BURIED TREASURE AND WHERE TO FIND IT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2308, 26 May 1898, Page 49

BURIED TREASURE AND WHERE TO FIND IT.

The existence of buried treasure has at all times exercised a mysterious charm over mankind, and with the discovery from time to time of secret hoards of ancient coins and other valuables this fascination becomes more and more powerful.

The most recent discovery of the kind was made only a few weeks ago on the farm of FaUbiHs, Penloaik, near Kdinbnigb, and is rightly regarded by antiquarians and numismatists as an event of firdfc-rate importance. Tije action of a mole first revealed the existence of the treasure, which consists of a, fine collection of ancient coins to the number of 270. Tha great; majority of' these are pennies and halfpennies of the reigns of Edward I ann Edward 11, coined in various parts of England and Ireland, while a few axe Scottish coins o£ Alexander 111 and Robert the Bruce.

Ixi view of the great historical interest asid intrinsic valae of the collection steps are being taken by the Crown authorities to preserve it in its entirety. The asatsner in which the coins wera disposed indicates that theyhad been concealed with the utmost deliberation, probably for safety curing the stormy times of Scottish bistcry after the death of ; the Bnica. j

Long ago, ia timss of war and religious persecution, the earth was the bank to which owners co»fided their wealth, and thers can be no doubt that all kinds of treasures are concealed in the strangest and most out-of-the-way spots.

A number of years ago, when some old houses in Exeter wore baicg removed, tho workmen came upon a large collection of silver co<ns, with which they forthwith began to make merry and rejoice in a fashion which soon called the attention of their employer to the circumstance, whereupon he proceeded to make a rnora careful examination, which resulted in the discovery of a second heap in a hole oovered over by a fiat stone. The coins found on this occasion dated from Henry VIII to tho time of Ozomwell.

When, as io these cases, the coins were deposited by their owners for safety, there is usually no reoord of the hiding-place, and the discovery is merely accidental ; but there are several instances on record when traditional evidence led to the discovery of hidden treasure.

Near Largo, in Fife, stands aa eminence known among the country people from time immemorial as Norie's Law. Popular tradition states that a great warrior was buried there by his followers in the silver armour he v;as accustomed to wear in battle. By most people, thestory was considered merely apocryphal, but one man, datarmined to test ita truth, visited mound "by alght, and found a considerable quantity of antique silver armour, which he forthwith sold to a silversmith in Cupar, a neighbouring town. The news of the discovery soon became public, and the owner of the estate, on making a more thorough investigation, found the silver scales of a coat of mail, together with a silver shield and the ornaments and mountings of a sword and helmet, which are still preserved In Largo House.

Although many similar mounds have been explored, this is the only one in which silver armour was discovered, so that the traditional story current in the district was obviously founded on fact.

A similar incident once occurred in Ireland. The Bi&hop of Derry was accustomed to admit to his presence an old Irish minstrel, who often sang an ancient Irish song called " MoJr& Borb " fee the accompaniment of his harp.

The substance of the song was that in a oartaln place near the waterfall of Ballyshannon a man of vast stature lay buried, and that over his breast and back were plates of pure gold, and on his fingers massive rings of the same preoious metal, Most of. the hearer* applauded the sentiments of the song without plaoing any reftanoo on its accuracy, but two, more carious than the teat, visited tha place, and were rewarded by the discovery of two thin plates of gold, each about 2in in diameter, apparently to'ftles of a ooat of mail. They found no more, however, somebody else having evidently tested .the truth of the tradition before^ Near Mold, to Flintshire, there was at one tima a rabufid or fcarrotf Jaatned Dfyji-J'r-ellyloti, 61 the Hill of the fairies. In wblcb,

according to a local legend, there lay a skeleton clad in goldan armour. When the mound was eventually cleared away for agricultural purposes, a complete human skeleton was disclosed. Riund its breast was a oorselefc of pure gold, '^embossed to represant nails and lines, which may now be seen by the curious in the Britiflh Museum.

