L.  T.  Meade.    Illustrated.   3s.  6d. 

The  Romance  of  Invention:  Vignettes  from  the  Annals  of  Industry 
and  Science.     By  James  Burnley.     Illustrated.     3s.  6d. 

The  Cost  of  a  Mistake.  By  Sarah  Pitt.  Illustrated.  New  Edition.  2S.6d. 

Beyond  the  Blue  Mountains.     By  L.  T.  Meade.     5s. 

The  Peep  of  Day.     Cassell's  Illustrated  Edition.     2s.  6d. 

Maggie  Steele's  Diary.     By  E.  A.  Dillwyn.     2S.  6d. 

A  Book  of  Merry  Tales.  By  Maggie  Browne,  "  Sheila,"  Isabel 
Wilson,  and  C.  L.  Mateaux.     Illustrated.     3s.  6d, 

A  Sunday  Story-Book.  By  Maggie  Browne,  Sam  Browne  and  Aunt 
Ethel.     Illustrated.     3s.  5d. 

A  Bundle  of  Tales.  By  Maggie  Browne  (Author  of  "Wanted — a 
King,"  &c.),  Sam  Browne,  and  Aunt  Ethel.     3s.  6d. 

Pleasant  Work  for  Busy  Fingers.  ByMAGGiE  Browne.  Illustrated.  5s. 

Born  a  King.  By  Frances  and  Mary  Arnold-Forster.  (The  Life  of 
Alfonso  XIII.,  the  Boy  King  of  Spain.)     Illustrated,     is. 

Cassell's  Pictorial  Scrap  Book.     Six  Vols.     3s.  6d.  each. 

Schoolroom  and  Home  Theatricals.  By  Arthur  Waugh.  Illus- 
trated.    Ne^v  Edition.     Paper,  is.     Cloth,  is.  6d. 

Magic  at  Home.     By  Prof.  Hoffman.     Illustrated.     Cloth  gilt,  3s.  6d. 

Little  Mother  Bunch.  By  Mrs.  Molesworth.  Illustrated.  New  Edition. 
Cloth.     2s.  6d. 

Heroes  of  Every-day  Life.  By  Laura  Lane.  With  about  20  Full- 
page  Illustrations.     Cloth.     2S.  6d. 

Bob  Lovell's  Career.     By  Edward  S.  Ellis.    5s. 

Books  for  Young  People.  Cheap  Edition.  Illustrated.  Cloth  gilt, 
3s.  6d.  each. 


Bound  by  a  Spell;  or.  The  Hunted 
Witch  of  the  Forest.  By  the 
Hon.  Mrs.  Greene. 


The  Champion  of  Odin;  or. 
Viking  Life  in  the  Days  of 
Old.     By  J.  Fred.  Hodgetts. 

Under  Bayard's  Banner.    By  Henry  Friti 

Books  for  Young  People.     Illustrated.    3s.  6d.  each. 

♦Bashful  Fifteen.  By  L.  T.  Meade.       *The  Palace  Beautiful.       By    L.   T, 


•  The  White  House  at  Inch  Gow. 

By  Mrs.  Pitt. 
»A  Sweet  Girl  Graduate.  By  L.  T. 
Meade. 
The  King's  Command :  A  Stoi'y 
for  Girls.  By  Maggie  Symington. 
Lost  in  Samoa.      A  Tale  of  Adven- 
ture in  the  Navigator  Islands.  By 
Edward  S.  EUis, 
Tad;  or,  "  Getting  Even"  with 

Him.    By  Edward  S.  Ellis.  |  Hough, 

*Also  prociirabU  in  superior  binding,  53.  eadi. 


Meade. 
*PoUy :  A  New-Pashioned  Girl.  Bv 

L.  T.  Meade. 
"PoUow   My    Leader."      By  Talbot 
Baines  Reed. 
•A  World  of   Girls:    The   Story  of 

a  School.    By  L.  T.  Meade. 
Lost    among  White   Atrieans.    By 

David  Ker. 
Por  Fortune  and  Glory:  A  Story  ot 
the    Soudan    War.      By    Lewis 


Selections  from  Cassell  ^  Company's  Publications. 


