The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-15
ANOTHER TREAsURE ISLAND.
A Second Expedition Fitting Out to
Seek a Pirates Treasure.
london Illustrated New

london illustrated News
June 25, 1889, an article from the pen
Of Mr.. Z. F. Knight the well known
war correspondent appeared in the 81
James Gazette. under the heading A
Chance for Treasure Seekers" in
which a proposal was made 70 equip
and dispatch an expedition TO search
for the buried treasure Of a pirate gang
on a little-known island in the south
Atlantic, and which. from documents
IN his possession, Mr.. knight assumed
to amount to a total value of consid-
erabIy over S5,00O.000 in money. gold
and silver ornaments. bullion and pre-
ci0us stones. the treasures of Lima
Naturally the publication OF such an
article raised a storm of controversy
and criticism and many and varied
were the opinions expressed How
ever. Mr.. Knights proposal that
a few young fellows OF good
hpysiqUe and who we're will
ing to contribute eIO0 or so to-
wards the expenses of the expedition
and 10 share in the work of the search
should join him. was received with en-
thUsiasm. and he received applications
from hundreds Of would-be treasure
seekers.
After many interviews and much
correspondence the most suitable ap-
plicants were selected. and on Aug. 81.
1889, the expedition. which consisted OF
Mr.. knight, nine gentlemen adven-
turers and four paid hands, sailed
from southampton i'm the yacht Alerte-
a yeWl Of ffty-six tons register. which
was the home Of the expeditiOnary par
ty for upwards OF seven months. and
in which they vOyaged many thousands
of miles.
The expedition worked almost inces-
sanity for over three months on the
island in endeavoring TO locate the
buried treasure. and at the end of that
Feriod abandoned tie search without
discovering any traces of il. Doubtless.
this was partly owing TO the fact that
neither the vessel ror her equipment
was large enough for the work TO be
dOns and also to the fact that q land
slip had considerably altered the land
marks mentioned on the maps and
charts in Mr.. Knights possession.
The confidence Of Mr.. knight and
others in the existence OF the buried
treasure within a certain limited area
is, however. SO strong that at the pres
ent moment another expedition is be
ing fitted out to search for IL again.
This expedition, which is being organ
lied by Captain z. W. Dawson, well
known through his works on Madagas-
car. and also as member of the Bal
loon society of Great Britain. and
which viii be under the command of
Captain Joseph Virgins, the famous
navigator and Arctic explorer and the
opener Of the northeast passage to the
mouth of the Yenesei, will have many
advantages not possessed by r.
Knights expedition, and It's chances .
success seem to be especially promis-
ing.
The vessel to be employed is a large
three-masted auxiliary steam yacht Of
nearly 500 tons yacht measurement and
her equipment will consist of many
special appliances suitable for the pur-
pose in view. The explorers Of 1SS.
attempted to locate the treasure by
digging and blasting. but it is now in
tended to adopt the more rapid and
feasible method of boring from the
surface Of the ground to considerable
depths with a prospecting drill
The searchers OF the past have
moreover. considerably narrowed dOwr
the area to be explored. and Captain
Dawson is confident Of finding The
treasure.
Captain Dawson. in an interview
=
Il am certain that the treasure has not
been taken off the island, for it stand.
TO reason that no one could get away
. with q treasure consisting of anything
. ike s5,000,000 worth Of old gold coins
precious stones and antique gold and
silver ornaments and convert them into
cash without news of il leaking out
in some way or other, and so I fee
confident that it is.Still there. Whether
we shall find it or not I cannot, OF
course. say. but we shall certainly have
a good try for it. You may be surs
Of that"
The promoters of the present expe.
dition are following the plan adopted
by Mr.. Knight. and are inviting ap-
plicatiOns from young men of good
physique and adventurous spirits who
are willing to invest a couple Of hun
f.. dred pounds in the undertaking.