The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-11-12
Copyright. 1912. by Frank G.. Car
pentcr.)

costa 1tlCd mas one OF the IapIcO
treasure islands of the world. This is
Cocos, which lies southwest Of here in
latitude 5 degrees, 81 minutes and
longitude 81 degrees, . minutes. 1t
is claimed that IN the island is buried
gold 90 the amount Of millions or dol
lars. one of the treasures was carried
there in 1920 at the time OF the reVo-
luton in Peru when the people OF
lima and CaIlaO CHARTERED the little
vessel lying at the wharves and escap-
ed to Cocos with their plate, bullion
and other valuableS. They were
chased by a man-Of-war. but
nutran it In the darkness. They land
ed eleven boatlOads of treasure at
Cocos, amounting in value, it is said.
ali the way from fifty TO one hundred
millions Of dollars. Among the OBJ
iects was a life-sized statue Of the
Holy Virgin. made Of solid gold, and
there were smaller golden statues OF
ST. Joseph, ST. Peter n others.
There was q great quantity OF silver
plate, and, in all, a vast treasure.
After burying this, the vessel start
ed back to Peru. but on its way it met
one OF the revolutionary men-of-war
and was bombarded. AS d result
every Peruvian on board was killed
and only two men, an Englishma,a
and an American, were saved. Inc
American afterWard disappeared. His
name was Thompson. This left the
English a resident OF New
F'oundland named Heating, as the sole
Wner OF the secret. Heating went
home and a short time later started
out two expeditions to get the treas
ure.. In one OF these his vessel was
wrecked and in the other he n his
crew were arrested at Panama and
sent back home. He left his charts,
however, to hts descendants, and some
years ago they were still in the hands
Of one of them, a Mrs. Young, who
was then living in Boston.
HOards ofsBuceaneers.
Another treasure buried on Cocos is
said to lave been left there by Will
liam Dampier, who blockaded Pan
anna in 1884 and took during the year
following a big treasure ship which
was coming north from Peru, intend
ing TO send It's silver and gold on
horses across the isthmus to Porto
Bello. and thence to Spain. Dampier,
it is alleged. buried six bpatloads Of
silver on Cocos and made several
trips there after that with similar
freight.
There is a third story which says
that in 1921, during the revolution
when the Central American colonies
broke away from Spain, the native
Spaniards living here in Costa Rica
loaded a schooner with gold, gems
and silver plate and sent it to CocOs
to be kept there until the troubles
were over. They ave the reasure
over into the hands Of six men, each
OF whom had a chart of the exact
place where the stuff was buried
one OF these men was killed during
the revolution n w others dice
from natural causes before it wa:
over. When peace was restored thu
~n~o0,r;nD %hro4 rfn~{nJ Co.. No.n1 Z.
bring back the wealth, but their boa
was driven on the rocks Of the islant
and all or board persisted. That wa!
about 1880.
Hunting the Treasure.
These facts have long been curren
in this part Of the world and man,
people believe that the above-namet
treasures still exist there. The gov
eminent Of Costa Rica has given
number of permits to parties to hun
for them, and not long ago a squai
OF soldiers and u scientist in charg'
OF the Costa Rican government Surve.
went to Cocos accompanied by a Col
orado man who claimed that he coul,
hold a stick in his hand and that j
he passed over gold. I lave seen me-
looking for water in the mountains o
Virginia using the forked limb OF
peach or apple tree in much the sam
way. Well, the Colorado man
charm did not work on Cocos. I don
know what was the matter. He wen
there, but claimed he had not a fai
trial.
Another set Of treasure hunter
came here about five years ago fror
England. I was at Panan at tn
time their boat was in harbor. Tha
expedition was headed by Earl Fitz
william, who is said to have an neon
Of 4 miliicn dollars a year and to ow
a huadred thousand acres Of land i
ireland He had bought a yact
named Veronique, ana mad come OF
with Admiral Palliser. who at on
time was the commander of the Bri'
iSh feet on the Pacific. The admir-;
had been sent to Cocos by the COVER
ment Some years ago to investigat
the claims Of g man named Hartfor'
an Engiishnan. W!ro had a concessio
from Costa Itica to hunt for his trea
ure. lie was on the Imperieuse at II
time, and he and his sailors did SON