Crown  8vo  Library.     Cheap  Editions.     Gilt  edges,  2S.  6d.  each. 


Rambles  Round  London.     By  C. 

L.  Mateiux.     Illustrated. 
Around  and  About  Old  England. 

By  C.  L.  Matiiaux.     Illustrated. 
Paws  and  Claws.     By  one  of  the 

Authors  of  "  Poems  written  for  a 

Child."    Illustrated. 
Decisive    Events    in    History. 

Bv  Thomas  Archer.  With  Original 

Illustrations. 
The  True    Robinson    Crusoes. 

Cloth  gilt. 

Peeps  A  broad  for  Folks  at  Home. 
lUubtrated  throughout. 


Wild  Adventures  in  Wild  Places. 

By  Dr.  Gordon  Stables,  R.N.    lUus- 

trated. 
Modern    Explorers.        By     Thomas 

Frost.    Illubtraied.  New  and  Cheaper 

Edition. 
Early  Explorers.    By  Thomas  Frost. 
Home  Chat  with  our  Young  Folks. 

Illustrated  throughout. 
Junele,  Peak,  and  Plain.     Illustrated 

throughout. 
The  England  of  Shakespeare.    By 

E.    Goadby.      With    Full-page   Illus- 
trations. 


The  "Cross  and  Crown"    Series.      Illustrated.     2s.6d.  each. 


Freedom's  Sword :  A  Story  of  the 

Days    of    Wallace    and     Bruce. 

By  Annie  S.  Swan. 
Strong  to  Suffer:    A    Story  of 

the  Jews.    By  E.  Wynne. 
Heroes  of  the  Indian  Empire; 

or.    Stories    of  Valour    and 

Victory.     By  Ernest  Foster. 
In  Letters  of  Flame  :   A  Story 

of  the  Waldenses.     By  C.  L. 

Mat^aux. 


By 


Through    Trial    to    Triumph. 

Madeline  B.  Hunt. 
By  Fire  and  Sword:    A    Storv  of 

the     Huguenots.       By     Thomas 

Archer. 
Adam  Hepburn's  Vow:    A  Tale  of 

Kirk  and   Covenant.     By   Annie 

S.  Swan. 
No.  XIII.;    or.  The  Story  of  the 

Lost   VestaL       A    Tale    of  Early 

Christian  Days.     By  Emma  Marshall. 


"Golden  Mottoes"  Series,  The.    Each  Book  containing  208  pages,  with 
Four  full-page  Original  Illustrations.    Crown  8vo,  cloth  gilt,  2s.  each. 


'  Nil    Desperaudum."      By 
Rev.  F.  Langbridge,  M.A. 


the 


By  Sarah 


By  Helen 


"Bear  and  Forbear. 

Pitt. 
"Foremost  if  I  Can. 

Atteridge. 

Cassell's  Picture  Story  Books. 

Pictures  and  Stories,  &c.     6d 
Little  Talks 


Bright  Stars. 
Nursery  Toys. 
Pet's  Posy. 
Tiny  Tales. 


Daisy's  Story  Book. 
Dot's  Story  Book. 
A  Nest  of  Stories. 
Qood-Nlght  Stories. 
Chats  for  Small  Chatterers 


"  Honour  is  my  Guide."     By  Jeanie 

Hering  (Mrs.  Adaiiis-Acton}. 
"  Aim   at   a   Sure   End."     By   Emily 

Searchfield. 
"He  Conquers  who  Endures."    By 

the  Author  of  "  May  Cunningham's 

Trial,"  &c 

Each  containing  about  Sixty  Pages  of 
each. 

Auntie's  Stories. 
Birdie's  Story  Book. 
Little  Chimis. 
A  Sheaf  of  Tales. 
Dewdrop  Stories. 


Cassell's    Sixpenny    Story    Books.       All   Illustrated,   and   containing 
Interesting  Stories  by  well-known  writers. 


The  Smuggler's  Cave. 

Little  Lizzie. 

Little   Bird,  Life   and 

tures  of. 
Luke  Barnicott. 


The  Boat  Club. 
Little  Pickles. 
Adven-        The  Elchester  College  Boys. 
Mv  First  Cruise. 
The  Little  Peacemaker. 
The  Delft  Jug. 


