The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-08-13
RELICS AND PILES OF GOLD
Found in "a Mound in the Florida
Everglades.

Voyage of Discovery IN the Everglades Results IN
Big Find--Home Of the Ancient und-Build-
ers--Mummies, Gold Thrones Studded With
Precious Stones.
a genuine Hider Raggard story of the
Cleopatra style, is going the rounds of
the Press 1t is about an astounding
discovery made by a party Of Atlanta
gentlemen down in F'lorida's Everglades,
says the ST. Augustine News. The
sportsmen were Messrs W. =. Carter,
Alfred Nixon, II. B. Wrenn and Fred
Maxwell. They had been moving
through the Everglades for several days
when one morning they were surprised
to find themselves issue from the tangled
Jungle and float out on a large beautiful
lake In the center Of this sheet of water
was an irregular shaped island, probably
half mile in length and almost the same
in width, standing considerably above
the level Of the surrounding marshes,
and comparatively bare of vegetation.
On this island was a circular mound
about one hundred feet high, covered
with various kinds of trees. The hunters
at once landed with the purpose of ex-
poring what they at once surmised to be
d =.
They soon discovered that the trees were
of species that they had never seen be-
fore, the wood being of a remarkable
close fibre and hardness, and when after
considerable time and labor, two negroes
succeeded in telling one of the smallest
the rings showed it to be almost two
thousand years old.
Mr.. Carter, the first to arrive at the
summit of the cmincnce, discovered a
shaft sunk into the bowels OF the mound.
No rope being obtainable grape vine was
substituted, and Mr.. Carter began his de-
scent into the darkness of the opening.
After having been lowered a short dis
lance, feeling at the same in the sides
with stick, he perceived a sudden wild
ening Of the shaft, and striking match
found a corridor extending on both sides
as far as he could see by the feeble light.
Telling his friends of his find he daringlv
entered the gallery. where he was quickly
joined by Mr.. Maxwell, and the two
started out to explore the mysteries of
the mound. They had proceeded bat
few yards when the gallery suddenly
enlarged and disclosed to them a
chamber about fifteen feet high and
twenty feet square. Here strange sight
met their eyes. In rows around the room
were queerly shaped collins made Of the
wood OF the trees which grew on the
mound, and covered with uninteiligibe
characters. Grouped around each coffin
were gold pots and utensils Of great val
ue, also inscribed with hieroglyphics. la
the middle of the room was miniature
mound, and in this were found pots, i'm
ages and various bric-a-brac Searching =
further they found several similar cham
bers, some empty and some filled with all
manner Of strange and curious articles
Returning to the shaft and descending,
another corridor was found connecting
with more rooms than the first one. but
on reaching the bottom the explorers dis
covered third gallery leading into a
chamber the splendor and magniticence
OF which fairly took away their breath.
While the walls of the rooms on the
other levels were Of earth, the walls OF
this were Of beaten-siver, the ceiling OF
kind OF unknown blue metal, thickl Y
strewn with diamonds, to represent stars.
and the floor was of brass. On one side
OF this room were thirteen gold thrones.
exquisitely carved, on which sat as many
mummies, these no doubt being the de-
ceased kings of this people. Opposite
each throne was marble statue, proba
bly, representing the king it faced. Il,
the center Of the chamber was n mound
similar to those in the other rooms, il
which were found coronets, scepters and
other insignia of royalty. Securing al
many trophies as they could take care o.
the party set out on their return to civil
lization.
MIR. Carter says the relics will be place.
in the Smithsonian Institute and that he
will soon lead party of scientists to the
island with view to making further ex
plOratiOns.