my buried treasure-第1章

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My　Buried　Treasure

by　Richard　Harding　Davis




This　is　a　true　story　of　a　search　for　buried　treasure。　The　only
part　that　is　not　true　is　the　name　of　the　man　with　whom　I　searched
for　the　treasure。　Unless　I　keep　his　name　out　of　it　he　will　not　let
me　write　the　story；　and；　as　it　was　his　expedition　and　as　my　share
of　the　treasure　is　only　what　I　can　make　by　writing　the　story；　I
must　write　as　he　dictates。　I　think　the　story　should　be　told；
because　our　experience　was　unique；　and　might　be　of　benefit　to
others。　And；　besides；　I　need　the　money。

There　is；　however；　no　agreement　preventing　me　from　describing　him
as　I　think　he　is；　or　reporting；　as　accurately　as　I　can；　what　he
said　and　did　as　he　said　and　did　it。

For　purposes　of　identification　I　shall　call　him　Edgar　Powell。　The
last　name　has　no　significance；　but　the　first　name　is　not　chosen　at
random。　The　leader　of　our　expedition；　the　head　and　brains　of　it；
was　and　is　the　sort　of　man　one　would　address　as　Edgar。　No　one　would
think　of　calling　him　〃Ed；〃　or　〃Eddie；〃　any　more　than　he　would
consider　slapping　him　on　the　back。

We　were　together　at　college；　but；　as　six　hundred　other　boys　were
there　at　the　same　time；　that　gives　no　clew　to　his　identity。　Since
those　days；　until　he　came　to　see　me　about　the　treasure；　we　had　not
met。　All　I　knew　of　him　was　that　he　had　succeeded　his　father　in
manufacturing　unshrinkable　flannels。　Of　course；　the　reader
understands　that　is　not　the　article　of　commerce　he　manufactures；
but　it　is　near　enough；　and　it　suggests　the　line　of　business　to
which　he　gives　his　life's　blood。　It　is　not　similar　to　my　own　line
of　work；　and　in　consequence；　when　he　wrote　me；　on　the　unshrinkable
flannels　official　writing…paper；　that　he　wished　to　see　me　in
reference　to　a　matter　of　business　of　〃mutual　benefit；〃　I　was
considerably　puzzled。

A　few　days　later；　at　nine　in　the　morning；　an　hour　of　his　own
choosing；　he　came　to　my　rooms　in　New　York　City。

Except　that　he　had　grown　a　beard；　he　was　as　I　remembered　him；　thin
and　tall；　but　with　no　chest；　and　stooping　shoulders。　He　wore
eye…glasses；　and　as　of　old　through　these　he　regarded　you
disapprovingly　and　warily　as　though　he　suspected　you　might　try　to
borrow　money；　or　even　joke　with　him。　As　with　Edgar　I　had　never　felt
any　temptation　to　do　either；　this　was　irritating。

But　from　force　of　former　habit　we　greeted　each　other　by　our　first
names；　and　he　suspiciously　accepted　a　cigar。　Then；　after　fixing　me
both　with　his　eyes　and　with　his　eye…glasses　and　swearing　me　to
secrecy；　he　began　abruptly。

〃Our　mills；〃　he　said；　〃are　in　New　Bedford；　and　I　own　several　small
cottages　there　and　in　Fairhaven。　I　rent　them　out　at　a　moderate
rate。　The　other　day　one　of　my　tenants；　a　Portuguese　sailor；　was
taken　suddenly　ill　and　sent　for　me。　He　had　made　many　voyages　in　and
out　of　Bedford　to　the　South　Seas；　whaling；　and　he　told　me　on　his
last　voyage　he　had　touched　at　his　former　home　at　Teneriffe。　There
his　grandfather　had　given　him　a　document　that　had　been　left　him　by
his　father。　His　grandfather　said　it　contained　an　important　secret；
but　one　that　was　of　value　only　in　America；　and　that　when　he
returned　to　that　continent　he　must　be　very　careful　to　whom　he
showed　it。　He　told　me　it　was　written　in　a　kind　of　English　he　could
not　understand；　and　that　he　had　been　afraid　to　let　any　one　see　it。
He　wanted　me　to　accept　the　document　in　payment　of　the　rent　he　owed
me；　with　the　understanding　that　I　was　not　to　look　at　it；　and　that
if　he　got　well　I　was　to　give　it　back。　If　he　pulled　through；　he　was
to　pay　me　in　some　other　way；　but　if　he　died　I　was　to　keep　the
document。　About　a　month　ago　he　died；　and　I　examined　the　paper。　It
purports　to　tell　where　there　is　buried　a　pirate's　treasure。　And；〃
added　Edgar；　gazing　at　me　severely　and　as　though　he　challenged　me
to　contradict　him；　I　intend　to　dig　for　it！〃

Had　he　told　me　he　contemplated　crossing　the　Rocky　Mountains　in　a
Baby　Wright；　or　leading　a　cotillon；　I　could　not　have　been　more
astonished。　I　am　afraid　I　laughed　aloud。

〃You！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Search　for　buried　treasure？〃

