Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1870-04-01
RELICS OF DE soTo.



---ss-
RELICS OF DE sOTO.
/ Treasure Trove, near Natchez
I Many Of our readers win no doubt renlem-
/ Der tbe great excitement which existed abou,
a year ago in this vicinity, caused BY the as
sertion Of an old negro sorceress that q
quantity Of the treasure Of the once celebra.
ted Captain Kidd was buried short dis
lance from the National Cemetery, near
what is familiarly known as the Devil
Punch Bowl Quite a number Of our
colored citizens, believing the stories ofthis
old woman. engaged in the work of dig
ging for the hidden treasure in a spot which,
/ by the aid of the black art, she had pro
nounced it to be buried.
They progressed in their labor Of love
.of gain for number of weeks, without
success, and finally gave up in despair, a
heavy rain having discommoded them to a
discouraging extent Time passed on, ani
the event has perhaps escaped the minds Of
nearly all to whom the mysterious affair was
coguizant. and but for the event which we
are about to chronicle, would perhaps have
never disturbed their brains again. How
ever, we viii on to cur story, which is as
strange as it Is true.
Shortly after heavy storm, few weeks
ago, a couple Of negro boys, while hunting
in the vicinity of the excavations made b.
the discounted treasure seekers Of one year
since, cbaneed TO find diDgy, rusty old
square box, which was so bound about with
metal as to almost resemble an iron box. Il
was with difficulty that the two combined
could move it, and to carry It was out of the
question.
While one Of them remained near this
I queer looking old box, the other went home
for his father The father, his wife, and
/ another eolored man, repaired to the spot
and remembering the old sorceress' ta'e. a
/ once concluded they had found at least I
/ portion of the treasure. Events have
/ proved that they were not amiss in theil
coHjeetures. But they moved very eau
tiously in the matter, lest they should b
! discovered, and 50 under the cover of night
/ the box was removed to their little cottage
I Up to the early part of this week they con
fded their secret TO no living person, but q
serious affair having occurred between the
boys the matter being at FIRST but vaguely
hiHted at came to the ears Of our reporter
He repaired to the house on "Wednesday
night for the purpose Of examining th,
treasure found.
The box in which 1t was found is abop
three feet long by two feet vide, evidently
made Of a species Of cedar, and Is frml
bouad by strips Of iron, running arount
laterally aud diagonallg, and fastened viii
long nails clinched inside The treasur
consists principally Of ancient Spanish gol
and silver coin, dated from 1850 up to 1850
and it IS adjudged that there is at lea.
/ $4,000 worth Of them Besides the coil
there are several gold buckles and various
/ other articles, seeming to have been worr
as ornaments. 4 great number Of silve
/ ornaments we're IN the box, which 1t appear
ed were used az some part Of their sEorC
+ trappings.
4 1t Is impossible to tell what metal any O
/ the coins or ornaments are composed Of By
/ their looks, for all have a mouldy, greer
appearance, fully attes,ing to the lapse o
time since they were iuried. A little gold
en- cross, with an image of our Saviour
establishes the religion Of the people wbt
buried the treasure, and from the dates OF
the various coins it is believed that thc
treasure thus unesrthed at this late da!
was buried by none other than the latt
fernando De Soto and his followers, abou
the year 1910, as it Is well known that tht
! discoverer of the mighty Mississippi was il
this vicinity about that time, and also tha
he was seriously troubled By the hostile In
dians
A piece Of perchment found in the bo,
was so old and musty that no character
could be discerned upon it. As a whole
the discovery Of this long hidden treasurr
forms no inconsiderable event in our history
and viii throw new light upon the ad
ventures Of the hardy Spaniards who fre
qnented the spot where NOW stands on
beautiful city, centuries ago. A numbe
Of individuals have visited the hut, ant
examined the coins, and all sgree with tn
views Of the writer as to whom tie treasur
was buried by
4 prominent gentleman has bargainet
for the box aud its contents, with view o
removing them to New York, where th
coins viii bring large price from anti
quaries. -Nateiez, Nese South FeJ. %.