SEARCH FOR TREASURE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 196, 20 August 1934, Page 6

SEARCH FOR TREASURE

COCOS 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 Uosta Rica, Central America, have been revived by the recent announcement that a syndicate has been formed in Wellington to visit the island and investigate a clue whi*ch one member claims to have to the hiding-place of the hoard. A member of an expedition that searched for treasure on Cocos Island before the beginning of the present ] century, Mr. R ATcDowell, of Ongarue, King Country, recounts interesting experiences in a letter to the New Zealand Herald. He states that in the last 37 years there have been many expeditions to the island, but ho has not heard of any of them being successful, < Seeking for 28 Days. “When T was serving on ILM S. Amphion on the Pacific Station, from 1897 to 1900, we had 14 flays after the treasure,” Air. McDowell says in his letter. “The Imperuse, flagship of ] Rear-Admiral Palliscr, also had 14 days. Three shifts were worked for the 28 days and pounds of gun-cotton ] used, but no treasure was found.” The Amphion •called at Panama and picked up a Air. Halford, who claimed to be a great-grandson of the chief pirate responsible for the hiding of the treasure, and who had in his possession a chart with rough sketchings 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 the treasure eave, but the air was so foul that nobody could enter. At the end of the fourteenth day, the t party left, taking with it Mr. Halford, t 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. f - Alr. AtcLowell, however, cannot vouch ' for the truth of the statement. Later, when Admiral Palliser re- ‘ 'tired from the Navy, he formed a syndicate in England and chartered one of the Cork Steam Navigation Com- 1 pany’s steamers for another visit to ‘ Cocos Island. It was presumed that he also drew a blank, as the treasure is still being sought. “I know two men who did get a ! little out of Cocos Island,” Air. McDowell adds. “One was the senior en- ' gineer of H.AI.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 his dutv mate, the quartermaster, for five dollars.” The letter concludes with best wishes to the Wellington party in its search. Wcodt’ Great Peppermint Gure For Coughs and Colds, never fails.