AN INTERESTING TREASURE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 217, 22 June 1877, Page 3

AN INTERESTING TREASURE.

A singular verification of atraditional treasure story — very suggestive of the discovery of the grave of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere at Glastonbury — is related by Gibson in his edition of Camden. At Ballyshannon, in Ireland, says Bishop Gibson, two pieces of gold were discovered in a very remarkable manner. The Bishop of Derry being at dinner, there came an old Irish harper, who sang an ancient song to his harp. The Bishop, not understanding 1 Irish, in^i^red ne meaning of the song, and was informed that, at a place\ named, a man of gigantic stature lay buried ; and that over his breast and neck were plates of pure gold ; on bis fingers rings of gold so large that an ordinary man might creep through them. The pluce was so exactly described, that two persons there present were tempted to go in quest of the golden prizes which the harper's song had pointed out to them. After they had dug for some time, they found two thin pieces of gold, circular, and more than two inches in diameter. This discovery encouraged them to seek next morning for the remainder, but they could find nothing more. In all probability they were not the first treasure-seekers whom the harper's song had drawn to the same spot. >ince the ancient poetry of Ireland has become an object of learned research, the very song of the harper, it is said, has been identified and printed, though it was simply traditional when sung before tho Bishop. It is called " Moira Borb," and the verse which more particularly suggested the remarkable discovery has been translated thus: — " In earth, beside the loud cascade, The son of ,-ora's kinj? uas laid ; And on each finger placed a rinjf Of gold, by mandate of the Un^." The " loud cascade " was the well-known waterfall of Ballysliaunon, now known as the " Salmon Leap."