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The Peruvian lost treasures


The lost treasures of the Peruvian Church
Pascal Kainic - Ken Matthews



In 1859, several chests of treasure were stolen from a Peruvian church and hidden on a remote Pacific Island. One says it has never been recovered... The inventory of the treasure reads as follow:

- 14 tons of gold ingots
- 7 golden candlesticks studded with jewels
- 38 long diamond necklaces
- A quantity of jeweled rings
- A quantity of bracelets
- A quantity of crucifixes
- 1 chest of uncut stones (probably rubies)
- 1 chest of Spanish doubloons

As today's bullion prices, the gold ingots alone are worth approximately £ 210,000,000 or approx. US$ 410,000,000 !

The gold was originally mined by the Incas before being plundered by Spanish Jesuit Priests who secreted it in an underground vault at the Jesuit church of Pisco, Peru. There, it remained with the other church treasures, guarded by the priests with total secrecy for over 100 years, until it was loaded onto the "Bosun Bird", a ship hired to transport the treasure to Callao, Lima, in anticipation of a hoax raid by former priest Father Matheo and a gang of rogues.

The skipper of the "Bosun Bird", Diego Alvarez, perpetrator of the hoax, had heard Matheo talk of the horde while they served together in the Peru-Chile war. With three others (Brown, Barrett and Killorain), they hijacked the treasure and disposed of the escort priests. They then sailed for Australia, stopping to hide the gold on a remote inhabited Pacific Island for later recovery.

They hid the treasure on a tiny atoll identified as having a coral pinnacle on its eastern side with a pass into the lagoon just to the left of the pinnacle. About three miles from the pass was a pear shaped pool with seven adjacent coral blocks. The gold ingots were placed in this pool and the jewels wee buried nearby. This Island is one of the coral atolls that make up the Tuamotu archipelago, part of the French Polynesia.

Alvarez and Barett were killed in a brawl shortly after they arrived in Australia, in about 1850. Killorain and Brown were jailed for 20 years for their part in the fight. Brown died in prison, only Killorain the Irishman survived.

On his release he became a tramp, but on his death-bed gave the map of the treasure horde to Charles Edward Howe who had befriended him. Howe spent 13 years digging on the wrong atoll, so convinced was he of the truth of the story, before realizing his error. He was discovered on the Island by Charles Nordhoff a round-the-world adventurer who described the meeting in his book. Howe moved after seeking help from the natives and immediately found the jewels.

Unable to carry  his find, he reburied the chests and probed the pool, recovering slivers of oak chests. He returned to Australia to find backers for another voyage. One of the men recruited was George Hamilton, a diver from London. They obtained permission from the French Government to search for the treasure and checked the facts of Howe's story both in Peru and the Tuamotus.

The church at Pisco had been robbed, the "Bosun Bird" had reached Australia, stopping at Tahiti and Howe had spent years digging for treasure.

In the six years it took to find backers and set up another expedition, Howe disappeared to do some prospecting and was never seen again. Convinced however, they voyaged to Tahiti, hired a schooner and sailed for the Tuamotus.

They found the correct atoll eventually and probed the pool with drills and struck something hard at 6feet below the sand at the bottom of the 12 feet pool that was neither rock nor corral. Hamilton dived time and time again and was attacked by both a giant octopus and a huge moray-eel. Digging the sand by hand was the only way available to them and despite a makeshift cofferdam of corrugated iron, the sans inevitably kept backfilling the hole.

The pool is connected to he sea and it would require more sophisticated methods to excavate the sand and recover the ingots simple thought it seemed. They returned to try and raise the money for another expedition but failed to do so as a writ was issued against the consortium for libel in their absence and backers refused to underwrite the losses. Hamilton wrote of his adventure in a book as he was left penniless but did not name the Island...

Lately, another proposal was written to mount a new expedition
to recover this immense treasure.

Some questions arise : - Is the gold still there ?
- Why could no expedition be successful up to now ?
- How exactly to operate if all expeditions have failed before ?

Answers were given, but the treasure seems to be reluctant to give up its secrets and awaits its lucky discoverers....

