Book.. 
 
 Coipght]^? 
 
 ^Jfl 
 
 COPYRIGHT DEPOSnV 
 
MONEY ISLAND, 
 
 ANDREW J. HOWELL, Jr. 
 

 JUN n 1908 
 
 •i o ^ 5" O^ 1 
 COPY 3, I 
 
 Copyright, 1908. 6y 
 ANDREW J. HOWELL, JR. 
 
 CommeTcial Prmting Co. 
 Wilmington. N. C 
 

 f 
 
 CONTENTS: 
 
 Pa^e. 
 Money Island 5 
 
 The Conquest of Jamesby 61 
 
The Little Island Among the Marshes 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 This is the story of the buried treasure 
 on Money Island, which lies in Greenville 
 Sound, not far from Wilmington, North 
 Carolina, It was told by Mr. Jonathan 
 Landstone many years ago, and is a part 
 of another story which follows, and which 
 will explain something further about the 
 mysterious little island that blinks in the 
 sunlight and tries to hide its secret. The 
 words are Mr. Landstone's and were writ- 
 ten by him, to make sure that the story 
 would be told correctly when the time 
 came to publish it. 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 (Mr. Landstone's MS.j 
 
 My grandfather lived in Charleston, 
 S. C. My home is in Philadelphia. In 
 my boyhood 1 visited him several times. 
 He was a tine old man, and was very fond 
 of me. He used to tell me many stories 
 of the good old colonial days. He said 
 his father was a pirate; but that pirates 
 in those day s were gentlemen. Although 
 they made game of the King's revenue 
 on the high seas, it was regarded as noth- 
 ing very wrong; and, although they 
 played havoc with the Spanish shipping, 
 it was but the assertion of a time-hon- 
 ored right of Englishmen, who never did 
 love Spaniards. They were, many of 
 them, ingloriously hanged, it is true, but 
 it was by the King's otficers, and not by 
 the people. 
 
 However, not to defend pirates, or in- 
 deed to condemn them, I will tell you 
 what my grandfather narrated about his 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 father, who was Capt. John Redfield. He 
 was a gallant seaman, who consorted with 
 Charles Vane and other doughty corsairs 
 of those days of romance upon the seas. 
 
 When Captain Kidd forsook the King's 
 commission to run down the pirates on 
 the American coast, and organized his 
 formidable squadron, Captain Redfield 
 was chosen as his trusted counsellor, to 
 accompany the brilliant leader on his ad- 
 ventures, He gave up his own ship, and 
 was with Captain Kidd on many voyages, 
 being entrusted with many a commission 
 of importance. 
 
 One fine spring morning, while off the 
 Carolina coast, Captain Kidd was pacing 
 his deck, enjoying the warm splendor of 
 the early sunshine. -He had just re- 
 turned from a successful voyage among 
 the Spanish colonies of the south, and 
 was gaily attired after the manner of a 
 Spanish cavalier. He wore a cocked hat, 
 
8 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 decked with a yellow band and a black 
 plume, and a coat of black velvet which 
 reached down to his knees. His trousers 
 were blue, and were adorned by large 
 golden knee-buckles. He wore massive 
 silver buckles on his shoes. With his 
 well-proportioned body, neatly trimmed 
 beard, and steady, alert eyes, he present- 
 ed as tine a picture of a man as could 
 have anywhere been found. His manner 
 had the dignity and repose of a beneficent 
 prince, as he gave his orders for the day 
 and received the salutations of his men. 
 The ship had passed the Cape of Pear, 
 and was making in towards the shore- 
 line, which Captain Kidd was observing 
 with great interest. 8ome near-by point 
 was evidently the destination. At length, 
 at his orders, the sails were lowered and 
 the anchor dropped. "We will lie here 
 to-day," he remarked, "and have a little 
 rest." 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 This information met the ready appro- 
 bation of the men, who soon disposed 
 themselves in careless groups about the 
 ship. They knew it would be a day of 
 idleness; because there were no forays to 
 be made upon the land, for the reason 
 that there were no human habitations in 
 those parts. To the buccaneers the lo- 
 cality was well known as furnishing a safe 
 retreat when retirement from active work 
 was desired. 
 
 During the day there were singing, 
 dancing, feasting. It was a day such as 
 only a gallant corsair could have with 
 his merry crew. The hours sped swiftly; 
 and at dusk anchors were weighed, and 
 the ship moved a few miles to the north- 
 ward. 
 
 Captain Kidd, standing at the prow, 
 called Captain Redfield to him. "Cap- 
 tain," said he, "I wish to entrust you 
 with a most important service. I am 
 
10 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 somewhat overstocked. I have not failed 
 to be generous to the men; but still I do 
 not feel at ease for a journey to New Eng- 
 land. You appreciate the situation. I 
 wish to make a deposit; and, as our in- 
 terests along the coast are now begin- 
 ning to be extensive, I desire to detail 
 you as a resident of Carolina to keep an 
 oversight for me. You will live on this 
 coast near the location of to-night's de- 
 posit. You will find the climate agreea- 
 ble, and other things favorable. I will 
 hand you for your own use, in case of 
 need, gold to the value of one thousand 
 pounds. Is it agreeable, Captain?" 
 **Aye, sir; your wishes are my orders." 
 **Then, swear by the Holy Virgin that 
 you will faithfully watch over the stuff; 
 that you will not touch the chests or their 
 contents, nor give any information or 
 suggestion that might lead any one to 
 their discovery — in fact, that you will 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 1 1 
 
 not disclose to any one the object of your 
 residence in this secluded place." 
 
 Captain Redfield doffed his hat, and. rais- 
 ing his right hand, said, "Captain, I so 
 swear." 
 
 *Tour hand with the oath, Redfield. 
 You are a trusty fellow, and I hav e the 
 fullest confidence in you." 
 
 "Thank you. Captain." 
 
 "But, hold," Captain Kidd continued in 
 his great benevolent voice, '•! had forgot- 
 ten the conditions. They are: You are 
 to keep the engagement, if necessary, for 
 five years. Our calling, as you know, is 
 a little uncertain. At the end of that 
 period, if I have not returned, you will 
 be at liberty to take up the smaller chest 
 to be deposited to-night, and use the con- 
 tents, subject to such division — not to 
 exceed one-half to each of us — as I may 
 demand on my return. The same condi- 
 tions will apply to the other chest for an 
 
12 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 additional period of five years. In the 
 event, however, of any special need, I 
 may send an order for some of the stuff. 
 But look you for my signet. See!" And 
 he drew from his pocket a piece of resin 
 upon which he had stamped his signet. 
 "Keep that to prove the genuineness of 
 my written orders. Is everything satis- 
 factory, Kedfield?" 
 
 * 'Everything is satisfactory, (Jap tain." 
 Captain Redfield was a man of stalwart 
 build. His height was six feet or more, 
 and his movements were quick and firm. 
 His face was beardless and wore an ex- 
 pression of stability and energy. 
 
