Sometimes reality sounds stranger than fiction. The story of the large boat filled with gold, pearls and all kinds of wealth sinking under the dry sand of the Salton Sea basin in California still confuses many people.
A large ship stranded hundreds of miles inland from the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean may seem far-fetched to some. However, over the centuries, the legend of the lost ship has been mentioned by Native Americans, explorers, Spanish explorers and immigrants.
How did the ship travel hundreds of miles inland?
No one knows for sure what happened, but a number of theories have been put forward from various perspectives:
According to some, a powerful flood created by the collision of large tides from the Gulf of California with heavy flows from the Colorado Delta must have pushed the ship on its way to the Salton Sea past the natural dam and into desert. The flood water must have receded quickly, making it impossible for the ship to return to its original route.
If this theory is to be believed, the stranded ship is most likely a Spanish ship. That said, there are other possibilities as well. It could be a pirate ship, a stranded ship from the Indian Ocean, 10 lost tribes from Israel or King Solomon’s Navy.
From the pages of Antonio de Fierro Blanco’s ‘Journey of Fire’, another theory emerged. According to the book, in 1615, Iturbe – a Spaniard – sailed to the Salton Sea through natural canals. He hoped to find the semi-mythical Strait of Anian, which he believed connected the Pacific with the Atlantic.
He searched in vain and after three months decided to return to the Pacific through the same natural channel. However, he found the route blocked and the sea inaccessible due to a landslide.
Some theorize; Iturbe abandoned ship because the level of the Salton Sea dropped. The sailor had no choice but to leave, leaving the ship with tons of pearls, gold and other valuables.
First sighting of the lost ship
The book also details the 50-ton treasure ship’s first sigh in a century. According to the author, the ship was found by Tiburcio Manquerna, a mule driver. He was a companion of Juan Baptista de Anza.
The mule driver was sent to find a way to the sea. He went at night to avoid the heat of the day. He claimed to have come across a wooden structure resembling a ship. Inside he found a treasure trove of unimaginable kinds, especially pearls. Opium wealth forced Manquerna to abandon his companions.
He took as much as he could and rode his mule toward the sea. He was starved for many days, then fed by the Indians; He also climbed the western mountains on foot. After many difficulties, Manquerna finally reached Mission San Luis Rey. After that, his many attempts to find the treasure ship failed. Manquerna revealed his story at Don Firmin Sanhudo’s camp, a story that was later told to the world.
An expedition to find the treasure of the Salton Sea
On November 12, 1870, the Los Angeles Star published a story about a treasure hunter searching for a lost ship. Charley Clusker and his team focused on Dos Palmas. Three to four weeks into their expedition, a wrong turn took the group about 15 miles away from Dos Palmas. Their first attempt led nowhere.
But Charley Clusker insisted that the information he got from the Indians was reliable. The news quoted Clusker as saying that they were well prepared for the next expedition which would begin soon.
A few weeks later, on December 1, the Los Angeles Star published another story claiming Charley Clusker and his team had returned from a search the day before. The report said the search team encountered difficulties but their mission was ultimately successful. After describing the Spanish ship, Clusker informed them that he would set out again to claim his treasure, but was never heard from again.
The ship lost in the Salton Sea cannot be dismissed as a legend so quickly. There are so many similarities in the stories and descriptions of the ship. If the story is true, the treasure ship is still buried somewhere in the desert waiting to be discovered.
Perhaps one of those fine days after a combination of strong winds and shifting sands, a carved hull or mast of a Spanish galleon filled with treasure will emerge from the desert.
