The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-04
SCOTCH DUKE SEEKS
SPANISH TREASURE
%
HIS Grace ofArgyIeIs Convinced
He VIII Recover the Chest
*
of a Golden GaIleon.
Foreign Service.

Special Foreign Service.
LONDON, Oct. 3.-Although a good
deal was said about the Duke of Ar
gyle's rather fantastic project Of seek
ing for Spanish gold off the Island of
Null, when first his grace determined
to undertake it, probably few people
expected that the somewhat fussy old
,nopleman would actually carry out the
enterprise. However, any one who cares
tosmake trip to the picturesque island
off the coast of Scotland can see a lit4f
tie steam lighter pumping away in that
bay, and the object of its attentions is
no other than the recovery of the ia
nous treasure which went down in the
Spanish ship Florida more than
three hundred years ago. Moreover there
are signs that the quest isn't going to
be- barren, by any means.
The FLORIDA" was, of course, one Of
that great fleet of galleons called the
Spanish Armada the dispatch of which
was Spain's last attempt to wipe Eng
tland from the seas.
Having been smote hip and thigh by
lafhe doughty Drake, the fleet scattered
to the nearest place of safety and the
Florida, battle-scarred and in any
Thing but seaworthy condition, sought
/ safety by darling through the narrow
IsRntrance to tAeeand4l6cked harbor Of
Null. But though the Spanish captain
ethus got clear away from his English
foes, fate hadsdeereed that his proud.
galleon with IT'S golden stores should
,QeVer leave the rbck-bound harbor! JBo
The Florida.s captain, Don Fereija.
lost no time III. scraping acquaintance
with the Scotehfnen who inhabited
Null. and, In return for supplies of food
and drink, het seems to have made a.
compact withdtffe local chief to help
him fight Battle with neighboring
elan, the alliesF proving triumphant. f2
IL~ History is rather vague as to. lust
what happened then, but the Spanish
commander appears to have made some
sort of COMPACT with the Highlander
which afterwards he did not care to
keep, and when the latter sent one of
his missaries-Dohaid Glas Maclean,
"a brave SeotchrnaslEaboard the Florida
to ask why Don FefeIja's promise was
not kept, the iSpaniard elapped Maclean
below and prepared to sail at once.
AS the Scotchmen on shore possessed
neither heavy ordnance nor ships: the
lspon might have got free in Safety
had it not been for the canny Donald
who, discovering the drift Of affairs,
contrlved to lay fuse to the main
ma azine"2 @Ess ..s..: - ~ Il5E.
IA4 Now, just as the crew were weighing
anchor, it occurred to the SpanisH
captain that it woulda be fitting for
Donald Glas to have last look at the
faiherland and little realizing that his
ship was about to be blown from be-
meath him, Fereija summoned the
Scotchman to the deck. Donald. had his.
look accompanied by the grim taunts
Of the Spaniards, but no sooner had
che hatch covers again closed over him
than with a roar. ola hundred thunders
the Florida split in two and sank. "a
OF the efghty4 six Souls on board only
three ecapedc and of these one died
next day. The islanders insist, how
ever, that the captains dog also sur
Niyed the explosion and died near the
shore where his CHASTITY bark may still.
re heard on stormy nights. The Flor
Ida was known to have on board an
enormous store Of treasure when she,
was destroyed, and for this the ducal
FAMILY of Argyle has been searching off
and on since 1913. Although the pres
ant dukes ancestors found almost no
trace Of the Spaniard, the search nov
going on has brought to light much
evidence that the treasures seekers NAV
really have located the gaIleon. Div
sers have sent UP parts of ships timbers,
old cannon and few silver coins bear
Ing the stamp of Philip II and the duke
IS confident that before many weeks
the men on the little lighter will get
signal from below to haul up the long
sought gold. ssisi
g,s ri