The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-21

eagerly. In this branch OF the family had
fingered the memory Of the last words OF
the long dead ancestor, which the other
pranch had forgotten: and directly the
transfer was made the former owner was
astonished TO see the new proprietor. with
ali MS peons busly engaged in demolish-
ing the apparently useless structure long
an eyesore to the neighborhood- The tapada
was found, and consisted OF gold and sill
Yer In coin or bars amounting TO several
tunes the value OF the property.
Hoards have been made not only In the
distant past, but also In recent years. and
are hidden even to-day. The ignorant In
dian, profoundly distrustful OF banks and
similar resources OF civilization. selects a
hole in any convenient wall as his strong
Dox, and sometimes makes his deposit with
the most reckless publicity. An old man.
the owner or some pack mules. was in the
haDit OF entering the patio of house In
not known, about dusk, and going TO one
particular spot. The owner, happening TO
notice this, watched him on the next occa-
sion, and saw him take out an adobe from
the wall and put a small parcel behind IT.
The adobe was removed. and behind IL
was found a packet containing the eQuiva-
lent OF about f40o. but partly in notes OF a
bank that long ago had ceased 10 exist.
The hoard was removed TO the house. with
the intention OF restoring IL TO the owner
upon his next visit: but that visit was
the spot again. Whether he was dead. or
whether he had, indeed. sought his hoard.
and. finding il gone. had slipped quietly
away without making any complaint OF
Will never now be known.
SEARCHING OLD HOUSES.
Old houses. when they are pulled down.
are eagerly searched for tapadas. and the
searchers do not always go unrewarded.
Owing 10 the character Of some OF its for
mer occupants. such a find was confidently
anticipated during the demolition or q
house considerably over two hundred years
old; and the walls were carefully probed I'm
many parts by impatient Recommendations
before operations were commenced. Dur
ing the search IT was observed that a por-
ton Of the wall OF an upper room was ex-
ceptionally thin. and. on an opening being
made. a deep recess was disclosed. appar-
emily filed with articles ranged on shelves.
Silver candlesticks dishes and trays were
removed, and still the end was not reacheds
vases and small ornaments were now dis
covered; then a layer of plates and dishes
This was apparently tapada OF very re-
cent formation as dishes of a similar pat
tern were then offered for sale in the local
shops. Curtains, tablecloths and linen now
followed. This was a discovery of a hoard
of a very varied character. so the man
with the longest arm now reached 10 the
innermost side of the recess and brought
out-a dish of hot bread! II was now evil
dent to the searchers either that the lind
was miraculous or that the so-called tapa-
da was only the storeroom or larder OF the
adjacent house. and the doubt was speedily
resolved by the opening OF a door In the
further side OF the recess and an aston
ished countenance presenting itself 10
them.
OF all the existing legends which refer
to as yet undiscovered treasure. none Is
more widely spread than that Of the Tres
Tortillas 1t may be selected as one OF the
most possible of large class-at least We
have here a well-defined and unmistakable
locality and no actually conflicting facts.
On the remotest headwaters OF the river
Secure, a branch of the Mamore, which
joins the MADEIRA. an affiuent OF the ANA
Zon, lies a broken, mountainous country
full of great gorges, PERCEPTIONS cliffs and
tertiana. Here one descends abruptly from
the regions of eternal snow 10 tropical
forest where sugar cane and coffee flour
ish, and as we leave the high and wind
swept plains and scramble down the deep.
dark gorges to the heat and damp of the
monte, ague of the most virulent and fn-
sistent type turks in the rain-laden atmo-
sphere, waiting to attack the stranger who
has the hardihOod to penetrate these I'M
known valleys. Here. IL nature suffers the
existence of disease. she also provides the
remedy-cascarilla, or Peruvian bark-and
the only intruders are the bark workers
and occasional seekers for treasure. As
the traveller leaves the high mountain side
far off in the east can be seen three fiat
topped hills, apparently close together. and
forming unmistakabe landmark: and
IL the same region is entered by ascending
the river from the eastern side. at certain
points in the journey, far ahead In the
west, can be seen the same three mes1n-s
tains, which always appear only a few hun
dred yards apart. These are the famous
Tres Tortillas dhree pancakes), and around
these three mountains have accumulated
numerous traditions, with probably some
foundation of fact. During the Spanish rule
it is certain that great quantities OF gold
were mined and washed upon this mountain
range. Old workings are frequently discov-
cred; whole towns built OF stone and adobe,
and deserted churches and cathedrals. are
buried in the forest, and from a hundred
evidences IL is clear these regions have
been and may again be, source of great
wealth. II is quite possible that I'm the
neighborhood OF the Tres Tortillas Is Q
mine OF great value. and according TO near
ly all the current stories this mine contains
a vast treasure, consisting of gold ready
for transport, and LETT when the last miners
fed never TO return.
OF the various expeditions which have,
during the last half century, endeavored TO
penetrate TO this valley a survivor Of only
one of them returned. and stated that he.
with a companion, had found the mouth OF
the mine, had entered the tunnel and there
had found great mass Of gold stored for
removal. This man at least possessed
enough faith 10 make another effort TO
reach his FL Dorado, and Is believed TO
have persisted I'm the attempt among the
mountains. OF the other expeditions the re-
suit has uniformly been failure Owing TO
inadequate resources. to the great natural
difficulties of the country or 10 sickness
and death up TO the present Tres Tortillas
have kept their secret. and stand like three
giant sentinels, unapproachable and def
ant, guarding a treasure which may be-
worth a kings ransom or may be only the
fantasy of dream.