"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 with 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, which I deciphered to be:
"Mary Roase, Baroness of Whitefields, from her husband, Bevill. Anno
Dom. 1598."
"Well," thinks I, "this at least can scarce be from our 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 ever I
got 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 lugging out the body--after I had still more
carefully searched the clothes, and finding a few gold pieces
consisting of 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 by 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 provision; 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 only 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 contained what 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 any 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 to Mr. Wargrave, the
jeweller and goldsmith of Cornhill (now retired very rich), when I had
gotten home again:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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