 The two stood for some time upon the 
 prow of the ship, and discussed the lo- 
 cality of the proposed hiding of the pre- 
 cious booty,. Then Captain Kidd called 
 two men by name, who promptly respon- 
 ded. He said, *'l have trusted you in 
 times past, and I desire to do so again. 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 13 
 
 I believe yoa will not betray niy confi- 
 dence. We are going to niake another 
 deposit to-night. 1 have long had the L - 
 cation in mind. Now, swear by the Holy 
 Virgin that you will not disturb the stuff 
 yourselves, nor in any way aid or abet 
 any one else in doing so " 
 
 They swore with deep earnestness. 
 
 The gioup continued there awhile, un- 
 til the moon rose and shed its silver splen- 
 dor on the rolling water about them, 
 touching the white-capped breakers with 
 a soft and magic radiance as they dashed 
 upon the near-by beach. 
 
 Then orders were given for the lower- 
 ing of the boat. 
 
 Captain Kidd proceeded to the lockers 
 of the ship, which opened into his cabin; 
 and, with the aid of Captain Redfield, 
 drew forth two iron chests. These he 
 carried to the outer deck, and carefully 
 lowered them to the boats by moans of 
 
14 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 ropes. From a respectful distance the 
 sailors who had no hand in this work 
 watched the proceedings with eager in- 
 terest. 
 
 Firearms, shovels, and axes were then 
 placed in the boat. Pour rowers took 
 their positions; and Captains Kidd and 
 Redfield climbed down the rope ladder, 
 and sat in the stern. Everything was 
 ready, and word was given to ply the 
 oars. 
 
 8oon the ship became a mystic shape 
 in the dim distance; and, as the inlet was 
 entered, it was lost entirely to view. By 
 tortuous passages among the marshes, 
 they drew up at the island— Money 
 Island. 
 
 '^Island the fourth!" said Captain Kidd 
 Jocularly. "Magnificent indeed will be 
 the buccaneer's castie in Merry England 
 when they all give up their wealth! Ha, 
 a fine life this; but I suppose as fine a 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 15 
 
 one when the retired merchant from the 
 South Seas brings his well-earned fortune 
 to a corner of old England. Not Captain 
 Kidd then, men, but John So-and-So, a 
 wise and revered merchant. Ha! Do 
 you see the game?" 
 
 The sailors sprang upon the land and 
 pulled the boat well in from the water. 
 The officers stepped lightly ashore, and 
 railed against the low-lying branches, 
 whi(;h whipped their faces. The trees 
 were thick and low, making passage be- 
 neath them arduous and slow. However, 
 the whole island was small and soon tra- 
 versed; and, finally, a spot was selected 
 as being accessible and suitable to the 
 purpose. 
 
 Two deep holes about ten feet apart 
 were dug, and the chests brought and 
 deposited within them. Some of the 
 earth was replaced; and then they sought 
 two small trees to plant above the chests. 
 
16 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 This was accomplished slowly and care- 
 fully, so that the growth of the trees 
 would not be stopped. 
 
 At length the task was completed; and 
 the little island bore within its bosom 
 wealth sufficient to buy an earldom. The 
 silence of the dreary solitude sealed the 
 secret; and there was no man who might 
 discover it, other than those who laid the 
 chests in their earthly hiding place. The 
 moon gave testimony to the hidden treas- 
 ure, and bore its silent witness through 
 the many decades that followed. 
 
 Upon leaving ^^he island, they rowed 
 to the mainland, which was but a short 
 distance away; and there Captain Red- 
 field hid in three places in the ground 
 the money which Captain Kidd had sup- 
 plied him for his own needs, and as com- 
 pensation for his services until his return. 
 The axes and shovels, also, were secreted 
 in the woods. 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 1 7 
 
 It was past midnight when they re- 
 turned to the ship, which set sail at 
 break of day towards the north. By 
 sunset they reached Albemarle Sound, 
 the rendezvous of some companion buc- 
 caneers; and there waited for several 
 days, feasting and engaging in jovial pas- 
 times. 
 
 Meantime, a small sloop was procured 
 for Captain Redfield; and, having been 
 supplied with necessary provisions and 
 household comforts, and manned by four 
 sturdy men who knew naught of the bur- 
 ied treasure, but engaged for the service 
 on goodly pay, it sailed for the captain's 
 new home near Money Island. 
 
 Up(»n reaching their destination, the 
 pioneer residents set to work at once to 
 construct temporary quarters, and were 
 soon provided with a comfortable house. 
 According to the plans of the Comman- 
 der-in-Chief, the men who accompanied 
 
18 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 Captain Kedfield were to understand that 
 they were to engage in any service that 
 might come to hand. They were to cle^ir 
 the land and till it, build houses and 
 fences, and do such other work as might 
 tend to prepare the locality for a more 
 permanent settlement in case it should 
 be desired to inaugurate such an enter- 
 prise. 
 
 The sloop gave them communication 
 with the outside world, enabling them to 
 visit Charleston, where a colony had been 
 lately planted, and the several settle- 
 ments to the north. It also afforded Cap- 
 tain Redtield opportunity to find a wife, 
 whom he brought to Kindout, as he 
 styled his new home. There the party 
 lived in the quiet enjoyment of a life with 
 nature, which abundantly supplied, dur- 
 ing the frequent periods of recreation, 
 every facility for hunting, fishing, and 
 other sports. 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 19 
 
 One year passed, and another reached 
 its seventh month; and the party had ex- 
 perienced nothing to arouse more than a 
 passing interest. There had been no vis- 
 itors to their settlement, not even an In- 
 dian. 
 
 On one October morning, however, a 
 ship was seen lying off the inlet. This 
 was a sight which caused a considerable 
 stir among them. Captain Redfield de- 
 bated the question within himself wheth- 
 er or not it was the ship of the Comman- 
 der-in-Chief, and if it would be wise to 
 go out and pay her a visit. But he hesi- 
 tated, not wishing to jeopardize the com- 
 mission imposed upon him. 
 
 Finally, a boat was seen approaching 
 the shore, bearing a flag at its prow. In 
 due course this was recognized as the en- 
 sign of Captain Kidd; and everything 
 was hastily arranged to receive the lead- 
 er with due honor and welcome. 
 
20 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 As the boat drew near, though, it was 
 discovered that he was not among the 
 occupants; but on a seat at the stern, and 
 with dignified mien, sat Max Brisbau, an 
 old shipmate of Captain Redfield's, and 
 a former companion in the service of 
 Captain Kidd. 
 
 Brisbau alighted, and. extending his 
 hand to Captain Redfield with suave com- 
 placency, stated that he had come upon 
 a little service for Captain Kidd, and 
 would later communicate his object. He 
 showered courtly attentions upon his 
 host, who exhibited unfeigned pleasure 
 in welcoming him. 
 
