Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-06-27
Twenty Millions Buried on an Island In
the South Pacific.


A San Francisco paper noticing the
formation in that city Of the South Pa
cifc Protective Company" s(which is
reported to be the sixteenth attempt
made for the same purpose), gives the
following romantic history of the buried
treasure which this company seeks to
recover:
The stated object Of the company is to
recover buried treasure in Cocoa Island
that ia, to attempt TO recover, provided
the treasure is there. In 81 or '55 a
company with the same object in view
was gotten up at the same place. Stock
in the gold venture was literally sold, as
probably many in Marysvile will recol-.
lect, and the schooner julius Pringle,
well manned and proyisioned, sailed
away, and with fair wind, made q
straight wake for. the Pirate Isle. Some
time after she returned with a cargo Of
lumber, 1t appeared that an exceeding
strong current was found running round
the island, SO strong that landing could
not be effected. ssf
In fact there is but one place there
where boat could land, and the ad-
venturers failed to discover its where
abouts; and so, after consuming nearly
all their provisions, they headed back
for San Francisco, stopping at place
on the coast for a cargo Another at.
tempt was made five or six years after,
with what result we have forgotten. The
history connected with the treasure is as
follows: A great many years ago the
Pacific oceaB was infested with bucca-
neers, the majority of them coming from
Spain. One of them, named Lollonais,
rendered himself most notorious by his
piracies at sea, and his murders and
robberies on land. After him came
Henry Morgan, Scotchman, who by
his bloodthirstiness and daring reckless
ness, threw into the shade all the acts of
his predecessors, the Spaniards. He
landed at and pillaged all the principal
towns on the South American coast, al
ways torturing the inhabitants in the
most inhuman manner, in order to COM
pei them to confess where they had hid
den their money and jewels.
Twice he landed at Panama, and by
horrid cruelty forced from the people a
great portion Of their wealth. 1t was
after one of these raids that Morgan,
with his feet of twenty three vessels,
went to the island of Taboga, O short
distance from Panama, to have carou-
sal Here some of the crew mutinied,
and seizing one Of the best ships, went
on an independent cruise, during which
they fell in with a Spanish galleon bound
from q Mexican or Chilian port to
Spain, loaded with gold coins and jewels
belonging to the church, of the value of
$20,000,0 900. After transferring the |
booty to their own ship, they scuttled
and sunk the other, first putting to death |
all on board except two boys. Next a |
man of war hove in sight, gave chase,
and the pirate steered for Cocoa island |
distance from Panama one thousand
miles, moro or less, in a westerly diree !
tion), where they hastily lowered tho |
boats to carry the treasure on shore.
Two boat loads were safely landed and |
quickly buried, while the third was
swamped aud its load (which was but a
small portion of the wholo) went to the
bottom, where it could very plainly be
seen through the clear wateE
All hands were soon again ON board,
aud all sail made upon the ship. But
they were overhauled before night and
all slain but the two boys, who were
again spared. They were carried to
Spain, where they lived and died One
of them had several times attempted to
influence some wealthy men sufficiently
to induce y search for the treasure, bat
none would believe his story; and on his
death bad he solemnly assured some
friends that the account be had given
was true. At the northeast end of the
island (of the southwest, or some other
part), is the only spot where a landing
can be made, and that through heavy
surf On the beach is natural basin
formed in the rock by the constant drip
ping of water (drinkahls and pure as
erystaD for so many years As the
pirates we're In great hurry, they could
not have buried the golden onzas and
church ornaments very deep-but then
what changes may have taken place there
within the last hundred yearsi The spot
may now be oVergrown with thick.
tangled hFushwood, and-but who can
say the freebooters' treasure has not been
removed long ago ?