The Strand Magazine, Vol. 05, Issue 29, May 1893: An Illustrated MonthlyVarious
General
The Strand Magazine, Vol. 05, Issue 29, May 1893: An Illustrated Monthly
Various
English literature -- Periodicals; Short stories, English -- Periodicals
All doubts as to the truth of the wreck of the richly-laden galleon off
the coast about which Hassan had told us vanished as soon as ever we
entered there. The various things which had formed the cargo of the
vessel lay strewed in confused heaps about us. There were wedges of gold
and bars of silver, discoloured by the fumes from the crater and the
mists from the hot stream, while Spanish muskets, strange-looking
pistols, and swords with richly-chased handles, and rust-incrusted
barrels and blades lay about in piles. Among these weapons I observed a
pair of pistols with gems studding their handles, and thrust them into
my sash, besides a splendid sword, which proved very serviceable when
polished up, especially as my own defensive arms had been taken away.
Hassan and Denviers followed my example, and then the latter remarked:--
"We may as well make the most of Wimpai's permission to enrich
ourselves," and he raised several wedges of gold, which he proceeded to
carry towards the entrance of the cave. Hassan and I assisted to load
the boat, then we threw in a few more weapons which we thought might
prove useful to us, and with a look of regret at the wealth we were
forced to leave behind us we turned to leave the place. Just then Hassan
moved away from us to another part of the cave, and a moment afterwards
he called out to us. Going over to him, we found the Arab and the
tribeswoman both looking intently at something lying upon the rocky
floor.
"Every word of Hassan's singular story is undoubtedly true," I said to
Denviers, in sheer amazement, as we stooped over the object and observed
it in the torch-light. The wild tribe had carried and placed the slain
sailor by the spoils of the galleon which he had claimed for his own in
the very face of Don Luego, the Spanish commander.
There, before our eyes, was stretched the outline of a human form, above
which was spread all that remained of the tattered flag that once had
fluttered from the masthead of the ship which chased the Spanish
galleon, and went down with it on the coral reefs of the Formosan shore!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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