Evening star., 1901-08-03
One of Uncle Sans Recent Acquisi-
.tions.
TREASURES ARE SUPPOSED TO EXIST
The Reward Bestowed by Spain
on BartoIome Columbus.
HELTER OF PIRA ATE 8
Written for The Evening Star.


Gently acquired by Uncle Sam as sequel
to the war waged against Spain. Wars. as
a rule, bring to the surface disclosures that
are not even suspected, and such is the
case in the present instance. The little is
land has not witnessed the great achieve
ments Of man in this wonderful age Of
electricity, nor marvellous palaces, or even
poor, little thatch huts, are to be sought
within its orbit Progress has not as yet
extended it's benefcent wings to give lit
tie shadow to this miniature island.
Mona.
Mona means female monkey, and this Is
the name that the island bears today. In
the first chart Of America, drawn by Juan
de la Cosa, the island appears with the
name of Amona, and the initial A thus
seems to have been dropped afterward.
Juan de la Cosa, it will be remembered, ac-
companied Columbus as the owner of the
ship Santa Maria in his first voyage to
the West Indies. He also came with the
second expedition on the Nina as ar ex-
pert for the drawing of sea charts.
The Island of Mona is located in the pas
sage that bears its name, between Porto
Rico and st. Domingo, at about fifty-five
kilometers west of Porto Rico. 1t Is
rock Of some 100 square kilometers' of sur
face cut down straight on nearly all its
sides.
Formation.
This island is of a volcanic origin. The
rock has been probably formed In the bot
tom and afterward raised over the surface
of the sea through an elevation due to vol
canic action. The powerful work Of waves
and tornadoes and the strong dissolving
action Of the ocean waters on the carbo-
nate Of calcium first sapped the monster,
giving it the shape of sponge. which can
still be seen in the shelves Of Its coast.
The excavations thus made at the sea level
were afterward changed into deep caverns
by a new cataclysm, which made at once a
part Of the rocks tumble and new earth ap-
pear, These caverns are partly closed due
to the precipitation of the surface The
sea, beating necessarily the TANKS of the
rock, gave birth, through it's mechanic and
dissolving action, to new caverns brought
UP to the surface by successive elevations.
These cavernS present a magnificent sight,
where stalactites and stalagmites united in
splendid pillars seem to support the weight
of an enormous vault. 1t is believed by
some that the whole island is an immense
cavern, here and there divided into several
compartments through the precipitation Of
the rocks
Banks of COrals.
In 1868 Spanish engineer, E. Churruca,
reported to the authorities in Porto Rico.
after a careful investigation, that the
whole Island of Mona is bank of corals,
madrepores and shells and detritus Of a
great number of zoophytes and mollusks
adhered through a calcareous cement.
There are still great number of shells In
very good condition, as also medrepOr6s
of large dimensions and corals. The fact
that all these species grow on large scale
In the. surrounding sea holds good the
theory that the geological formation Of
the tertiary period.
Though 1t is said that the island is but a
volcanic rock, on the ground that it's ap-
pearanee resembles very much the appear
first sight seems to be an igneous rock,
greatly spongy; yet. an authority says, a
careful examination shows that all these
cavities have been occupied by mollusks,
which have disappeared by the action OF
the surges Furthermore, some Of those
mollusks are yet to be found incrustat-
ed in the cavities. The great number Of
caverns are of about the same height,
which accounts for the belief that the ele-
vations have occurred at different times.
Vegetal Land.
The limy surface of the island is covered
by cape.of vegetal land. where many
plants and trees Of comparatively large
size grow. The top Of this island is q
plain thickly covered with brambles and
brfers, and lfthaphytic plants, rich in this
ties and thorns. and in such a way inter-
mixed that fishermen's legend says it is
able to make his way through this yegetal
wall, and that even dogs pursuing wild cat
tie, once In the trap, never return to the
outside. The story goes that a captain of
explore this place in pursuit of treasure
said to have been hidden there by the
pirates. and that, in spite Of the strong
incentive Of his strange adventure he was
compelled to give 1t up. 1t Is said that the
north coast of Mona still shows volcanic
features; Of snowy whiteness. this coast is
cut perpendtcularly to the sea, which, at q
short distance. is fathomless.
Fishermen avoid this northern coast
rough sea, the look of that stone wall that
seems to rise over an abyss, and the peril
of clashfng currents make 1t a very risky
enterprise that few. If any, ever dare to
embark In. This accounts for the name of
Tempest" that a cape on the northeast
bears.
There are several springs Of potable
water, which has In some of them a min
eral taste. The number of caverns is writ
ten down as twenty-three.
Its First Inhabitants.
The chronicle goes that from its discoy-
cry until the middle OF the sixteenth CEN
tury, the Island Of Mona was always in
whose business 1t was to till the soil and
care for the cattle. 1t is at least well
known that when in 1851 the Spanish en-
peror was requested to fortify the island.
after the 1aSnlOn or those Gays, 1t was
reported that the population was made up
Of twenty-five Indians, all married and
good Christians. Ten years later. in 1861,
1t was reported duplicated. Soon after,
however. the island was entirely abandoned
and left to the mercy Of the pirates and
Corsairs, whO In great number, and for q
long time, were the unquestionable COM
manders OF those seas. Many story is
still heard from the western people of
Porto Rico of the great Cofresi. q Porto
Rican pirate Of those days who won fame
and profit through bold. perilous adven-
lures.
While the middle of the nineteenth CEN
tury was running American as well as
English vessels availed themselves Of this
island as a landing place in their voyages
through the tropics. This. action aroused
the suspicion of the ever-suspecting Spanish
authorities, and man-of-war was dis
patched in 1858 to investigate the prospects
Of Mona. No vestige was found of the
population once settled there although
real invasion Of the island was yearly made
from April to September by people who
came after tortoises, a fishery that paid
very fine returns to the enterprising in
vaders.
Lately in 1871, franchise was granted
to an Englishman, Hughes by name. for
the development of the island. Hughes
was to pay the Spanish government q fee
of $3.50 for every ton Of dung extracted.
The concession became null by lack of
compliance on the part Of the English
man. and 1t was then transferred to Por-
to Rican firm which has done pretty