Spanish Cache in TX

[acedigger]

I was curious if anyone has heard of a cave filled with spanish treasures located in central texas. This is how I know about it.

I have always been known around town as the guy or used to be kid that had a detector or collected just about everything...coins, bottles, rocks, junk (as most people call it) or anything else I thought was interesting. So the "oldtimers" would give me stuff or talk to me all the time. Well about 15 years ago my great uncle who was in his 80's told me that when he was a kid he and his brother found a cave that was filled with conquistador items and many other relics. He said that you had to crawl in and once you got in, there was standing room. The only problem was that it was also a rattlesnake den so it scared them off and they never returned. For many years I thought about this but figured it was a tall tale.

Ok fast forward to about 5 years ago. The brother that was there told me the same story, same details....spanish relics, crawling in, and snakes. So now I wondered if there was any truth to this story.

Well about a year ago a good friend of mine and I were talking about detecting and finding treasure and he told me the story that I mentioned above. And the old man that told him about it also gave him a location of it. We have looked all over the place for this cave,(its on my friends land) and have been unable to locate it. A local trapper who shoots coyotes from a helicopter said he has seen the cave from the air and he is supposed to get GPS coordinates.
We are going back to look for it this winter. The place is covered in rattlesnakes.

My question is...has anyone heard of such a tale? Should we investigate further or blow it off as a wise tale.

If we do find the cave any ideas on checking it out?

 

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[Kentucky Kache]

I don't know anything about this treasure, but my advise is go for it.
If you have no good reason to not believe the story, then you and your friend will have a lot of fun with this. Just be extra careful of the snakes.

 

[Marty-Graw]

you could have someone tell you that is is not true and you just give up.....now what kinda fun is that?......you would always wonder in the back of your mind.........i have a similar story around where i live........ a buddy i worked with years ago told me that when he was younger his girlfriends grandfather told him about finding a cave full of civil war weapons, uniforms, canned food and other stuff.....i dunno it it is true but i still have it in the back of my mind ...... this isnt a story that has been handed down a million times like a lot of other stories so there just may be some truth in it.....just like your story....it hasnt been passed down several times to be distorted and blown out of proportion so i say go for it...you will never know for sure until you do....good luck

 

[acedigger]

I think we are gonna hustle pretty hard this winter to find the cave. There are many other places on this 300 acres to search. Part of it used to be a stagecoach stop for travelers on their way to Fort Worth. Still has some of the original buildings. We have also located 2 graves.

 

[Shortstack]

Go for it Ace. You've heard the story from at least 3 creditable sources--2 of them are family members. Keep a eye on that trapper. He may know more than he's saying and might try to slide in on you finds. Here's a few suggestions:
(1) Try to get a copy of the oldest topographical map that covers your friend's property. That cave just might be noted.
(2) Keep your own council. Don't talk openly about your search; especially if you are successful. State archaeologists / archivists will invade your find.
(3) If you find it, perhaps a poor-man's remote viewing can be used. Short-range miniature TV cameras are available at very low cost that you could mount on radio controlled model cars / trucks OR on a very long pole to check out the snake situation.
(4) Try to borrow or buy a freshly charged CO2 fire extinguisher to hit the snakes with. The CO2 will temporarily freeze the snakes stiff. That would make it easier to kill them. If there are too many, then wait until hot weather comes again, and burn them out with burning pine knots. Either way, an alternate way of breathing might come in handy. A hookah would fit the bill just fine.

Since it is a cave (a natural formation) and not a mine, there could be alternate openings or at least a natural vent. You can check for one by using the smoke from the pine knots or tufts of straw.

There might be a small cache or 2 around that stage stop.

Good luck.

 

[JPS]

Hi, I live in Dallas. Would you want any partners for your hunt?.

 

[acedigger]

Hi, I live in Dallas. Would you want any partners for your hunt?.

Well, we could always use the help but my friend, the landowner, is pretty secretive about things and doesn't want any extra attention from this. If there was indeed something out there he doesn't want people to know where it came from.
Appreciate the offer though. This place has loads of oppurtunity on it. I might see if he would let me organize a hunt there, excluding looking for the cave.

 

[rockyredbaron]

If nothing else, locate the exact spot of the stagecoach stop..ya may just find a gold coin or two..that's what I would do...good luck in your search..keep us posted.

