BY THE WAY

Southland Times, Issue 20675, 22 December 1928, Page 13 (Supplement)

BY THE WAY

GOLD—AND A CURSE (By Rowan.) There is a Monte Cristan flavour about the story of the hidden Jesuit treasure in Bolivia which British explorers, according to a cable of a few days ago, are making a final attempt to recover, in 1778 the Jesuit fathers hid the gold in the Andes country, creating a situation which could only give colour to the pen of a Dumas or a Robert Louis Stevenson. And apart from its interest, it has the added attraction of being a true story, the number of attempts already made to recover the gold being sufficient proof of the credence it is given. Members of the party now in the wilds of the South American mountain country include a Harley Street specialist, and people of considerable importance in English commercial affairs; also two of the directors of the Socambaya Exploration Company, one a prominent Monte Carlo business man, the other a man of considerable property interest in England. Considering that the treasure is estimated at £15,000,000, the I adventure promises excitement and reward. 1 The treasure lies near the junction of I the river Kato and the river Socambaya, . in the department of La Paz, province of ; Inquisivi, Bolivia. At the bend of the river, i near the hill, or mountain, Negro Muertc», but nearer the Caballa Cunca, are the ruins of the monastery of Plazuela, reputed to have been erected in 1635, and finally abandoned when the religious order was banished from the country in 1776. So long as Spain had permitted the fathers to work in peace they had mined the country, using what was practically forced labour, and had exported the gold to Europe. But it was quite in keeping with precedent that in a very short time they had become very wealthy, out of which

circumstance naturally arose the desire to make their territory an independent political unit. Such a threat was intolerable to Spain, of course, and finally the Jesuit order was expelled, but was given such long notice before being forced out, that the mining operations continued for fully another 25 years, although the export of gold during this period was prohibited. Believing that their wealth and influence would ultimately remove the embargo, the fathers took precautions, nevertheless, against an adverse turn of affaire. While Spain waited for the mines to be well worked, apparently intending to confiscate the gold, the Jesuits mined on. but secreted their treasure in the hope of being able to get it out of the country. As it was, each was ' allowed to take £200,000 worth of gold

■ with him. I It is the residue of that decade of work, I then together with the gold and diamond . washings operated at Santa Cruz, that has i been left to tempt the hearts of explorers right up to the present day. This ,1928 party, which reached the site of the old monastery near the end of April, is equipped with 200 tons of material and instruments, including everything necessary for the exploit even to tractors, electric light apparatus, cranes and a diving outfit. For the actual diggers, gas masks to guard -! against the poison laid around the treasure, 1 have been provided, so that there seems no I likelihood of taking unnecessary chances. I That there will be risks, and grave ones, I is indicated by a significant affair which ' took place after the treasure was hidden. !To protect inviolability, all the forced la- ! bourers were promised their freedom with ' money to live on; but at a great feast, ac- ! cording to the story on which the explor- ! ers are basing their hopes, the 280 work- : men were poisened, effectually silencing their tongues. On his last expedition, Dr. Edgar Sanders, who has been following the clues contained in an ancient document, found what appeared to be the cave where the massacre took place, an old silver mine in which lay the skeletons of the murdered slaves.

One priest, however, Father Gregorio San Roman, who suffered expulsion in common with his brethren, left a statement concerning the treasure, together with an indication of its location, which his brother, at that time Prefect of Callao, passed on !to his son, who was later President of Peru, and made an unsuccessful attempt to recover the treasure. It is said that he found nearby enough precious objects to recompense him for his pains. A copy of this document is in the hands of the present English explorers. After stating the location of the treasure, Father Gregorio proceeds:

“ . . . it is a steep hill, heavily timbered, the top of which is flat, with long grass growing, where you will see, on the summit, in the middle of the grass a large stone, shaped like an egg, so big that It took 500 Indians to place it there. If you dig underneath this stone for five cordas (about 113 feet) you will find the roof of a large cave, which took 500 Indians two and a-half years to hollow out. The roof is 24 cordas long and there are two compartments and a long, narrow passage leading from the room on the east side to the main entrance, 200 cordas away.

“On reaching the door you must exercise great care in opening. The door is a large iron one, and inside, to the right, near the wall, you will find an image of the Madonna, made of pure gold, three feet high, the eyes of which are two large diamonds. This image was placed there for the good of mankind. “If you proceed along the passage you will find in the first room thirty-seven heaps of gold and many gold and silver ornaments and precious stones. On entering the second room you will find in the right, hand corner a large box clamped with iron bars. Inside this box are 90,000 duros reales in silver money and thirty bags of gold. Distributed in the hollows on either side of the tunnel and in the two rooms are altogether 160 heaps of gold of which the value has been estimated at 60,000,000 duros reales.

“Great care must be taken on entering these rooms as enough poison to kill a regiment of the King has been laid about. The walls of the two rooms have been strengthened by large blocks of granite; from the roof down the distance is five cordas more. The top of the roof is portioned off in three distinct esplanades, and the whole has been well covered over for a depth of five cordas with earth and stone. When you come to a place twenty feet high, with a wall so wide that two men can ride easily abreast, cross the river, and you will find the monastery, church and other buildings” In 1926 Dr. Sanders explored the other hill, the Caballo Cunca, and discovered a Brge artificial stone structure, square shapi ed, which appears to be the roof of the ■ cave, and also a tunnel, probably a second j ary entrance to the store-room. After a I short span of digging, a wooden board with I a silver crucifix, was discovered. This ■ spurred the excavators to greater efforts, j and farther into the tunnel they came ( across a wall completely filling the passage- ' way, made of stones piled on each other, , not cemented or bound. On dismantling 1 the wall he found a parchment, with the ! following text in Spanish:--- ; “You who reach this place, withdraw, i This place is dedicated to God Almighty ! and a dolorous death awaits in this world ; the one who dares to enter, and in the • world where he goes, eternal damnation. The riches that belong to the Lord our I God are not for humans. Withdraw and

‘ you will live in peace, and the blessings of the Master will make your life sweet, and ; you will die rich with the goods of this •: world. Obey the commend of God Al- ! mighty, our Master in life and in death. : In the name of God the Father, the Son ; and the Holy Ghost, Amen.” As floods make an island of the hill from December till April, that was as far as explorers gob in 1926. The nearest settlement is forty miles from the present camp. The way is strong, and verv sheltered, providing good cover for the drama of evil inspiried in men by the glitter of gold and the fever of desire. Perhaps the next few weeks will reveal the full significance of the ancient curse.