Mighty Treasure to be Unearthed.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 8 September 1910, Page 4

Mighty Treasure to be Unearthed.

INCAS' NEST EGG

The Ineas of Pern possessed a re.markable amount of treasure. Only a small part of it fell into' the hands of their Spanish conquerors (says a Tendon scientific contemporary). Like the Aztecs of Mexico, they had secret treasure houses and secret palaces wherein they stored vast quantities of jewels, gold and other precious things. Like the Aztecs of Mexico, too, they utilised these places to hide the greater part of tihedr wealth after Pizarro's invasion, and no amount of torture could ever make them give up the secret. The greatest of these treasure houses was long supposed to have lieen located' in the wilds of the Andes mountains near Lima, in Peru. Hundreds of searchers have lost their lives, and many thousands of pounds have been spent in trying to find it. Now, in a weird old statue that has lain for centuries in the convent of St. Augustine at Lima, the Government of Peru, together with some famous archaeologists, think they have found a clue to the Tncas' treasures. The statue is a remarkably carved figuire of Death, holding up a how and arrow. Their theory is that the statue formed the integral part of a series of signs indicating the way to the secret places, and that if the statue were placed in its original position from wh'ic J li the Spaniards carried it, an arrow shot at the angle indicated by the bow and with the same string tension, would fall at the entrance to the treasure house. Til the old books and papers of the convent of St. Augustine are •also' believed to lie records telling where the statue was foiling and other information which will give the seekers aid in their remarkable quest. The statue of Death, or "del Muerte," as it is. called, has long been an object of superstitious and religions horror among tire monks of the place. The- legend was current that one of the first Spanish padres carved it and embodied in it all the old Peruvian legends regarding death. The convent itself dates liik>m the time of the Spanish conquest of Peru, and was founded ibv fathers who accompanied Piza.ni J o.

The statue has been there over since the buildings were erected. For years it stood on a pedestal in a liall of the convent. One hundred and fifty years ago it fell just as one Padre Francesco was passing; the arrow pierced; his heart Then the monks put > in another room, where it remained until 1 few years ago. At'that time one of the brethren, stirred by the stories which liad clustered* around tho image, trioo to break it up with a hatchet. He fell directly upon the point of the arrow, which pierced his heart also. Then "del Muerte" was left to itself until, only 11 few weeks ago, interest in the old legends crystallised around it, and the organised effort to discover its secret began.

The archaeologists and scientists wflio have examined tho statue are certain it is of ancient t Indian manufacture of A very superior kind. The figure is carved of some wood that lias become a shard as iron. The bow and arrow are of tempered copper. "Del Muerte" is Sftipin in height, and represents a living mummy. The bones show plainly, and ali tho tendons and muscles stand out sharply under the dh'rivHlod envelope oi skin. The wonderful anatomical knowledge ol tlvc ancient sculptor is in itself a thing to marvel at. The arrow seems to be separate from the b'ow, and it is possible that some hidden spring could release it from the stretched cord. If this were so, Itiwever, it would hardly help tlhe treasure hunters in tbeii search, for, unless there is some ■hidden mechanism that would spec:! the arrow, the wiro could not send it further than two 01 three feet from tho statue's base. GIANT EMERALDS: BIG AS

MEN'S lIFADS. .Legends ore many in Peru regarding the immense wealth ol theliicus. Tiiey tell of giant emerald's hi';; as men's heads; of shields and sun wheels made of gold a 110 'pre-irus stones, and of tons upon tons of gold dust, all hidden somowllicre in the Andes. Suspicion as to ttlie secret of the old statue was aroused in an Englishman who lived for 15 years among the tribes t'bout Pern. Ho found that they had handed down to them during the centuries a legend that told ol a wonderful statue the old rulers had erected and which pointed the way to their hidden treasures.

"Where are arrow falls lies the Incas' treasure." the chief tok! hiini, but what arrow was meant or what statue referred to curiously enough they could not tell. Tho memory of the old statue lying in tho convent had passed from them. This .Englishman, however, had seen the statue, and combining the two ideas lie found enough verification for his suspicion to warrant the Peruvian Government authorising a search of the convent, so that light be thrown upon where the statue came from. Unless fchtey can find the exact position and how it stood, it would seem that the quest of the treasure seekers is •hopeless, but treasure seekers are ever optimistic. Th mines and palaces of both the Tncns and Monteznmas wore sacred, and torture and death were the fate of the intruder. It is a curious fact that the ancient Eyptians concealed in hiding places 'built in their tombs some of the favourite objects of value to the mummy lying there. These little recesses were guarded by mechanical figures armed with knife and javelin, and so arranged that when a handi was inserted into the orvpt to remove the treasure, tlie poisoned weaipon struck automatically. The Egyptians and the ancient maces of SoUiith America and Mexico had many things in common, and so it would not be surprising if the statue really did at one time have something to do with Mdiden treasure.

Recently the discovery of highly artistic mask! and toys made by the mysterious Ohimu race of Peri; at least five thousand years before Christ, sholwecl what an advanced stage of eivilisatibn these people iliad reached.

LMERSTON NORTH