His life

We all know that Jules Gabriel Verne, better known as Julio Verne (1828-1865), was one of the creators of the science fiction novel; his imagination was captured in works such as From the Earth to the Moon, Around the World in 80 Days, The Mysterious Island and many others.

His work

One of the most famous was the legendary "20.000 Leagues Under the Sea," in which the famous Captain Nemo traveled around the world aboard the Nautilus, experiencing countless adventures. In this work, Jules Verne recounts how Nemo reached the Vigo estuary with the Nautilus in search of the famous treasure, which he, of course, found and claimed.

It is known that he visited Vigo at least twice, the first time on June 4, 1878, and the second time on May 21, 1884; arriving by sea aboard his steam yacht, the Saint Michel.

But the supposed treasure of the Battle of Rande was not just a figment of Jules Verne's imagination; for decades many have tried to find it.

Captain Nemo seemed to have finished his story, which, I confess, I didn't see how I could be interested in.

"So?" I asked him

-Well, Mr. Aronnax, we are in the bay of Vigo and it is up to you to learn its secrets.

The captain stood up and begged me to follow him. I obeyed, my composure now restored. The room was dark, but the sea shimmered through the clear glass. I looked.

Within a half-mile radius of the Nautilus, the waters were bathed in electric light. The sandy bottom was clearly visible. Crewmen in diving suits inspected half-rotten barrels and broken chests amidst blackened treasures. Gold and silver ingots spilled from the boxes and barrels, along with cascades of coins and jewels. The seabed was strewn with these treasures. Laden with their precious loot, the men returned to the Nautilus, unloaded their cargo, and resumed their endless search for gold and silver.

I understood then that we were on the site of the battle of October 22, 1702, and that this was the place where the galleons chartered by the Spanish government had sunk. It was there that Captain Nemo helped himself to his needs and ballasted the Nautilus with those millions. America had delivered its precious metals to him alone. He was the direct and sole heir to those treasures plundered from the Incas and those conquered by Hernán Cortés.

"Could you have imagined, Professor, that the sea contained so many riches?" asked Captain Nemo, smiling.

Excerpt from "20.000 Leagues Under the Sea", Jules Verne.

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