 The visiting boat's crew consisted of 
 six men, who enjoyed the companionship 
 of Captain Redfield's assistants, mingling 
 with them in their various pursuits. All 
 the graces of hospitality were generously 
 displayed, and mirth and good cheer 
 possessed the men. 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 21 
 
 In the afternoon Captaia Rediield was 
 entertaining his guest in his private room, 
 Brisbau said he wo a id now advise him 
 regarding the commission upon which he 
 was sent; which was, in fact, none other 
 than the execution of an order from Cap- 
 tain Kidd for the two chests that he had 
 secreted in that neighborhood. Captain 
 Redfieid was to be awarded a generous 
 portion, and his arduous service as guar- 
 dian of the treasure would terminate. In 
 the name of Captain Kidd, he graciously- 
 extended thanks for the faithfulness 
 which Captain Rediield had shown in the 
 discharge of his duties, and gave him as- 
 surances of the high esteem and confi- 
 dence of the gallant leader. 
 
 The words were very pleasing; but 
 Captain Redfieid hesitated to make an- 
 swer. *'It may or may not be true," said 
 he after a pause, *'that Captain Kidd has 
 buried possessions iR this immediate lo- 
 
22 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 cality. It is not to be denied that he has 
 secreted treasure along the coast, but 
 where? That is the question, 1 have 
 some knowledge of the hiding place of 
 some of it, but must have some written 
 order over the signature and seal of the 
 Captain to warrant me in disclosing it." 
 
 Brisbau promptly responded that he 
 had such a communication from Captain 
 Kidd, and proceeded to draw it from an 
 inner pocket of his coat. He failed to 
 find it, and with a great show of annoy- 
 ance and a sudden recollection, he ex- 
 claimed with an oath that he had left it 
 on the dressing table on his ship. 
 
 What was to be done? He would send 
 immediately out to the ship, and have the 
 paper brought to him. No, that was 
 hardly worth while. He assured Captain 
 fledfield that he would hand him the pa- 
 per on their return to the ship, with Cap- 
 tain Redfield accompanying him. 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 23 
 
 That, Captain Redfield replied, would 
 hardly be satisfactory. His obligation 
 was to give information as to the hidden 
 treasure only upon a well attested writ- 
 ten order from Captain Kidd. Brisbau 
 cajoled, implored, and vehemently as- 
 serted the injury to his feelings which 
 the foolish reluctance of his friend caused 
 him. 
 
 B}^ intuition, Captain Redfield became 
 convinced, on account of a certain weak- 
 ness in the attitude of Brisbau in defend- 
 ing his request, that there were deceit 
 and treachery in his conduct. Therefore, 
 he coolly stated his determination to 
 make no movement in the matter without 
 the authority about which he had spoken. 
 
 At this Brisbau rose in great anger and 
 exclaimed, *'I shall have the money, or 
 your life will be no more than Jack Ket- 
 tle's, who flaunted his opposition before 
 Captain Kidd himself!" 
 
24 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 Hardly had he spoken when Captain 
 Redfield in the flash of a thought for self- 
 preservation, sprang upon him. Brisbau, 
 equally as quick, met the onset and 
 moved as best he could to avoid the 
 grasp that threatened him. 
 
 They were quite alone. Redfield was 
 entirely unarmed, but his opponent wore 
 a sword at his side, with pistol and knife 
 hanging from his belt. Having made the 
 assault, the only safety for Redfield lay 
 in his gaining the ascendency over his 
 opponent by sheer physical effort, to en- 
 able him to keep Brisbau from using the 
 weapons at his side. He missed the 
 hold around both arms which he had 
 planned, but firmly secured Brisbau's 
 right arm, while his own right hand 
 grasped the other's wrist. These advan- 
 tages he succeeded in holding, although 
 he could do nothing towards disarming 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 25 
 
 Brisbau or binding him more securely as 
 a captive. 
 
 They struggled long and furiously. 
 Redfield, whose position required his ut- 
 most exertion, gradually became ex- 
 hausted; but he had a desperate deter- 
 mination to win the mastery over Bris- 
 bau, who was likewise weary from the 
 struggle and doggedly angry. He feared 
 a result disastrous to himself if he gave 
 his opponent an opportunity to use his 
 weapons. 
 
 Finally ,_ just at a critical moment, Mrs. 
 Kedfield appeared. She started at the 
 sight which met her eyes; but, seeing 
 the situation at a glance, she ran back 
 into the room out of which she had come, 
 and quickly reappeared with a rope. 
 With a woman's ready wit, she had found 
 the means of bringing victory to her hus- 
 band. She threw the rope around Bris- 
 bau's shoulders and wound it over his 
 
26 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 arms until he was powerless to resist fur- 
 ther. He was then easily bound and tied, 
 body and legs, to a chair, grumbling his 
 angry displeasure at the turn of affairs. 
 
 Captain Redfield paused a little while 
 to recover his balance, and sat down 
 to cogitate the matter of the disposition 
 of his prisoner; and, also, to watch for 
 the return of his men from an excursion 
 they had gone upon for the entertainment 
 of their guests. They were slow in com- 
 ing, and an annoying suspicion grew up- 
 on him. He could not tell what the at- 
 titude of Brisbau's men might be; or if a 
 conflict between them and his own men 
 were to occur, what consequences might 
 ensue. At any rate, he wished to avoid 
 such a conflict if it were by any means 
 possible; but he feared it could not be 
 done. His good wife was greatly con- 
 cerned, and urged upon him some amica- 
 ble settlement with Brisbau, even to the 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 27 
 
 delivery of part of the treasure; for, after 
 all, she thought, his claim might be just. 
 
 An hour later, one of Captain Redfield's 
 men returned; and, to his great dismay, 
 informed him that an agreement had been 
 made with the visiting seamen which 
 would affect their standing with him, but 
 would work him no harm. He said that, 
 upon the arrival of the other men, the 
 matter would be discussed with the Cap- 
 tain, and meantime he would take no 
 steps toward providing a defense for him 
 in a conflict which was not likely to oc- 
 cur. 
 
 This disclosure was startling, and a 
 shock to the spirit which had upheld 
 Captain Redfield. His first impulse was 
 to attack the man for what he considered 
 the basest treachery, but he desisted. 
 Parley with him he could not. He could 
 only await the consequences of the com- 
 pact which had been hinted at. But up- 
 
28 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 on one thing he was determiLied — not to 
 disclose any knowledge of the secreted 
 treasure without first having in hand the 
 credentials from Captain Kidd which he 
 had demanded. His honor had been 
 pledged to such a course, and he would 
 not forsake his trust. 
 
 The men came. But they looked with 
 indifference upon the bound prisoner. 
 There was no display of the strong feel- 
 ings which had been anticipated. The 
 situation was obvious. So far as Captain 
 Redfield was concerned, he felt that he 
 had been forsaken, betrayed. There was 
 no man who stood with him. In vain he 
 pleaded with his men to stand by him in 
 his defense against a most dastardly plan 
 to wrong him. He then inquired their 
 attitude towards Brisbau, and received 
 an evasive answer. 
 
