The Jewels of Jacintara

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21534, 25 July 1935, Page 7 (Supplement)

The Jewels of Jacintara

Nick Clayton moved as quietly as the dense undergrowth would allow, only g.ancing backwards occasionally to make sure that he could Etill distinguish the glow of the cainp lire. Satisfied at Inst that he was out of hearing of those gathered about it, he paused and looked around him. The moon was rising and a hanging liana made a black line down it, dividing the yellow disc into equal halves. "I£ Aymara the Indian were here, he would have something to say about that," he mused. "Wonder if it is a good omen or a bad one." He started at a light touch on his shoulder-and turned. "You should wear a bell round your neck, Gavin. You are always making me jump." His Cousin smiled. "But you knew I was coming." "Yes, of course, only I didn't hear you. It seems queer sneaking away like this to talk. Why wouldn't you let me tell Uncle what I found out in that Indian village this afternoon?" "Because he already has more than enough to worry him. He has all the responsibility of the expedition on his shoulders, and unless you have discovered something really important, you are not to go bothering him." "It seems rather important to me. When that young Indian \yas fixing my saddle, he said, 'I hope'the senor ■will be more fortunate than the members of the last expedition that visited Jacintara'!" One /of our muleteers heard him and was furiously angry. He rushed, up and started yelling and waving his arms. The Indian was too seared to say anything mo'.v, and though I managed to get him alone later, he pretended he had forgotten how to speak Spanish. He just stood there rolling his eyes and looking nervous."

"Rum," saicl Gavin. "Yes, distinctly rum." "Why haven't we heard anything about this other expedition before? I don't trust Manuelo. Do you think he could have deeeiveu Uncle?" "I don't see how he could. He •walked in on him at the museum one day with a roll of old parchment under his arm. He told dad hj had bought it fror. an Indian who said it contained the secret of the Jacintara treasure. Dad didn't believe him and saicl so, because Jacintara was looted by the Spanish conquistadors. Manuelo admitted that, but said this treasure was hidden in the Temple of Honesty. It was a small temple away from the main settlement, so the Spaniards might have missed it, and anyway, the head priest had had time to hide the treasure and escape. The Indians' ancestors had helped the priest, and he had given them a full description of the treasure and where he had hidden it. One of the grandsons wrote this down, but though he used Spanish letters he used old Indian words. "Manuelo said i£ he had had the money he would, have gone and made a thorough search himself, but es 'he could not do that he wanted father to translate the writings and then he was; going to look for some wealthy man to take the thing up. According to him there were both gold and jewels, end he was anxious to know if the hiding places were described. The parchment bore out what he said snu showed that the gold was buried at the foot of the statue, but no mention was made of any jewels. It

(By Irene 0. Laing)

would have been impossible to forge those writings." "Still, it's funny about that other I expedition. I wish Uncle had not put all his money Into this venture." "It is certainly rather a gamble, I don't think we'll worry him ,with your story, though. It is too late to turn back now. We can keep a close watch on Manuelo, particularly aiter we reach the temple, which we should qo in three days' time." It was nearly a week later, however, that they emerged from the forest into what had once been a paved courtyard before the temple, where Manuelo, to his disgust, was left to supervise t.ie making of the camp while Mr Dale led the way straight to the temple itself, which had been built against the hillside. "Wonderful builders the Aztecs," he murmured, as he paused in the doorway. "Not one of these stone blocks is cut square, you notice, yet they fit together so closely you could not insert the olade of your knife between them."

"Yes, Uncle," said Nick, "but couldn't we look at them afterwards?" Mr Dale sighed regretfully and entered. It took a few moments to accustom their eyes to the murky light, but as soon as they could distinguish the outline of the statue at the far end,' they went eagerly towards it, and Mr Dale, after a wistful glance at the wall carvings, followed. "Under the feet of the god," murmured Gavin, "Then we're done! Nothing short of dynamite would shift that!" He pointrd to the great block ot stone on which the statue stood. "On the contrary, I rather think a measuring tape will bo all we need," said his father. "You might go to the door and see that we are not interrupted." Nick's eyes sought those of his cousin. In a few moments they would know whether they were right in suspecting Manuelo. Certainly he had. seemed very anxious to come with them, almost as if he thought them capable of cheating — - .

