A Chapter From MR THOREAU GOES TO BOSTON
Discoveries at the Harvey Thornton Site
As Carter enlarged the hole, Calender dashed up the passageway to collect some electric lights. It was a jamb-packed room looking like a whole museum. Carter could hardly comprehend the treasures stacked on top of each other into what appeared to be infinity.
Tutankhamun: The Untold Story
Thomas Hoving
Two days later, Thoreau and Thornton got an early start and arrived at the “Thornton Question Mark Site” at 10:00 am. They were greeted by Professor Sanchez.
“Professor Thornton, Thoreau, I’m so glad to see you . . . we’ve just made a spectacular discovery; we’ve found a sea chest in what was the cellar of the house. We are just now getting ready to open it.”
The site was now thoroughly excavated. The crew had identified a pathway leading to the house, exposed the burnt logs and foundation, excavated a ten by ten by seven foot deep cellar, and a midden behind the house. The original plaster walls of the cellar were still intact. Off to the side of the excavation were the artifacts, each labeled with a detailed description. Most of the items were pots and pans, cooking utensils, tools, children’s toys, locks, and a few items such as metal combs and mirrors from a ladies boudoir.
The chest had been raised from the cellar and carried by the students to an area outside the excavation. It was not locked, but had been rusted shut by time and the elements. Two students stood in front of it with crowbars in hand and then gently pried it open. When Thornton peered inside, he let out a cry of joy, “Look, it’s filled with documents and books.” He picked up one of them and carefully opened the first few pages. He read, “Sea Log of the Voyage of the Massachusetts by Harvey Longfellow Thornton.”
He thumbed through it and then read, On August 1, 1777; Commander George Washington conscripted myself, my men, and my ships into service to intercept, loot, and destroy any and all British navy and merchant ships.
“Oh Thoreau, Professor Sanchez, this is more than I could have hoped for . . . there is a wealth of information here that will open new chapters in early American history and disclose more on my long lost relatives. I can’t thank you, Professor Sanchez, enough.”
“Now Professor Thornton, I know you’re excited, but we’ll need to keep this log with the others to record and preserve it. Exposure to a harsh environment could cause it to turn to dust in a matter of days.”
“Yes, I know.” He handed it to her and then gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“You’re welcome to walk through the site,” which Thornton and Thoreau did. They descended the original staircase leading into the cellar and wondered around. Excavation was still going on . . . Thoreau recognized three revolutionary era muskets and priming rods lying in a corner. He also noticed the north wall . . . something about it caught his eye. He ran his hand over it but said nothing to the others.
Thornton said, “I believe we’ve seen all we can here, we’re going to head back to Boston.”
Professor Sanchez said, “We’re nearly done with the excavation. We’ll dig down a few more feet in the cellar to make sure there’s nothing we’ve missed. However, this is a fairly simple endeavor, nothing like excavating an ancient city where several layers of occupation are built right on top of each other. We’ll be finishing up in a week or so. Feel free to visit us anytime.”
* * *
On Friday, Thornton decided to make another visit to the Thornton site. He asked Thoreau if he’d care to go.
Thoreau said, “No, but I'll accompany you; I’d like to make a stop at Walden State Reservation to ask the ranger some questions about my belongings.”
At the Thornton site, they were greeted by Professor Sanchez, “I’m glad to see you again. We’ve found nothing new, but I thought you’d like to see this; it’s a list of what was in the sea chest.”
Thornton read, “Logs and records of the voyages of the Massachusetts, Sea Witch, Concord, and George Washington. “Well those certainly were topical names.”
“I know your anxious to take a look at all of these, unfortunately, it will be months . . . maybe years before these documents can be properly preserved and recorded.” Thornton looked devastated.
“However, I was able to convince our staff to photocopy the Log of the Massachusetts, as it was the one in the best condition. Here’s a copy for you.”
Thornton’s eyes lit up and he kissed her again on the cheek.
Thoreau said, “Is it possible to take one more look around?”
“Certainly, whatever you like.”
