Show SCIENCE WILL SEEK COCOS ISLAND GOLD new metal detector to be tried by expedition washington the elusive caches 0 of pirate gold on cocos island that have hae defied maps and diggings ot of fortune hunters for more than a century now dow must dodge the delicate instruments of 0 science an expedition now on the island is reported pinning its hopes on a newly developed metal detector cocos island which Is 30 16 square miles of lofty forest covered mountains and furrowed valleys owes its fame to the activities of pirates along the coasts of central and south america from the seventeenth to the early part of the last century says a bulletin from the national geographic society after capt edward davis lo 10 looted doted leon nicaragua in he stilled sailed for cocos burled buried his treasure and rested until ills next nest plundering expedit expedition lon in the early eighties benitoa Deni toa a former portuguese naval officer who was a scourge to shipping in the caribbean felt that ills his old bailiwick was becoming too well poll policed ced for his profession rounded the horn preyed upon towns and shipping along tile the pacific coast and sought refuge on cocos ile he also burled buried treasure on the island before he and ills crew were captured loot of lima magnet loots of other pirates have been reported burled buried on cocos but the fatuous famous loot of lima perhaps pel hops Is the chief magnet of modern expeditions to the island gold cold and silver and precious finones worth millions that were accumulated by the spaniards from the natives and fi aiom om richly adorned inca temples were hoarded in lima when a revolution resolution broke the lima mint was nas filled with gold and silver and the lima cathedral was a vault of wealth the cathedral cli chalices alices were solid gold studded with priceless gems golden altars equipment glistened lu in the dim light of the edi edifice flee diamond studded vestments beamed with a new radiance lad lance with every movement mo ement of the priests who wore them there were chasubles chasu bles of gold adorned with rows of diamonds rubles emeralds and sapphires sapp hires fearing seizure of these treasures by the revolutionists lima city fathers sought a ship as a hiding place the mary alary dear was riding at anchor in the harbor of callao under cover of darkness the treasures were transferred to the mary dears hold and a guard stationed abroad probably unknown to the spaniards the mary dear was commanded by one of be pirates the glint of gold and tho the shimmer ot of jewels crazed the captain the guards were massacred and thrown overboard and the mary dear made for the open sea the crew of the ship was arrested later but not until the cargo of riches had been burled buried presumably on cocos sought by many in the last century more than a score of expeditions have visited cocos cocoa one was headed by the fa british racer sir malcolm campbell another was led by the widow of alfriend a friend of the mary alary dears captain while a third was led by two women philanthropists A british naval officer anchored at cocos cocoa and ordered hla big crew to find the treasure but nil all he gained was a severe reprimand from the british admiralty when he reached england coconuts from which the island gets its name and bananas grow wild wild pigs scamper through the forests myriad birds swarm its trees fish abound in surrounding waters colt coffee ee sugar and vegetables can be grown in its fertile spots fresh water Is plentiful and its naturally tropical atmosphere Is tempered by sea breezes and frequent rains yet cocos has never been successfully colonized however the arid galapagos islands its neighbors aso miles to tile the southwest are permanently inhabited IF for or a short time co costa s ta rica maintained ned a penal colony on cocos island and besides pirates it was visited from time to time by whalers chalers wh alers one treasure hunter bunter remained on cocos for several years in an unsuccessful attempt to colonize it |