s of Indians.
I was struck dumb with astonishment and admiration as I stood gazing at
the pile of dingy packages, each ingot being tightly sewn up in a
wrapper of raw hide. I could scarcely believe my eyes for the moment.
Twenty tons of gold! Why, there was a fabulous fortune before me! I
reckoned its value roughly, and found that, at the then ruling price of
gold, the value of the packages before me approximated well on toward
three millions sterling.

Nor was this all. There was a heavy, oaken, iron-bound case, measuring
about two feet square by about a foot and a half high. This, I
presumed, contained the uncut gems which Hoard had told me were to be
sent home in this lumbering old treasure-tub. Man alive! when I came to
realise in a measure the approximate value of all this wealth, I tell
you I was frightened; fairly terrified to think that I was now
responsible for it all. For upon me devolved the task of conveying this
enormous wealth safely across the ocean and delivering it into the hands
of my owner, to be by him subdivided into the shares to which each of us
was entitled. I believe I never realised so vividly as at that moment
the manifold perils of the sea: the peril of fire, of tempest, of
shipwreck, and of the enemy. And to think that it had all been
intrusted to a bottom that, under the most favourable circumstances,
could hardly be expected to get up a speed of ten knots, and that
consequently was open to capture by the first fast-sailing picaroon that
happened to fall in with her. It was positively frightful to merely
contemplate such a very likely eventuality. "But, thank goodness,"
thought I, "that danger is easily provided against!" And, going on
deck, I immediately ordered the ship to be hove-to, and the launch
hoisted out, and I also signalled the schooner to close.

It was a lovely evening; the water quite smooth, and a gentle westerly
breeze blowing. I determined, therefore, to seize that opportunity to
transfer the whole of the treasure to the _Sword Fish_, in the hold of
which craft I considered it would be far safer than where it was then.
And, that done, I determined to make my way, first to Jamaica, to pick
up a few more hands to help in working the galleon, and then to make the
best of my way home without risking the loss of all by engaging in any
more fighting, however tempting might be the opportunity. The men went
to work cheerily; easily divining my motive for transhipping