Illustrated  Books  for  the  Little 
All  Illustrated,      is.  each  ;  cl 
Bright  Tales  &  Funny  Pictures, 
Merry  Little  Tales. 
Little  Tales  for  Little  People. 
Little  People  and  Their  Petj. 
Tales  Tolcf  for  Sunday. 
fiunday  Stories  for  Small  People 
Stories  .and  Pictures  for  Sunday. 
Bible  Pictures  for  Bo.ys  and  Girls, 
Pirelierhi  Siori's. 
Sunlight  nnd   Sliado. 
Rub-a-Dub  Tales. 
Fine  Feathers  nnd  Fluffy  Fur. 
ScrHnibles  and  Scrapes. 
Tittle  Tattle  Tales. 


Ones.     Containing  interesting  Stories, 
oth  gilt,  IS.  5d. 

Up  and  Down  the  Garden. 

AU  Sorts  of  Adventures. 

Our  Sunday  Stories. 

Our  Holiday  Hours. 

Indoors  and  Out. 

Some  Farm  Friends. 

Wandering  Ways. 

Dumb  Friends. 

Those   Golden   Sands. 

Little  Mothers  &  their  Children, 

Our   Pretty   Pets. 

Our  Schoolday  Hours. 

Ci-eatures  Tame. 

Creatures  Wild. 


Selections  from  Cassell  #  Company's  Publications. 


Cassell's  Shilling  Story  Books.  All  Illustrated,  and  containing  Interest- 


ing Stories. 
Bunty  and  the  Boys. 
The  Heir  of  Elmdale. 
The  Mystery  at  ShonelifF  School. 
Claimed  at  Last,  &  Roy's  Reward. 
Thorns  and  Tangles. 
The  Cuekoo  in  the  Robin's  Nest. 
John's   Mistake.  [Pitchers. 

The    History    of  Five    Little 
Diamonds  in  the  Sand. 
Surly   Bob. 


The  Giant's   Cradle. 
Shag  and  Doll. 
Aunt  Lucia's  Locket. 
The  Magic  Mirror. 
The  Cost  of  Revenge. 
Clever  Frank. 
Among  the  Redskins.. 
The  Ferryman  of  Brill. 
Harry  Maxwell. 
A  Banished  Monarch. 
Seventeen  Cats. 


"Wanted— a  King"  Series.    Cheap  Edition.    Illustrated.     2S.  6d.  each. 
Great  Gnndmarama.     By  Georgina  M.  Synge. 
Robin's  Ride.     By  Ellinor  Davenport  Adams. 
Wanted— a  Kme ;  or.  How  Merle  set  the  Nursery  Rhymes  to  Rights. 

By  Maggie  Browne.     With  Origijial  Designs  by  Harry  Furniss, 
Fairy  Tales  in  Other  Lands.    By  Julia  Goddard. 
The    World's    Workers.      A   Series   of  New   and   Original    Volumes. 
With  Portraits  printed  on  a  tint  as  Frontispiece,     is.  each. 


John  Cassell.     By  G.  Hjlden  Pike. 
Charles  Haddon  Spurgeon.     By 

G.  Holden  I'ike. 
Dr.  Arnold  of  Rugby.     By  Rose 

E.  Selfe. 

The  Earl  of  Shaftesbury.  By 
Henry  Pritll. 

Sai-ah  Robinson,  Agues  Wes- 
ton, and  Mrs.  Meredith.  By 
H.  M.  Tonikinson. 

Thomas  A.  Edison  and  Samuel 

F.  B.  Morse.      By  Dr.  Denslow 
and  J.  Marsli  Parker. 

Mrs.  SomervUle  and  Mary  Car- 
penter.   By  Phyllis  Browne. 

General  Gordon.  By  the  Rev. 
S.  A.  Swaine. 

Charles  Dickens.  By  his  Eldest 
Daughter. 

Sir  Titus  Salt  and  George 
Moore.     By  J.  Burnley. 


Florence  Nightingale,  Catherine 
Marsh,  Frances  Ridle.y  Haver- 
gal,  Mrs.  Ranyard  t"L.  N.  R."). 
By  Lizzie  AUdridge. 