 At length he gave up the struggle, and 
 sought to learn the purpose of the men 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 29 
 
 who had all now gathered before him; 
 those of his own company, and those who 
 had come with iirisbau. One of them as 
 spokesman, a new-comer, informed him 
 that he and his friends had accompanied 
 Captain Brisbau for the purpose of secur- 
 ing some of the buried treasure, which 
 was known to be in that neighborhood; 
 and they intended to find the booty be- 
 fore leaving. He also stated that Captain 
 Redfield's men, upon learning about the 
 hidden treasure, had agreed to become 
 confederates; and that their master would 
 be treated in every way as a friend, and 
 be given a full share of the treasure, pro- 
 vided he would properly inform them and 
 Captain Brisbau, whom they intended to 
 release immediately, as to its location. 
 If he for any reason should refuse so to 
 favor them, he and his wife would be 
 treated as prisoners, and dealt with as 
 might seem best — until, of course, he 
 
30 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 would consent to aid them in their project. 
 
 The response that came was firm and 
 uiimistal^able. The brave custodian 
 averred that he would not betray his 
 trust, even in the very face of death. 
 Nor did days of urging and threatening 
 turn hiui from his purpose. 
 
 Brisbau was released, and given to un- 
 derstand that the men were in control of 
 affairs; and that his animosity towards 
 Captain Redfield muht cease. 
 
 The woods were scoured for the treas- 
 ure. Days passed, and weeks, and the 
 search was incessant; but there was no 
 discovery made. Captain Redfield and 
 his wife, now prisoners in chains, were 
 urged and implored; but he could not be 
 persuaded to give the information, al- 
 though the m.ental tension he suffered 
 was almost unbearable. 
 
 One day on a sudden determination, 
 Brisbau set sail with his men and com- 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 31 
 
 panioiis, together with the prisoners. 
 His purpose was to take a short cruise 
 and then return; meantiine allowing Cap- 
 tain Red field a further opportunity to dis- 
 close his secret; otherwise— and he re- 
 peated his threat made upon his first day 
 at Rindout. 
 
 The ship stopped at Charleston, and, 
 almost immediately upon its arrival, it 
 was seized under a suspicion of piracy, 
 and a search made for evidences of the 
 unlawful traffic. The prisoners were re- 
 leased through some favor of the author- 
 ities, but Brisbau and his men were im- 
 prisoned, in the hands of the king's of- 
 ficers their lives were in great jeopardy, 
 but they finally escaped the scaffold. 
 
 As to Captain Redfield and his wife, 
 the unexpected release was a most wel- 
 come boon. For her he had felt the ten- 
 derest and most agonized solicitude. The 
 temptation to acquiesce in the demand of 
 
32 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 his captors and thus free her from the 
 trying situation came often to hira with a 
 weight under which he ahnost broke 
 down. When it was over, the joy of iree- 
 dom was as great as the suiTering had been 
 wiiile they were prisoners. He lived 
 thereafter at Charleston, and soon out- 
 grew the suspicion with which he was 
 at first regarded, of having been connect- 
 ed with the buccaneers. He determined 
 to settle down to an honest, industrious 
 life. My grandfather was born soon after. 
 Captain Redfield was never afterwards 
 known to refer to anything connected 
 with a pirate in conversation with any 
 one; and I have never learned whether 
 or not he ever afterwards visited Rindout. 
 I know he was wealthy; but then he 
 worked hard and saved his earnings, and 
 I do not believe he increased his store from 
 the hidden chests on Money Island. The 
 story I have now written he told to my 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 33 
 
 grandfather in his old age, and, upon re- 
 lating it, he urged the greatest caution in 
 his use of it. 
 
 Twice my grandfather made unsuc- 
 cessful efforts to find the chests. He 
 urged that I, his grandchild, should keep 
 the knowledge of the treasure as a fami- 
 ly heritage; but that 1 might do as I 
 liked ab(»ut it. After giving the subject 
 very careful thought, I have now given 
 up the secret of Money Island, and have 
 not withheld a single detail which was 
 told me. Of course, nearly a century and 
 a half has elapsed since the precious 
 booty was hidden. The story, therefore, 
 is old, but I do not believe it has suf- 
 fered from age. Captain Kidd was exe- 
 cuted in London not long after the hid- 
 ing of the treasure, and his associates 
 gave up their old calling; and probably 
 no one has since disturbed the precious 
 chests. 
 
34 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 Now, as to when I first heard Mr. Land- 
 stone's story. It was when I was a boy 
 in the early forties, and the events con- 
 nected with its telling have modified its 
 conclusion, as will presentl}^ be seen. I 
 have heretofore spoken very little of the 
 subject to any one; and when I have 
 done so at all, it has been to one or two 
 intimate friends as a matter of particular 
 confidence. In my old age, however, I 
 am going to let my tale forsake its hid- 
 ing-place and become public property. 
 
 My parents owned a summer home on 
 Greenville Sound not far from Money Is- 
 land. To us children it was the very 
 heart of life. The best pleasure of the 
 year was confined to the four months spent 
 there from the first of June to the last 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 35 
 
 day of September. We rowed, sailed, 
 fished, swam, hunted, frolicked, and ran 
 the whole gamut of youthful delights. 
 Those good days are yet vivid in memory ; 
 and it is a matter of regret with me that 
 my grandchildren — as fine boys and girls 
 as ever lived — cannot have the same wild, 
 wholesome fun at the Sound as fell to my 
 lot when I was a boy. 
 
 The time that I now speak of, howev- 
 er, was about the middle of May, the 
 balmy m^onth of soft breezes and bright 
 flowers. I had been particularly studi- 
 ous in school, and my father agreed to 
 let me spend three days at the Sound in 
 company with a young friend. We ar- 
 ranged our food supply, took the old fam- 
 ily rockaway, and set out early in the 
 morning, as happy a pair of boys as ever 
 started on a project of pleasure. 
 
 After spending an hour or two at the 
 Sound house, arranging our fishing tackle 
 
36 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 and looking after the boats, which had 
 been hauled up for the winter, we started 
 out on a sail towards the beach. It was 
 a fine day for sailing, and the breeze bore 
 us away as smoothly and quickly as if 
 we had been in a balloon. As we passed 
 Money Island, we observed a boat moor- 
 ed on the south side, and tried to locate 
 the occupants; but we could see nobody, 
 and concluded that it belonged to a fish- 
 ing party who had, for some reason, left 
 the boat tied there. 
 
 We sailed on; and when we had gone 
 perhaps half a mile away. I happened to 
 turn arouad, and was surprised to see 
 two men stealthily embarking in the boat 
 with what appeared to be shovels and 
 rods of some kind. This sight was too 
 much for our youthful imagination. So 
 we decided at once to change our course, 
 and essayed to follow at a distance the 
 movements of the other boat. This we 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 37 
 
 had no difficulty in doing; and we after- 
 wards learned that we were successful 
 in our efforts to avoid the suspicion of 
 purposely following it. 
 
