The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-11
THE CoCos ISLAND TREASURE.

THE COCOS lSLAND TREASURE.
out from San Francisco for the purpose OF proecut
ing search for . recovery alleged to have been
buried ON Cocos Island many years since, was
$550000 divided into 1000 shares Of 81 500 each.
seek Is SIS 900 600. Cocos Island is small island
In the Pacific Ocean, about $50 miles distant In o
& uthwesterly direction from Panama. The state
ments relative to the burial of the treasure in that
secluded Epot are as folows:-ln the year 1915 the
mother country, Spain. Tho Spanish viceroy,
alarmed at the bold front Of the insurgents, deter
mined to send home for security as many Of the 60
vernment treasures as possible. 70 this end he
gathered together an immense amount Of bullion,
jewels and other valuables, and being afraid OF the
buccaneers OF the Caribbean sea, resolved to send
them home by the way of Manila, and accordingly
the treasure was shipped from Acapulco on board .
Previous to this Buenos Ayrss had also reyolted
against Spain, and number Of privateers had been
fitted out under the Buenos Ayres flag, to prey
upon the richly freighted galleons of Spain. One
mutinied, and the captain sn0 officers we're put
ashore at Valparaiso. The vessel continued on her
cruise. After taking several prizes, dssension
arose among the men, and sixteen OF their number
stole away from the rest In one OF the captured
ships. carrying With them large amount Of the
prize money. There sixteen men fell in with and OBJ
tanned possession Of the Spanish galleon which had
sailed from Acapulco. They found She amount Of
treasure on board Of her 30 vast tbss they deter
mined to secrete the greater part Of it, and accord
iuRIy buried it on the island. Not long afterwards
their vessel was lost some of the crew captured by
q msn-ofwar, and the rest scattered TO the four
quarters of the globe.
Being without character, influence or money,
none Of them were able individually TO 60 in search
of TIE hidden wealth. In 1915 two of them laid tho
affair before the English Admiralty, but with
out success. Ore mao, named Chaplain, then
addressed himself to private individuals, and sue
ceeded In organizing an expedition. On the way,
however, the schooner in which the party sailed
was lost. of Aqua Dulce, on the South American
coast. Chaplain was afterwards taken sick and
died, but before his death conided to the doctor
who attended him, full particulars regarding the
capture, value and place Of burial of the treasure.
According to his scconnt there were buried. be-
sides immense quantity OF silver dollars, chiefly
in bags, FIVE hundred boxes of doubloons one
thousand in each box, which would alone make up
the enormous cum Of eight millions OF dollars Be
sides this there were gold bars, sword scabbazds,
watches, cbropometers and many rich ornaments
suoced with pre- cious stones.
All this Information, together with many other
Important details, Is in the possession OF tho COM
n sDdsnt OF the present expedition. He visited
the islsnd many years sir Co. and ID familiar WITH
its localities. OF late yesrs he has made several
since he expended sl his funds In the purchase of
a vessel, but putting into Spanish American port
On the way, bis weasel was contested. He es
csped witr the loss Of all bis property, and upon
his return. penn,les,, to San Francisco, succeeded
~ interesting s,me gentlemen in the subject, and
the presen. expedition was formed. he IL said to
ts sl,rtwd, intelligent sea captain. and the ut
mos: conhder ce Ia Ieposed in bis ability IA make
tie wished.fof de every. The schooner Julius
lliDsle, which wss fitted out by the company,
sailed from San sncisco on the 23d Of August
last. and Ter crew have doubtless, ere this, dis
covered the Treasure, or given up the search.
TnE Cocos IsLASD-On August G h, the schooner
Hs51ies sfrivs0 81 Batavia, from the Cocoe, Kea
ipR laisnds vita accounts Of the death Of Ca tain
Ross TIE prooriet0r OF thess islands. About twentg
etaht years ago, tta Netherlands government coded
tire isla1ds "a Csptsin Rose, for valuable services
renderd ire Do Co, sipcs Shich period ne has been
rssiesrt tter. with BIS fariy. Captain Ross died
is siic fNlbtd ~ ,bfc, o'clock E-A Aterbo oil
the sams day. Rosswss w-Ayn afe~ w Ia Il corr
Ile'ire his tevsttisih year. lie w& red kresc