The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-16
COCOS ISLAND
TREASURE
STORY AND DENIAL OF EXPEDI-
TIoN BEING FORMED TO GAIN
RICHES.

Cocos Island, a New York Shipping
Illustrated correspondent, writing from
Vancouver, states that he called to
see Captain Hackett, and his wife de-
MED that he was getting up an ex-
petition, and an authority in Victoria
said there was no vessel there fitting
out for any such cruise. Yet the Vic
toria, B. c., Times recently had the
following:
Another expedition is being form
ed to seek the treasures of Cocos ISL
and reputed to be valued at 5O,OOO,-
900. Capt. Fred. Hackett, who COM
manded the Aurora and the Blakeley
expeditions, arrived from Vancouver
recently. He declined to discuss his
mission, but it is stated he will leave
today for Seattle to inspect a vessel
which may be purchased to carry an
other expedition to the Island off Cos
ia Rica where the captain of the run
away barque Mary Dea' is reported
to have buried the treasures. placed on
board by the people OF Callao when
the Peruvian port was being besieged
during the war with Chill, and where
also a pirate is believed to have bur-
led his ill-gotten gains. Several ex-
petitions have searched without re-
suit, including the British warships
"Imperieuse" and "Amphion," which
were taken from Esquimalt by the late
Admiral Palliser when he was in COM
mand on this station. The expedition
, now being organized proposes to take
hydraulic machinery to wash for the
treasure. Captain Hackett is native
of North Sydney, c. B."
In the same connection the follow
ing article from the Auckland, New
Zealand, Star, of May 16 last, shows
that the matter is of worldwide In
terest:
Cocos Island, that palm pic
turesque, solitary bit of land some 400
miles west of Panama, is once more
to be hunted over for the treasure
which Don Pedro Benito, the famous
pirate, is said to have hidden there.
The adventurer is Mr.. Claud Robert
Grieves Robinson, who has obtained
from the Costa RIGA government, to
: whom Cocos belongs sole rights for
, two years to explore the island.
\ Benito, who commanded the brig
\ "Belampage," carrying eight carron-
Y AIDES and a 32-pounder Long Tom
n swivel, was one of the last of those
Z pirates who earned the title of Ter.
Z rors of the Seas by their ruthless
crueties On the ships he attacked
be never left soul alive if he coulC
. help it, anG was known to have OBJ
y tanned immense booties from his pira
cies in the Spanish Main.
About 1922 he took in succession
several ships with costly cargoes
among them one off Guayaquil, whicl
was conveying an enormous quantit.
of church plate. This, with the pro
ceeds of his other piracies, he carriet
to Cocos Island, which he made hi
headquarters.
The treasure he buried Is, accordin
to legend worth some six million
sterling and is said to have been plaC
ed in a specially constructed pit. Int
this was placed so the story goes
hundreds of tons of silver dollars
chests of jewels, gold church plat
chalices, patens, ETC., golden trian
gle, studded with jewels, and a crow
10 that bore among other ornaments
a diamond the size of pigeon egg
When the treasure pit was sealed u
Benito murdered every man who ha
assisted in its making so that h
might be the sole depositary of tn
secret
G. Mr.. Robinsons title to unearth thi
treasure if he can is likely to be cha
- lenged by a Mr.. Guissler to whom tn
Costa Rican government some tw
8 years ago also granted privilege {
- exploration. Lord Fitzwilliam was in
terested in the Guissler venture, an
found a vessel to carry the leader t
|. the island.
This vessel was wrecked at sea- an
when Mr.. Guissler at last arrived
Costa RIGA in last October he coul
not obtain a renewal of the ample cor
cessiOn once granted to him. Never
theless, vowing that no one else shoul
find the treasure of Don Pedro, M
Guissler left in a sailing vessel for CT
cos Island, and since that time ther
has been no news of him.
Cocos Island is about - miles /
circumference. has plenty of good VIZ
ter, groves of cocoanut palms and bi
mana trees, and animal life, includin
droves OF wild pigs, in abundance