Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-07-28
HUNT PIRATES LOOT
Interesting Tale Of Treasure
Buried in Marianne Islands.
Brlgand Chose Death by Drowning
Rather Than Reveal Hiding Place
Of Valuable Cargo Sought
by Lieutenant.

revolution in Peru, number OF
wealthy residents of Lima chartered
brig of 300 tons, to carry to Spain
their property in money and jewelry,
and large quantity of monastic
plate 1t is said that there were
doubloons to the value of two million
sterling, and a vast sum in plate.
But after the treasure was on board,
and when its owners came down to
the beach, they found the vessel gone.
An Englishman, a lieutenant in the
Peruvian navy, hearing of the intend
ed flight, had gone on board with a
chosen band, and had cut out the
brig within hail of a Peruvian man-of-
war He steered right across the Pa
cific, and in course of time reached
the Marianne islands, where the treas
ure was buried.
A course was then laid for Honolulu.
But before reaching this port quar-
rels broke out among the pirates, and
the lieutenant, with his two officers
and a cabin boy, having set fire to
the vessel, got into a boat and left
the crew. One of the officers was
murdered and thrown overheard be-
fore the boat reached Honolulu. There
the party represented themselves as
the survivors of shipping disaster.
The lieutenant, before leaving Lima,
had been in love with lady, the wife
of a Peruvian officer, who was slain
In the revolution, and before taking
any further steps with regard to the
treasure, decided to send for her. The
cabin boy was dispatched as his ennis
sary to Lima, but on his arrival there
he was seized and thrown into prison,
and the lady refused to have anything
further to do with man whom she
styled a detestable pirate.
The lieutenant and his sole remain
ing companion thereupon chartered
small fore and aft schooner, the Swal
low, commanded by one Captain
Thompson, and proceeded to the
Mariannes for the treasure. Thomp
son tried hard to get a charter for 9
specified port or ports, but the lieu
tenant insisted on a broad charter
including any or all the Mariannes.
One evening, when they were IN
sight of the islands, the lieutenant
who was sitting on the lee rail chat
ting with his companion, was, 1t Is
conjectured, tipped overheard by the
latter and disappeared. The usua
alarm was raised, but the lieutenant's
body was never recovered.
Thompson, from certain scraps oi
conversation which he had overheard
having suspected the object of thu
voyage, overhauled the dead lieuten
ants effects, and among them founC
chart of the island on which the
treasure was hidden, but with thu
name omitted. Soon afterward h'
sighted another brig, with the mastel
of which he was acquainted, and theI
arranged to search for the treasure
and divide 1t between them, giving thu
surviving pirate a share on condition
that he consented to point out tn
spot, but with a threat If he did no
do so he would forthwith be handet
over to the Spanish authorities.
At a concerted moment the pirate
was seized by both captains and thu
conditions named. He nodded. The!
asked him If he would indicate th'
situation of the treasure. He nodded
They asked If this was the island
pointing to the nearest of the group
He again nodded. They invited hin
| to step into a boat which had beer
lowered and guide them to the treas
ure. Afterward he went below ant
filled his pockets with lead and iron
Then, going down the ladder, h
pushed off the boat with one foot from
the side of the schooner and dropped
feet first into the sea.
Until within eight or ten years age
there was alive one of the boats crew
who, snatching at the suicides han
to save him as he sank, plucked dowr
his head a handful of hair, but could
not raise the heavily weighted body
! This put an end to the treasure hunt
ing. The chart went into the posses
sion of the Spanish auJnorities.
In a copy of the Japan Mail of ter
years or more ago the statement was
made that the British schooner Nereid
sailed from Japan as far as Guam, q
small island belonging to the Marianne
group, in search of the buried treas
ure. But while the captain, who In
tended to sail for Yap, in the caro-
lines, was on shore the schooner was
carried off, either by his mates or two
Japanese, or by all four, these being
the only persons on board. Since that
l.. h,nr, hna I'd of the