Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-01-05
De Soto's Treasures Perhaps.

De Soto's Treasurcs-Psrhaps.
Here is q tough but readable
story from the Memphis 4ualanche
of November 23:
A descendant of one of the De So
to's followers, Senor Jose Munoz,
by the merest accident, found in
blind closet, the existence of which
was only brought to light by the
tearing down of part eof an old
mansion on a bluff near Memphis,
with the view of rebuilding it in a
more modern form, a parchment,
which set forth in substance that,
at point near that city, was de-
posted in the earth helmet con-
tanning diamond, a sapphire, and
ruby Of immense value, together
with an order Of knighthood and a
sum of money; that this treasure
was the property Of one Jesus Mum
OF, who had been the scientific ad-
wiser Of De Soto, but having fallen
under suspicion Of practicing witch
craft, had anticipated his doom by
suicide, first confiding to mother
earth, with certain incantations, the
wealth that would suffice to ransom
Prince, when Princes were worth
ransoming.
Upon the strength of this infor-
nation, party of citizens was at
once organized to investigate the
matter. It was about ten O'Clock
when the adventurers landed from
their skiffs on Presidents Island.
Placing his theodolite exactly in
front Of the venerable tree, Captain
B proceeded to lay out his first
angle indicated by the parchment
scroll. To the surprise of every
one, the distance brought the
party to lonely spot on the shore
of the river, where, in gulch, worn
by the mad freaks of the stream in
times gone by, were the remains of
a boat of a fashion that no work
man has designed on the North
American continent for more than
two hundred years, although the
same description of vessels still nav
igate the coasts Of South America,
and are still built by the descendants
ofthc same Spanish people who first
brought to the knowledge of the
world our Mississippi.
The boat had been constructed
from a single log, and was about
forty-six feet in length of keel.
The wood had almost been trans
formed into coal by some strange
atmospheric cause, and the truth
of what we say can be verified by
a piece of this antique bark. which
was brought from the spot by our
reporter, and is now on exhibition
at this office. From the ruined
stern protruded an iron which had
one secured the ruddor, upon which
was still visible the initials ''F. & L.
Whether or not this is the remains
of one of De Soto's boats it is i'm
possible to determine with certain
ty, but Professor Dillington was
decidedly of the opinion that the
wood of which it was composed had
been exposed to the action Of the
elements for more than two centur-
les.
The inference was irrestiblc. In
the course of ten minutes the work
man had excavated pit about three
feet in diameter and two in depth.
Just at midnight by Captain BIS
time, the spuade Of MCGOWAN struck
some metallic substance-it proved
to be an ancient helmet the upper
part of which was corroded and eat
en- away by the rust of years.
Fashioned as it had been to resist,
the stroke of lance, sword, and bat
tie axe it yielded to the first blow OF
the modern and homely spade. 1t
was cleft in twain, and as the light
from the lamps flashed down upon
it's oxidized surface, from the inter-
ior was flashed back three won
drous rays of radiance, diamond
pure, sapphire blue and ruby red,
all beautiful and dazzling, while
gazing downwards the awe-strickcn
tamperers with what man uses or ex-
amines into at his peril, saw three
gems of fabulous size and luster, .ly-
ing upon a faded and decayed order
of nobility, and within the rusted
head harness of Knight, who laid
his lance in rest for the last time
before any city on the North Amer
ican continent had any existence.