In all thesa oases the accuracy of local tradition was fully proved, and it seems reasonabls to suppose that similar legends in other parts of tha country may similarly have at least some b»si3 of truth. For the benefit of those who would fain join the ranks of the treasure hunter?, a number of the most prominent legends have been collected

At Dolfaurj, above Churchill, there is a remarkable encampment, in which, according to an old rbyoie, which dates from Lsland's days, tfaero ia buried a great treasure, which has not yet been recovered. In tbe vaults of Stokesay Caslle, Shropshire, it is »aid a chest of geld is hidden ; and a similar story is told of Addleboreogh Castle, in Yorkshire. Oce oE the owners of Biealrinsopp C&stle in day 3 gone by was a noted mistr, whose wife, for her own private purposes, took tbe precaution to hide away & che&fc of gold, which it took 12 strong men to move ; and* so thoroughly did sha accomplish her end that the treasure has never since bsan seen. At Bromflold, near Ludlow, there wa3 a cave in whio'a -lay- hid a heard of gold, some of which was recovered by the E,irl of Warron ; and,- at BranaJJ, near Herefordshire Beacoa, there lies au undiscovered treasure of great value. la Wimhill Pond, Aotoa, Saifolk, it is said there is a. cheat of nioaey, the truth o£ whicb, it traditioa is correofe, may be proved by throwicg a alone into the water, when it will be heard to ring against ihe chesfc.

In Scotland snch legands are very common. It io gitid that at Cr&ufurdlaad Bridge, near KHmarnock, a pofc of gold lies at the bottom of a pool beneath the fall of a rivulet. The Laird of Orawfardland or.cc made an attempt to gain the treasure by damming back the water, but just as success seemed assured, and the workers heard the click of their implement* on the pot, a cry arose that Craufurdland Tower was on fire. The task waa instantly abandoned, and when the treasure-hunters returned after the false alarm, the fall was running in full fores over the linn.

At Carnwath, Lanarkshire, thßre la a curious wooded rx>ound, locally called the 14 Moat," believed by many antiquarians to have been one of the saats of the Witup&gamot, and local tradition oays that at the top there is a hole reaohicg to tha interior. If a stone be dropped down this hole the ohink of metal may be heard, but any attempt to secure the treasure is defeated by the fury of the elements. The writer baa examined the mound, but failed to find the hole. There is, however, a hollow at the I op, which possibly represents the work of tha baffled <,reasurßseekers.

It is believed that L-srgo Law in Fife contains a rich mine o£ gold, for which & proper search has never been made, but inproof of its 6sis(,onc3 it is said that the wool of the sheep turn yellow when they have lain over the top of tha mine! The celebrated •« Katie Nevie's Hoard," which lies near Edinburgh, between Diilerhill and Orossford, consists of "a ketilefal, a bootful, and a ball-hideful of gold," a treasure curiously bestowed, but fit to tempt a king I Hermitage Castle, a famous Border keep, is also said to contain a vast treasure, and another lies below Tamleuchar Cross, in Selkirkshire.

In Ireland many similar legends are current. A few miles south of Cork, near the village of Douglas, is a hill known &a " Oastle Treasure," where a " crock of gold " of fabulous value is concealed. Some years ago the discovery of a day urn and some brazan implements at this spot caused great excitement, and crowds flocked to the hill hoping to share the wealth which it was confidently, but erroneously, believed was on the verge of discovery. In County Meath it is believed that when the Danes left the country they hid large quantities of gold in preparation for their return, and that the treasure still lies where it was then concealed.

The richest treasure of all is to be found in a round room in the Moat of Diamoc, where, -according to popular belief, there lie nine kegs of gold, guarded by a black dog, which conveniently has a white spot op its side to indicate the place to strike a fatal blow and gain' the gold, bat hitherto both dog and treasure have escaped the hand of the spoiler.

Such are a few of the legends relating (p buried money, and it is possible that, however fanciful they may be, there is some element of truth in them ; and that a properlyconducted search might disclose' many a ssoret and valuable hoard.