A LOST TREASURE.

Press, Volume XXXVI, Issue 5055, 19 November 1881, Page 3

A LOST TREASURE.

The nr of the South American Allied Powert, consisting of the Empire of Brazil and the Argentine and Uruguayan Republic*, against the little inland State of Paraguay, which commenced in 1865 and only terminated in 1870, haa now pasted out of the memory of the British public, except in the oaia of those persons who still hold the bonds of the defaulting State, and lire in hopes that circumstances may occur to increase the value of the comparatively useless securities they now possess. But at the time it was waged the war attracted a good deal of attention, asd the English public sympathised with the sufferings of the Paraguayans, admired their courage and stolid resistance, and watched with Interest the phases and incidents of the long and terrible combat, until at leegth it terminated on the banks of the Aquedaban, where Francisco Solano Lopez, Marshal* President of the Republic, and promoter of endless carnage and misery, found an almost heroic death, falling, with his eldest son at his side, in a last struggle with the Brazilian cavalry. One incident of the long, weary march northward, on which the Marshal started in the hope of escaping from his energetic pursuers, by passing into Bolivian territory, is not without interest, and possesses a certain attraction on account of the mystery with which it ia surrounded. Before proceeding to relate it a few prefatory remarks are requisite. Paraguay had prospered for many years, and its wealth had been very constantly increasing. Internally it possessed nearly every resource neoessary for the mainai tenance of its population, and the value jfl the goods exported to the riverine portafKl Buenos Ayres and Montevideo far exceecMF the value of the imports; the balance oobh quently was paid is hard cash, and Treasury had accumulated a large amountflK specie. On the declaration of war sK subservient Chambers at onoe voted gK extraordinary supply of five millions of dSff lars to carry it on effectually, which sum tnH placed entirely at the disposal of the PreS dent, and on this security he immediately iB traduced a large forced issue of paper moneH Before long he further added to his (tore fl a levy, supposed to be rolmntary, but whiS was rigidly enforced, not only on the moveabMj property of the male inhabitants, but even ojKj the jewels and ornaments of the female] portion of the population. It is diffioult tfff ascertain the value of the property thtß realised, which has been estimated at fronn fifteen to twenty millions of dollars, but unH doubtedly a very large sum was accumulated! for the war was popular, the women possessed many ornaments in gold and silver, often! enriched with precious stones, and these tbMJB willingly poured into the lap of Mrs Lynolsjß an Englishwoman, who, although previously!! married, was the life partner of the Marshal, and until the end shared with him his pleasures and troubles. The drafts on the wealth thus colleoted were exceedingly small, No cash payments were required. The troope were only doing their duty in lending their servioes to the fatherland, and consequently there was no necessity to pay them. True, they must have food, but the requirements of a Paraguayan soldier are few, and beef waa supplied without expense from the innumerable cattle that herded on the pasture lands, while the forests furnished the "yerba mete." Thus it happened thai when the last scene opened, and the Marshal, accompanied by Mrs Lynoh and their ton, commenced his maroh northward, he took with him a train of carts containing, still nearly intact, the moneys voted by the Chambers and the property colleoted from the inhabitants. Pressed by the Brazilian cavalry, the salvation of life soon became the first consideration, and yet he oould not bear to sacrifice his wealth. He determined to bury it, and although a number of laborer! would be required to effect the interment, hetook his measures so that the secret hiding place should be known to only a very few people. A superior officer with thirty men, and accompanied by a civil engineer, were told off for the duty. The working party soon completed their labors, and the engineer took the exact bearings of tho spot where the treasure bad been deposited, and within a few hours every man who had been engaged in the work had been executed, and the secret remained only in the possession of the Marshal,, his private secretary, and Mrs Lynch. The two former died together, and it is stated that the secret of tho " Lost Treasure " is known only to the latter, and that as yet ahe has has never bad the opportunity of recovering it. Some years afterward* she returned to Paraguay, but the authorities refused her permission to remain, and attempts—one under the auspices of English merchants of Buenos Ayree, have been made to find it, but unsuccessfully. No rumors have been current that it hat been subtracted, nor has any Monte Crista appeared to startle the world with fabulous wealth. Probably to this day, hidden in one spot in the wilds of Paraguay, there is lying a treasure sufficient to place that unhappy country on its legs and wipe out her debt to England.—" Bullionisfc."

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