 











Comments

  • Steve
    • 1. Steve On 22/04/2023
    Found an earlier version of this story published in Australia in 1937.
    http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23588469
  • Vaiana
    • 2. Vaiana On 23/07/2022
    Hello, je suis de Tahiti, cela fait 4 jours que j'ai découverte cette histoire , incroyable, j'en dors plus la nuit, grâce au technologies actuelles, je pense avoir trouvé l'île mais j'ai besoin de plus d'infos. Si Al voit ce message je serai intéressée de rentrer en contact avec vous. Mon adresse email vaianapeckett@gmail.com. Merci et bonne recherche
  • Wayne Furr
    • 3. Wayne Furr On 16/11/2020
    Was out there in 1999. Small exploring expedition with a Discovery Channel host/prolific writer and television videographer. Had some satellite imaging done by former CIA. Was supposed to be an atoll with a particular name. Turns out there were two atolls with same name. We looked on the other one. Unsuccessfully. Great story and adventure but cost me over 50 grand.
  • James williamson
    • 4. James williamson On 19/05/2017
    Hi
    If there is anybody out there that has information on this subject i would really like that information if it is possible.
    I am on Facebook "the gold of pisco"
    gofund me "the gold of pisco"
  • LL
    • 5. LL On 11/02/2017
    According to olds of Katiu they come here but really complicate to put 14 tons of gold there. The boat rip and left the anchor. After speaking with fischer man knowing well the place they put in a larger island. Al do you come again in Tahiti ? Your link don't work : / have you an email ? I saw your picture also on tahiti heritage, that's to have share your adventure, appreciate
  • Robert Feyen
    • 6. Robert Feyen On 29/05/2016
    The treasure is on Hiti (I have indications of this). You tell me more and I will tell you more.
    Best regards
    Bob
  • Greg McC
    • 7. Greg McC On 15/02/2011
    It's a great story but there are a few things which don't add up. Firstly, there is no death record for Killorain in Sydney. Secondly, how did the original four men bury the gold in the pool if it was tidal ? Thirdly, after all those years searching, would Howe really have been satisfied with a sliver of rotten oak from the pool when the treasure was so close ? Sounds to me as though the landmarks of the 7 coral blocks, etc. may be a marker for where the treasure is really hidden... perhaps a bit of extra insurance for Howe should Hamilton's team take off without him.
  • Kate
    • 8. Kate On 02/02/2011
    Hey All, My name is Kate, from Australia. Very interested in this treasure, and a few others I have been following. If anyone is doing a trip over in search of it I would love to tag along and help out on the way. I have great sea legs :) email me at katelikerice@excite.com. Good luck!
  • Killa
    • 9. Killa On 18/01/2011
    Hi all, I'm from Tasmania and visited what I believe is the right island in about 1996. My companion Charlie and I found a number of signs which indicated to us that we were on the right atoll, but didn't find the treasure.

    We had photographs with us that were taken during Hamilton's expedition, though many features on the island have changed since then, particularly as a result of cyclone activity in the 1980s.

    Good luck finding the treasure, and also getting it out of French Polynesia.
    Killa
  • jake
    • 10. jake On 12/01/2011
    hey guys names jake im from australia ive been reseaching this topic only a few weeks and obsesed with the treasure. does anyone know (if it has one) this islands name. if anyone else is looking find this treasure email me at jacobok@live.com.au as im am also looking for volenteers to go with me in the near future.
  • ronnie astudillo
    • 11. ronnie astudillo On 06/11/2010
    hi Ben! I am interested also help them or the Australian GOVERNMENT TO LOCATE the said treasure. I am from the Philippines and treasure hunting is common here because of the Yamashita Treasure. Lately I was able to Create a dowsing gadgets very effective in LOCATING, PIN_POINTING THE POSITIVE AREA. THIS ONE OF ITS KIND AND I COULD GUARANTEE THAT I COULD FIND, LOCATE AND PIN_ POINT HE SAID TREASURE IF THEY ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT MY OFFER. I WILL NOT ASK ANY FEE ONLY THEY WILL SHOULDER ALL THE EXPENSES NEED IN GOING AND STAYING THERE FOR FEW DAYS. IT WOULD NOT TAKE WEEKS TO LOCATE IT IF IT IS REALLY THE PLACE THEY BELIEVE THE TREASURE WAS HIDDEN. IF YOU ARE ALSO INTERESTED YOU CAN GO AND JOIN ME AND YOU WILL BE MY PARTNER just help to communicate the proper persons in Authority.
  • Ben Williams
    • 12. Ben Williams On 14/07/2010
    Hey its ben here from australia i have been researvhing this topic and still believe it is there and people just simpily dont have the know how to find this spectacular discovery. If any one goes on another voyge i would love to come just to place my mark in history
  • Pear
    • 13. Pear On 20/03/2010
    Hi guys, i am 36 years old freak from germany and i red a lot (like thousands before ) about this secret.
    In the Tuamotus are a lot of pear shaped pools.
    But I think, a found a key on Google Earth on an island not very close to Katiu and Makemo, but in this group.
    I looked at a old photo from hamilton and i compared it with some three-dimensional views about google-earth.
    The same structures!
    Reef in the east, entry on the left, three miles the pear shaped pool, seven coral blocks and the other things like vegetation, distance of vegetation, far land structure are the same.
    But now my two questions:
    Is it possible, that Hamilton was on the wrong pool?
    I only compared only his photos and he only found old wood...
    And the other question:
    Did you know some references, where Howe did dig the treasure? (In relation of the pear shaped pool or the island)
    Thanks for your cooperation.

