The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-11-16
Ten 11illlos,s "a spse1. Founa.

PANAMA, November sS-YoSr readers
Twill remember thestory 9onoerning $tO..
1000. 900 in silver buried ON the Cocos
fsland, which waS started; in San Fan
CISCO Zen years ago, and has been proba-
bly, published in every country newspa.
per in the United States. The tale was,
that doctor in San Francisco was one
night called to the bedside OF a sick and
poverty-stricken sailor. The doctor
watched over him carefully. md made
and paid for all his own prescriptions.
In spite of NIL his precautions. the snilor
grew worse, and at last the doctor told
him he must die. The man wns deeply
affected, and wept bitterly. Death came
over him slowly but surely.
On his dying bed, with tears in his
eyes, he thanked the doctor for all his
kindness, and said that he could and
would repay him for oil his trouble. In
Il few short breaths, he told him thai in
his younger days he had been pirate.
With twenty companions, he had shipped
Mt Cullao, on Spanish treasure ship,
bound to Cadiz. When five days out,
they rose and butchered the officers and
passengers, after which, the course of tho
ship was changed duo West. Three
weeks afterwards, during drunken ca
rousal, the ship ran upon reef Of rocks,
fringing an island in the Pacific, and be.
foro morning, eight of the buccaneers
were drowned. AT tho brenk of day,
they reached the shore in boats, and
found tho island fertile and pleasant.
After three days hard work, they
brought the kegs of silver dollars to the
shore and buried them. The treasure
amounted to over $40, 600. OOO AS water
was scarce and the provisions on the
wreck were totally danaged, the twelve
pirates took to their boats and steercd
for the coast OF South America. No
thing was ever heard from one OF the
boats. and it was probably swampcd in
n great storm which occurred three days
after they had left the island Tho pro-
visions in the other boat soon gave ont,
and the men gradually became deliri0us
for want of sustenance. Two jumped
overheard and were drowned. One of
their companions died in the bont, and n
fourth was killed by his comrades, who
drank his blood. After drifting under q
burning sun for two weeks, the survivors
were picked up by passing vessel.
One of them died on the following day,
and the other lived to tel! the story to
hundreds of incredulous listeners, and to
seek in vain for the means to return to
the island. He was now about to end n
life of disappointment III death. At the
conclusion Of his s ory the dying sailor
drew from under his bolster q roll of pa
pers giving the latitude and longitude of
the island as near as possible, and handed
thom to the doctor: but before tho ply
sician could examine them the old sailor
died. The mutiny occurred just during
tho Peruvian revolution against Spain,
and the sailor died in San Francisco some
thirteen years ago. A careful study OF
the chart located the island in the vi
cinity of Cocos. The doctor embarked
in the acheme with all his wealth, rugged
out schooner and sailed from San Fran
cisco in search of the Ell Dorado. He
returned n ruined man, unable to disco.
yer the island. Other expeditions were
fitted out, but none were successful.
In July, 1868, several gentlemen in
this city bought schooner and fitted
out M expedition. There were twenty
six persons in the party. The most of
tho party were old Californiuns, and were
used to II life of adventure. Among the
party was ono George Cummins, a man
Of large experience, who had accompa-
MED one of the previous expeditions
They reached the island after fifty-six
days navigation, thoroughly worn ont
aud disgusted. They spent nineteen
days there vainly looking for the hidden
riches, and then gave up the hunt as en-
tirely Utopian. Setting sail again for
Panama, they finally brought up in La
Union, whence Cummlns came to this
city with news of their blasted hopes.
1t was thought the failure of this expe.
dition would put an end to all attempts
to recover tho specie. This was not the
case. Last winter, some of the super
stitious and wealthy citizens of Costa
Rica began to agitate the subject anew.
A company was organized, composed of
some of the prominent Government Of
icials. The matter was brought before
the Costa Rican Congress-, and after an
investigation, they authorized tho pur-
chase of several shares Of the stock on
Government account. A large majority
of the members of the new expedition
were soldiers, probably sent to look after
the interest Of the Government. A priest
was sent along to look after their spirtu-
al welfare. They left Costa Rica in June
last. Nothing has been heard of them,
until yesterday, when letter was receiv-
ed from ono Of the party by friend in
this city. containing intelligence of the
discovery of the treasure. The letter