The National tribune., 1882-01-07
A BUCCANEERS BOOTY.

BUCCANEERS BOOTY.
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 Isthmus of Panama, where it is stated, the
spoils of Buccaneer Morgan has been discovered
by Mr. Currie, native of Nassau, n. p"
The island here alluded to is the islet 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 any
thing of Spanish-Amercan history az the islands
of San Andres and La Providencia. 1t Is Just
north OF La Providencia, more familiar to
American traders as Old Providence name Civ
en- to it to distinguish it from New Providence
in the Bahamas. For many years after the
Spanish occupation Of Central America these
islands were attached alternately to the cap
taincy-general of Guatemala and to the vice
royalty of New Granada Lying under fine eli
mate and not destitute OfdeCent harb0rs, they are
also susceptible of profitable cultivation. Itwas
from San Andres, indeed, that the first seeds of
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 adventures, who then fre-
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 ofinterlopers and especially
by English, Dutch and French adventures Of
the free-and-easy type, famous as buccaneers"
One of the most eminent OF these adventureT
Henry Morgan, Welshman made Sata Catalil
one of his strongholds during those brilliant Opf
rations against the IsthmUs OF Darien III 1916
and 1871, which ended with the capture anG
sacking of Panama and the spelling of the rick
Spanish silver galleOns in that port. One, at
least ofSir Henry's ships returning to Jamaica
laden with the booty both of Panama and of
Portobello is believed to have been plundered
and destroyed by her crew at Santa Catalina,
and for two centuries past legendary stories like
those which cluster in our northern laitudes
around the lost treasure" of Captain Kidd
have been current in those parts touching the
spoil hidden in some corner OF this remote islet.
During the winter of 1879 80, while the Earl
of Lonsdae, then cruising in the West Indies, lay
with his yacht at Kingston, trader Of that
place sought him out and told him a tale of the
discovery on Santa Catalina, by 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 mints OF the
seventeenth century. Some very curious Oraa-
ments set with diamonds in an antique fashion
and good many old Spanish doubioOns were
exhibited to the earl as proofs Of the authenticity
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 ink
ling Of the existence of the treasure, and was de-
termined not to allow Mr.. Currie to profit by it
unless he would make fair division. The story
was told so circumstantially, and supported vita
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 evaded his
engagement to come ON board the yacht and dis
appeared. From the dispatch which now reaches
us it would seem that Mr.. Currie has taken up his
own case so energetically to get the support of
an English man-of-war in attempt to secure
his treasure trove Should this prove TO be the
case, it really is not improbable that the speca-
lation may turn out more advantageously than
any quest for Kidd's hidden gains has done.
Morgan, who was knighted by Charles II for
ploits which in these days would have sent him
to the gallows died in the English service at
Jamaica, leaving large fortune behind him, and
there is no doubt whatever that he and his men
carried away from Panama an enormous sum for
those days in specie in JEWELS and in church Or
naments of gold and silver.