TREASURE TROVE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1931, Page 7

TREASURE TROVE

A FRONTIER FIND.

DIVINER’S WORK. I have just visited the scene of what J reported to be one of the most romantic gold finds in history, says a writer in the Daily Mail. It is an underground chamber in a beet field at Cysoing, [Franco-Belgian frontier, and it is supposed to contain a treasure of £2,000,000. The treasure belonged to a former Abbey of Cysoing, and dates ' from the tenth century. I worked my way through a subterranean tunnel, from the ancient stone roof of which water continually dripped. After 100 yards of perilous exploration I came to a subsidence of earth, behind which Canon le Grande, a noted diviner, affirms that the treasure lies. ' The cation's revelation 'has caused a gold rush, with prospectors striving to stake’out claims. But the hard-headed Belgian burgomaster, M. Macs, is watching carefully over the treasure. No one has yet seen the gold, but there seems little doubt that it exists. The reasons for this opinion are twofold—the evidence of historical records, Which have a close connection with the history of the British Isles, and the disinterested affirmation of Canon le

Grande. : ■ ■ The Abbey at' Cysoing, now a ruin, was founded almost 1000 years ago. Its occupants, who included many Irish priests, made elaborate precautions to guard the treasure. They converted the abbey into a fortified area, excavating underground passages through which they could escape with their gold. These passages extended for miles, some of the exits being in France and some in Belgium. The • one I entered is in France, and it is situated in the centre Of M. Maes’ beet field. International complications over the treasure seem likely to arise. M. Maes says' he will not allow anybody to dig up his beet field until he has gathered in his crop. He declares, however, that he is only too willing to come to a 50-50 agreement if the treasure is found. Carton le Grande has said: “I was surprised to find that I had traced the gold, but I knew that a fabulous treasure was fthere.. I learned my divining from the famous Abbe Bouilly, of . Hardielpt, near Boulogne. Tthought to follow in hit (footsteps, and was astounded at . the Results.

“To determine the position of the < treasure, I used a pendulum composed of a small crystal pyramid suspended from 'a silver thread. This enables me to discern at a considerable distance certain metallic deposits. ■ .“One day I took a map of the frontier district -where the abbey is situated, and set my pendulum -working. The oscillation of the pendulum proved the existence of ,a metallic mass which was unquestionably gold. 'By taking bearings, I was able to (find its exact position. . “I later set to work with my divining rod, and this confirmed the spot where the gold'is located. I shall return to the treasure chamber as soon as the farmer'has (finished bringing in his 'beet crop; T am sure I shall bring to light the. first samiples of ..the gold which has lain theta for so many centuries.”