Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-08-18

RECOVERY OF LOST TREAsURE.-The Kenne.
bee Journal gives the following account of the success
OF an expedition lately fitted out from Gardiner, Me-.
Tor The recovery Of treasures from ancient wreck
on The coast Of Venezuela:
The money for which this search was instituted.
was lost in the Spanish ship San Pedro of "a guns,
on the coast OF Venezneia, in the year 1914 Ii was
during the revolutionary trouble there, when the
provinces were in revolt against the Spanish govern.
ment AT the time oil her loss, the ship Law about
fifteen miles from the Island Of Marguerite and about
i've from the smaller island of Coche, and had on
beard specie 10 the amount Of several millions. in
Spanish dollars and doubloons. The vessel was
destroyed by fire, originating in the spirit room and
supposed 10 have been set by emssary Of the in
surgents, who had introduced himself OH board
The specie was stored near the magazine, and in the
explosion which ensued, was scattered out OF Inc
stern Of the ship, iHe shot from IA gun Many Of The
crew persisted IN the flames.
Attempts have been made from time TO time IN
recover The specie, but without much success Last
ali, some enlerprisng citizens Of Gardiner fitted ont
the schooner LamarIine, for the purpose Of prose-
cuiIng the search with yigor. She was proyded
with everything deemed necessary 10 ensure success
diving bells, submarine armor, air pumps and
steam engine on deck, to work the pumps The
crew and officers numbered sixteen.
Having obtained permit from the existing gov.
eminent, to engage ia the search conditioned that
per cenlage OF money recovered should 90 into the
commenced operations. The wreck was fortunately
io"nd with but little difficulty, lying in sixty feet Of
waters and IN spot quite favorable for operations:
but the explosion Of the ships magazine had SO scat
tered the coin, that no considerable quantity Of them
remained together. Besides, they were buried 10
the depth 81 six inches in The sand, which had 10
be scooped up and passed through a coarse seiye--
making The operation q good deal like California
INNINGS with the additional disadvantage of working
IN the confined space Of diving bell, in ten falhoms
Of water. Two persons made the descent at a time
and being supplied constantly with fresh air, could
remain down several bours without Inconvenience
When the space embraced in the circumference of
the bell had been worked out, il was moved 10
another place. and in this manner they examined The
bottom all around the wreck in all probably an acre
OF ground. The money wac found strewn pretty
equally over The bottom, generally bent and buried
by the force Of the explosion and in some instances
driven into The timber of the ship. We were shown
a cannon shot, 10 which adhered mass Of shells
and iron rust, having couple Of dollars mbedded
in il.
Many interesting relics and curiositIes were
brought home, eome Of which we examined. large
puy or ock Of mahogany, three feet long, having
Iignum vita sheayes, had withst00d the worms WE'LL
but supported pretty numerous colony Of shell fish.
piece oftarred rigging looked very fresh. There
were couple Of muskets, with their antique Span.
ish locks eaten up with rust. leather dirk sheath,
The blade mere thread ofrust within; also cannon
snol, mnskel balls chain shot, copper bolts, and all
me moyoable apparatus Of ship Of war. And there
were, alasl some sad relics OF hurnanitylhe bones
q men who persisted in The ship. cannon now on
board the schooner, has the bones of a mans fore.
arm imbedded in the rust.
hey were commencing 10 work upon the ship IL
sell, intending to make lhoroup search. when the
existing war compelled them to abandon The enter.
prise, and return hone. Information had been given
that seizure OF their game intended, TO furnish
funds 20 one Of the conte0ding parties.
or the amount oblained by the expt dton, we can.
not speak by authority. We guess il is very con.
siderable. Well credited report says the boxes that
came ashore, were weghty, and not 10 be moved
without effort. We had occnlar evidence Of the ex-
istence Of uboul twenty-five Of the dollars in
a bag, kindly shown us BY Messrs Bradsreet,
at their store. Two Of the coin repose in our
vest pocket, and are 70 be seen by friends. who
may desire the sight thereof. They are bnckened
by The action Of the salt water, and reduced IN weight
about twenty pei cent. OF the gold, only single
doubloon wis found.