 The men sailed down the Sound a short 
 distance to the south, and made for the 
 shore in a little cove at a somewhat se- 
 cluded place. 
 
 We were familiar with the locality, and 
 decided to wait until later for a closer 
 observation. Accordingly, we bore once 
 again toward the beach, and enjoyed an 
 hour watching the breakers roll upon the 
 shore, and in picking up curios, such as 
 are always to be found upon the sea 
 beach. 
 
 Upon our return, we passed close to 
 the little cove into which the boat had 
 gone, and could readily discern through 
 the trees a tent not far inland ; in front of 
 which were seated the two strangers, 
 watching a pot hung over a fire made up- 
 
38 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 on the ground. This excited an addition- 
 al flutter of wonderment with us. In- 
 deed, what we had seen, coupled with 
 the current tradition regarding Money 
 Island, soon wrought us up into a fever 
 of excitement; for it was very sugges- 
 tive of a search for the treasure on the 
 island. 
 
 I had heard from my early childhood 
 that Captain Kidd, the historic and lord- 
 ly pirate, who reigned supreme upon the 
 high seas during the seventeenth centu- 
 ry, was supposed to have buried some of 
 his booty on Money Island. Everybody 
 was familiar with the tradition; and I 
 doubt if there is, even now, a single per- 
 son reared in the town of Wilmington, or 
 in the vicinity of the Sound, who has not 
 likewise been told the same indefinite 
 story about the little island. But the 
 presence of these two stangers, and their 
 somewhat mysterious conduct, gave the 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 39 
 
 tradition a touch of reality such as it 
 could never have otherwise had. 
 
 We concluded that these men had evi- 
 dently some positive information on the 
 subject, and were showing their confi- 
 dence in that information by prosecuting 
 a search for the hidden trea«ure, at much 
 trouble and expense. This was clear to 
 us, and we talked the matter over that 
 night with eager interest. We surmised 
 every possible case that might have fur- 
 nished the strange visitors with a work- 
 ing clue to the discovery of the treasure. 
 Speculation ran high. But there was one 
 thing that we became agreed upon, and 
 that was, to become, if possible, parties 
 to the secret enterprise. We pondered 
 with boys' shrewdness how this should 
 be done. This we could not decide upon; 
 but we determined to play a venture to- 
 ward the desired end. The attitude of 
 innocent curiosity seemed best suited to 
 
40 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 our purpose. So we planned to draw up 
 at Money Island in the morning if we ob- 
 served that the men were there; and to 
 approach them in an unsuspicious man- 
 ner, as if we had just happened to stop at 
 the Island without any definite motive. 
 This should work as a capital ruse, and, 
 we felt confident, it would initiate a con- 
 nection on our part with the mysterious 
 search. 
 
 That point settled, we concluded to in- 
 vestigate the tent and its occupants as 
 well as we might under the cover of dark- 
 ness, and we promptly set out upon that 
 project We approached within a hun- 
 dred feet of the tent, and saw the men 
 still sitting in the light of the fire at the 
 tent door; but there was no discovery of 
 importance. They were merely talking 
 quietly and carelessly about some ship 
 that one of them seemed to be interested 
 in. We could hear their conversation 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 41 
 
 distinctly, and we were also able to take 
 a good observation of their appearance. 
 
 One of them was a man upwards of six- 
 ty, of robust build and gray hair and 
 beard. He had a kind face, which bore 
 the aspect of one accustomed only to the 
 quieter walks of life, unfamiliar with ad- 
 venture and ill-suited to an enterprise 
 such as they were now apparently en- 
 gaged upon. The other man had a 
 weather-beaten face with a long nose, 
 and a swagger of manner which betoken- 
 ed the sailor. This, we afterwards learn- 
 ed, had been his occupation. We watch- 
 ed them for about an hour; but finally 
 withdrew in the hope of making a bet- 
 ter acquaintance in the morning. 
 
 Soon after daylight we began eagerly 
 to watch for the boat, which appeared 
 around a bend in the Sound after the lapse 
 of an hour or so and headed straight for 
 the Island. We loitered about the yard 
 
42 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 a little while longer, and then made ready 
 our yacht without any appearance of 
 haste. 
 
 On setting sail, we made for the beach; 
 but, upon reaching there, turned back at 
 once and sailed for Money Island in an 
 indirect course. We soon reached there 
 and stepped upon the shore. The men 
 immediately dropped their implements. 
 They returned our salutation pleasantly. 
 We observed with much surprise the dis- 
 turbed state of the ground and the holes 
 which had been dug; and then began to 
 make inquiries as innocently as we could 
 as to their object. Our plans of the night 
 before began to work successfully. 
 
 By sheer force of persistence, we won 
 our way into their confidence, and work- 
 ed with them until late in the afternoon. 
 For they were indeed on a determined 
 search for Captain Kidd's buried treasure. 
 
 We were in constant expectation of 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 43 
 
 — ' ' ■ ' ' . ' » 
 
 discovering the chests of gold — two iron 
 chests, which Mr. Landstone, the elder 
 gentleman, assured us he felt positive 
 were there- But the discovery was not 
 made, and they said this had been the 
 fourth day of labor on the Island. 
 
 The conclusion was reached that, either 
 the surrounding water had encroached 
 upon that portion of the Island where the 
 treasure had been buried, and had thus 
 imposed an almost impossible barrier to 
 its being unearthed; or that the chests 
 had become imbedded beneath the mas- 
 sive roots of two dwarfed old oaks which 
 stood gnarled and storm -worn in the cen- 
 tre of the island. To the task of remov- 
 ing these trees the men felt entirely un- 
 equal after their days of work; and, 
 therefore, it was decided to wait a day 
 or two, and approach the task of doing so, 
 if at all, with renewed spirit. 
 
 Upon invitation, we boys accompanied 
 
44 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 the men to their camp and had supper 
 with them. We were entertained by sto- 
 ries of adventure and travel, of sea voy- 
 age, of Indian warfare; and, finally, after 
 several requests of Mr. Landstone, with 
 the story of Money Island. He said he 
 would tell it upon condition that its se- 
 crecy would be kept inviolate, at least 
 for many Years. 80, in the weird light of 
 a large pine-wood fire among the trees, 
 we had the story of Money Island, told 
 in the living voice of a capital story-teller, 
 in almost the same words as are used in 
 the MS he gave me that night, and which 
 has now been publicly printed. 
 
 When Mr. Landstone finished, we boys 
 sat in breathless amazement, overcome 
 by the glamour of romance which the 
 story had thrown around the mysterious 
 little island. 
 
 The old sailor forgot his pipe, which 
 turned over and dropped its contents to 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 45 
 
 the ground. "Aye, sir," he exclaimed, 
 **we will surely uproot those trees in the 
 morniug!" And that became the decis- 
 ion of us all. 
 
