The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-10-02
TREASURE HUNTING.
Voyages to a West India island Made
by Portland Merchants.
[Hon. " lillian Goold.l

| In former communication to the PRESS |
described Mona Isle," a lonely, unnhabit-
ed island without harbor. situated between
the islands of Hayti and Porto Rico and for
ty miles from any other land. 1t was for
merly noted retreat for pirates, for the rea-
son that there was no safe anchorage for
large vessels, and the approach almost i'm
| possible without some one acquainted with
its shores. The island was supposed to
abound in hidden treasure buried by the
pirates. In my communication gave a mar
ratiye of two expeditions made about forty
years ago by Portland merchants to the
island. one was accompanied by mesmer-
i2er to point out the places of the hidden
gold, and on the second voyage the party
carried pretented pirate who helped to
bury much money there years before. At
least two more voyages were made to the
same island by some of the same men. The
account OF the last one. given by the mate of
the ship, who is still alive, explains the OBJ
Ject OF the moving merchant of all the expe-
ditions in his persistent efforts to find hidden
treasures. In the head lines added to nv
former article by the Press it says: sBut
no one ever succeeded in getting anv of the
treasure" Wedon't know that. Other WV
ages may have been made by the same men
afterwards and treasure recovered. If so.
they would not probably allow it to be pub
hsned to the world. for fear of the appear
ance OF other previous claimants
third voyage was made to this lone nj
rates retreat-Mona Isle. Capt. j. f. SAT-
ford of Portland, who is yet an inmate of
Inc Sailors Sung Harbor," Staten Island
wrote me In Dec. 1883. that he was in the
summer of 1916. in command of the brig Jane,
tnat his vessel was hauled up during the
hurricane months, and that by the invitation
Oh Capt. Thomas Mcclellan he went on
money hunting voyage to Mona Island. The
vessels name he did not recollect. but she be-
ionged to Capt. Mcclellan, and was of abont
eighty tons burthen. John Watts. well.
remembered ship captain of Portland, was in
command. The only persons mentioned q,
being on board except Capt. Mcclellan. we're
himself and Capt. Drinkwater. Stafford de-
scribes the Island as having mountain one
thousand feet high and perpendicular cliffs
all around except at the southwest point
That it is wooded and has herds of goats
Fishermen frequent the shores to catch fish
Tor the Porto Rico market. Captain Watts
and his party found the rocks described bv
Capt. Pierce. They carried "divining rods
but no digging is mentioned On the return of
the vessel to Portland, it was reported that
she was driven off by a Spanish guntoat.
Capt. McLellan's fourth and last voyage.
to my knowledge, was made in his own YES
sci, and solely on his own account. The his
tory of it is the most mysterious of all. I
obtain my information from Mr.. VIM. Lee.
who was mate of the vessel. He is now en-
ployed on the Portland and Boston steam
boats. He is an intelligent and reliable man
living at 16 South Street. He was mate of
the Forest City in 1854-5 and 6. CAPT Jesse
\. Fierce who commanded the schooner Ros-
Gus In the two first expeditions, was then
pilot aiS,a Of the Forest City; The two men often
In s4 9st tbe see money hunting voyages
tons t. was owned by Capt. Thomas Mcclellan;
her commander was Capt VIM. Lang, The
mate as have said, was VIM. Lee
n Inc bark was loaded with cooperage for
Fort Rico. She cleared at the custom house
Oct. II, 1S4S. Before sailing, long and heavy
pianks and wooden rollers, with all the ap-
pliances for moving heavy goods, were taken
on board the bark. These preparations
were not explained to the mate. but it was
evident to him that there was some purpose
beyond an ordinary West India VOYAGE
Capt. Mcclellan sailed in the vessel but no
other passenger. The bark arrived at Porto
hlco In due time; the cargo of cooperage was
solo and discharged. The vessel sailed for
guyana, a port OF the same island, and took
on board cargo Of oranges in bulk. The
vessel cleared for New York
On the passage out, Capt Mcclellan ex-
planned to Mr.. Lee, the mate, the real object
Of the voyage. He said that he was first at
Mona Island when he was a young man in
priyateer, and became familiar with the
Island then, and while captain of vessels.
nad been there frequently since. He said
they were going to touch there now, to OBJ
tain some cases of plate which were secreted
there in his privateering days, because il
was unsafe to keep valuable goods on board
OF small vessels, and that the plate and yalu-
ables deposited there at that time were not
perlshabie, and they had remained there un-
visited the island frequently. The Condor
sailed from Guyana ostensibly for New
YORK, but really for Mona Island. where she
arrived In the night, and had to await day-
lght to ascertain If the coast was clear. No
other vessel appearing in sight, an ANCHORAGE
was found clear of the coral reefs. but a long
distance from the shore. Capt Mcclellan.
and the officers of the bark hurried on shore
Tor lear OF being caught in gale, as it was
hurricane mouth. Capt. Mcclellan then led
through cocoanut thickets, and prickiy pear
bushes, to point that seemed familiar TO
him; he next designated spot and SET the
men to digging .aThere were no mesmerizers.
pirate, no divining rods brought into service
In the designation of the spot-the Captain
fixed it by his own previous knowledge
After getting the men to work Captain Nc
Lellan led the party some distance, and
along projecting ledge over the surging
waters, and 30 feet above them, to the en-
trance to cavern. He parted the vines and
bushes which concealed the entrance and
stepped in. The party followed, and found
a high and deep cavern. Mr.. Lee says he
explored 1t as far as he dared to. On the
iot9 were numerous pieces of queer fash
i h,,N nre arms, such as pistols and blunder-
s Ousses with brass barrels, and many kinds of
SMoius ana dirks All the arms were very
t thocn corroded, and must have been placed
s .heIe many years before. On the walls of
r roe sprh were many inscriptions cut in the
iLock, sucn as Spanish poetry, which Lee saws |
ne was zoo nervous to read. Can't. McTelI3n |
says that twenty-five years before he had left
a plug oftoDacco on projection of the stone |
In the cave, and that sixteen wears hefore he
had filled his pipe from it; but on iooi,;n nc
for it was found to have crumbled ~ oo dnnss
While the party were examining the yvon uaSs,
of the cavern, and before the whole eV,e,t |
had hppn shnwn nv Cant Nor aIIar IfN'Ohb |