The Treasure Hunt Idea

In his book Treasure Cruise, James Plumpton wrote about their early plans for the Treasure Hunt to Cocos Island and a few more locations along the way. :

"It was somewhere around Midsummer of 1930 when the idea of making a cruise in search of buried treasure was first suggested to me, and the definite objective we had in mind was Cocos Island in the Pacific, roughly 550 miles west and slightly south of Panama." We also hoped to make a call at Grand Piton Island, one of the small group called Salvage Islands, lying 180 miles nearly due south of Madeira,- where it is generally supposed that a large quantity of silver specie was buried in the year 1804. The history of this latter treasure is somewhat obscure, and in any case, owing to weather conditions, we were not able to make search for it, but I have thought it worth while to mention that it entered into our original calculations. As to the Cocos Island treasure or rather treasures, for there were certainly at least three authenticated ones, enough has been written to fill a library; and having now been to the island, I am able to say that the number of expeditions to that delightful spot in the endeavour to recover it must have been legion. There exist evidences of clearing and digging in every apparently possible place, likewise in what would appear to be quite impossible spots, and blasting operations on quite a big scale have also been carried out. As far as is known up to the present time all efforts have proved fruitless.

As far as I recollect now, there were to have been seven of us in the party, each one of whom would contribute to the cost of the expedition, and in addition it was proposed to take a paid skipper, a paid cook and, possibly, a couple of hands. Arrangements progressed to the extent of holding several conferences on board the yacht ( at Southwick in Sussex) in which it was intended to make the voyage, and an agreement was drawn up which was provisionally approved by all of us. It was then circulated for individual perusal, and much time was wasted over suggested alterations and additions. So much so that eventually it was found to be impossible to sail before Christmas, and owing to this delay, together with other reasons, interest in the venture began to dwindle, and it was finally abandoned for the time being. Of the people originally concerned four retained interest, and these four, together with others chosen later, instituted, organized and sailed on the expedition. They were Stratford D. Jolly of Bourne End, Major G. F. Phillips of Southwick, Sussex, Frank Cooper of Yeovil, Somerset, and myself, James Plumpton of Cullompton, Devon.

I remember giving an opinion at one of our meetings at Southwick , that a Brixham trawler would be the most suitable craft for a voyage such as we intended, and this wasn't forgotten. On the 7th August, 1931,

I received a letter from Cooper saying that he had been in touch with Jolly and Phillips, who had asked him to write me to say that a Brixham trawler was advertised to be sold by auction at Brixham on August 13th; and further to ask if I ·would go as skipper on a trip as originally intended, if it should be possible to buy this craft and fit her out. It is hardly necessary to say that I replied saying that I would be delighted, and on August 12th Jolly and Cooper called for me and we motored down to Brixham. On the following day Jolly bought the ship.

If you have any information to add or any comments, please drop me an email: jamesplumpton.history@gmail.com