New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-01
PERU'S HIDDEN TREASURES
TRADITIONS OF BURIED RICHES LEFT BY
INCAs AND THE SPANISH
CoNoUERoRS
From Chambers's Journal.

From Chambers's Journal.
the far distant interior OF the old empire OF the
Incas, upon the fringe OF those countries over
ton. customs and habits have changed as little
since the fall Of that gS6gfons as M aHs
races have preserved all their personal cowardiee
ness (oniy Varied by bouts Of drunkenness9. and
their propensity TO hoard IKE monkeys ana mag
The book has yet TO re written which win pre-
demons-relics OF a pas world among the railways
a aog 'G nSer yrS an yne passed over with
tine TaGes OF the oSs 10 nf the
change-of rulers. but nover acquiescent; possessing
NO WateSnR % 9 fP sgns Of in the
ruling race TO rebel to assassnate 20 Stseii
has never been able to suppant or sfnos9et ,sS y:
land as conquerors but neither adopting their Gus
toms nor speaking their tongue Even tne L ,tIa
the most diverse has unfortunately here only pro
duced type Of supersttious idoater
Doubtless there sim ngeT among the .nds ad
Tass Of ah the ancent glory Of their nation but
among the half civilized members who SPEAK InOr S
most DT t'S eiemen5ary description OF an these the
most concrete and the only ones ,ro6f are those
referring to treasure hidden during times d, o.
W1 dt OF fo+mepiv known as Upper Peru teen with
such stories some OF these are paipaoly Lalse' q
less true and the great bulk Of them remain Unl
vestIgated. awaiting the time wnen tne &c, cour ~
treasure seeking company. limited. TO be managed
the most approved principles
DISCOVERIES REALLY MADE
During many years, even centuries. of a disturbed
Of the precious metals have been secreted the
greater part Of which will prooaoly never os
Years by systematc search when the tradition OF
the hidden treasure appeared to De more een6 di
covered and have well repaid the time and expense
25 the fr ssarS Such apart a f5
The following is rePresentative instance; ;o-,
victorious rival had retired to Wild spot just be-
low the SUBMITS OF the Eastern Cordnleras; ana
Certain SPOT high in the mountains the fleeing Inca
had buried treasure which had never oeen re-
covered. as he had murdered on his return
to Cuzco Many generations Of the local land
holders searGhed IN VAN unaer tns II
at thirteen thousand feet above the
At last the time came and the man. TO open the
tomb closed by the fugitive ruler OF that long dead
Empire The old propretors: who. at the conquest
ish Crown had degenerated into race Of dissolute
gamblers; and they sold part Of their possession
about the size OF British county for few thou
sand pounds 10 new man more capable and enter
prisi9g than the Old race The legend was 1Vs est
various sources and carefully compared. II soon
been attached to the story; but the most diligent
inquiry could discover neither the word itself nor
Many years passed; the new owner. by managing
the property upon slightly more modern methods
OF the sixteenth century instead OF adhering
9osy TO the 9ee OF as On ~
une. He had discontinued mis- dilgent search for
10 definitely retire to the town and sell the prop
erty- One winter night. however. a message was
woman. reputed to be over a hundred years OF age.
was dying and had word to say TO the patron
long journey over the immense slopes OF rock COW
cred with coarse grass, the snow crowned SUBMITS
rising overhead At the end Of the journey. deep
IN the recesses Of the mountains was a mud hut.
within which lay a shrvelled. decrepft object that
hundred years before had first looked out, black
eyed baby. upon the wonderful view OF cloud.
mountain and far distant forest. She was alone.
and dying, without relatives or friends TO assist
her; for she was witch. and none had dealings
Feared and hated by her own people she turned at
the end to her patron. who had cared neither for
WHICH was whispered to her in the dim past by the
years before. where she dying now-the worL
that would reveal the hiding place Of that
until the Incas should appear again to claim their
own and drive the conquerors back 70 the sea The
lake. Of the two . That s % 1a a ss
tell and died that night.
Although the word was now known. the dificul-
ties were not all overcome in fact many months
OF eager search followed At last the place was
found-a narrow valley containing two small lakes.
Two stones AFTER long and unsuccessful search
upon the margins, the searchers determined TO
next done and it was at once discovered that me
larger stone had been carefully placed where IL
a 0ry-r nST
ing on the bed OF the lake. with infinite labor an
opening made. as the structure had becor1a
SOLID What followed will probably never be known
except 10 a very few interested persons. That the
treasure was found. and was OF considerable worth
IS undoubted; but its precise value or OF what
II consisted has never transpired 4 Maternal
government Is occasionally a little exsc+inp All
IN thlse case at least, silence was golden
A VALUABLE WALL.
Another and less extraordinary narrative Of treas
ure nldden many years ago by old Spanish
immigrant states that the owner had built On he
property a high and thick adobe wall, far too
substantial for the purpose it ostensibIy de-
OF the farmland before he died had left strict
lnjunctions that. matter what else was sold the
strip OF land on which this wall was built should
always be retained in the family. He left two
other daughter. married TO the owner OF a neigh
boring proprtetario. who had received her dowry.
In of time the descendants Of the son beca
gradually poorer, and little by little alepated the
estate. A few years ago the remnants OF a once
extensive property, including the ancient wall now
half in ruins and wholly useless offered for
ineal descendant Of the daughter Of the old Span
lard, bought IL eagerly. In this branch OF tho
family had fingered the memory OF the last words
OF the long dead ancestor, which the other branch
the former owner astonished TO the new
proprietor. with all his poems. busily engaged IN
demoUshing the apparently useless structure long
eyesore to the neighbOrhoOd. The tapada was
found and consisted OF gold and silver in coin or
bars amounting to several times the value OF the
property
past. but also in recent years, and hidden
to-day The ignorant Indian, profoundly diStrustful
OF banks similar resources OF civilization, Sc
lects a hole in any convenient wall as his strong
most reckless publicity. An old man, the owner
OF pack mules. was in the habit OF entering