Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-11-17
THE COCOS ISLAND SILVER.
A Highly Sensational Story-Ten MIL
liens of Silver Buried by Spanish Pi-
rates FOund-The story of Dytns
Correspondence of N. Y. Sun

rates OUetC-Ehe STORY Oh ID - s1AS
Sailor.
Correspondence of N. Z. Sun.
PANAMA, Nov. 8.-Your readers will re-
member the story concerning 10,000, 0O0
in silver buried on the Cocos Island, which
was started in San Francisco ten years ago,
and has been probably published in every
country newspaper in the United Estates.
The tale was that doctor in San Francisco
was one night called to the bedside OF a
sick and poverty y-stricken sailor. The doc
tor watched over him carefully, and made
and paid for all his own prescriptions. In
spite of all his precautions, the sailor grew
worse, and at last the doctor told him he
must die. The man was 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 be could and would pay him
for ali his trouble. In few short breaths
he told him that in his younger days he had
been pirate. With twenty companions
he had shipped at Callao on a Spanish
treasure ship bound to Oadiz. When five
DAYS out they rose and butchered the Off
GERS and passengers, after which the course
OF the ship was changed due west. Three
weeks afterward, during a drunken carous-
al, the ship ran upon a reef of rocks firing
ing an island in the Pacific, and before
morning eight of the buccaneers were drown
ed At the break of day they reached the
shore in boats, and found the 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 $4,000. 900. AS water was scarce, and
the provisions on the wreck were totally
damaged the twelve pirates took to their
boats, and steered for the coast of South
America. Nothing was ever heard from one
of the boats, end it was probably swamped
in great storm which occurred three days
after they had left the island The pro-
visions in the other boat soon gave out,
and the men gradually became delirious for
want of sustenance. Two Jumped over
board and were drowned. One of their
died in the boat. and fourth
was killed by his comrades, who drank his
blood. After drifting under burning sun
for two weeks, the survivors were picked
up by passing vessel.
One of them died on tho following day,
and the other lived to tell his story to hun
dreds of incredulous listeners, and TO seek
in vain for the means to return to the is
land. He was now about to end life of
in death. AT the conclu-
sion of his story the dying sailor drew from
under his bolster roll of papers giving
the latitude and longitude of the island as
near as possible, and handed them to the
doctor; but before the physician could ex-
anime them the old sailor died. The mu-
tiny occurred just during the 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 vicinity of Cocos The
doctor embarked in the scheme with all
his wealth, rigged out a schooner, and sail
ed from San Francisco in search of the Ell
Dorado. He returned ruined man. una
BILE to discover the island. Other expedi-
tious were fitted out, but none were sue
cessful.
In July, 1858, several gentlemen in this
city bought q schooner and fitted out an
expedition. There were twenty-six per-
sons IN the party. They left in high spir-
its, with complete charts, and seemed con-
fdent of success. The most of the party
were old Californians, and were used to a
life of adventure. Among the party was
one George Cummins, man of large ex-
perience, who had accompanied one of the
previous expeditions. They reached the
Islduu HlISE MY b1A udNo Hdf1S0tIOI, IlOI-
oughly worn out and disgusted, They
spent nineteen days there vainly looking
for the hidden riches, and then gave up the
hunt as entirely Utopian. Setting sail again
for Panama, they finally brought up in La
Union, whence Gummins came to this city
with the news of their blasted hopes.
It was thought that the failure of this ex-
pedition would put an end to all attempts
to recover the specie This was not the
case. Last winter some of the supersti-
tious and wealthy citizens of Costa Rica
began to agitate the subject anew. A COM
pany was organized, composed of some of
the prominent Government officials. The
matter was brought before the Costa Rica
Congress, and after an investigation they
the purchase 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 interests of the Government.
A priest was sent along to look out for
their spiritual welfare. They left Costa
Rica in June last. Nothing has been heard
of them until yesterday, when letter was
received from one of the party by a friend
in this city, containing intelligence of the
discovery of the treasure. The letter states
that all the treasure has not as yet been
obtained, and therefore no estimate of it's
value can be given. The greater part Of
that which has already been dug out is in
silver, the most of it Spanish dollars.
A BABY NOT SPOKEN FORA young man
from New Jersey named Mulford, while rid
ing in the Southside train from Patch0gue
L. l., gave up part of his seat to young
woman in deep mourning and carrying a
babe in her arms. She soon became very
confidential, and a conversation sprang up
between them during which the delighted
Milford was informed that she had buried
her husband only the week before, that she
was on her way to Philadelphia, and that
her uncle would join her in Springfield
She seemed anxious not to miss the lat
ter station, and leaned over Mulford sever
al times to look out of the window. When
Springfield was reached at last, she pointed
out an old gentleman who she said was the
expected uncle, and asked the young man
to hold her babe while she helped him on
the train. Milford took the young one and
she departed on her pious mission. The
train started but she did not return. Null
ford felt for his watch and wallet, and miss
ed them. He then uncovered the infant
and found huge india rubber doll.
L he HAb1lS VI lltSIdLy uISA WuSh 0uSdS-
ed in literary work are often extremely Gu
rious. Thus Balzac, when at work, wrote
from 2 o'clock in the morning until in the
evening, taking but six hours sleep, and
living on fruit and vegetables. The natu-
raj result was that, when his book was COM
pleted, he returned to the world skeleton.
Schiller work d invariably at night, ana Scott
as constantly before breakfast. Goethe
never worked after dinner, ana Archbishop
Whately believed that his finest literary
creations were produced IN the eveninE:
his best criticisms in the morning. Goethe
never needed q stimulant, while Schiller
was inspired by champagne, Alferi by mu-
sic, Shelley by dry bread, and Lord Byron
by gin and water.
ONE of the gentlemen whom the Count
de Beaumont is going to fight on account
of the incorrect punctuation and defective
style of his letters to the Countess, is gen.
tleman of extraordinary courtesy. Descend
ing the stairs at the opera one night, a lady
Of his acquaintance near him had the skirt
of her dress stepped on and torn. She turn.
I ~ i