Nexus - 0210 - New Times Magazine-pages

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There are two questions which arise out of this story. First, where did the golden treasure come from? Or to whom did it once belong? Second, how did it come to be where it was found? The answers to both questions remain hidden deep under the mountain. But there is not much likelihood that we shall ever know what they are. At the present time, the moun- tain is surrounded by the security screen of an “Off Limits” military zone called White Sands Missile Range, and entry into the area is strictly prohibited. It took a lot of media interest in 1990 to induce Congress to allow treasure hunters to excavate the mountain. Consequently, we do not yet know what else,besides the gold, has becn found by the treasure hunters and, I suspect, we are never likely to known. What has it all been done for? To me, it is disgraceful. Nothing else seems to matter but the gold. The requirements of knowledge have been discounted and denied. To all intents and purposes, it would seem that the answers to the two ques- tions which arise out of this story must remain buried forever. There is, however, an alternative. There is history. By making some review of history, it is possible to see how the greatest hoard of gold the world has ever known came to be concealed under an obscure mountain peak hundreds of miles from the can sea. Early in January 1531, Francisco Pizarro led his third and last expedition to Peru. On this occasion he was better armed and equipped than ever before, with a force consisting of 3 ships, 180 men and 27 horses for cavalry. With this diminu- tive army he proposed to conquer a mighty empire, relying on his own abilities and the efforts of his parmer, the indefatiga- ble Almagro, who was to stay behind, for the time being, to raise extra forces. Fray Juan de Vargas, one of several Dominican brothers chosen by the Spanish government to accompany the mission, stood in the pulpit of the cathedral church of Panama, and preached a sermon to the conquistadors. As it was to be a cru- sade against the heathen, a mass was held, and the sacrament given to every soldier. Having thus most solemnly consecrat- ed the project, the Dominican brothers left the cathedral church, chanting, and swinging smoking censers. They then accompanied Pizarro and his followers, who went on board their ships, which were anchored in the Bay of Panama, and set sail on a course due south. Huayana Capac, the last of the Incas before the coming of the Spaniards, died at the close of 1525. His last wishes, imparted to the great nobles gathered around his death bed, to the mountain. The private ownership of gold, except in the form of jewell- Ty, was prohibited in the U.S.A. after the American President, Franklin D. Roosevelt, passed legislation to that effect. In all probability Doc Noss knew about the law and believed that the enforcement of it would deprive him of his right to claim the vast quantity of gold he had found under the mountain. But nothing could have been further from the truth. Had he declared “treasure trove” to the appropriate authorities, both the federal and state governments would have taken their share, which would have amounted to no more than what was once known as the “kings fifth”, leaving the remainder to him- self. His share, of course, would have been calculated accord- ing to the current market value of gold at that time, and would have been paid out to him in dollars. Thus he would have become a billionaire. Moreover, he would have removed the hi risk of losing the treasure and his life a CARIBBEAN SEA 2 ASde Ae A \ (YEBNEZUE COLOMBIA ( “san Agustin There are two questions which arise out of this story. First, - where did the golden treasure come from? Or to whom did it 7 once belong? Second, how did it come to be where it was , Crna Ave es found? The answers to both questions remain hidden deep = under the mountain. But there is not much likelihood that we shall ever know what they are. At the present time, the moun- tain is surrounded by the security screen of an “Off Limits” military zone called White Sands Missile Range, and entry into a ~. the area is strictly prohibited. It took a lot of media interest in _ Doe IVrtrat 1990 to induce Congress to allow treasure hunters to excavate > A Trabugaco YQ, the mountain. Consequently, we do not yet know what n it \ aan else,besides the gold, has becn found by the treasure hunters and, I suspect, we are never likely to known. What has it all been done for? To me, it is disgraceful. Nothing else seems to matter but the gold. The requirements of knowledge have been discounted and denied. To all intents and purposes, it would seem that the answers to the two ques- war tions which arise out of this story must remain buried forever. PRECOLUMBIAN CENTRAL ANDES There is, however, an alternative. There is history. By making & 3000 B.C.-A.D. 1500 some review of history, it is possible to see how the greatest tammes Boundary of Inca Empire at its greatest extent hoard of gold the world has ever known came to be concealed a ee under an obscure mountain peak hundreds of miles from the . _ sea. Le Early in January 1531, Francisco Pizarro led his third and last expedition to Peru. On this occasion he was better armed PRECOLUMBIAN CENTRAL ANDES €, 3000 B.C.-A.D. 1500 wae me Boundary of Inca Empire at its greatest extent === Inca royal roads 4 @ Archeological sites were that the ancient kingdom of Quito of what is now Ecuador was to be inherited by his much beloved son, Atahualpa. This prince was the off spring of his favourite con- cubine. The rest of the Inca empire was to go to Huascar, the son of his lawful wife. Thus was the patrimony of the Inca divided, with Quito in the north, and Peru, of which Cuzco was the capital; in the south. For the next five years, the arrangement made by their father seemed to work well, with each brother ruling in peace over his own share of the empire. But soon thereafter the two princes were alienated by a series of jealous disputes and both began moving towards civil war. Pizarro had planned to sail straight for Tumbes in the Gulf of Guayaquil. It was here , on his second expedition, that he had obtained a fair quantity of gold. It was here also that the Greek cavalier, Pedro de Candia, has been put ashore to verify reports that the Temple of Tumbes was practically ablaze with gold and precious jewels. The Greek cavalier had returned and not only confirmed the reports, but outdid them, vividly describing NEXUS #43 OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1992 2 mats ga