Thornton and Thoreau strolled past the labeled artifacts and midden where they spent several minutes examining the findings. Thoreau climbed down into the cellar while Thornton wondered through the rooms of the house and studied a diagram that exhibited the probable layout of the original dwelling.
Thoreau threw a bemused look at the wall of the cellar opposite the stairs which had caught his attention on the first visit. He studied the corners where they joined the two perpendicular walls and then slowly moved his hand over them. He got down on his hands and knees and crawled along the base of the wall, running the back of his hand along it.
There were two students finishing the excavation in the corner near the stairs–they had tools laid out on the ground near them. Thoreau picked up a short handled 4 lb sledge hammer and said, “Can I borrow this?” One of the students said, “Sure,” without even looking up.
Thoreau took the sledge, walked over to the wall opposite the stairs and began furiously hammering at its center. Thornton, who had heard the noise and could see him from above, shouted, “No Thoreau, you’ll ruin the excavation and then Sanchez came running over and said, “What are you doing? Stop . . . stop that now!”
But Thoreau kept up his work. In less than a minute there was a twelve inch hole in the wall . . . and in one more, a portion of the wall collapsed inward and Thoreau crawled through the opening and was gone!
Thoreau took out the mini mag flash light Catherine had given him and turned it on. He was in a small chamber. A six foot high wooden bureau stood in front of him with shelves filled with 18th Century books, steins, and decorative items. Below the shelves was another larger platform that served as a desk. He spent a few minutes examining the bureau, studying the fixture from top to bottom and looking at its sides. He lifted it away from the wall and saw a 4’ high tunnel through the rock. He got down on his hands and knees and crawled through it until he came to a large room carved out of the earth and stone.
The floor was partially covered with a disintegrating carpet . . . and there was furniture: a long early American dining room table with 12 chairs, two side tables, and three decomposing sofas that formed a “U” shape. In the middle of the table sat another sea chest . . . and leaning against the sea chest was a human skeleton! One of the students entered the opening in the cellar wall and was soon followed by Sanchez and Thornton.
Sanchez was lecturing Thoreau as she walked through the vestibule and crawled through the tunnel, “Mr. Thoreau, what possessed you to hammer on a well preserved wall? It will take months to restore,” . . . she stopped mid-sentence when she reached the room.
Thoreau gingerly moved the arm of the skeleton off of the sea chest and onto the table. He tried the lid and it opened easily. When the students, Sanchez, and Thornton peered into the chest, they were staring at a priceless treasure: jewelry–necklaces, bracelets, and pendants of diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and gold. These priceless items were laying on a fortune in 18th Century Spanish gold coins.
Thoreau shrugged.
Thornton said, “The skeleton . . . did the log mention who it was?”
“No, but we haven’t read all of the log . . . or the others. What a marvelous find. Of course, we’ll need to call in the authorities to examine the treasure and the coroner’s office, the skeleton.”
* * *
On the ride home, Thornton said, “Thoreau, how did you know it was a false wall?”
“18th and 19th Century sea Captains were notorious for finding and digging caves to hide their captured prizes. And something about that wall seemed unusual. When I stood up close to it . . . I could feel a slight draft.”
Thornton got a call on his cell, “Hold on a moment, Thoreau.”
“Marbury?”
“Yes Elizabeth, we're heading home now. You won’t believe this, but Thoreau found a secret chamber behind the cellar wall which led through a tunnel into a furnished cave. Elizabeth, there’s a skeleton guarding a sea chest with a priceless treasure!”
“That’s marvelous. . . Marbury, I must tell you, though, I got a call a few minutes ago from Juanita Carpenter, Dr. Carpenter’s wife; she said the Doctor hasn’t been home since yesterday morning . . . over 32 hours. She says he’s always on time. He never even skips a meal. She thinks he’s been kidnapped and that it has something to do with the announcement of the story on Thoreau. She’s notified the police.”
“Oh, no . . . when we get home, we’ll go see her and do all we can to help.
“Thoreau, Your presence in the 21st Century is going to create a bigger stir than any of us could have imagined.”
