After the siesta they paid their delayed visit to the Library. The chief librarian proved to be a charming and cultured man who spoke several languages. Willingly he shuffled through the piles of yellowed parchment records until he turned up an entry made in 1796.
In the autumn of that year a thirty six gun ship, the Reina Maria Amalia, had sailed from Lima for Manila. On board had been a newly appointed Bishop of the Philippines and the long overdue funds then eighteen months in arrears for the payment of the administration of the colony and its garrison. The ship had taken on water and provisions at
Tahiti and again at Bau in the Fijis. After that no more had been heard of her; so it had been presumed that she had struck a reef and gone down with all hands.
Gregory smiled at James. `Congratulations, my boy. You are proved right that she had a cargo of gold aboard; and a big one. By 1796 the Spaniards had been established in the Philippines for over two hundred years; so it was then no little outpost of Empire but a large and thriving colony. In addition to the back pay of a year and a half, it is reasonable to assume that enough money was sent to keep the place going for another year or more. With the price of gold today, it must amount to a tremendous sum. No doubt the delay in sending supplies had something to do with the wars of the French Revolution.'
James beamed back. `I felt convinced of it. And the Bishop's presence on board would explain the chalice and other religious objects that had fallen from the burst chest.'
The elderly librarian gave Gregory a speculative look and said, `I find it interesting that, while no enquiries have been made about the Reina Maria Amalia for many years, I should have received three in the past two months.'
Turning to him, Gregory asked, `Could you give us. the names of the people who have made enquiries, or describe them?'
`The first came here in December. He was a tall, powerfully built Frenchman, with a fair, flowing moustache. The other's visit was more recent early in January. He was a shortish, middle aged Brazilian. But I do not recall the name of either.'
Gregory nodded. 'Thank you. I'm not altogether surprised. Now that modern diving apparatus enables previously inaccessible valuables to be brought up, quite a number of people are interesting themselves in wrecks sunk in the Caribbean and other places.'
During the hour that followed, the librarian showed them his great treasure the third oldest printing press in the New World and his fine library which contained many rare editions; then he took them round the adjacent museum, which housed a fascinating collection of ancient artillery pieces, Spanish armour and Indian weapons.
As they left the building, they paused for a few moments in the shade of its long, low, graceful arcade before crossing the sunlit square; and Gregory remarked, `It is very understandable that Lacost should have come here to make certain that the Maria Amalia really was carrying a cargo of gold, before scraping together the money needed for an attempt to salvage it. But I find the second enquiry puzzling.'
`That must have been made by Maua de Carvalho,' said James. `We know that he came up to Guatemala from Brazil early in January, and the description fits.'
`Oh, it was de Carvalho without a doubt. But why, having verified that there was gold in the ship, should he have gone to such pains to persuade us that ships carrying any quantity of treasure never crossed the Pacific? And that was after he had been here, you will remember.'
James shrugged. `To take that line was the only way he could save face after Olinda had accused him of having been scared off by that woman.'
`Perhaps,' Gregory said thoughtfully. `But he came up here after, not before, he had been threatened. That's what strikes me as queer. Why should he have done that if he had already decided to throw in his hand?'
`He may have had to come to Guatemala in the course of his normal business,' Manon suggested, `and, happening to be in Antigua for a night, made his enquiry only out of curiosity.'
As that seemed the most likely explanation, they pursued the subject no further and returned to the hotel.
Over drinks they discussed their next move. James pointed out that it had now developed into a race between themselves and the Colons: so they ought to get to Tujoa as soon as possible, in order to be first in the field.
But Gregory objected that they could do nothing until they had secured salvaging machinery. Therefore they ought to go to Fiji; as being the most likely place in that area of the Pacific to procure it.
Manon was aware that Lacost had already hired the necessary pontoons and crane in Tahiti and would by now have been on his way to Tujoa with them, had not her cable from Rio brought him to Antigua for the purpose of scaring Gregory out of the game. Moreover, the Colons had at least a clear day's start. They would, of course, have further to bring their salvaging equipment; but, even so, by the time Gregory had secured his in Fiji and reached Tujoa with it, she thought it highly probable that he would find Lacost's party already at work. But, naturally, she said nothing.
James left them to go to the office to find out about air flights. When he came back he said, `As I thought, the only direct service from Central America to Fiji is the QANTAS flight, which leaves Mexico City every Saturday. There is a PANAM flight from Guatemala City at six forty five tomorrow evening, which gets us to Mexico City at nine five but we'll have to spend two days there.'
Gregory nodded. `We'll get off a telegram to QANTAS right away, and telephone the PANAM people in Guatemala first thing tomorrow morning.'
At ten o'clock on, the Tuesday they left for Guatemala City. As they had previously arrived there after dark, they had not so far seen it, so they spent an hour driving round. It had a fine central square and the National Museum was so admirably arranged that it would have been a credit to any country; but otherwise they were not impressed. There were few old buildings and the area outside the immediate city centre seemed to consist of endless, sprawling suburbs, with one exception a splendid, broad, tree lined boulevard that ran through the best residential district. Out there they lunched at the Biltmore Hotel. Behind it lay a fine big swimming pool and they had their lunch beside it, under a striped umbrella; then, as it was intensely hot, they lazed away the rest of the afternoon there.
Their short flight to Mexico City was uneventful, but when they came down at the air terminal they found it a scene of utter chaos. No fewer than four large jet aircraft had landed there within the hour; so the Customs and Immigration departments were a seething mass of between two and three hundred people.
Having at last secured their luggage, they drove to the El Presidente Hotel, where Gregory had stayed on a previous occasion. Fortunately he had made a good friend of the manager, as the desk clerk told them that the hotel was full. But, on being sent for, the manager came to their rescue and fixed them up, although Gregory had to share a room with James.
The following day, having learned to their relief from the QANTAS office that they had seats on the flight to Fiji, they spent the time renewing their acquaintance with the splendid modern city. Then, after an early dinner on the Saturday, they drove out to the airport.
When their baggage and passports had been checked they went into the departure lounge. As Gregory thought quite a possibility, Lacost and Corbin were standing there, obviously about to fly out on the same plane.
The faces of both showed almost comical surprise as they caught sight of Gregory and James. Corbin made a movement as though about to take to his heels in panic; but Lacost recovered swiftly, grabbed his companion by the arm, said something to him in a low voice then, without the least embarrassment, walked up to Gregory and greeted him with a toothy smile.