The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-02-27

amount Of gold and gems upon pack
mules, and with one faithful servant
started north, i'll the hope that he would
reach q seaport. He arrived at the Rio
Grande and crossed to the north side
without meeting any special mishap,
but on arriving in the vicinity OF the
Iona Blanca lake he was attacked by
roaming band of Indians, who sue
Eceeded in killing his pack mules and
mortally wounding his faithful servant.
It seems that the Spaniard was man
of undoubted courage and was well sup
piled with arms and ammunition, and
taking advantage of the natural de-
fences above referred to was able to
hold the savages at bay until they were
tired out, or forced to retire for food.
The poor man then realized that he was
alone, many miles from any civilized
| human being. Untold wealth he had,
but with it all he could not purchase
one solitary comfort. He did not know
| the country, but supposed that he could
| be no great distance from the Gulf
coast. He examined the surrounding
hills and discovered what appeared to
be the mouth Of a cavern. This he ex-
plored thoroughly making q careful
map Of the same. In the cave he found
several springs of fresh water, numerous
\ passages, and several large rooms, one
of which he decided to make his treas
ure vault, and into it he conveyed all
his wealth. After depositing his gold
and gems he carefully closed up the
mouth or door leading to the treasure
room, making a cement for the purpose
with the gypsum and yeso which he
| found in abundance, and marked the
| spot with two old fashioned swords
| crossed.
| He then struck out alone in an easter
| ly direction and in few days reached
| the Laguna Madre and managed to
cross over to Padre Island, where he re-
! manned for some time, until finally
picked up by a Spanish vessel and
taken to Spain, where he soon after
ward died. Among his effects were
| found memoranda and maps giving a
description Of the cave and the key to
| find the room in which the treasure is
| hidden. But 1t seems that the people
| into whose hands they fell were SO used
| to hearing fabulous reports Of hidden
wealth from the New World that they
did not give the matter any serious
| thought, and until about twenty years
ago nothing was known, nor was there
even wild and uncertain legend Of
! this old Spaniard and his wealth in
connection with the Alto Colorado cave,
notwithstanding that it was the theme
of so many curious legends and super
4 stitions.
About the year 1875 or 1876 there APP
peared in Hidalgo county Spaniard
by the name of Villaneuva, who came
here direct from Spain The advent Of
a strange Spaniard in this section
usually attracts little or no comment,
| but the desire to travel over the courl-
| try without any apparent object, and
his constantly comparing notes and
making reference to old and worn bits
| OF parchment and paper, which he never
showed to any one and which he guard
/ ed with most Jealous care, made this
| particular Spaniard an object of more
than usual interest. He Travelled all
ever the northern portion of the coun-
/ try afoot, made several trips to the Rio
| Grande and thence to Iona Blanca or
Alto Colorado. From there he would
/ go east to the Laguna Madre, and in a
short time return. There is no doubt
but that he located the exact position
Of the mouth of the cave, but at that
| time there was no trace of 1t visible.
The rank grass which had formerly kept
the loose sand from drifting had been
eaten off by the countless herds of cat
| tie, and the wind, which, at that partic-
ular point blows almost necessarily,
had entirely covered with sand the
once ample entrance to the cave SO
dreaded by whilom Mexican mustang
hunters, and at the time of the advent
1 OF the Spaniard Villaneuva the cave,
and even its legends, were almost for
gotten, except to a few old timers.
He never fully disclosed his plans to
any one, but he became convinced that
he could not explore the cave alone, and
he lacked the money necessary to EN-
pioy help, SO he made a proposition to
some two or three parties to help him,
but before anything definite was ar
ranged Villaneuva died at the Sans
ranch in Hidalgo county, and interest
in the old Spaniard for the time died
With him. 1t is not certainly known into
whose hands the maps, etc, which viii
laneuva had fell, as he had no relations
or friends in this part of the country,
but 1t is certain that the originals or
copies of them are now in the hands of
parties who are exploring the cave.
About six months ago party of six or
seven Americans from the neighborhood
| of Kennedy, in Karnes county, came out
| to Iona Blanca, and after looking over
| the ground CONNIE nced excavations, and
| after clearing away a considera Bile
amount of drift sand came to what was
undoubtedly the mouth of q. cavern in
! the side of a hill. The passa geway, al
| though completely filled with sand, the
Accommodations Of many years, was well
defined. and could be easily followed
The work of exploration is still in prog
ress, but is necessarily very slow. A
few days ago one of the explorers told
the News correspondent that they were
nearly assured that they had reached
the neighborhood of TIE treasure vault
described by the old Spaniard. The
springs of fresh water and all the pas
sages and rooms so far explored are
| exactly as they were described in tbs
maps, and the gentlemen who are al
| work on the enterprise have the mos
unbounded faith in final success. They
| have spent quite a sum of money be.
sides their own labor, and if they are
merely following a will-o'- the-wisp they
are 70 be pitied. They have expended
money, energy and intelligence on this
work that would have resulted advan.
| tageouSiy in almost any enternrise. a nd