St. Nicholas, Vol. 5, No. 4, February 1878 — John Shaqi
St. Nicholas, Vol. 5, No. 4, February 1878Various
General
St. Nicholas, Vol. 5, No. 4, February 1878
Various
Children's literature -- Periodicals; Children's periodicals, American
Every man was at once enlisted in the service of fishing for the
treasure. The bullion was discovered first; after that, in the bottom
of the hold, the sea-miners found the coin in bags, which had been so
long under water that they were encrusted with a stony shell, hard as
rock. This was broken with crowbars, revealing gold, jewels, and
"pieces of eight," in glittering abundance. The last day's work brought
to light twenty massive silver ingots, and the whole amount recovered
was somewhat over three hundred thousand pounds, a sum equal in the
values of our time to five millions of dollars. Nor was this all the
riches concealed in the wreck; but Phips was obliged to return to
England before completing the business. Provisions had run low, and the
presence of so vast a treasure on board had stimulated the cupidity of
the crew to a dangerous degree, so that each day of delay in reaching
port was full of hazard. Every precaution was taken to guard the
treasure, but what probably prevented the crew from rising was the
promise Phips gave them, when matters had become most suspicious, that
they should each receive a share of the profits in addition to his
wages, even if his own portion were thus swallowed up. Phips reached
England without mishap, thus bringing to a successful termination one
of the most daring exploits of its sort that were ever attempted.
When the profits were divided, Phips received as his share a sum that
would now be equal to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The Duke
of Albemarle presented Mrs. Phips with a magnificent gold cup worth
fifteen thousand dollars, and King James expressed great pleasure at
the honesty and ability of Phips in the conduct of such a difficult
undertaking, and as a reward for bringing such a treasure into England
granted him the honor of knighthood, and offered him important
employment in the royal service. Fortune had indeed smiled on the
shepherd-boy of Maine.
But Phips was never ashamed of his humble origin, nor in all his
wanderings did he forget his native land. And now, instead of remaining
to enjoy further honors near the throne, he returned to his family,
bearing the important commission of High Sheriff of New England. He now
built the brick house on Green Lane which he had promised his wife
fifteen years before. The name of this Street was eventually changed to
Charter Street, in memory of his efforts to have the charter of the
Massachusetts colony restored.
Sir William Phips afterward engaged in the wars between the American
colonies of France and England, and at the head of an expedition of
eight ships captured Port Royal. A subsequent enterprise against Quebec
failed from a combination of causes, some of them beyond the control of
Phips. After this Sir William went again to England, where he was
appointed Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of the New England
colonies; and his return home with these new honors and titles was made
the occasion of a day of solemn thanksgiving.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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