  • Al
    • 14. Al On 15/02/2010
    Hello to all,
    sorry to possibly not have answered to some of you as I have changed my email and so perhaps I couldn't get the posts you sent to me. Sorry also for my bad English as I'm French...
    Now to answer to some questions posted here and concerning this treasure, here are some indications:
    - Is this treasure on Tuanake where some very few people like Hamilton, Edwardes and me with my team have searched for it: No. It's not that he has been recovered, it's only because it has never been there...
    - So, what is the real treasure island: In fact Hamilton and Edwardes went first in Pinaki (Papee), but as they didn't find the famous pinacle and the pear shaped pool after rounding the atoll, they had a brainstorming and decided to look for another atoll, and it was their captain Louis Tapotofarerani who told them the existence of another atoll whith almost the same name: Tuanake (sometimes written Tuanaki in old times). So they decided to explore this atoll, but they had some difficulties in finding it first because in some old charts Tuanake and Tepoto were sometimes mixed up. I visited all these atolls, and I had also to look close to them for finally find the right one, I mean the one with the "pear shaped pool". The photos that I posted below and made during my first and second exploration are the prove. If not convinced have a close look to the Hamilton pictures and published in his book (I have plenty of photos of the Hamilton expedition given to me by his Family). But the treasure is not and never had been there.
    - why I don't tell more (for the moment): treasure hunting in this area is very expensive. You must rent a sailing boat or go with yours from your country. I haven't yet my own boat, and I live in France, so it's not an easy task to make a new try... So I deceided to tell all I know, all I have discovered during my 25 years search in a film and a book. Not still produced unfortunately because I am still searching for a producer and a chanel.
    Now if you can help, write me and I will study all the propositions.
    Al
    PS: for information, the pictures of the pear shaped pool below are mine.
  • Joe
    • 15. Joe On 05/02/2010
    Its a fantastic story and will visit this island on my next vacation who knows I may come up with something,
  • Eric
    • 16. Eric On 07/01/2010
    Hey Norm, Are those your photos above? Did you find coins in/around the pool - on Tuanake? That is awesome! I researched this treasure too - for about 12-15 years (awhile back), visited the location - very nice. I'm with you in that I think if the treasure was there, it was removed long ago. It's a great story, and Al 'Eyes' (left a message in this thread) has a great deal of info on it. Many scallywags and such involved. And the origin of the treasure may surprise you (not necessarily as is told in the popular story). It'd make a great movie.
  • Norm
    • 17. Norm On 27/12/2009
    The attempt at recovery I made barely paid for my efforts, a total of 3327 coins was almost all of it, this treasure has been found and recovered as far as I'm concerned. Just wish it had been me!
  • bernard
    • 18. bernard On 06/12/2009
    my name is bernard.i have been reserching the pisco treasure for the last 15 years.and i don t think its in the pear shaped pool.hamilton said its the ? island from makimo .if you need someone to help let me.i have the knowleadge not the funds.regards bernard.
  • marriot
    • 19. marriot On 24/10/2009
    Hey
    Would love to know more about this island

    good luck

    john
  • cammeron
    do u have any more pics and r u going back in the near future if so i would love to volentere
  • Kyle.
    • 21. Kyle. On 24/06/2009
    i'd like to know alot more.
  • Sydney
    • 22. Sydney On 20/02/2009
    Hey Al,
    you say you have been to this island?
    are you seeking this treasure as well or simply enjoying the amazing view? I'd love to here any further stories about this treasure.
  • Al
    • 23. Al On 08/07/2008
    Hello Pascal, I hope that you are well.
    I know very well this treasure island, as you know it, having made several expeditions there in the last years. For those who want to know more, write me and I will send photos of the "pear shaped pool". Good luck to all
    Al

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