Dr.  Guthrie,  Father  Mathew, 
Elihu  Burritt,  George  Livesey. 
By  John  W.  Kirton,  LL.D. 

Sir  Henry  Havelock  and  Colin 
Campbell  Lord  Clyde.  By  E.  C. 
Phillips. 

Abraham  Lincoln.    By  Ernest  Foster. 

George  Miiller  and  Andrew  Reed. 
By  E.  R.  Pitman. 

Richard  Cobden.    By  R.  Gowing. 

Benjamin  Franklin.  By  E.  M. 
Tomkinson. 

Handel.    By  Eliza  Clarke.  [Swaine. 

Turner  the  Artist.    By  the  Rev.  S.  A. 

George  and  Robert  Stephenson. 
By  C.  L.  Mateaux. 

David  Livingstone.  By  Robert  Smiles. 


•,'  The  above  Works   cau  also  be  had  Three  in  One  Vol.,  cloth,  gilt  edges,  y 
Library    of  Wonders.    Illustrated   Gift-books    for    Boys.     Paper,    is.; 
cloth.  IS.  6d. 

Wonderful  Balloon  Ascents.         I  Wonders  of  Animal  Instinct. 

Wonderful  Adventures.  |  Wonders    of   Bodily   Strength 

Wonderful  Escapes.  I  and  Skill. 

Cassell's  Eighteenpenny  Story  Books.    Illustrated. 


Wee  Willie  Winkie. 

tTps  and  Downs  of  a  Donkey's 

Life. 
Three  Wee  Ulster  Lassies. 
Up  the  Ladder. 

Dick's  Hero;  and  other  Stories. 
The  Chip  Boy. 
Ragglea,     Baggies,     and     the 

Emperor. 
Roses  Irom  Thorns. 
Gift    Books    for    Young   People. 

Original  Illustrations  in  each. 
The  Boy  Hunters  of  Kentucky. 

By  Edward  S.Ellis. 
Red   Feather:    a    Tale    of    the 

American      Frontier.  By 

Edward  S.  EUis. 

Seeking  a  City. 

Rhoda's  Reward;  or,  "If 
Wishes  w^ere  Horses." 

Jack  Marston's  Anehor. 

Frank's  Life-Eattie;  or.  The 
Three  Friends. 

Fritters.     By  Sarah  Pitt. 

The  Two  Hardcastles.  By  Made- 
line Bonavia  Hunt. 


Faith's  Father. 

Bv  Land  and  Sea. 

The  Young  Berringtons. 

Jeff  and  Lefif. 

Tom  Morris's  Error. 

Worth  more  than  Gold. 

"  Through  Flood— Through  Fire;" 

and  other  Stories. 
The  Girl  w^ith  the  Golden  Locks. 
Stories  of  the  Olden  Time. 
By  Popular  Authors.       With  Four 
Cloth  gilt,  IS.  6d.  each. 

Major  Monk's  Motto.      By  the  Rev. 

F.  Langbridge. 
Trixy.     By  Maggie  Symington. 
Rags  and  Rainbows:    A   Story  of 

Thanksgiving. 
Uncle  William's  Charges;   or.  The 

Broken  Trust. 
Pretty   Pink's    Purpose;    or.    The 

Little  Street  Merchants. 
Tijn    Thomson's    Trial.      By  George 

Weath.-rly. 
Ursula's  Stumbling-Block.    By  Julia 

Goddard. 
Ruth's    Life-Work.      By  the  Rev, 

Joseph  Johnson. 


Selections  from  Cassell  Sf  Company's  Publications. 


Cassell's  Two-Shilling  Story  Books.     Illustrated. 


Margaret's  Enemy. 
Stories  of  the  Tower. 
Mr.  Burke's  Nieces. 
May  Cmmmgliani's  Trial. 
The  Top  of  the  Ladder :  How  to 

Reach  it. 
Little  Flotsam. 
Madge  and  Her  Friends. 
The  Children  of  the  Court. 
Maid  MariOiT. 
Cheap  Editions  of  Popular  Volumes  for  Young  People 
cloth,  gilt  edges,  2S.  6d.  each. 


Peggy,  and  other  Tales. 

The  Four  Cats  of  the  Tippertona. 

