Tuesday 27 March 2007

Treasure Me Hearties!

After our close encounters with the sea lions, we had a fishy lunch. Then headed back towards the village. On the way we stopped at Puerto Ingles (so named bacause of all the British pirates who used to hide out here)

Here there is cave, supposedly used by Alexander Selkirk, when first marooned here.



But there is more here me hearties, for here there be buried treasure! I kid you not.

Under the pyramid mountain by the yellow rock shaped like a scorpion is Spanish gold buried. I know this because Pedro introduced us to a American who had been here for the past eight summer seasons carefully digging with a team of local chaps, looking for the missing Spanish treasure. He has researched this story well. He even came to Chester to check the Cheshire County archives, as a letter was sent in the 1700's to a aristocrat living in Runcorn.

The gold was stolen from a treasury in Mexico, and transported and hidden on the island for collection at a future date. However it was never collected. The story of this treasure haul has attracted a lot of attention of the centuries. The British became interested as it would fund the war with Spain. The Spanish monarchy became interested 50 years after the treasure was stolen.

Is it true? Is this American wasting his time? He appears confident, and will be back next summer season.

I asked Pedro if he thought there was treasure here. He replied "Oh yes, there is treasure here, the treasure is the island"

Pedro is right, this island is a jewel in the sea.