Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-14

crime. In the year 1711 Charles Fane,
notorious pirate of the West Indies, cap
tured about $4,000 in pieces of eight that
were being taken by divers from one of
five plate ships that had gone down in
storm just east of Key West. The silver
bars. as they were brought to the surface
by divers. were stored in a little fort on
the mainland to await the Guardacosta,
which was carrying the treasure in INSTALL
ments to Havana. Nane learned of this
ana made a sudden descent upon the fort,
captured the treasure, rowed out to the
vessel where the divers were at work cap
tured the ship and sailed away leaving the
destitute crew and divers marooned on
the barren key. The plate fleet of five gall
icons. on which these divers We're working
was carrying s4,OOO,OOO in bullion when II
was wrecked, and less than one-fourth was
recovered and captured by Vane. The old
records estimate that $3.0O0,0OO still re-
mains IN the sea at this point
another circumstantial but incompIete re-
port tells of the wreck of several treasure
eaHeonS in the Gulf of Florida in 1916 OF
this treasure IS. 900 900 in pieces of eipbt
MtIe recovered and carried to Havana
flfty thousand more. after being stored on
G tiit shofe' were captured by the famous
1dpt. Jennings, who had hastily equipped
tifce SloopS in Jamaica After this aSsauIt
the Spanlards abandoned all further work
on the sunken galleons and lost all knowl-
euse OF their exact locality. There is no
g Iee1 mat a httle exploration here will
reveal this sunken fleet which still con-
ldinS, according to the Old records several
million dollars in gold and silver
OF the Isle of Pines.
Somewhere few miles southwest of the
Isle OF FINES there is a princely fortune in
diamonds and gold awaiting the huater who
VIII travel the bottom of the Caribbean sea
ana cast searchlight carefully over the
hulls of sunken treasure ships. 1t is the
remains of a Spanish ship in the royal SER
VICE whose commander, Don Sebastian Je-
mineZ. touched at Santiago de Cuba in 1850
on his way to Spain. He was carrying the
kings fifth" from lne silver mines of Qua
nahacoa. amounting to nearly twelve tons
of good silver bars and unknown but i'm
mense quantities of personal treasure
shipped by homegoing merchants. Upon
sailing from Santiago he was caught in a
terrific tempest, which tore the ship from its
anchor and drove it upon the rocks within
Slght of the observers on the bluffs at San
tiagO. No VeStige of ship or crew was ever
seen again The galeon probably lies not
lar from the recent naval battle-ground be-
tween the Spanish and American fleets and
II offers priHcely lure for the bold sub
mariner who will conduct a patient search.
Richest of Treasure ships.
Another and probably the richest of all
treasure ships lost in the West Indies was
wrecked in 1879. notable company of Off
Gals. ecclesiastics and citizens OF New
Spain were on board, bound for Spain, at
the invitation of the king. They carried
the most costly personal possessions The
record tells of diamond crosses of enor-
nous value and presents that were to win
the favor of the great King of Spain he
sides many tons Of silver bullion which
was actually used as ballast But many
times richer than all these were the hars Of
gold winch most of the officials were car
rIlns with them back TO Spain. in the hone
OF hNlng the rest of their DAYS in distin-
sulshed opulence. One of the ladies'. Dona
i ne Eseobeao, was taking with her In
dan slave as a present for her brother
VINO was governor of one Of the Canary Is
lands The few negro slaves on board were
Seryile enough, but the Indian whose 7,arnf
l3e records do not give, was Interchangeable
mcIt. F'''i
One morning. when the ship was few
leagues southeast Of the Isle Of Pines tb.,
captain was Mortified to find that water
was pouring into the hold He was ahnut
% descend through the hatchway 10 dis
cover the cause. when the warning voice If
the indlan declared that the first man In
appear through the opening would he shot
Immediately those who gathered about
heard the blows of a Ratchet upon the bnt
tom OF the vessel. The horrible truth then
dAwned upon them that the untamable In
dIan intended to escape slavery nv wrecl.
ing the ship with all on board. Thny- thre1.
down negro slave believing hat his BODY
~oUld receive the fire of the Indian b1it
every thlng above the matches was plainly
visible from the darkness below and M
Il I.
while the blows of the Ratchet raiuad fast
er than ever, and the roar Of the water
constantly Increased in volume At last
an old officer Jose NuncZ Suranp sIddanI,-
through the opening into the hold. waist
deep IN water, and charged upon the In
dian. sword in hand. He was followed bv
hait dozen others. They splashed around
and finally found the Indian under a heam
beneath the water, where he had crawled
ana drowned himself. The most frantic eff
forts were made to stop the leak but the
Silp sank; ana II was with difficulty that
even one boat load of the passengers was
able to escape.
Numerous attempts We're made by the
SptnlardS 10 recover the treasure from this
snip. but divers never could find it
IheSe are only a few of many score of
similar wrecks. the records of which can be
found IN the old Spanish reports and his
tories They Will indicate in some measure
the enormous richness of these hitherto I'M
described resoIr.:as of our new possessions.
c. NJ. STEEANS.