Marion's  Two  Homes. 

Little  Folks'  Sunday  Book. 

Two  Fourpenny  Bits. 

Poor  Nelly. 

Tom  Heriot. 

Through  Peril  to  Fortune. 

Aunt  Tabitha's  Waifs. 

In  Mischief  Again. 

Bound  in 


In  Quest  of  Gold;    or.   Under 
the  Whanga  Falls. 

Board    the   Esmeralda ; 
Martin  Leigh's  Log. 


On 


or. 


For  Queen  and  King. 
Esther  West. 
Tlrree  Homes. 
Working  to  Win.  » 

Perils    Afloat    and    Brigands 
Ashore. 

The  "Deerfoot"  Series.     By  Edward  S.  Ellis.     With  Four  full-page 
Illustrations  in  each  Book.     Cloth,  bevelled  boards,  2s.  6d.  each. 
The  Hunters  of  the  Ozark.  |        The  Camp  in  the  Mountains. 
The  Last  War  TraU. 

The   "Log  Cabin"   Series.     By  Edward  S.Ellis.     With  Four  Full- 
page  Illustrations  in  each.     Crown  8vo,  cloth,  2s.  6d.  each. 

Tlie  Lost  Trail.  |  Camp-Fire  and  W^igwam. 

Footprints  in  the  Forest. 

The  "Great  River"   Series.       By    Edward    S.    Ellis.      Illustrated. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth,  bevelled  boards,  2S.  6d.  each. 

Down  the  Mississippi.  |  Lost  in  the  WUds. 

Up  the  Tapajoa ;  or.  Adventures  in  Brazil. 
The  "  Boy  Pioneer"  Series.     By  Edward  S.  Ellis.     With  Four  Full- 
page  Illustrations  in  each  Book.     Crown  8vo,  cloth,  2s.  6d.  each. 
Ned  in   the   Woods.    A  Tale   of    I     Ned  on  the  Hiver.    A  Tale  of  Indian 
Early  Days  in  the  West.  |  River  Warlare. 

Ned  in  the  Bloek  House.     A  Story  of  Pioneer  Life  in  Kentucky. 

The    "World   in   Pictures."      Illustrated  throughout.    Chea/>  Edition. 
IS.  6d.  each. 

A  Kamble  Bound  France. 
All  the  Russias. 
Chats  about  Germany. 
The  Eastern  Wonderland 
(Japan). 

The  Land  of  PyramidJs  (Egypt). 

Half-Crown  Story  Books. 
Pen's  Perple-xities. 
Pictures  of  School  Life  and  Boy- 
hood. 
Books  for  the  Little  Ones. 
Rhymes  for  the   Young  Folk. 
By  William  Allingham.  Bcaulifully 
lUustrated.     38.  6d. 


Glimpses  of  South  America. 
Round  Alrica. 

The  Land  of  Temples  (India). 
The  Isles  of  the  Paciflc. 
Peeps  into  China 


Notable  Shipwrecks. 
At  the  South  Pole. 


My  Diary.     With   12  Coloured  PLites 

and  366  Woodcuts.     Is. 
The    Sunday    Scrap    Book. 

Several  Hundred  Illustrations. 

boards,  3s.  6d. ;  cloth,  gilt  edges,  5s. 
The  Old  Fairy  Tales.    With  Ori>:inal 

Illustrations.       Boards,     Is.:     cloth, 

I8.6d. 


With 
raj)er 


The  History  Scrap  Book;  With 
nearly  1,000  Engravings.  Cloth, 
7s.  6d. 

Albums  for  Children.      3s.  6d.  each. 

The  Album  for  Home,  School,         Picture  Album  of  All  Sorts, 
and  Play.  Containing  Stories  by 
Popular    Authors.       lUustrated. 
My    Own    Album    of    Animals. 
With  Tull-page  Illustrations. 


With 

Full-page  Illustrations. 
The    Chit-Chat   Album.      Illustrated 
throui^hout. 


CasBcll  &  Company's  Complete  Catalogue  wilt  be  sent  poU 
Jtee  on  application  to 

CASSELL  &  COMPANY,   Limited,  Lud^ate  Hill,  Loiuion. 


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