with their caps full of silver dollars and some gold.
Captain Dickinson decided to push the search night and day, and the
boats were therefore equipped with torches. It was a spirited and
romantic scene as he describes it.

"Thetis Cove would have supplied a fine subject for an artist. The red
glare cast from the torches on every projection of the stupendous
cliffs rendered the deep shadows of their fissures and indentations
more conspicuous. The rushing of roaring sea into the deep chasms
produced a succession of reports like those of cannon; and the
assembled boats, flashing in and out of the gloom were kept in constant
motion by the long swell. The experiment succeeded to admiration, and
we continued taking up treasure until two o'clock of the morning of the
first of April, when we were glad to retire; having obtained in the
whole by this attempt, 6326 dollars, 36 pounds, 10 ounces of Plata
pina, 5 pounds, 4 ounces of old silver, 243 pounds, 8 ounces of silver
in bars, and 4 pounds, 8 ounces of gold. After a little rest we were
again at our employment by half-past five, and proceeded very
prosperously for some hours, and then had to desist because of a
dangerous shift of wind."

As soon as the larger bell and the giant derrick could be put in
service, the happy task of fishing up treasure was carried on at a
great pace. Unlike many other such expeditions, nothing was done at
haphazard. The toilers under water "were first to go to the outermost
dollar, or other article of gold they could discover, and to place a
pig of ballast, with a bright tally board fast to it, against and on
the inner side of the nearest fixed rock they could find. From this
they were then to proceed to take up all that lay immediately on the
surface of the bottom, but not to remove anything else until all that
was visible was obtained. This being done, they were to return to the
place first searched and passing over the same ground, remove the small
rocks and other articles, one by one, and progressively take up what
might be recovered by such removal, but not on any account to dig
without express orders from me."

Life in the camp on Cape Frio had no holiday flavor, and while there
was continual danger afloat, there were troubles and hardships on
shore. "In addition to our sufferings from the wind and rain
penetrating our flimsy huts, we were attacked by myriads of tormentors
in the shape of ants, mosquitoes, fleas, and worst of a