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Show ZANTE'S TREASURE. The Search, for It Is to Be Renewed. Just now the attention of Athenians is centered at the island of Zante, one of the Ionian group. Some time ago there was found in the archives of the state library in Athens a parchment, dated several hundred years ago, saying say-ing that when Suleiman in 1536 conquered con-quered Corfu, the inhabitants of Zante, fearing that their island would share a similar fate, buried all their treasures and fled, and that the Empress Sophia did the same. The place where the empress' treasure lay Is described as "within the fortress under a large red stone near the temple of St. Luke." In the year 1600 .Pope Clement VIII. made a search for the treasure, but the result is unknown. In 1814 the English Eng-lish attempted to find it, and excavations excava-tions were made, the large stone mentioned men-tioned in the ancient document found but then the search, was interrupted. Now the document is In the hands of an Italian, who, together with some Greeks, In searching for the treasure. The Greek government has granted a concession for the work on condition of receiving half the treasure if it be found. A patrol of soldiers guards the place night and day. The excavators exca-vators met with a well, which waa easily pumped dry, but instead of the large red stone they found at the bottom bot-tom of the well two grottos, one running run-ning north, the other south. The former for-mer Is said to be very remarkable. It has been explored for eighty meters, and runs close below the church of St. Laurentia. In it was found a structure of masonry, which, when struck, emitted emit-ted a hollow sound. This has now to be opened, and the operation is looked forward to with great interest and excitement. |