The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-05


Chart-Thon the Hole Caves In and an Un.
successrui Blast IL TrIed-The Ship sails
Away, but the work Will ne Resumed
VICTORIA. B.. C., Nov. 1.-The Impericuse. the
flagship OF Rear-Admiral Palliser and Of the
North Pacific squadron. returned to Esqui.
mault yesterday. completing a cruise OF less
than six weeks duration. but full of Incl
dent and adventure. When tho vessel left
Headquarters on Sept. 30, there was q
mystery in regard to her orders. not usually
apparent, even in the movement OF ships of war.
1t was announced that the primary object of tho
trip was to protect British interests placed in
jeopardy by the outbreak under Morales
In Guatemala. That there was something
moro in the wind was. however. general.
ly understood, and officers and crew came to
the conclusion that England had completed the
purchase OF tho Panama Canal, and that their
mission was to take possession. So convinced
did they become that this was the solution OF
the riddle that little attention was given to two
civilian guests who journeyed with them. the
one introduced as a correspondent Of the New
York Herald and the other as his interpreter.
1t was when Cocos Island was reached, on Oct.
II, that their identity and the secret Of the trip
was disclosed. The supposed interpreter was
no other than Charles Hartford, the reputed
discoverer OF tho Cocos Island treasure,
and his companion, Z. A. Harris, whom
he had interested in his remarkable
tale Of buried millions. The island itself was
found to lie $50 miles southeast Of San Jose de
Guatemala. although but $50 miles distant
from the nearest land, q little green
patch in the sea, scarcely eight miles
long by half that wide. Its inhabi-
tants at the time the Imperieuse landed
her party were Mrs. Gersler and a new arrival
FROM Nova Scotia, a German, who was accom-.
panied by his wife. Gersler himself was no.
where to DO seen. nor was the negro servant,
who played the part of Friday to Hartford's
Robinson Crusoe." They had gone to the
mainland. Gersler explained. Gersler had made
away with the negro and secreted himself. &C.
cording to Hartford's theory.
No time was lost In beginning work under
Hartford's directions, and with the aid Of his
much discussed chart, which Mrs. Gersler con-
temptuously described as only a copy OF the
one We have" Digging for $50, 900, 600 is
fascinating employment. and although 1t was
raining hard the watch responded with
alacrity when Lieut.. Lee informed them that
all hands were to go ashore and dig diamonds"
The digging was commenced at a spot indicated
on the chart and designated by Hartford.
At a depth Of five or six feet, he said. a large
fiat stone or slab would be discovered. out Of
which he had previously chiselled the distin-
gushing number that 1t had originally borne.
The slab was found at the depth he named,
and there was no lack OF energy in compliance
when Hartford next gave the order to dig ten
or twelve feet deeper. when the tunnel would
DO struck. leading to tho cavern of gold and
jewels. The continuous rain made the work ex-
tremely difficult. but 1t was nevertheless con-
tinped until . depth OF ten feet was reached
At this point tho water had 60 welled into the
pit that a large overhanRing rock was Been to
sway from and Lieut.. Leo retired
his men just in time to avoid a serious fatality.
The rock completely hlled the excavation made,
Instead Of blasting out the Instructions and
continuing operations according, to the original
hillside itself. and this being carried out without
result. the 1mperieuse turned homeward despite
the PleadinHs OF Hartford. The ADMIRAL said it
tiers. The parting shot Of the steamship will
make 1t harder for those who later prosecute
That this will be done there is no doubt.
Practically all the Imperieuse's crew are con-
there, and when Hartford was landed at San
jose de Guatemala on the voyage homeward. he
prevailed upon the commander Of the United
States ship Alert to return with him and take
Admiral Palliser says the warship Amphion
in vain. or, at any rate, that she will not do so
under orders. Her next duty will be. however,
and she. too, will probably run over to the
famous island OF hope and disappointment.
cb Lieut. t. |: Lee L. s ssys n the sonT tod told in in H, haFtford.s
cries made by his command, but it will be prac-
tically impossible now to recover the vast
secreted wealth without a numerous working
force.
ship Imperieuse is true. and the buried treas
uT e, Of coros Island is actually there. there
cities Of both East and VEST, among Others @tthnis s
city. In the last nifty years many excursions
have been planned with the lone Pacific lslet for
as to get embarked. Others lived and died on
paper. Few'ever reached Cocos. and of those
rocky shores or by fever or starvation. None
found the treasure. Chas. Hartford. the man who
ments Of failure. ffe is back in this country
now. and the lmperiense. which took him TO
marines to guard tho hoard. Hartford is the
only man who has ever gone or tried to go to
Cocos Island is a mountainous rock, with thir-
~ mileso Of coast line, that rises from the depths
Costa Rica, of which 1t Is a possession. Only
storm-driyen vessels ever sight 1t. 1t 10 out or
the ssi tra ,n1 . d, wSrld /, the picked, picked spot q so the uni,
Central America was In revolt against the cruel
sway Of Spain. tho richest among the colonists
formed a close banded company for the preser.
tion OF their gold. silver and precious stones
i. hitting out a schooner. set sail for the far
excursion. but the history which is handed
down from father to BON and eventually
spreads and becomes interviewer with legend
has It that half a dozen picked men of the Band
buried the treasure within the outer vein OF
tho mountains that line the coast. at night and
in close secrecy; that zach had a map Of tho
cache, and that upon mutual agreement whom
the war should DO oyer they should sail away
again to recover the hoard, which was said 10
be OF tho value OF $50. DOC. 900. or the six. so
goes the story. one WAS killed and two died
disappeared. The other three, some years later,
fitted out an expedition which WAS stormbeaten
from the four quarters of heaven. and finally
where still another OF the band persisted. I'm
daunted. the remaining two fitted out another
ship, were cast upon the rock bound shore Of
Cocos in n gale and persisted.
Then begins q vague mOrtuary record. Early
In the forties a party sailed from Honduras In
great secrecy, supposedly for the treasure. The
disappearing sails OF the ship on the horizon
were the last that mortal eye ever saw OF that
venture. Two Germans. wanderers upon the
face OF the earth, reached Cocos with an ex-
cursion. and refused TO return, preferring to
stay and search. Another excursion. three
years later. found what had been the two Ger.
mans. One was a skeleton on the shore. The
other was a foul animal, human only in form.
They took him back-though not until four OF
their marty had died OF a mysterious feyer-and