SEARCH FOR TREASURE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17233, 12 April 1930, Page 10

SEARCH FOR TREASURE

wrifiF 1 SOME EARLIER ATTEMPTS l *■ V v, .'f u Cocos Island, at one time the haven of refuge for pirates who operated in the vicinity of Panama, is stiff believed to conceal within its romantic confines treasure amounting in sterling value to many millions of pounds. "From time to time during the past few decades expeditions commanded by optimistic persons have set their course for Cocos Island, the object being to collect the pirate gold and jewels stated to be awaiting a finder. ’ No treasure of any sensational value has yet been discovered there, but the opinion that the riches actually exist is most persistent. ‘ A recent cablegram from London announces that Captain Malcolm Campbell, the racing motorist, is the latest to contemplate a treasure hunt on the island, and’this message, has stirred up in Mr. George Chance, of Dunedin, memories of aft expedition in which he took part. Mr. Chance gave a reporter an outline of his interesting experiences in 1906 when, at the age of 18 years, he was associated with an expedition to Cocos Island with Captain Voss, of Tilikum fame. TREASURE HUNTERS FIGHT

Mr. Chance said that the Costa Rican Government, under whose sway Cocos Island came, seemed to do all it could to encourage these searches for treasure, and parties which made the venture had to pay a certain concession for the privilege. At the time Captain Voss was in those waters the Government had accepted payment for three expeditions, and a man called Turner was already on the island: 1 Then Earl Fitzwilliam turned up with another expedition, and between the two there was a bitter fight which resulted in casualties. In the meantime Captain Voss liad decided that under the circumstances discretioh (was- the better part of valor, and accordingly his people held off until the other two expeditions had departed. Before their landing on Cocos Island they Were held up by a devolution for Hired months iu Guayaquil; *'which is the port of Hquador. Nearly all their firearms and instruments were confiscated.

“I am fully convinced that there is treasure there,” went oil Mr. Chance. *‘l can’t Say whether or not Captain Campbell’s • expedition . is likely to succeed. As a matt eh 6f fact, ' r we were to sink shafts and try electrical instruments too, but the island was so much dug over that it was impossible to trace any clue as to the treasure’s whereabouts. Mv own theory is that it has been buried more or less hurriedly on tlie beach bv some of the early buccaneers arid that the sea has encroached on Hid sprit. Although it is not publicly known, there is no doubt that Treasure lias been taken frpm the island.”

ALL HAVE A ‘‘CLUE’) Captain Voss went to the island in a small sailing vessel, continued Mr. Chance, and the* only crew pe had ms supplied by the”' revolutionists, Who knew little about a seafaring life. It was owing to the unsettled state of the crew that-they wcr6 able to spend oidy a short) ’time oil ‘ the 1 island; 7 in-’ fact, there was a likelihood that they "would start a Tittle revolution of their oWn and ' that • Englishmen aboard would be The’victims. ,n : '-'*■**•»• / “Almost .svery expedition starts off hopefully with a supposed . clue or letter;” said Mr. Chance. ‘‘ln the case o! Voss’ it was thfe old story of a dying shipmate giving him a document which A was to have led hirii to the exact location. NonO of these dues ever seem’Tp have come to anything. “I often wonder what became of Voss. TTp‘ till" the War period I bad received several letters from him, and 18 years ago I heard quite a lot about him in Yokohama. Apparently he attempted to start off from there in another world venture, but was unsuccessful. However, at the time of the-war he disappeared, arid nothing nas been heard of him since. The Tilikum still lies ‘in the Thames, in a more or less decaying condition” _____