The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-05
for Cocos In tho schooner Aurora with Capt.
Fred Haokett and q crew OF oight men, reaching

Fred Haokett and Q crew OF eight men, reaching
To their intense amazement and disgust they
were met upon the shore by q human being. To
be sure no had almost forgotten how TO talk,
and was inclined to look upon them az appari.
tions who would presently vanish over the
waves, as he declared all his other visitors had
returned ed when he became used to the " com sSIn
ionship Of his fellow beinga. In two respects,
however, the Aurora people considered him un-
there several years. although he admitted that
no had lost track OF the lapse OF time; and next, no
insisted that he had found the treasure by q map
which was the only genuine map in existence.
It developed that he was wide OF the truth as
far as his length Of stay was CONCERNED; Little by
eminent had sent him to the island by the gun
boat Turalba in September, 1896, under contract
Government should his search be successful.
The Turalba was to return In three months.
Those three months the voluntary maroon tai.
gave up hope. His fate was t tho more bite bitter Il IN
weeks work. the map having been somewhat
indefinite. fhis. story the now corners refused
to Sslie ne, and i.1.n for u nearly I,c two ON months rthst they yys SS.
Hartford smiled. Finally he dictated tho fol-
lowing agreement:
II, Charles Hartford. have an agreement with
and permission from the Costa Rican Govern
ment to search for hidden treasure on Cocos
s lslpn? b i T ssin lsnd 1885, BY ana ssid th e0v scresnme 9n
SNf c-NhN h'hN hSoOt obe Na"b ~
agreed to como back for me inside of three
months. have not heard from said Govern:
mont. and being in a starving condition and
with no means to obtain food and no way to get
of the island and having located the large
treasure. l mako this agreement with tho Cap
tain and crew of the schooner Aurora OF Vic
toria, b. c.. to let them take half Of the treasure
OF whatever nature. whether gold, silver, or
precious stones, for their side OF the agreement,
and to land me, Charles Hartford, at some con-
venient port in the United States with the other
half OF said treasure.
THE information We came to the island for
proving no good, we have hunted, dug. and
bored, and were about to return home when said
offer was made and accepted"
But the offer was not accepted. Mrs. Bren.
nan. Capt. Hackett and two men of the crew
held out against It, and finally these two men
turned for a supply Of dynamite, with which
they intended to facilitate the work. Hart.
ford returned in the Aurora, which landed al
Vancouver. b. c., on Aug. a last He left there
to organize another expedition. The story OF
his going down on the fmperienne, OF the find
ing OF the two Aurora men there. and OF the
been located was told in yesterdays SUN.
In Wall street there was no little interest In
the news, as many Wall street men remember
an expedition which was organized here about
pany was formed and several men Of wealth
went into the scheme. the organizers OF which
were as reckless and irresponsible a crowd OF
treasure seekers as ever mistook fancy for fact
Perhaps 1t wac for this reason that the plan col
lapsed and the excursion was given up before
much of the money had been spent. That is why
IL the treasure Is really been found. thert
Will be some regrets in this vicinity. Ant
If that "if" is substantiated it will be the flrst
case where Treasure Island has ever given VI
its gold. except in the pages OF fiction, and Ions
Immediately upon q verifcation, and conduct ar
Investigation into the record OF, the late Capt
whole island will look like a ploughed field from
Brooklyn to Montauk Point,