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600 barrels of loot found on Crusoe island
The Guardian ^ | Monday September 26, 2005 | Jonathan Franklin

Posted on 09/25/2005 7:30:39 PM PDT by Candor7

The archipelago is named after Robinson Crusoe, but perhaps it should have been called Treasure Island. A long quest for booty from the Spanish colonial era appears to be culminating in Chile with the announcement by a group of adventurers that they have found an estimated 600 barrels of gold coins and Incan jewels on the remote Pacific island.

"The biggest treasure in history has been located," said Fernando Uribe-Etxeverria, a lawyer for Wagner, the Chilean company leading the search. Mr Uribe-Etxeverria estimated the value of the buried treasure at US$10bn (£5.6bn).

The announcement set off ownership claims. The treasure hunters claimed half the loot was theirs and said they would donate it to non-profit-making organisations. The government said that they had no share to donate. It also prompted speculation about the contents of what is considered to be one of the great lost treasures from the Spanish looting of South America. Chilean newspapers were filled with reports that the stash includes 10 papal rings and original gold statues from the Incan empire.

The hoard is supposedly buried 15 metres (50ft) deep on Robinson Crusoe island, also known as the Juan Fernández island, home to Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk, the adventurer immortalised by Daniel Defoe as Robinson Crusoe. Selkirk was dumped on the island and lived alone for four years before being rescued. His exploits brought worldwide attention to the islands.

For centuries treasure hunters have scoured the island in search of booty which was reportedly buried there in 1715 by Spanish sailor Juan Esteban Ubilla y Echeverria. Using everything from old Spanish ship manifests to teams of islanders with shovels and picks, foreigners have made so many claims of discovering the lost treasure that islanders are usually sceptical of the proclamations.

This most recent announcement, however, deserves greater credence because of the equipment used by the treasure hunters: a mini robot that can scan 50 metres deep into the earth. The robot, dubbed "Arturito", was invented by Chileans and over the past year has grabbed headlines by breaking some of the country's biggest criminal mysteries.

First, the robot detected the buried arsenal of a rightwing sect known as Colonia Dignidad. The guns and rocket launchers were buried at some 10 metres and while the authorities had searched for years, the robot found the buried weapons almost instantly. Then, in the case of missing businessman Jose Yuraszeck, Arturito was able to analyse the soil and identify the molecular composition of human bones, allowing investigators to dig straight to the body of the murder victim.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: alexanderselkirk; archeology; arrr; artefacts; avast; chile; crusoe; goldcoins; hunters; inca; peru; pirates; robinsoncrusoe; spanishpirate; treasure
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To: Candor7

Velly interesting, if true?


61 posted on 09/25/2005 11:01:17 PM PDT by Ursus arctos horribilis ("It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees!" Emiliano Zapata 1879-1919)
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To: Lokibob
Now where did I leave that map?

On the back of the U.S. Constitution?

62 posted on 09/25/2005 11:37:11 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (The Marching Morons are coming...and they're breeding more Democrats beyond all reason!)
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To: coconutt2000

Treasure:

1) Find treasure.
2) Lose treasure.


Reality sucks. :-)

Aye, Laddie; but think o' the stories ye can tell yer grand bairns! Issna that priceless, an' treasure enow?

Ach! Now I'm back to reality...it sucks.


63 posted on 09/25/2005 11:42:27 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (The Marching Morons are coming...and they're breeding more Democrats beyond all reason!)
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To: cryptical
Therefore Jesse Jackson and I demand reparations!

Jesse already has his 'golden treasure'.

64 posted on 09/26/2005 12:55:47 AM PDT by uglybiker (This tagline sponsored by the Masonic/Illuminati/NWO Conspiracy. BOO!)
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To: 11Bush

my thinking exactly, hmmmmmmmm press release or ten billion dollars that i have rightly found??? thats a tough one, lol. seriously, we all know its the gubmints money, they always knew where it really was, right? sarc off


65 posted on 09/26/2005 1:52:55 AM PDT by son of caesar (son of caesar)
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To: Candor7

That is exactly the first thought that came to my mind. Put that baby to work on Aruba!


66 posted on 09/26/2005 2:37:21 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: Sooth2222

Yes. I wondered how the looters got hold of 10 Papal rings in the first place???


67 posted on 09/26/2005 2:38:20 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: CivilWarguy

Could have been hidden ina cave and then dynamite used to cover the entrance...


68 posted on 09/26/2005 2:45:05 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: Candor7
Your picture is probably
Better than sex
But all I got
Was that lousy red X

Leni

69 posted on 09/26/2005 2:46:54 AM PDT by MinuteGal (The Anti-War Sheehan-ites - They want to live in the garden but not tend the garden)
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To: Candor7
Wow I have dreams of getting my hands on some of that Incan booty.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

70 posted on 09/26/2005 4:53:04 AM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: expatguy

Bill Clinton said something similar didn't he?


71 posted on 09/26/2005 4:54:50 AM PDT by Rebelbase ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." --Hillary Clinton)
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To: CivilWarguy

"To bury this much 50 feet underground would have required a regiment of diggers--none of whom, evidently, ever returned to dig up the treasure."

Ghengis Khan funeral detail.


72 posted on 09/26/2005 4:59:32 AM PDT by Rebelbase ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." --Hillary Clinton)
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To: tubebender
You wrote, "BTW...don't get caught between this Booty and Jerry Rivers..."

Let's not forget about the descendants of Caruso's slave Friday, who no doubt, are already lining up lawyers to sue for reparations.

73 posted on 09/26/2005 5:07:04 AM PDT by YaYa123 (@ God Bless President Bush As the MSM and Democrats Seek To Destroy Him.com)
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To: Candor7
ARRRR!!!


74 posted on 09/26/2005 5:20:58 AM PDT by Hatteras
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To: tubebender
I've dreamed for 60 years of finding the Lost Dutchman Mine.

Didn't they make that area of the Superstitions a state park just in case someone does find it? You'd get the recognition, the state would get the loot.

75 posted on 09/26/2005 5:43:12 AM PDT by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
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To: Candor7
the stash includes 10 papal rings

I had no idea there were that many Popes from South America! Incan, no less...

76 posted on 09/26/2005 5:46:42 AM PDT by green iguana
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To: MileHi

Well if that robot is half as good as they claim I should be able to smuggle the Booty out without anyone knowing. But I will keep buying Lotto tickets just in case...


77 posted on 09/26/2005 6:01:53 AM PDT by tubebender (Humboldt County...Where the men are men and so are the women)
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To: Candor7
Well lets see if the whole thing has any truth to it. Meanwhile there is thankfully enough real Incan Booty above ground, which is really perhaps the greatest treasure of Chile, this from the Miss Chile Reef Competition 2005:

Your photo didn't come through, but I can imagine....the "Miss Chile Reef Competition"????

78 posted on 09/26/2005 6:14:29 AM PDT by starfish923 (It's never right to do wrong. Socrates)
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To: Peace will be here soon

lYeah, I wonder how they know the composition of the trove--inca jewels and Papal rings seem a bit of a stretch in one hoard to me--since its still buried.


79 posted on 09/26/2005 8:00:15 AM PDT by wildbill
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To: Candor7

It is MINE! I am sure. Send it to me!


80 posted on 09/26/2005 8:00:28 AM PDT by buffyt (America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our people. Pres. George Bush)
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