Catoctin clarion., 1906-09-06
one OF THE MOST Amazing ROMANCES
OF TREASURE-SEEKING in HISTORY
Where Nature Defies Engineers--An Immense Fortune
Just Out of Reach.

London that Mr.. Knowles and his
staff of engineers and workmen had
succeeded in cutting through the
basin of the lake, and the water had
been drained Off successfully. there
was great jubilation, and prepara-
tions were made for the large con-
signments of gold, silver and jewels
which might be expected to arrive by
the ncxt boats.
Unfortunately, however. the water
is not the only barrier on which the
"Gilded Man" has to rely for the
safe-Ieeping of his treasure. The
jubilation in Londonwall was sum-
marily ended by a cablegram stating
that twenty-five feet of solid mud, or
some 30,OOO,0O0 cubic feet in all
still lay between the treasure-seekers
and their quest.
But what is 30,000,00O cubic feet
of mud when 100000 is at
stake? A new engineering feat was
decided on--the construction of a
great dam across the hole made in
the side of the basin, terminating in
a shaft through which the mud
should be washed and carefully pre-.
cipitated, 20 as to secure the gold
and silver treasure as they were dis.
trrbed from their hiding place of
centuries.
The dam was constructed. and with
it the cleansing shaft, but while the
work was in progress strange thing
had happened. The "Gilded Man"
was evidently at work again.
For over three years the engineers
had worked in the rain, in such a
downpour, indeed, as was unpre-
dented in Central America. AS tho
water ran from the lake, however,
the rain had stopped, and drought
equally without parallel in the his
tory of the country set in. For more
than two and a half years not a drop
of rain has fallen at the scene Of the
operations, and when the engineers
had completed the construction of
the dam it was only to find that the
sun had baked the 80, 100000 cubic
feet of mud into the consistency Of
hard rock.
Then, metaphorically speaking, the
engineers sat down and wept. The
rock-like substance still lies as an
impenet"able bomb-proof lid over the
golden gods and the silver dishes and
ornaments, to say nothing of the
jeweled goddesses and their glitter
ing hand-maidens.
The few natives in the region,
remnants of the great race of Chib-
chas, occasionally visit the scene and
smile cheerfully at the downcast
Englishmen. 1T is all the work of
the 'Gilded Man. who is watching
over his treasure mountain they
say, and they plainly hint that when
the rain comes--if ever it does come
to soften the mud, some other OBJ
stacle will defeat the desire of the
treasure-seekers
Letter after letter from Mr..
Knowles to the little Office in tho city
dejectedly refers to the determined
opposition nature has placed in his
way.
Il regret TO say rain absolutely re-
fuses to fall :ere," he wrote in one
of his letters. This is all the more
heartrending as it falls around. |
have been here hoping against hope,
hearing the thunder and seeing the
storm pass us by, which is an awful
trial, as you can imagine"
I'VE really ought to get all the
water we want in May he wrote
again, but nobody can guarantee
this"
SO far his pessimism has been
justified. The "Gilded Man" is TAX
ing care of his own.-London Ex-
press.