The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-05-21
HERxAXDo DE soro,s BODY FOUND.

An Extra ordinary Discovery the Mis-
sissippi River, near the Mouth Of the
Arkansas i De Sote's Cepper-Fastened
Comu-A whiskcy Chute In the bottom
efthe Mississippi.
F,om As kesspAs AppeaL
There is no incident OF the remote past more
% 0s $ ess ,nan r a'
memories Of De Soto and his armed followers.
here they are said TO have executed = treaty Of
peace with the Indians, and traces Of De Soto's
the vicinity Of Fort Pillow. or that tradition we
White man who behsld The Mississippi and very Ger.
tainly, may accept .s true the story written by
committed TO :the keeping Of the g, eat river which
hss never ceased TO chant Sad requiem over his
last resting place. The recital that follows has di;
rect reference these facts, and therefore, Is well
calculated to excite keen interest among those who
delight in recurring to events OF the olden time.o
WHAT LED TO rHE DISCOVERY.
Some time ago we rec,ed facts incident to the av.
ocations OF Capt. john Cowdon. who deyotes him
self to the task Of dragging up wrecked vessel, from
fathomless aby secs along the Mississippi. lie has
studied the pecuharities and wonders oil the mighty
river none have done before. He travels up and
down the inland sea- and ascends its tributaries and
studies the shores and beds OF streams, above and
beneath the water. Ills divingbell boat is one o.
the curiosties OF naval architecture, the like OF
which was never known before. IL consists OF two
fat boats wholly unlike another, connected by
pended. With this rude machinery Capt. John
Cowdon makes his endless voyages ana WIN thls ne
Grassea up hS oeo% 9ns ago and S rss Of cars now
| running from Little Rock in the direction OF Fort
Smith.
facts which might lead TO the recovery ofvast wealth
resting beneath islands everywhere along the course
Of the mighty river. When steamer sinks and IL
anchored at the bottom OF the river, an island Is
| formed by dispositions OF sand made By the broken
current. Higher and higher, and broader and broad
| err each month and year becomes. the eumuius that
constitutes the grave Of the steamer. until II Ills
kissed by the sunbeams, and luIuriant vege tation
rich blessings that nature Avisbes on this match
less valley. crowns II with garlands Of verdure
Time rolls by, noiselessly, unmurmuringly, unlike
the heaying, boisterous pillows Of tie mighty
river Trees ox spring up s1s grow o w, ar,a
| There are countless forest crowned islands
| which owe existence to simple facts here rectod.
permi.tedo give It's :nameJ on which there are Ave
hundred barrels OF brandy and Of least three hun
All. b 81 Wrecked in i still, pro,ruded ABOVE the
surface OF the island formed about them Capt.
Cowdon has often marked the spot AMI now that ne
.une BY war, he proposes oisvsde the great rum
hole OF the dwellers at the bottom OF the Aisss-
| He will CT me up one OF the richest, as most come
on: NJ re other the poorest, gentlemen In Memphh
thirty YEAR. ago. having ssooUo in gold in an ir n
| safe on board. She rests beneath another island
which Cowdon has often trayersed For several
| vey OF localities which may contain un coun ted
wealth lie has examined Islands and the river
shores about the mouth of the Arkansas, where he
| knows that valuable wrecks may be discovered
now IT HAPPENED.
While inspecting the water line along the eastern
| shore last "Wednesday week, he discovered the bow
of small copper fastened vessel prOtruding into the
river. Having no tools, and trayersing the river Ia
| narrow dugout," he could do no more than make
a critical examination OF the boat and OF the place
| where II was discovered lie observed that tree
| from iye to seven feet In diameter grew immediate
above the buried boat and that the roots OF these
| gigantic Expresses we're twlned about tie ancien
vessel. When boats sink In some localities The cur
| rent lits drives them up an Inclined plane
| and a violent flood sometimes leaves then
| above the rivers surface on an island o
sand bar 1t is, however, as above sthled, gen
orally true that islands created by sunken vessel
heavily reghted and having iron machinery; The
semicircuar shape Of this boat found last Wednes-
sions. twice ~ great as those Oft modern yaw II
copper fastening the length OF time II has reste
betneath the soil and water as shown by the might
trees that stand above ~ these are iacts winch nav
excited Capt. Covdon's wonder 10 the last deg et
, Who had such vessels on the Mississippi beior
, those great tees sprang into exislencef ThTe
hundred years ago De SOto's body, at midnight, wa
placed In vessel u spanish built vessel ~, an
| sunk In the midst OF the river. His soldiers ieare
| that their Indian enemies would assan them if
were known that their great chiefain wa
no more dc Soto, so the old SPANS
tells US died near the mouth OF the Arkansas. an
here Capt Cowdon discovered the boat which g,
cited all these surmses. There is more tina
the city, and proposes at early day TO return
| the spot where the supposed Spanish vessel
buried, lie has agreed to bring IL to this city aud
be hnd within y the skeleton q a Hidago, viii NJ
inseparably linked together through all comm
| timef De Soto discovered the Mississippi and b
| came immortal; John Cowdon achieves Infinitely
greater wonder In tile discovery OF DE soto WI
| doubtsf
WALLED IN WITH PAPERi-Why are the hair CO