Caonabo's Hidden Treasure

 Although hardly reliable, the anonymous author of Observations météorologiques et physiques sur St.-Domingue. Description du Rio-del-Oro, ou Rivière d'Or de Christophe Colomb. Découverte des mines d'or par cet amiral. Renseignemens sur les trésors du cacique Caonabo. Origine des peuples d'Amérique. Description de leur berceau. Ages des deux mondes. Numéro 6 reported traditions of Caonabo's hidden treasure. According to his informants, Caonabo's treasure was thrown into a river by his wife (Anacaona?) since she heard gold was the god of the Spanish. This tale seems similar to what was later reported of Hatuey's actions in Cuba, so the historical accuracy of this is up for debate. Certainly in the 1495 tribute lists, golden objects from Caonabo or his community were rendered to the Spanish. But tradition in the 18th century had it that Caonabo's hidden treasure consisted of 300 plaques of gold, a throne (probably a duho), a golden table (table with gold-encrusted parts?) and 52 charges of gold bars. As a paramount cacique believed to control some of the gold-producing parts of the island, this is actually somewhat plausible. Indeed, locals believed the treasure was still somewhere at the bottom of the river...