The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-05-04

was sent by James H. of England effect recov-
cry. He found the treasure, removed only part
of it, and then sailed away owing to the approach
of two Spanish men-of-war. He was about to
turn. when the revolution Of 1888 broke out and
he deferred. In the admiralty archives are
all details of this uncompleted task. What was
easy for Captain Phipps should be still easier
with modern methods.
For.the past twenty years Mexican antfquarians
have been expecting the announcement OF the
finding of vast treasure in the State OF Pueba.
The third royal Spanish viceroy after Cortez sue
ceeded In torturing from the chiefs OF tribe in
Jalisco the secrets of the hiding places OF all of
the tribal store Of gold and silver, and by great
efforts brought 1t to- Tacuba, where it was con-
cealed during period when the suzerainty OF
New Spain was more or less uncertain. A dummy
treasure-train organized and started for Vera
Cruz and the word went forth that it carried the
treasure. Some weeks later the real treasure
train of hundred and eighty mules set out
with only the usual small guard
In some way the word got abroad, and the train
was attacked by a mixed force of adventures
and Indians point within sight Of the white
tops of Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl The de
tenders OF the treasure succeeded In escaping
with the loss of five mules and their burdens, but
while passing through gorge on the route Of the
old trail, now followed more or less closely by the
Mexican railroad, they decided 1t was best to
cache the treasure.
A cave in the gorge W as chosen and three hum
dred and twenty bags OF gold and silver,
tanning several million dollars worth, depending
on how much gold there was than silver,
were stored away, while the train proceeded to
Orizaba Some fifteen miles from the site Of the
present town the same band again attacked the
train and killed nearly all the guard Since the
development of the region in which the cave
must lie has begun its discovery is only matter
of time and it might be effected with compare
tive ease There cannot be many gorges, and
caves are not frequent. The chances for finding
the right one rather strong. 1t has never
been attempted.
No small spot on the face OF the earth has been
so productive of treasure hunting adventure as
Cocos Island of the coast OF Costa Rica-
The west coast pirate Bonita before his death
insisted that he had planted more than two mil
lion dollars in gold silver. jewels and plate on
the island but his specific directions were lost by
his ignorant executioners.
A party. of Mexican political refugees, several
of them of the famous Romero family or its con-
nections fleeing from the wrath OF Santa Anna in
1S4S planted under stone arch on the island
more than one million dollars, the revolutionary
fund with which they expected to gain control or
the government.
The third treasure is the greatest and most i'm
portant There Is little doubt as to whether 1t
is located on Cocos is in the Galapagos group.
off the coast of Peru The traditions all say the
latter place. but after a digest OF all sources OF
Information 1 am convinced that Cocos is the
spot
Among the smaller treasures Of which there is
record it is well to mention the seven large can
non filed with gold pieces by the pirate Villazon
and buried on an island at the very southernmost
part of the Bay Of Campeachy; the reported cache
on the top of the eminence Immediately north OF
the city of Santiago de Cuba. to be reached only
by dificult trail starting in near Dos Caminos;
the mysterious and probably non-exstent Havana
municipal treasure. said to have been assembled
at the time of the English attack and concealed
within the ramparts Of MORO Castle 30 enectually
that 1t was never found again