 I remember that, after a long pause, I 
 asked, to reassure myself, *'Mr. Land- 
 stone, do you really believe that story?" 
 He laughed and said, *'Well, you see I 
 am on an undertaking I have had in mind 
 for nearly fifty years. Yes, I believe 
 those chests are there." 
 
 That was enough. I did not sleep an 
 hour that night; and the next morning 
 we were early at the task of searching 
 for the treasure. And a stupendous un- 
 dertaking it proved to be. All day we 
 labored at one tree. The roots were mas- 
 sive and wide-spread, and the work of 
 cutting and removing them required the 
 utmost exertion. Finally, just before 
 sunset, we completed the task, and began 
 to dig for the treasure in the earth belov^r. 
 
46 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 Already water had begun to percolate 
 into the hole, and ere we had gone much 
 deeper, it flooded it so that we found it 
 impossible to continue the excavation. 
 Then we resorted to our sounding rod 
 agaiu for a last ray of hope, and almost 
 immediately it struck something hard! 
 Our spirits rose within us. 
 
 I tore off my clothes, and jumped into 
 the water. After working for some time, 
 with the aid of a shovel, I brought to the 
 surface a piece of rusty sheet iron. Noth- 
 ing more could be found. We gathered 
 round the worn sheet of metal, and held 
 a solemn consultation. 
 
 The conclusion was reached that the 
 piece of iron which we found was in real- 
 ity a part of one of Captain Kidd's chests, 
 which had become rust-eaten and crum- 
 bled, and which had been torn asunder 
 by the growing roots of the tree, and 
 parts of it carried in various directions by 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 47 
 
 thePxi as the3^ J^ad spread, scattering the 
 contents through the ground. 
 
 We became aniiuated with a new pur- 
 pose; and the old sailor seized a shovel 
 and began vigorously to throw more 
 earth from the excavation; but darkness 
 vvas falling, and we urged him to wait 
 until the next morning. 
 
 *'What about the sand already thrown 
 out?" some one exclaimed at this junc- 
 ture. The suggestion had hardly been 
 offered before we all bent forward, and 
 thrust our hands into the pile of wet, 
 black sand lying about us. 
 
 I at once felt something round and sug- 
 gestive. '*Look at this!" I cried. It was 
 a blackened gold coin! In the darkness 
 we hurriedly sifted the sand with our 
 fingers; and each one soon found several 
 pieces of money. 
 
 With feverish energy, we thus labored 
 until late in the night, meeting with con- 
 
48 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 stant success; and, when we stopped, ev- 
 ery one had a precious pile to carry back 
 to the shore. The coins were all corroded 
 and misshapen through the action of the 
 &alty mud in which they had lain, and 
 the disturbance caused by the roots of 
 the trees. A few silver coins were found, 
 but all were in a very worn condition; 
 some being little more than ragged discs 
 of the thickness of paper. Others, or 
 the remains of them, crumbled into a 
 black powder at the touch of our fingers. 
 The gold was in better preservation; and 
 we secured a goodly store of it 
 
 Vv^e secreted our treasure in the woods 
 on shore, and early the next morning re- 
 turned to our work. I can well remem- 
 ber our exultant feeling as we set out in 
 our boats. *'Boys," Mr. Landstone called 
 out, as we were sailing over the narrow 
 stretches of water toward the island, 
 **how do you feel?" 
 
MONEY ISLAND. 49 
 
 '*I feel like— like— " I answered, rising 
 in ray seat and lifting my hat to eheer« 
 
 •*None of that!" he said quickly— but 
 I knew I was about to express the excited 
 feeling of us all. 
 
 As to our further success, 1 would say 
 that it W8S unabated during nearly the 
 whole day, I think we secured every 
 piece of precious metal that had been 
 buried beneath the tree. The following 
 day we uprooted the other tree, but failed 
 to find any trace of more booty. We 
 concluded that the remaining chest had 
 probably been removed; but that is still 
 an unsettled question. 
 
 Besides the coin, we had discovered the 
 remains of much silver plate; but it was 
 of little value, being almost entirely de- 
 stroyed. But the gold— there was an 
 abundance of it, and we were all made 
 rich! 
 
 In the meantime our parents appeared 
 
50 MONEY ISLAND. 
 
 on the scene to learn the cause of our 
 protracted absence from home. It is 
 needless to say that there was no rod of 
 correction held over us that day. 
 
 If I had taken care of my share of the 
 treasure as I should have done after my 
 father's death, I would be living in luxu* 
 ry and comfort to-day; but, even regret- 
 ting my poor judgment, I can now thank 
 a good Providence that 1 have been sus- 
 tained through a long life, which has had 
 an undue share of misfortune, by the 
 splendid fortune which came to me in 
 that happy May of long ago. 
 
'The decaying hulks of blockade runners that rise 
 a little here and there above the waves" 
 
THE CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 I reached home for tea a little late, and 
 saw my young friend Jamesby in the back 
 yard where he had gone to admire ray 
 fowls, in which I take a just pride. Old 
 Henry, my colored servant, was playing 
 the part of host; for there was no one 
 else at home. When I made my appear- 
 ance, the chickens had evidently become 
 a matter of secondary interest. 
 
 Jamesby, a rising young banker of the 
 city, was sitting on an empty box near 
 the fence, and Henry was standing before 
 him, leaning upon his cane, chuckling 
 and talking in his customary deferential 
 manner, which has always made him a 
 very acceptable servant about my prem- 
 ises. 
 
52 CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 I approached without being observed, 
 and did not hail them, for 1 did not wish 
 to intrude too suddenly upon what ap- 
 peared to be a very amusing subject of 
 conversation. 1 heard Jamesby say 
 laughingly, *'Why, it was in the paper 
 this morning — five or six columns of it! 
 It was a great big yarn. I can't imagine 
 why he never told you anything about 
 it." 
 
 I knew what they were talking about. 
 I was well aware that 1 had told my tale 
 of Money Island for publication; for had 
 I not been sought after by men, women, 
 and children for every imaginable expla- 
 nation and sidelight relating to the story 
 which might have been omitted from the 
 MS furnished the printer? And had I 
 not been asked to repeat by living voice 
 facts in the narrative which I had writ- 
 ten, as I thoaght. with entire clearness 
 in the published story? The boys had 
 
CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 53 
 
 all read the story, and I had been put to 
 my wits' end to answer the questions 
 asked by them ; but I had assured several 
 of them that if they would take a copy of 
 the paper, go to the Island and there read 
 it on the very spot where the treasure 
 had been buried, and then and there take 
 a careful survey of the situation, there 
 would be no difficulty in their compre- 
 hending even the slightest detail. This 
 seemed to me to be a very sensible sag- 
 gestion; and I suppose some of them will 
 carry it out. 
 
 While I really enjoyed the experience 
 of having entertained so many people 
 that day, I was fairly well fatigued when 
 I reached home, v/here I thought I could 
 at least be quiet and free from the con- 
 stant inquiries of interested friends. 
 
