The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-08-17
THE DIVERS TRAP.
HE TREASURER OF HAMPTON ROADS.

THE TREASURER OF HAMPTON ROADS.
(By Lieut.. j. c. Walshe, q. A.
f, Everybody knows Old Point Com
fort, Fortress Monroe, News, the Rip
Rap5 and Hampton Roads at least OF
the maps and in the history Of the
! Civil War.
The story I am going to tell had its
scenes in that locality, chiefly undel
the waters Of Hampton Roads; and
the time runs through nearly three
centuries.
On black stormy night in 1926
there came sailing In past Henlopen q
| Spanish caravel, the FL Dorado, carry
| ing 10000 ounces of gold in ingots OF
! fifty pounds each.
The Don in command looked in
vain over the black, seething waste OF
water for a light of a boat that might
have on board a native of the coast
He paced the gallery to the high
proved ship, called on the saints, and
tore his hair out in handfulls.
All the time the caravel drove on in
the storm and struck the reef where
the Rip Raps were constructed long
| afterward.
Next morning she had disappeared.
No one had seen her. One survivor
Of the crew washed to the shore and
lay dead to all appearance. Not a
soul in the world knew that rich
! treasure ship had been on the spot.
Old Louis Peran was about the old
est man living anywhere on Maryland
east shore He had been born there,
and his father before him. They
were not of the ancient Maryland
stock; a tradition went that the first
Peran known there was of Spanish
blood, Louis Peran's great grand
father
Louis Peran himself showed no trace
Of such blood, but his youngest grad
son-likewise a Louis 2 eran-had an
olive complexion, black, Gully hair,
large, brilliant dark eyes and the
naughty nose Of the original Peran,
whose portrait hung in the parlor of
the manor house. The intermarriages
had all been with the early colonial
families. Perans had fought in both
wars the Revolution and the civil
war-and in the last four men Of the
family had given their lives, and now
in 1872 the old grandfather and the
young grandson comprised the whole
race-nOt a man or woman else was
left of the Perans.
This October evening the two sat
Oh the old dilapidated veranda. 1t
had ali outlook on the Atlantic, and
white-wipged clippers were skimmins
the waves in the moonlight.
Louis" said the grandfather sud
denly, laying down his pipe, you
love the sea, and ] am going to tell
you a sea story. Every Peran loves
| the sea, but for 200 years [ know of
one only that has been a sailor"
Il am going to tell you Of that Peran
and of his ship. My father told me
the story, and you may tell your son
some day; still don't think you will
[ think it will be no longer private
family history by the time you are
gray headed.
1T was in 1923 that the Ell Dorado,
Don Louis Juan de Aguado Perano
commander, was selected to convey
from the Peruvian and Mexican mines
an immense treasure in gold and gems
home to the king of Spain.
don Louis gathered his treasure
safely enough, But one night, flying
the yellow royal standard of Spain he
drove in here before an awful storm
and sank on a reef. Adverse winds
had beat him out of his course for
days, and it was all unknown waters.
Just one man was saved. He had
been struck on the head by falling
timbers, and was picked up on the
shore senseless. When his health was
restored his memory was a blank. He
could not tell his name or what coun-
| try he had sailed from. He had been
found on the beach, nearly naked, but
he could tell absolutely nothing. Not
even the name Of his ship, or that be
had come from a ship. His speech
was Spanish. That was all that re
mained of his identity. He learned
English as he recovered, forgetting
his Spanish utterly.
He was fine. handsome man. with
a proud air Of command. He remain
ed in the family-it was here on this
estate-and married the daughter
and this Manor house has come down
to us, as you know, from them.
when he was very old man he
was one day at barn raising, and by
another strange turn of circumstances
a falling beam struck him on the
head fhe injury was fatal one at
his advanced age, but 1t restored the
memories he had lost for fifty seven
years.
ITO his Oldest son he gave his his
tory and his name. He told him that
he had sworn to take on board the
Eldorado the kings treasure, and
guard it. and deliver it to Barcelona
The memory of the oath on the crucitis
! seemed to haunt him with terrifying
| distinctness. He laid commands on
his son to guard the secret of the 10
cation of the lost treasure, and tc
transmit it to his son; and so it wa.
to go down until such time as the
treasure could be recovered and re
stored to the sovereign of Spain"
"A very interesting story, grand
father" said the young Louis, speak
ing now for the first time. 80 We
are OF noble blood. He was q grandet
of Spain. Blue blood. Well, now
grandfather, you know | don't care
for such distinctions"
BE silent. Louis" said the old MAJ
sternly. To decry the value of blooC
Is ignorance, indeed" And then h
went on: None of us has been able
TO attempt the recovery of this treas