Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1898-12-01
PORTO RICO'S MINES,
SOMEWHERE" IN ISLAND ARE VERY
RICH GOLD DEPOSITS.

The Mines Sealed to Keep the English
ont-Worked by Slaves and Indians.
Somewhere in the island of Porto
Rico there are hidden gold mines Of
fabulous richness, unless all the old
Ellzabethan sailors were grossly de-
celved and the old chronicles ali are
wrong. porto Rico" means erich
port" and it was so named long ago.
shortly after the first great voyage of
Columbus into the unknown western
sea. 1t was known as a port of call
Tor the immense Spanish galleons on
their way to and from the coasts of
Central America and the islands Of the
Antilles, and, therefore, was watched
with particular interest by the mer-
chant mariners of merry England.
Many fine old galleon was picked up
in the sea around San Juan. But not
only the hope of picking up galleon
or two inspired the English sea royers
to steer for Porto Rico. Out of the
mysterious Western World there came
adventurers with strange and exciting
tales of ancient Indian mines in the
island, and Porto Rico swan before
the eyes of the knights of the sea In
those days in golden glory.
That gold was produced in the island
in paying quantities is proven by the
fact that the Spanish from the time of
its conquest maintained mint there,
and the Indians carried on their bar
ter with the white men with gold and
silver. The city of San Juan de Porto
Rico, one of the old towns of the new
world, was always full of treasure,
and many attacks were made on it by
British soldiers, sailors, merchant
mariners and plain pirates. The city
was garrisoned strongly in conse-
quence, and the Notifications were the
strongest of any in the new world
So powerful were the defenses that
few ordinary rovers' expeditions dared
to attack the place. Most of them
contented themselves with cruising
up and down outside and swooping on
such Spanish vessels as happened to
sail to or from the port. Even the
English considered the port impreg-
nable. Once they succeeded in TAX
ing it, but not by sea. The natural
disadvantages of the country made
it impossible for them to hold it, how
ever. The first man to attack it, Drake,
nearly paid for it with the loss Of his
whole feet.
The successful attack on Porto Rico
was made exactly three centuries ago,
in June, 1898. Then the Earl of Gum
berland took it after severe fighting,
with the intention of holding it for
his country as an outpost OF British
colonies. But fever and heat made it
impossible to remain and the forces
were Withdrawn with no profit to show
for the occupation, for the treasure
houses had been emptied and the In
dians would not, or could not, tell
where the rich mines wore.
brakes unsuccessful attack had
been made three years before and had
been confined to an attack by sea. His
men were beaten off with great loss.
Drake had been after galleon that
was repairing in the harbor and after
the treasure that was in the island
treasure houses. But the Earl of
Cumberland was after the island and
its hidden mines. so rich was the
island said to be that the English be-
lieved that gold had been found there
in wedges and nuggets great enough
to serve as plates and trays when
beaten out.
The Earl of Cumberland s men, after
they had taken the town, heard that
Joachim de Luyando, once amint mas
ter in the island, who had become
prodigiously wealthy in few years,
had sent the king of Spain mass OF
pure gold which was found to be worth
$500 ducats. That there was such
mint master on the island and that he
was enormously rich, is established.
But where the mines are from which
the wealth came none knows today.
All that is known is that old mines
wero worked by the Indians and slaves
of the Spanish somewhere in the in
terror OF the island and that the ore
was transported to San Juan on the
backs OF the workers.
1t was sometime in the reign OF
Philip of Spain that the gold mines OF
Porto Rico were sealed up and their
secret lost, unless it exists some
where in some ancient and forgotten
state paper in the archives OF Spain.
The island was of the greatest lmpor-
tance to the Spanish government as a
port of call and harbor Of refuge
for the great treasure ships that sailed
between Spain and the other more
western ports of the Antilles and the
rich Central American coast. For this
reason alone the English were anxious
to possess it, but it was hard to get
an expedition out In those days unless
the gentlemen adventurers foresaw q
good share of spoils. Therefore, it
was said, the king Of Spain, having
many other sources of gold at his dis
posal, thought it prudent not to tempt
the English to attack his necessary
outpost, and for this reason the mines
were shut down and sealed.
At any rate, the Porto Rico gold
mines disappeared from common