 But here was Jamesby with designs 
 against me! He had dashed my fond 
 hopes of rest; although he was somehow 
 
54 CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 always considerate and endurable. I 
 could never become impatient with him, 
 even if I knew he was going to make de- 
 mands upon me for more information 
 concerning Money Island. 
 
 **What is Uncle Henry telling you, 
 Jamesby?" I asked on drawing closer to 
 them. 
 
 **Oh,"he answered in a somewhat self- 
 conscious manner, "he was about to tell 
 me of an experience of his in money dig- 
 ging." 
 
 Now, I had heard old Henry tell that 
 story before. It was one which seemed 
 to justify his very sober ideas as to money 
 getting by any other means than by one's 
 daily work. 
 
 *'Well, Henry/* said I, taking my seat 
 also on the box, *'did you really ever dig 
 for money?"— as if I had never before 
 heard him say anything about it. The 
 
CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 55 
 
 implied doubt would, I knew, make him 
 all the more ready to talk. 
 
 He replied promptly, with a grin of in- 
 terest, '-Yes, sah, cose I tried money 
 diggin'." 
 
 Then he paused as if to await an invi- 
 tation to proceed. *'Go on, UncJe Hen- 
 ry," urged Jamesby. 
 
 Henry shifted his position, and, lean- 
 ing upon his cane from another angle, 
 went on: *' 'Twas dis away. Once upon- 
 er time me an' John Gomus an' John 
 Flowers, we was round at Mr. Holmes' 
 stables, right back of Mr. Kidder's whey 
 I uster keep my horse and kyart; dere 
 was woods right dere den, sah, an' a 
 gravej^ard; an' 1 had a horse and kyart of 
 my own. So one evenin' an ole white 
 'oman come fum de Sound, an' she tole 
 us that a sperit had done tole her whey 
 some money was buried; an' she wanted 
 us to come d(»wn dere and dig it up; she 
 
56 CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 couldn't dig for it, but she knowed whey 
 'twas- -de sperit had tole her. So we got 
 togedder and made a club to go down — 
 three of us. De place was on Wrights- 
 ville Sound, not iur from Mr. Wright's 
 place. 
 
 *'De sign was, dat one read de Bible 
 back'ards, and no one speak— all hadter 
 go by signs, an' dat'd keep de sperits fum 
 pesterin' us. John Gomus, he had de rod 
 goin' roun', an' foun' a place to stick n. 
 I dunno why he stick it whey he did. 
 De rod pinted right down dere; and right 
 whey de rod pinted we digged. When 
 we commence diggin', it was about half- 
 past eight o'clock, and we worked hard, 
 sah. W^e digged a hole big enough to set 
 a small house in, John, he kep' bearin' 
 on de rod, an' de rod it kep' goin' down. 
 Den de rod at las' struck sumpn; and we 
 was so glad, thinkin' we'd struck de pot! 
 Every one was rejoiced! We didn' talk, 
 
CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 57 
 
 but jes fling up de dirt! An' when we dig 
 down dere, sah, what you spose 'twas. 
 Nothin' but a big oie cov/'s horn. An' 
 after all dat diggin' ! We done an' digged 
 a hole 'bout fifteen or twenty feet across, 
 and goodness knows how deep; an' 'twas 
 'bout four in de mornin' before we quit. 
 We pack up an' come back home, feelin' 
 jes as cheap as a wet chicken. 
 
 •*De ole 'oman come 'roun agin, an' tole 
 us dat de money was dere; fer de sperit 
 had tole her agin 'twas dere. But we 
 warn't anxious to try for it agin. We 
 thought we done enough.'' 
 
 Old Henry chuckled, and limped away; 
 and we both laughed heartily at his droll 
 yarn. Jamesby enjoyed the tale partic- 
 ularly; and, although I felt that it might 
 somehow be at my expense, I was duly 
 amused. 
 
 When Jamesby descended from his hi- 
 larious heights, he turned to me rather 
 
58 CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 gravely, and said, *'Now, I want it from 
 your own lips; did you really dig for 
 money en Money Island?" 
 
 I answered, *•! did." 
 
 "And," he continued, '*was that a true 
 story you told about it?" 
 
 *'Now, Jamesby," I replied, **1 really 
 cannot endure this doubt cast upon the 
 truthfulness of my story. 1 decline to 
 discuss the matter. You have read the 
 paper, and you know me as the author of 
 the story.'' 
 
 **But," he added in rather a comical 
 tone, * 'there are some things which (with 
 all due respect for your trustworthiness) 
 cell for a more positive confirmation." 
 
 I knew I would not have written any- 
 thing on so important a subject without 
 proper consideration; and he knew it too. 
 However, I realized the fact that an effort 
 to believe such a story as I had offered to 
 the public may have made a somewhat 
 
CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 59 
 
 weighty demand upon credulity, at least 
 with some people. To answer his last 
 suggestion, I merely drew out of my 
 pocket a copy of the **8avannah Morning 
 News", containing an account of a strang- 
 er's mysterious movements about War- 
 saw Island near Savannah, and his sud- 
 den disappearance, leaving good evidence 
 that he had carried with him a hidden 
 treasure found there, and which tradition 
 had stated lay upon the Island. I also 
 reminded him of the fact that Dutch is- 
 land near Savannah is full of what are 
 known as **treasure holes", which have 
 been made by persons seeking the buried 
 booty of the pirates of the olden times. 
 He knew all about these; and he had also 
 heard that some of the enterprising ex- 
 plorers into the mysteries of that island 
 had been successful. 
 
 But Jamesby was still incredulous. So 
 I turned the conversation to my fowls; 
 
60 CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 and he was very ready to admit that I 
 had told the genuine thing in describing 
 to him some of the excellent points of my 
 prize birds. There was no doubt that I 
 could exhibit several specimens which 
 any fancier would be proud of. 
 
 Jamesby remained to tea, so that we 
 could go to the lodge together, and I en- 
 joyed the quiet stroll down town with 
 him. We had hardly entered the hall, 
 though, before the historian of the town, 
 who is also a leading Mason, approached 
 me regarding my Money Island revela- 
 tions. "Sir," he said, "I regard it 
 throughout as a most interesting and 
 plausible narrative; and I am glad we 
 have been favored by being allowed to 
 read it. I have made a study of the pi- 
 rates who infested our coast in the early 
 colonial days, and I know that this sec- 
 tion, particularly the lower region of the 
 Cape Fear, was a favorite rendezvous for 
 
CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 61 
 
 them. It is known upon most reliable 
 information that there are immense quan- 
 tities of captured treasure secreted along 
 the coast, and the wonder is that there 
 have not been some really serious efforts 
 to find it." 
 
 Another gentleman added, '*Yes, and 
 they also buried treasure further down 
 South; for at my old home (and I speak 
 the honest trath) I have stood in the hole 
 from which my friend, Mr, Coachman, 
 unearthed accidentally a small fortune, 
 which gave him a very comfortable start 
 in life." 
 