Mr Dale bent forward, tapping and measuring, sometimes pausing to listen intently. "Very clever fellows those old Aztecs," he said. "Knew something of engineering, too. Studied the stars and, ah, here we arc. Just stand a bit further back, will you? Now if we press here and here, yes, I thought so." A lont slab of Etone slid away beneath his hands, uncovering a narrow cavity. It was empty. ''But the other expedition didn't find anything," gasped Nick. "Possibly not, but no doubt Manuelo did. I didn't know there had been anyone before us, but if there was, no doubt the leader had to pay all expenses while Manuelo took all the gold. I should like to know how he managed to smuggle it down to the coast." "So you don't trust him either? Then what made you come?" "He insisted on coming with us for one thing, and would not agree to take lessthan half the treasure. The jewels mXist be still here or he would not have haggled over his share. He must have fcunu the gold by accident and hoped to find where the jewels were hidden from the parchment, as " none, df us knows where they are, we may be

able to beat Manuelo yet. It will be strange if we cannot find the jewels in soine way." In the days that followed Mr Dale devoted most of his time to making tracings at the wall carvings, and it was left to the boys to hunt for the h-^sure. They searched' botil inside the temple anu cui* Thc lar S e B ree " lizards that lap sunning themselves on the boulder 3 watched them solemnly. Sometimes 0116 of them would raise I paw in a beckoning gesture as U to say, "Come over here and I will show you where it is." "I don't lik* those lizard:;," said Nick. "I expect they are the ghosts of the old Inhabitants, end beckon like that to r eke fun of us. They are probacy laughing like anything insids." "It is Vanudo that I object to. He goes; about with that 'Yes-T----have-ent<n-th';<canary-but-you-can't prove-it* loolc on his face till I could fiake jjlm. Do you realise that if :We fir# the jewels we will have tS give pim half?" "Yef, but al this is our last day it doesn't loo£ p if any of us would

get them- Uncle is taking it <ety calmly. Look, there he is now, WW* * he wants us to go over." ' ■ * Mr Dale waited until they were in the temple, then he said, 1 fear you boys have thought I might have helped you more, but it occurred to me that I might find a clue to the hiding place of the treasure among the hieroglyphics upon* the walla. I think I have succeeded ana now we'll put it to the test It should be purely a matter of balance. I want lMick to gtend here as he is the lightest Wow Gavin, « you will come h°re«-<tbat is right. | Now I move five pace® forwards. As he took the lamt «tep there was a grinding sound aftd a section of the wall sank out ot sight. The last rays of the sun dfcWie into a natural cavern wnich glittered like , Aladdin's cave, It was filled with stalactites and jUlagmites. Same of them had joined, into solid pUl&rt, others looked like thaee strange < birds and beast* which are only to be met with Uncut gems and golden efnaments lay- on the ground in confusion: A heavy gold armlet hadjictually become em-. bedded top* base of one ot the columns. , 1 •'lf Manntio had the slightest «w----picion o# this," said Mr Dale, **we would e*rtainly never reach the coast B« would not be content with a half ware. The treasure must be hiddea : among our personal baggage, Once we are safely back fit civilised parts we will see what it to W aone it." R was in a private room at Mr Dale's hotel at Tampico, therefore, that the final conference took place. Msnuelo had acceptea the invitation cheerfully and arrived primed with Jitcuses for the failure of the expeition. Mr Dale waited patiently. "I have reason to believe," he said at last, "that you removed the gold from the foot of the statue before we arrived. We are entitled to a half share of that gold." "Ah, yes," sneered Manuelo with a sudden change of manner, "you, are entitled, but that is one thing and Retting the gold is another. You could never prove that I took it." "Possibly not, but unless you divide it fairly with us, you cannot expect us to share the profits of the present expedition with yom" "Profits? Where are they? You have brought back a lew tracings of inscriptions, and no doubt you will write a book, but it will otfy be read by scientists, and there is more likely to be a loss than a pro* fit. You are welcome to my share of it!" "Will you sign a paper to that effect?" "Certainly." He signed with a flourish ,and, with an ironical bow, took his departure. "How I Wish I could see his face," said Nick, "when he discovers we brought back with us the jewels of Jacintara."