SEARCH FOR TREASURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21879, 15 August 1934, Page 15

SEARCH FOR TREASURE

cofos Island mystery BRITISH NAVAL EXPEDITION NEW ZEALANDER'S EXPERIENCE Memories of several unsuccessful attempts to locate vast treasure believed to be concealed on Cocos Island, • off Costa Pica. Central America, have been revived hv the recent announcement that a syndicate has boon formed in Wellington to visit the island and investigate ;) clue which one member claims to have to the hiding-place of the hoard. A member of ;m expedition that searched for 7 treasure on Cocos Island before the beginning of the present century, Mr. P. McDowell, of Ongarue, King Country, recounts interesting experiences in a letter to the Nkw Zbai,ani> Hihsai.l). He states that in the last 37 years there have heen many expeditions to the island, but he has not heard any of tliem being successful. Seeking for 28 Days "When 1 was serving 011 H.M.S. Amphion ,011 the Pacific Station, from ]S9/ to had I I days after the treasure," Mr. McDowell says in his letter. "The Imperuse, flagship of Pear-Admiral Palliser, also had 14 days. Three shifts were worked for the 28 days and pounds of gun-cotton used, but no treasure was found:" The Amphjon called at Panama and picked up a Mr. Halford, who claimed to be a great-grandson of the chief pirate responsible for the hiding.of tho treasure, and who had in his possession a chart with rough sketching on it. On the fourteenth day of the party's search, they blew up a slab that was supposed to be concealing the entrance to tho treasure cave, but the air was so foul that nobody could enter. At' the end of the fourteenth day, the party left, taking with it Mr. Halford, who was put ashore at Panama. Rumour .of Recovery It was learned later that Mr. Halford returned to the island with a chartered schooner and a rumour was current that/he recovered the treasure. Mr. McDowell, however, cannot vouch for the truth of the statement. Later, when Admiral Palliser retired from the Navy, he formed a syndicate in England and chartered one of the Cork. Steam Navigation Company's steamers for another visit to Cocos Island. It was presumed that lie also dr£w a blank, as the treasure is still being sought. "I know two men who did get a little out of Cocos Island," Mr. McDowell adds "One was the senior engineer of H.M.S. Amphion, who sold his share to' the doctor for 10 dollars, and the other was a marine, corporal of the gangway, who sold his share to liis duty mate, the quartermaster, for five dollars."

The letter,concludes with best wishes to tae Wellington party in its search-