My　tone　visibly　annoyed　him。　Even　the　eye…glasses　radiated
disapproval。

〃I　see　nothing　amusing　in　the　idea；〃　Edgar　protested　coldly。　〃It　is
a　plain　business　proposition。　I　find　the　outlay　will　be　small；　and
if　I　am　successful　the　returns　should　be　large；　at　a　rough　estimate
about　one　million　dollars。〃

Even　to…day；　no　true　American；　at　the　thought　of　one　million
dollars；　can　remain　covered。　His　letter　to　me　had　said；　〃for　our
mutual　benefit。〃　I　became　respectful　and　polite；　I　might　even　say
abject。　After　all；　the　ties　that　bind　us　in　those　dear　old　college
days　are　not　lightly　to　be　disregarded。

〃If　I　can　be　of　any　service　to　you；　Edgar；　old　man；〃　I　assured　him
heartily；　〃if　I　can　help　you　find　it；　you　know　I　shall　be　only　too
happy。〃　With　regret　I　observed　that　my　generous　offer　did　not　seem
to　deeply　move　him。

〃I　came　to　you　in　this　matter；〃　he　continued　stiffly；　〃because　you
seemed　to　be　the　sort　of　person　who　would　be　interested　in　a　search
for　buried　treasure。〃

〃I　am；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Always　have　been。〃

〃Have　you；〃　he　demanded　searchingly；　〃any　practical　experience？〃

I　tried　to　appear　at　ease；　but　I　knew　then　just　how　the　man　who
applies　to　look　after　your　furnace　feels；　when　you　ask　him　if　he
can　also　run　a　sixty　horse…power　dynamo。

〃I　have　never　actually　FOUND　any　buried　treasure；〃　I　admitted；　〃but
I　know　where　lots　of　it　is；　and　I　know　just　how　to　go　after　it。〃　I
endeavored　to　dazzle　him　with　expert　knowledge。

〃Of　course；〃　I　went　on　airily；　〃I　am　familiar　with　all　the
expeditions　that　have　tried　for　the　one　on　Cocos　Island；　and　I　know
all　about　the　Peruvian　treasure　on　Trinidad；　and　the　lost　treasures
of　Jalisco　near　Guadalajara；　and　the　sunken　galleon　on　the　Grand
Cayman；　and　when　I　was　on　the　Isle　of　Pines　I　had　several　very
tempting　offers　to　search　there。　And　the　late　Captain　Boynton
invited　me〃

〃But；〃　interrupted　Edgar　in　a　tone　that　would　tolerate　no　trifling；
〃you　yourself　have　never　financed　or　organized　an　expedition　with
the　object　in　view　of〃

〃Oh；　that　part's　easy！〃　I　assured　him。　〃The　fitting…out　part　you
can　safely　leave　to　me。〃　I　assumed　a　confidence　that　I　hoped　he
might　believe　was　real。　〃There's　always　a　tramp　steamer　in　the　Erie
Basin；〃　I　said；　〃that　one　can　charter　for　any　kind　of　adventure；
and　I　have　the　addresses　of　enough　soldiers　of　fortune；
filibusters；　and　professional　revolutionists　to　man　a　battle…ship；
all　fine　fellows　in　a　tight　corner。　And　I'll　promise　you　they'll
follow　us　to　hell；　and　back〃

〃That！〃　exclaimed　Edgar；　〃is　exactly　what　I　feared！　〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃That's　exactly　what　I　DON'T　want；〃　said　Edgar　sternly。　〃I　don't
INTEND　to　get　into　any　tight　corners。　I　don't　WANT　to　go　to　hell！〃

I　saw　that　in　my　enthusiasm　I　had　perhaps　alarmed　him。　I　continued
more　temperately。

〃Any　expedition　after　treasure；〃　I　pointed　out；　〃is　never　without
risk。　You　must　have　discipline；　and　you　must　have　picked　men。
Suppose　there's　a　mutiny？　Suppose　they　try　to　rob　us　of　the
treasure　on　our　way　home？　We　must　have　men　we　can　rely　on；　and　men
who　know　how　to　pump　a　Winchester。　I　can　get　you　both。　And
Bannerman　will　furnish　me　with　anything　from　a　pair　of　leggins　to
a　quick　firing　gun；　and　on　Clark　Street　they'll　quote　me　a　special
rate　on　ship　stores；　hydraulic　pumps；　divers'　helmets〃

Edgar's　eye…glasses　became　frosted　with　cold；　condemnatory　scorn。
He　shook　his　head　disgustedly。

〃I　was　afraid　of　this！〃　he　murmured。

I　endeavored　to　reassure　him。

〃A　little　danger；〃　I　laughed；　〃only　adds　to　the　fun。〃

〃I　want　you　to　understand；〃　exclaimed　Edgar　indignantly；　〃there
isn't　going　to　be　any　danger。　There　isn't　going　to　be　any　fun。　This
is　a　plain　business　proposition。　I　asked　you　those　questions　just
to　test　you。　And　you　approached　the　matter　exactly　as　I　feared　you
would。　I　was　prepared　for　it。　In　fact；〃　he　explained　shamefacedly；
〃I've　read　several　of　your　little　stories；　and　I　find　they　run　to
adventure　and　blood　and　thunder；　they　are　not　of　the　analytical
school　of　fiction。　Judging　from　them；〃　he　added　accusingly；　〃you
have　a　tendency　to　the　romantic。〃　He　spoke　reluctantly　as