The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-04-14
THE Ell DORADO OF THE DEEP.

a Grand Svrecking Expedition 20 Sail
for the spanish Main-story OF the
Loss OF the san Pedro
Fortune hunters seem never to grow
weary of mourning hazard, hardship, or
cost In the prosecution of their self
imposed Herculean tasks. The report
ed discovery of new Ell Dorado, be it
Opoir or Golconda, California or
Australia, Nicaragua or South Africa,
is enough to call them together from
all parts of the globe. Every one who
"runs and reads " is familiar with the
wild, fanatical attempts to discover
and unearth the supposed buried treas
ures of the pirate, Captain Kidd, the
efforts TO find the hiding place of the
spoils of La Fitte, the corsair of the
Gulf of Mexico, and the vain endeavors
10 rescue chests Of gold from long
sunken ships. We now find i'll the
New York Tribune the history of anoth-
er expedition which has just sailed from
that port in the brig Nellie Gay, Cap
tain Scandella, for New London and
steam dredging apparatus, proceeding
thence to the port of Cumana, Venez-
uela, to work upon the old wreck of the
line-of- battle-ship San Pedro de Alcan-
ira, which sank in that harbor, in 1915,
with a very large amount of gold and
silver on board. The Nellie Gay is
sent by the American Submarine Com
pany, of which Gen. Ambrose E.
Burnside is President, and William M.
Bailey Vice President. The Tribune
tells the story as follows:
In the middle of February, 1916,
there sailed from Cadiz, Spain, an ex-
petition almost rivaling, with its 90
vessels, the famous Armada which
more than 800 years before had set sail
from the Taguc for the humiliation OF
the English navy. This fleet was in
tended for the complete subjugating OF
the young Republics of South Ameri-
ca, which were then struggling to throw
off the Spanish yoke. The flotilla con-
sisted of the San Pedro de Alcantra,
the Admiral's ship carrying "a guns, 8
frigates; 30 smaller gun vessels, with
an armament of cannon ranging from Is
to 32-pounders, and 65-transports, to.
gether with $4,000 troops and was I'M.
der the command of Don Paldro de AL
Cantra. The flag ship of the squadron,
the Don Pedo, had on board tho chests
Of the pay-master, containing nearly
$4,000, 900 in Spanish doubloons. The
feet sailed under sealed orders. When
Gen. Morillo arrived at the latitude OF
the Canary Islands tie orders were
opened, according to instruction, and
he ascertained that he was to proceed
direct to the coast of Venezuela. After
experiencing some very stormy wealth
er, in which, however, none of the
vessels were lost, the fotilla came to
anchor, April 3, 1915, ner the island OF
Margarete in Cumana Bay.
A portion of the troops landed, and
several unsuccessful attacks we're made
upon the Republicans who had en-.
trenched themselves near the city OF
Cumana TITS is the oldest European
city in South America, having been
founded by Diego Castellonon 1922. II
was entirely destroyed by an earth.
quake, October.21, 1766, but was re-
built with considerable magnifcence.
1t had at this time population of 30,
600 souls. The royal Spaniards and
obility, finding that the King of Spain
was becoming daily more unpopular
decided TO take their families and
household gods on board the Srn Ped
no, where the commander offered them
every hospitality.
The process of transferring the gold
and silver plate and other valuables
from the dwellings of the nobility alone
occupied some fifteen days. The
troops were all withdrawn from the
san Pedro, and it became the residence
OF the wealthy royalists, still, however,
belng occupied as the flagship of The
squadron. After having suffered a
number of severe defeats at the hands
OF the Republicans, the Spaniards con.
Guided to pillage the magnificent Ca.
thedral OF the Conception, together
with all the other churches of Cumana.
and having transferred the valuables
on board the San Pedro, to abandon
the enterprise. This had been done.
and on the following day all the vessels
were to set sail, taking the loyal sub.