Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-22

Murietta's Fabled Treasure

Murietta's Fabled Treasure
CALIFORNIA-thel land of gold-has been partic,1-
- larly favored by the makers of treasure myths.
Not the least interesting of the treasure myths
of that State is the relating to the buried gold of
JOAQUIN Murietta and his band of desperados. For
more than decade after the discovery of gold in
California, Muretta's band terrorized half the min
ing camps between Lake Tahoe and Sacramento.
Finally Murietta and his chief lieutenant, known
Three Fingered Jack, were run to earth and killed.
Muriettas head and Three Fingered Jacks mutt
lated hand were cut off and taken to San Francisco
for identification. in order that the successful
hunters might be able to claim the reward offered
for the bandits dead or alive. The remainder of
the band fled to Mexico.
Then the wise men of the mining camps began to
count up the loot that the robbers reported
have secured in the Feather River country alone
1t footed up among the millions; and scores of
promising claims were abandoned that their own
ers might join in the search for the hidden treasure
of Joaquin Murietta. The gold has never yet been
found. Probably it never will be; for the trade of
No doubt Murietta would be vastly amazed could
he now be informed of the tremendous proportions
to which his paltry stealings have been magnihed
Even if he had any gold dust or money cached it is
more than probable that his followers took it with
them when they hit the pike for Mexico.
brakes Mysterious Cave
EQUALLY dubious is the reputed treasure now
II being industriousy sought in the foothills of
the Santa Monica Mountains, near Point Dune.
This myth dates back to the days of Drake; but has
been brought into new prominence by the dlscov-
cry of a mysterious cave, with shafts, chambers,
tunnels, and half obterated inscriptions. The cave
visited and described thirty years ago. but its
location forgotten until corps OF railroad sur-
veyors stumbled upon it recently.
The story runs that three galleons laden with
doub1oons and bars of gold and other treasure set
sail from Panama for Spain, by way OF the Horn
They had not proceeded far when Drake, that
prince of buccaneers, gave chase. In order to es-
cape from him. the vessels went far to the north,
where they were overtaken by tempest and never
heard of again.
Away up on the sandy bars of Tillamook County.
Oregon, for generations the Indians have from
time to time discovered great chunks OF beeswax.
uncovered by the waves. Learned articles have
appeared in the scientific press, descriptive OF TINS
natural beeswax; but there seems to be reason
ably convincing evi dence that this article formed
part of the cargo of one of the lost ships;
that the vessel wrecked off the coast of Oregon;
and that the beeswax which is still discovered at
intervals has laid buried in the sands tor all these
years.
But the fate of the two other vessels still remains
unsolved Tradition has it that they were wrecked
off Point Dune, and that the crews succeeded in
getting all the treasure ashore 1t is said that they
remained in the vicinity for months, hiding the
gold and other valuables, and expecting ultimately
to be picked UP by vessel on tour of explora-
ton In the end all are believed to have persisted
at the hands of the Indians.
Now there many who are firmly. convinced
that the recently discovered the work of
the shipwrecked sailors of the lost gaeons, who
tcipae that the long lost treasure will be found in
or near it.
Where Is the Amos Whisky
IN 1880 the schooner Arno was wrecked on
sand bar at the head of the Gulf of California.
near the mouth of the Colorado River. The most
precious part of its cargo consisted of one hundred
and fifty barrels of choice Kentucky whisky. Now
the average unimaginative person would suppose
that the barrels had been dashed on the rocks and
that the nectar they contained had been rrerievably
lost in salt water But the myth makers that
every barrel cast safely ashore and buried by
the drifting sands There, say they, it has been
fo~ r1xy until