Ah Does Rio the city of Rumba and carnival that attracts millions to visit its beautiful beaches have a 5 billion dollar secret on one of the 130 islands in the bay of Guanbara?
In the Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 12 August 1939, There was a story about an alleged pirate treasure buried on an island of the bay near Rio? Edoro freitas an Engineer from San Palo claimed he has information and wanted to do business with the government of Brazil for a commission on the successful recovery of this treasure.Was he successful in his quest?
As far as it can be understood of the newspapers there was no follow up report of any treasure being recovered? And question remains of the origin of this massive treasure and the possibility of it still being buried somewhere on an island in the bay? With a large urban poor clustered around Rio and other cities around the bay what would more enticing to search for treasure?
But Edoro Freitas was perhaps a little too late in his quest?
In one of the five forts that guard the entrance to the bay a massive treasure was found by workmen at the turn of the century. The Jesuits, King of Portugal, and the Brazilian government fought over it in the courts. Was this the treasure Edoro Fretia was seeking?
And what of the history of the bay?
The bay was protected by the forts that were well armed with cannons that would have sunk any suspected pirate ship trying to enter the bay. The bay was first discovered in 1502. After the initial discovery by the the Portuguese, no significant European settlements were established until French colonist and soldiers, under the Huguenot Admiral Nicolas Durand de Villegaignon invaded the region in 1555 to establish the France Antarctique.
They stayed briefly on Lajes Island, then moved to Serigipe Island, near the shore, where they built Fort Coligny. After they were expelled by Portuguese military expeditions in 1563, the colonial government built fortifications in several points of Guanabara Bay, rendering it almost impregnable against a naval attack from the sea. They were the Santa Cruz, São João, Lajes and Villegaignon forts, forming a fearsome crossfire rectangle of big naval guns. Other islands were adapted by the Navy to host naval storehouses, hospitals, drydocks, oil reservoirs and the National Naval Academy.
Could this alleged treasure be connected with the French Huguenots? It seems very unlikely that there was any connection with this early French colony. But perhaps the treasure was somehow related to a much later event?
On 21 September 1711, in an 11-day battle, French corsair Duguay Trouin captured Rio, then believed impregnable, with twelve ships and 6 000 men, in spite of the defence consisting of seven ships of the line, five forts and 12 000 men; he held the governor for ransom. Investors in this venture doubled their money, and Duguay-Trouin earned a promotion to Lieutenant général de la Marine .
Was this the origin of the treasure Edoro Freitas was searching for? If you look later into Duguay Trouin’s life he was begging the king of France to support his family so it is inconceivable to think he had to beg to support his family if he was involved in hiding a massive fortune?
So the idea of any treasure buried by pirates or corsairs seems a little less plausible.
But by virtue of the fact that a massive treasure has been discovered in the bay in one of forts forces one to speculate the possibility that some where among the sand of one of the islands may still be another massive treasure awaiting discovery?
Hardluck
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