 The conversation lingered in this ab- 
 sorbing vein until the meeting was open- 
 ed, much to my relief; for I had been 
 surfeited with the subject of money find- 
 ing for that day, at least. But thcjt was 
 not all; for, during the solemnity of the 
 opening exercises, I heard some one tell- 
 ing, in an undertone, of a negro who had 
 
62 CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 found a roll of old bank notes in a log 
 which had been hauled to a saw mill to 
 be cut. 
 
 The next day I was still aware that I 
 possessed an unusual attraction; and I 
 resigned myself patiently to the service 
 of ail my inquiring friends. Jaraesby ac- 
 tually stopped by my office to walk up 
 with me at lunch time He was willing 
 to move along slowly with me, for now 
 in my old age I find I have to walk slow- 
 ly. I knew it would have been more nat- 
 ural for him to have gone on briskly; but 
 he was polite and assured me that the 
 pleasure of my company was better than 
 too much time spent at his meal. 
 
 We stopped on the way at a newspaper 
 office. The editor and proprietor had ob- 
 served our approach, and they were 
 awaiting us with looks of amused inter- 
 est. *'Hello!" the proprietor said cheeri- 
 ly, "you have really stimulated the en- 
 
CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 63 
 
 terprise of the town. Why have you 
 kept so reticent oh that subject all these 
 years?" 
 
 Of course, I knew what subject was 
 referred to; for I had been living for those 
 tvv^o days in an atmosphere filled with 
 the phantoms of hidden gold, buried 
 treasure, marvelous discoveries, pirates 
 and other engaging topics of thought; 
 and I now looked for nothing else. 
 
 '*In my opinion," he continued, *'it was 
 a very good story. Of course, it goes 
 without saying that it is true. I tell you, 
 sir, that it is my J udgmen t that this whole 
 section of coast line is rich in gold. Not 
 only did those pirates bury gold here, 
 but, during the Civil War, the Confeder- 
 ate blockade runners, when fearing cap- 
 ture, were known repeatedly to throw 
 gold into the sea along the beach, some- 
 times by the keg full; and not one dol- 
 lar's worth of it has ever yet been recov- 
 
64 CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 ered, so far as I can learn. It is all right 
 there where they dropped it. And be- 
 sides that, at le£ist on one occasion, it is 
 a well proven fact that a chest of gold 
 was buried by the commander of one of 
 the blockade runners in the marsh grass 
 on the shore not far below Wilmington; 
 and there is no evidence that it has ever 
 yet been unearthed. In fact, all knowl- 
 edge of the exact spot has been lost, I 
 understand." 
 
 "Yes,'' interposed the editor, ''it is all 
 quite reasonable; and, as something ger- 
 main to the subject, I can cite an inter- 
 esting instance. When, soon after the 
 War our old Confederate naval captain 
 bought his home on Greenville Sound and 
 vfas preparing to build his residence, he 
 had the old house which stood upon the 
 site torn down, and, upon the carpenters 
 coming one morning to begin the erection 
 of the new building, they found an im- 
 
CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 65 
 
 mense excavation right where the old 
 house stood. Now, that old building was 
 in former years used by a Portuguese ss 
 an inn for the entertainment of sailors 
 from the vessels in the port of Wilming- 
 ton; and, there being certain traditions 
 in regard to some money having been 
 buried beneath it, it was natural to con- 
 clude that the excavation resulted from 
 an energetic effort to find the money. 
 The hole was made at night, but by whom 
 it has never been found out. The inci- 
 dent was shrouded in a mystery which 
 has never been cleared." 
 
 We talked still further along that vein, 
 the editor emphatically asserting his as- 
 sured belief in the possibility of recover- 
 ing quantities of gold from the seashore 
 below Wilmington, and from the decay- 
 ing hulks of blockade runners that rise a 
 little here and there above the waves, 
 where they met a disastrous check to 
 
66 CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 their efforts to slip into the harbor. 
 
 As we started out again upon the street, 
 Jamesby said, *'Well, sir, — pardon my 
 frankness — but I must say that I have 
 never found your company so interesting 
 before; and 1 shall be equally frank in 
 saying that — i have never been able yet 
 to believe half the tales I have heard 
 about the mysterious discovery of buried 
 treasure. There is something so unsub- 
 stantial about most of them. Of course, 
 there may be some exceptions, and — " 
 
 *'Jamesby," 1 interrupted in good hu- 
 mor, "don't let your frankness expire for 
 the lack of the proper courage. Let your 
 speech continue during the whole run of 
 an honest statement. But it's all right. 
 I have some indisputable proofs — " 
 
 "Good morning!" It was young Rig- 
 gins who joined us. "I read that story 
 of yours, sir. It was good, I must say. 
 It is just like something that happened 
 
CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 67 
 
 in my own personaJ experience. A few 
 months ago, I was down at Homosassa, 
 Florida; and, while I was there, some 
 ciam diggers discovered a large chest of 
 old Spanish coin. They sold them to the 
 Government for thirty thousand dollars, 
 and have now retired from the clam busi- 
 ness." 
 
 That was a tale rather to the point, and 
 Jamesby received it soberly; but I laugh- 
 ed out of sheer appreciation of another 
 good yarn. 
 
 I did not see Jamesby for several days. 
 I knew it was his busy season; but I real- 
 ly wished to know how he fared. So, 
 I decided to look him up. He was a hap- 
 py, enthusiastic, ingenuous young fellow, 
 and I had become quite accustomed to 
 having his cheerful company occasion- 
 ally. 
 
 I found him sitting at his desk in in- 
 tense abstraction; but he soon observed 
 me standing before him, and quickly 
 
68 CONQUEST OF JAMESBY. 
 
 arose with a hearty welcome, such as he 
 alone knew how to extend. 
 
 *'I tell you, sir,'* he said enthusiast!- 
 cally, *'it is a magniticent project!" 
 
 '•What is?" I answered. "I don't 
 know — " 
 
 "Oh," he continued, absently, *'I for- 
 got; it was my brother I was talking 
 with. But I have investigated thorough- 
 ly the whole subject of those blockade 
 runners, and I believe the prospect of 
 s access is worth a giant effort for the re- 
 covery of some of that money from the 
 sea. "^There must be untold quantities of 
 it lying there, inviting even a meagre at- 
 tempt to get it. The boats can be char- 
 tered cheaply; and I have learned that 
 the necessary divers can be secured on 
 an equitable division of the spoils. There 
 are many details of the organization of 
 the enterprise which I have thought out." 
 
 His voice had an eager ring, and his 
 eyes sparkled with interest. 
 
 "Jamesby, my boy," I answered calm- 
 ly, **you are decidedly on the right track. 
 I wish you all good fortune," 
 
 LEFe'03 
 
MONEY ISLAND 
 
 ANDREW J. HOWELL, Jr.