Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-16
DISCOVERIES.
REpRRsEYTATIvE INSTANCES OF HID
DEN TREASURE BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
Heavy Nuggets Of Gold Found in America
and Australia-sootch Coins Five
Centuries Old.
rst Louis Globe Democrat

den treasure. historical relics and other
mementoes of the past might be col
lected, of which few here given are
worth perusal as fair examples. Among
the many discoveries of hidden treasure
which have been chronicled from time
to time one Of the most curious occurred
a number of years ago in the little burgh
Of Fortrose, in Scotland. In raising the
clay floor OF very old house. for the
purpose of replacing it with something
more modern in conception, the soil be-
low was penetrated for some little depth,
and the spout of what appeared to be a
tea-kettle was exposed. On uncoverlng
the vessel it was found to be OF furnished
copper, s)me ten or twelve inches IN
height. and of the peculiar shape OF
the water-ewer or hagon used by Scot
fish families IN the fourteenth or fiji
teenth centuries. The top was closed
with lid formed Of a piece of lead three
quarters Of an inch in thickness and APP
parently soldered 10 the Dagon. The
vessel was remarkably heavy, and on re-
moving the lead it was found to be COM
pletely filled with old silver coins. These
we're over | 900 in number. and were all
of the time of King Robert H., OF Scot
land, who reigned from 1890 to 14O6.
They were very thin, as was tho general
character OF the silver OF that date, and
somewhat longer than an English shlll-
ing in size.
one of the most important and erten-
give discoveries of this kind was that
made a few years since by Russian
peasant with an unpronouncesble name
IN the village OF Starogorsilki. The
peasant lived upon land forming part of
the estate of Prince Ostersky, whose an
cestors were plundered and expelled
from their possessions by the Iartars,
and in all probability the treasure dis
covered WAS secreted at that period. The
peasant was at work not less than ten wears
in searching for the hidden valuables,
but the circumstances which first lnstl-
gated his search are not stated. lie was
rewarded, however, by finding, besides
numerous precious articles and mann
scripts. twelve large boxes filled with
verv ancient coins OF fine gold. The
total value Of the find is given at
17OG0,G0O roubles, two thirds Of which
went to the State and one third to the
lucky finder, making his share about
100000
TREASURE IN A TREE-STUMP.
A very singular discovery of an en-
tirely different character is TINS record
ed. IN 1863 an Arab boy, convert 10
Christianity. was taken prisoner by the
Algerines and sent to Algiers, where, re-
fusing TO ALLURE Christianity. he was
thrown into mould in which block
of concrete was about TO be cast, and
the block was afterward built into
the wall Of fort In the year 1853 tho
fort was dismantled and the Arabs bones
were found in the block, the position Of
which had been noted by an ancient chro-
nicler. A cast now in the Algiers mu-
scum was taken Of the cavity IN which
the martyrs features and even the tex
ture OF his garments are perfectly pre-
served. His bones were placed IN a
marble tomb in the Cathedral.
A very odd discovery was once made
in n Newburg n. " cemetery. While
clearing up the grounds it became neces-
sary to cut down a large willow tree,
which measured, at its base, nearly five
feet in diameter. When the men were
ready to take the tree away It was found
advisable to cut the stump IN pieces, on
account of itsgreat size and weight. They
therefore sawed into il, aud after cut
ting about fifteen inches from the sur
face at point some there feet from the
ground, the saw grated against some
thing hard. Not expecting to find any
thing but wood so far in the tree they
made several more strokes, and stopped
only when they discovered that the
sawdust was composed of fine white
powder-in short, marble dust. The
workmen then split the stump,
using powder and axe, until they
reached the curiosity, which proved
TO be marble foot-stone, N
the very heart OF the tree. The fibre or
grain Of the wood had grown around 1t.
and evidently had been too powerful for
the stone, for it had been broken in two
pieces, and the top leaned considerably
out OF place. In spite of the utmost
care, so firmly was 1t Embedded that 1t
was found impossible to remove 1t with
ont breaking, and the memento was
consequently rot preserved.
EXTRAORDINARY PRESERVATION.
A curious discovery was made about
ten years ago ii a tree near Augusta,
Ga. A civil engineer was engaged IN
running and locating the lines OF a lot
of land below the city, using as assist
ance deed drawn up l2l years before.
In one section OF the deed it WAS recorded
that the line touched a certain point
where stood beech tree, upon which a
cross-mark haG been made with an axe.
The engineer ran his line to an old
beech tree, and concluding that this was
the point in question looked for the
mark, but of course could not ind It,
Taking an axe he cut into the tree, and,
TO his surprise. almost the first block
chipped out revealed the identical mark
referred to in the ancient document.
The mark was still perfect, but had long
been covered mp, having been made
some years before the Revolutionary
war. The date Of the deed vas 1859.
50 many more or less preposterous
stories Of remarkable discoveries OF
toads imprisoned in solid substances are
continually going the rounds OF tho news
papers that one hesitates at accepting
any Of them as authentic. OF the large
number OF these that might be gwen We
will quote but one, which although IN
some respects the most marvellous of
them all, is vouched for by an
English writer. The relstor OF this
anecdote states that many years
ago a friend of his fathers caused
to be brought from Italy piece
of pure white marble, out of which
mantelpieco was constructed for his sit
ting room. The marble was III one
block, ana free from flaw, save in one
part. Soon after its erection the owner
noticed small, damp-looking stain, not
larger than the nail of his little finger,
in the very centre of the mantelpiece.
This, however, was 10 slight blemlsh
that it did not trouble him until it be-
came evident that tho spot was slowly
but surely increasing Ia size. For twenty
wears, as he sat in his armchair facing
the curious stain, the gentleman mar
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