The San Francisco call., 1906-11-11
Bv Hanna Astrup Larsen

NCHARIED 1SlanOS OF the sea-
hiding mysterious buried treas
ures. are a favorite theme Of
novelists, but one scarcely ex-
poets to meet them in real life. They
seem rather to be designed by con-
siderate Providence for rewarding the
hero in the last chapter and enabling
him to marry the heroine.
And vet buried treasures, as mystic
rious as any that ever figured in the
most romantic tales, do exist in the
Islands Of the Pacific. and numerous
expeditions have gone out from San
Francisco with the purpose Of finding
them.
It may be urged that Just now San
francisco people can do Just as well
with a pick and shovel right here in
the city. and have no need OF going
across the sea for the treasures that
are buried, but II any one is roman
tically inclined there is Spanish gal
leon full Of dollars waiting for him in
the Galapagos Islands. II is only nee
essary to charter a vessel. hire a trusty
crew and an expert diver carrying
with him all the paraphernalia of his
trade, then set sail for the islands.
There IS a chance for as stirring ad-
ventures as befeu the hero OF W. Clark
RusselI's List, Ye Landsmen." when
he voyaged after the Spanish galleon
full OF dollars in vast cave on an un-
charted island near Galapagos. Indeed.
It IS likely that any one attempting to
raise this later treasure would have
even more exciting experiences. for he
would have to draw IT up from the bot
tom Of the sea, and that is the reason
why it has been allowed to remain so
long where it is.
Discovers a Wrecked Galleon.
Captain Parker Of. San Francisco.
who has been cruising around the CAL
apagos Islands whaling for sperm oil.
reports that IN clear weather he could
plainly see the wreck OF a Spanish gall
leon under the water. close to the
weather side Of Hood Island. He picked
up some coins. which evidently came
ashore from the broken cases Of the
wreck and had been thrown up on land
by the power OF the waves. The coins
were Spanish dollars, and it is sup
posed that the galleon came from Spain
around Cape Horn, carrying money to
pay off troops in Colombia or Panama.
The vessel would pass not far from the
Islands, and must have drifted on the
rocky shore. Though there is never a
gale in the locality. the strong cur
rents and the fog are just as dangerous
to mariners. The shore rises very alb
ruptly out Of the water, and close to
the steep rocks the treasure ship is
sunk II would require a divers out
1T and be expensive as well as difficult
TO lift her cargo. That is probably the
reason why the story of it can be pub
Iished today. since people who find
hidden treasures do not usually pro-
claim the fact unless there is fly in
their ointment.
The Galapagos Islands seem to be a
favorite place for buried treasures. for
there are rumors of another nice little
pile concealed on Tower Island. Alas.
II IS no longer there, but who took IT?
That is the question. The members OF
the scientific expeditions that have
sailed from San Francisco to explore
The islands know only that 1t was
there. but it is gone, and they did not
get it, more is the pity.
When the Lila and Matte sailed
from San Francisco IN 1901 It carried
picks and shovels for unearthing the
treasure. which it seems Professor Har-
ris and his learned colleagues had
heard Of in the East. After completine
their scientific labors they were going
10 reward themselves with a whack al
the buried dollars, but the trouble was
that they did not know the exact spot
While beating around the island fol
fresh water one day they saw a sloor
mysteriously appearing from behind &
point OF land. For a moment it wa;
plainly visible, masts and all, then al
suddenly and mysteriously vanished
This was something that needed to b,
investigated by science So a boa
with six armed men was sent out from
the Lila and Matte and returned with
in an hour with the sloop in tow.
was manned by an Irishman wh'
seemed to be the captain, Portu
guese and a native. They had beel
digging for treasures, the Irishmal
said, but though they had dug till thei
parched tongues hung out Of thei
mouths they had found nothing
Here then was confirmation of tn
report Of the hidden wealth, but instea'