This story comes via Carl Carmer from his 1955 book, The Susquehanna. Carmer was considered one of America’s most popular writers during the ’40s and ’50s.
Spanish Treasure on Turkey Hill?
The story centers on a lost Spanish treasure hidden somewhere on Turkey Hill overlooking the Susquehanna.
The story goes that while as a young man, Joe heard from a Native American living in the area “that there was a Spanish treasure buried on Turkey Hill high up above the river.”
However, believing there was an evil curse on the gold, the Indigenous man wanted nothing to do with it. He explained to Joe that the only way to break the spell and access the lost fortune was to “kill an all white dog and sprinkle his blood around the place.”
Not believing in such nonsense, Joe convinced a wealthy local to fund him and his team of treasure hunters to locate the riches.
The men searched all over Turkey Hill, digging holes everywhere, but they couldn’t find anything. The men looked unsuccessfully for so long that Joe became convinced that the black magic that guarded the treasure must be real.
Joe felt he had only one option—find a white dog and sacrifice it. He and his men looked all over the county, but such a dog was nowhere to be found. Desperate, and hoping the spell was farsighted, Joe decided a white lamb was close enough.
It wasn’t, and Joe never found the treasure.
It would seem that if the legend is true, all you need to break the spell that hides the golden fortune is an all white dog.
Disclaimer
Killing a white dog is not going to help you find a buried treasure at Turkey Hill or anywhere else, for that matter. In fact, killing a dog of any color will land you in a lot of trouble. Please do not attempt for any reason.