Rick


HH to all

 

[TXDIRTFISHER]

Go steal a mongoose from the zoo and put him on a leash. Send him in first for the snakes.

 

[acedigger]

acedigger? have you tried Google Earth? You do know you can download it for free and it will show a satelite image of the land, i can look at my back yard from it, really cool! you might see the cave you are looking for, i'd try it if i were you, by the way, im 45 miles east of waco if you need some extra help, i got a 4~wheeler, a trailor to haul it on and a truck to pull it with, plus a 15 million candle power spot light! BUT your going in first!....(the snake thing is kinda creep'n me out!) i'll hold the light! LOL

I have google earth but the picture of where the cave is, is covered up with trees. I think if the shot was taken during the winter I might be able to see it.

 

[coda]

I am inclined to believe it except for someone shooting cayotes from a helicopter. (Tough shots while moving and ranging a moving target). The treasure though, may be there based on info passed along over time. A lie can become the truth if it is told enough over time; but the truth is only distorted through time.

 

[txtreasurehunter]

before going into the cave spray raw gas in first this will run out all the snakes you can kill them or catch them they will be very confused just wanting air then wait for the gas to clear a few hours besure to wait

 

[golddigger14s]

Any update Ace?

 

[Old Dog]

Hey ace,

You been back to this hole?
I havve seen you on the boards here so I know you're OK.

Can you give us an update?

Thom

 

[acedigger]

Sorry for not updating anyone on this. I have searched the place but am unable to locate anything. The landowner and I think that the cave could be on his neighbors place, which is not good since they don't allow anyone on their property for anything. I have md part of his place and found several items from the stage coach stop that was once there. I am still trying, just don't have any new info. There is so much underbrush and rock that its almost impossible to navigate.
I will give new info when I have some. I am in the process of seeking permission to search another cave in the local area that supposedly has some interesting features.

Thanks for everyones interest.

 

[Old Dog]

Thanks Ace,

Good to hear from you.
Keep us posted.

Thom

 

[boogeyman]

Hey Ace,

Do you have an airport close by? If they have a flight school, you can probably find a pilot trying to upgrade his ticket to multi engine etc. and needs some hours. Pass the word and you could possibly get in a little aerial recon for the cost of fuel and some soda!

Worked for me. Took a Magellan GPS did my waypoints and had a little sightseeing fun too!

 

[kenb]

I've read a couple of stories very similar, both involved a cave in Texas containing Spanish artifacts. One also claimed gold bars. Both stories said the cave was located off a small river or stream. I'll dig around a little and see if I can find them.

kenb

scroll down to page 28 and continue on, http://books.google.com/books?id=K8...ig=rs4X76eFMB3lowz3szQeq_St2-0&hl=en#PPA28,M1

This is not what I was looking for but its a start

kenb

 

[kenb]

Stagecoach robbery loot was hidden in Rattlesnake Cave, a.k.a. Skeleton Cave (for one of the bandits' remains are supposed to still be there), near old Fort Concho west of San Angelo, Tom Green County.

kenb

 

[hotlic]

I know the REAL story your talking about and have the info you seek.

I was curious if anyone has heard of a cave filled with spanish treasures located in central texas. This is how I know about it.

I have always been known around town as the guy or used to be kid that had a detector or collected just about everything...coins, bottles, rocks, junk (as most people call it) or anything else I thought was interesting. So the "oldtimers" would give me stuff or talk to me all the time. Well about 15 years ago my great uncle who was in his 80's told me that when he was a kid he and his brother found a cave that was filled with conquistador items and many other relics. He said that you had to crawl in and once you got in, there was standing room. The only problem was that it was also a rattlesnake den so it scared them off and they never returned. For many years I thought about this but figured it was a tall tale.

Ok fast forward to about 5 years ago. The brother that was there told me the same story, same details....spanish relics, crawling in, and snakes. So now I wondered if there was any truth to this story.

Well about a year ago a good friend of mine and I were talking about detecting and finding treasure and he told me the story that I mentioned above. And the old man that told him about it also gave him a location of it. We have looked all over the place for this cave,(its on my friends land) and have been unable to locate it. A local trapper who shoots coyotes from a helicopter said he has seen the cave from the air and he is supposed to get GPS coordinates.
We are going back to look for it this winter. The place is covered in rattlesnakes.

My question is...has anyone heard of such a tale? Should we investigate further or blow it off as a wise tale.

If we do find the cave any ideas on checking it out?