Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-24

THE ALLEGED DISCOVERY OF THE PLUMBER TAKEN
FROM PANAMA IN 1870 BY MORGAN.
From the New York World 23d.
The following dispatch from Kingston needs
an explanation which The World is glad to be
able to make, inasmuch as the story hidden In
these few lines is really full of curious interest:
KINGSTON, Jamaica, December 6-An expe-
dition has just sailed from this port conveyed by
British vessel Of war in search of concealed
treasure on one of the Islands near the coast of
the 1sthmus of Panama, where it is stated. the
| spos of Buccaneer Morgan have been discover
ed by Mr.. Curre, a native of Nassau, N. p"
The island here alluded to is the iset of Santa
Catalina, lying about ninety miles off the Mos
quito in the Caribbean Sea and forming one of
the little group known to the few who know
anything of Spanish-American history as the
islands of San Andres and La PrOvidencia. 1t is
just north of La PrOvidencia, more familiar to
American traders Old Providence name
given to it to distinguish it from New Provi-
dence In the Bahamas. For many years after
the Spanish occupation of Central America
these islands were attached alternately to
the captaincy-general of Guatemala and to
the vice-royalty of New Granada Living
under a fine climate and not destitute of
decent harbors. they are also susceptible
of profitable cultivation. 1t was from San
Andres, indeed, that the first seeds of the since
famous sea island cotton were brought to the
coast of South Carolina toward the end of the
last century by one of the smuggling, trading.
fighting, Jamaican adventurers, who then fire.
quented the Caribbean coasts of Spanish America.
During the seventeenth century these Central
American islands, lying as they do out of the
| immediate control of the Spanish authorities,
were continually visited and for years at a time
occupied by all sorts Of interlOpers, and espe-
clally by English, Dutch and French adventurers
of the free-and-easy type famous as "bueca-
neers' One of the most eminent
of these adventurers, Henry Morgan,
Welshman made Santa Catalina one of his
stronghOlds during those brilliant operations
against the lsthmus of Darien in 1910 and 1871.
which ended with the capture and sacking of
Panama and the spelling of the rich Spanish sill
yer galleons in that port. One, at least. of Sir
Henrvs ships returning to Jamaica laden with
the booty both of Panama and of POrtobelO is
believed to have been plundered and DESTROYED
by her crew at Santa Catalina, and for two CEN
turtles past legendary stories like those which
cluster in our northern ATTITUDES around the
''lost treasure" of Captain Kidd have been cur
rent ip those parts touching the spoil hidden in
| some corner of this remote islet.
During the winter of 1S79-S0, while the Earl
OF LOnsdale, Then cruising in the west Indies,
lay with his yacht at Kingston. a trader of that
place sought him out and told him a tale of the
discovery on Santa Catalina by a certain Mr..
Currie, of a cavern natural or artificial, filled
with ancient boxes and barrels, one or two of
which on being carefully opened proved to con-
tain great quantities of jewels of various kinds
| and coin chiefly OF the Spanish minis of the
seventeenth century. Some very curious Orna-
ments Set with diamonds in an antique fashion
| and good many old Spanish doubloOns were
exhibited to the earl as proofs of the anthem
ITCHY of the story, and he was strongly
urged to take the narrator on board, go in
quest of Mr.. Currie to the Bahamas and then
sail for Santa Catalina to investigate the matter
He was assured that Mr.. Currie had been driven
away from the island by some of the inhabitants
under the leadership of an enterprising Yankee
who had got an inkling of the existence of the
treasure and was determined not to allow Mr.
Currie to profit by it unless he would make
fair division. The story told SO circum-
stantially and supported with such evidence as
to tempt Lord LOnsdale into making the trip.
which he probably would have done had
not the heart Of the jamaican at the last
moment failed him, SO that he evadcd his
engagement to come on board of the Yacht
| and disappeared From the dispatch which now
reaches us would seem that Mr.. Currie has taken
uphis own case energetically as to get the sup
secure his treasure trOve. Should this prove to
be the case. it really is not improbable that the
specul alton may turn out more advantageously
than any quest for Kidd's hidden gains has
done. Morgan. who was knighted by Charles
III. for exploits which in these days would have
sent him to the gallOws, died i'm the English
service at jamaica leaving large fortune be-
hind him. and there is no doubt whatever that
he and his men carried away from Panama an
enormous sum for those days i'm SPECIE in
jewels and in church ornaments of gold and
silver.