Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-07-03
HAS COCOS ANY COIN?
Legend of a Very Small Pacific
Island.
PROBABLY A PIRATES TREASURE.
Report That Great Wealth Has Been
Uncovered by Unknown Explorers
Strange Wierd Story.
R0BABLY A PIRATES TREASURE.

uncertain way of the finding of ST..
900, 900 in Spanish gold and silver on
the island of Cocos. near Veraguas.
There has always been much mystery
about the treasure which was supposed
to be hidden on this island. A pirate
who was vaguely known as Captain
Martin roamed the sea early in the
present century. One of his cruises
lay along the coast of Peru. After
dropping anchor at many of the princi-
pal ports along the shore his crew of
freebooters boldly invaded the churches
of the towns and took with them eccle-
siastical treasure of great value.
Houses were robbed and burned, stores
were pillaged, and the rich men who
fell into the hands of the pirates were
forced to purchase their freedom at an
exorbitant price.
This booty, it has been popularly
supposed, was hidden somewhere
about the rugged shores of Cocos island
and near Waffle bay. Close to the
beach is an immense arch, formed by
two cliffs whose SUBMITS meet in one
peak. Somewhere along the surface
of this arch. on the west side and along
the base of the rocky cliffs. it was be-
lieved there existed pivotal rock,
which when released, would reveal an
opening to the vault of the long
cealed treasure of the Incas and Peru
vians. The nearest point on the Cen
trail American coast to Cocos island is
Punta Arenas, in Costa Rica, about
800 miles away. The distance from
Panama is fully $50 miles.
Early in June, 1898, Captain Gesler
of Stockton, accompanied by ten New
York capitalists, chartered the steamer
Acapulco for an exploration of the
island. the cap tain being satisfied that
he could find the treasure hidden by
the pirates. 1t was on the afternoon
of the 10th of that month that the ves-
sci came to anchor in Waffle bay.o the
north side of the island. Upon the
shore of bend in the bay the treas
ure. seekers saw small building, and
straining their eyes they beheld smoke
tumbling from the chimney. Boats
were lowered and preparations made
to land As the voyagers neared the
beach two men ran from the door OF
the cabin to the beach. With all the
ardent energy of his nature Captain
Geiser hurriedlly took the party to the
spot where he believed the treasure to
be hidden. They could not find the
pivotal rock, however, and for days
and days they lived with the two men
whom they found upon the island.
Baffled in their efforts to find the
gold and silver, Captain Geisler
gloomily and reluctantly weighed
anchor and returned to San Francisco.
Seekers for treasure on the Isle of Cocos
were known before the Acapulco
dropped anchor in it's bay. Early in
1892 the schooner Eliza was fitted out
for mysterious voyages. She sailed
away from the harbor of San Diego
with eleven men on board. Among
them was Ex- Mayor Barber of Santa
Barbara. The voyagers were provided
with an immense stock of provisions
and carried with them a formidable
assortment of picks. shovels and spades.
The destination Of the schooner was
Cocos island. The vessel was three
weeks on its way, and during all that
time, although frequently hugging the
shore closely, not house or living
creature was seen on land.
Ex-Mayor Barber and his men found
no treasure ON the island. although they
remained there until their provisions
were nearly exhausted.
Still another strange and wierd story
about the stowaway wealth of Coco
island was told in 1894 by Charles
Henderson of Weuseon. o., whit
claimed that while boy he ran away
to sea, serving as an apprentice under
Captain Summers on vessel, plying
between New York and Liverpool
Before the late war, and while ye
lad Henderson claimed that he wa
ON board a privateer and shaving vesse
called The Lark. He was afterwar'
appointed sub-officer of the ship.
The Lark made many trips between
always successful. The captain be
came rich, but no one knew what he
came of his money. The Lark con
tinued to make trips after slaves an
one day, while near the coast of Sout
America, a United Stares man-of-wa
attacked The Lark. The SLAYER was Oh
dere d headed for rendezvous known
none but Henderson and the captain
In their haste to escape the war shi
they ran The Lark upon rock and sh
rapidly sank, scarcely giving the eigf
men time to escape.
The captain told Henderson that b
had $72, 900 in gold on board the shil
and that if he would help him secret
it from the crew he would share
with him. All ON board the yess
escaped in boats, the captain and Hel
derson secretly taking the treasu'