Buried Spanish treasure in the Philipines

Interesting Hardluck,

I for one am interested in the story but I keep running into dead ends and like you other treasure tales which distract me. Great thinking going to an earlier date for the possible original discovery. Even if it's not related to Spillman it's a great treasure story. It's fascinating all the storys you uncover that get lost in time, and that knowlege is treasure in it's own right. Thanks again for sharing it

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ahhh, but it doesn't count unless it is either Japanese or the Japanese found it and hid it again.   

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Hello Idaho Jones and BA

BA It could be possible that the Japanese found the hoard, but it could be possible too that the Spanish found it. It can be also that perhaps it is still where it was originally hidden or never really there at all. The possibilities are endless.

Idaho Jones Perhaps the church would be good to search especially for a second tunnel? However there is perhaps more we can find out about the events around 1762 and the British occupation of Manila.

During this turmoil the Chinese who had been repressed by the Spanish decided to support the British. Much of the treasure Chan lee Suey obtained could of been Spanish Plunder anyway. In the 1898 book written on the events states.

The Chinese in open rebellion against the Spanish plundered their oppressors with great eagerness.

Could it have been possible that the treasure Chan lee Suey obtained could of been Spanish Plunder from Calumpit and its church?

The Spanish had retreated North and British kept to the south and the Town of Clampit was in an area what we would call to day "No mans land"

At this same time in the same area another great treasure was being sought by the British and being spirited away by clergy and the Spanish.

On September 24 1767  A richly laden galleon?the Philipino?was known to be on her way from Mexico to Manila, but the British ships which were sent in quest of her fell in with another galleon?the Trinidad?and brought their prize to Manila. Her treasure amounted to about 2,500,000 pounds

It seems this Manila Galleon Philipino from Mexico carrying enormous treasure escaped the British and the treasure was landed further north on the island of Luzon.Some of this money was used to fight the British by buying the philipino loyalty of some tribes. However much of this vast treasure has never fully be accounted for.

The British on terms of the acting Spanish governor of Manila's surrender 2 million dollars of treasure. Measures were now taken to pay the agreed indemnity. However, the consequent heavy contributions levied upon the inhabitants, together with the silver from the pious establishments, church ornaments, plate, the Archbishopʼs rings and breast-cross, only amounted to ₱546,000.

The British then proposed to accept one million at once and draw the rest from the cargo of the galleon Philipino, should it result that she had not been seized by the British previous to the day the capitulation was signed?but the one million was not forthcoming. The day before the capture of Manila a royal messenger had been sent off with ₱111,000, with orders to hide them in some place in the Laguna de Bay.

 The Archbishop now ordered their return to Manila, and issued a requisition to that effect, but the Franciscan friars were insubordinate, and armed the natives, whom they virtually ruled, and the treasure was secreted in Majayjay Convent (Tayabas Province). Thence, on receipt of the Archbishopʼs message, it was carried across country to a place in North Pampanga, bordering on Cagay?n and Pangasin?n.

The British, convinced that they were being duped, insisted on their claim. Thomas Backhouse, commanding the troops stationed at Pasig, went up to the Laguna de Bay with 80 mixed troops, to intercept the bringing of the Philipino treasure. He attacked Tunasan, Vinan and Santa Rosa, and embarked for Pagsanj?n, which was then the capital of the Laguna Province. The inhabitants, after firing the convent and church, fled.

Backhouse returned to Calamba, entered the Province of Batangas, overran it, and made several Austin friars prisoners. In Lipa he seized ₱3,000, and established his quarters there, expecting that the Philipino treasure would be carried that way; but on learning that it had been transported by sea to a Pampanga coast town, Backhouse returned to his post at Pasig.

The Spanish were determined that this treasure was not going to be captured by the British and fled north with it. Strange enough William Spillman was allegedly stationed in La Union a century and half later which is in the province that the treasure was shipped through. There is another story of the Jesuits who later took charge of the treasure and hid the treasure in Cagay?n Province in the Mountains in Luzon. Legends say they hid the treasure in caves along a tributary of the Cagay?n river. In 1767 the Jesuits were expelled and were not compelled to revel the remaining hiding place of the treasure.

Interesting enough there is a cave system called the Callao caves. The six caves are open in places that leave natural sunlight to light some of the caves. One has a chapel inside a cave dating back from the 18th century.

Could some where in this network of caves be buried the remaining funds hidden away from 1762?

Interesting enough there is a newspaper story in 1890 that might revel that some treasure might of been recovered from the region in 1867?

Was this 1867 treasure story connected to the events in 1762?

More to come soon.

Hardluck 



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Hello BA

I most likely have to borrow Hobbyist's tools he offered me and carve directions to get them interested.

Back in 85 I did not fully understand the real events behind some of legends. It is an exotic and adventurous country as it is easy to get caught up in the hysteria of it all. Inexperience and a little foolhardiness can get you in a lot of trouble and I have had my fair share . I am truly amazed how much the legend has grown in the last 25 years.

There is an old military saying "Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted" that can be applied treasure hunting. "Research and research some more." Old man time is catching up with me and it is not likely I will be back in the Philippines again.

In researching theses stories I hope to inspire some one to research further into these stories and perhaps eventually find some of the treasures from history that's been posted on this site.

However enough of the reflection and on with the story. In the Hornsville Weekly Tribune 25/7/1890 a story appeared. About how in 1867 a Philippine rebel leader who met an Sea Captain Trader in china and made a deal to recover treasure hidden in an abandoned ruin of a church on the Cagay?n river in Northern Luzon. The story tells of the treasure recovery and their fight with Spanish authorities and their escape back to China. 

This rebel leader came from an old Philippine family of mixed ancestry with Spanish Blood. They were in some respect the middle class of Philippine society of 19th century. It is quite possible that the treasure that was recovered in this story was originally from the bribe money spent by the Spanish to fight the British. Strange as it seems the church that it was buried in was claimed to be of Jesuit origin which fell into ruin after they were expelled from the New world in 1767.

The Map below shows towns and churches in 1720, in some respects for those inclined this is a treasure map because it shows the location of the church where treasure was later recovered from in 1867.

It was from this map and the newspaper description of the location of the recovery, and local knowledge that helped me discover the most likely location of where this treasure was dug up in 1867.

But that's another post for now.

Hardluck 


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Hello Idaho Jones

There maybe or maybe not a connection with the 3 treasure stories? But they all follow a common generic thread. They are all based on events of 1762 upheavals during the British invasion. The British may of left in 1764 but the rot had set in for the Spanish. 1762 marked the decline in Spanish Rule in the Philippines.

The Philippine Spanish who had local control in the parishes mistrusted the central Spanish Colonial government. The British showed the natives that the Spanish were not invincible. After the Jesuits were expelled in 1767 the smaller local native rulers saw that there was no reward for loyalties with Spanish. In the next hundred years there was local uprisings in Northern Luzon.

Much of the mistrust was caused by the fate of some of the missing Philippine treasury between, the Colonial government, the church and local Spanish Philippine rulers.A new middle class of social and civil order was emerging comprised of Filipino's of Spanish ancestry were discovering their rights.

Interesting enough I have found a church that was abandoned in 1767 and has been a ruin since near the river and the royal Spanish road to the interior. A local historian sent me the following photograph of the ruined church where I believe it the the location described in the 1890 article about a treasure recovery in 1867.

The question still remains are the stories connected? I think there could be enough documentary evidence to link some of the stories in the Archives of Manila or Spain. 

However that is some one else who is intrepid enough to follow in my footsteps.

And if they do and are successful then perhaps they will remember old Hardluck 

Hardluck

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