Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-15
Mnioa and Smeritan.
SATURDAY. sEPTE1BER 10, Isoe.
a CENTURY-s SEARCH FOR CAPTAIN
AlDD'S BURIED TREASURE-OPE-
hAllONS AT OAK ISLAND, NOVA

kAIIONS AT OAK ISLAND, NOV
SCOTIA.
A correspondent Of the New York Herald
writing from Chester Malone bay, Nov
scotia, gives the following remarkable mar
ratiye Of Oak island, around which there !
wrapped something Of romance. The islam,
ls a small one ON the south coast of Now
Scotia, where it is still believed by man,
persons that Capt. KIDD, the notorion
pirate, buried the bdlk OF his treasure.
The writer states that century ago az
Old man resided in the then British colon,
oi New England, whose life had been wrap
ped m mystery, but he was always believed
10 be one Of Capt. KIDD,s original royers
When he died, the old man admitted that
thls suspicion was well founded that he did
belong to the great pirates crew, and had
assisted in burying over "a 100000 Of gold
beneath the soil Of a secluded island east Of
Boston, the proceeds Of KIDD's piracies
The settlers along the New England coast
heard the story, and FOR years made an un-
successful search for the subterranean trea-
sure-Yault
About . years later, three men named
SMITH, Wand and MCGINNIs. settled in
Nova Scotia. SMITH and MCGINNIs took
up land on Oak Island. During their work
IN telling the forests they were astonished to
Ind traces Of former civilization, and subse-
quent discoveries recalled 20 their minds the
old sailors story. The secluded situation of
the island, the marks Of former habitation
appeared in keeping with all they had heard
Of KTDD's hidden plunder.
subsequently they discovered an old Dit
that had been filled. The mouth Of Il was
seven feet in diameter, and the earth with
which Il was filled mp being soft and loamy.
was easily removed. They descended foot
10y foot, and pushed their explorations for
ward, but found no signsof the lost treasure.
aui finally abandoned the search.
Fifteen years later, an old resident, named
LNND examined the ground and becoming
infatuated with the idea that these were the
vaults Of KIDD, formed a company, and
early in the following spring commenced
the search anew, under the supervision Of
the three original discoyerers. Fifty feet
from the surface they came 10 a tier Of putty.
Further down was a hag-stone one foot by
two, with some rudely-cut letters and figures
upon IT, They hoped this inscription would
assist in solving the mystery, but they were
unable to decipher it. AT depth Of 30
feet they found indications Of water at %
feet the water increased. Night coming on,
they sunk a crow-bar down Eve feet, and
struck a hard, impenetrable substance,
found by the sides Of the pit. Some sup
posed il was wood, others called it a chest.
They quit work for the night and returned
home, confident that with the mornings sun
they would possess the long sough, treasure;
and they discussed the question Of ia diyi-
sion. Morning settled the matter, however,
for on repairing TO work they found go feet
Of water in the shaft.
To hail ouf tho vvotar .,as it,,,o,s;l,i,
But main shaft was sunk by the side Of
the old one, 10 be tunnelled at the bottom, in
hopes Of striking the money chest. When
within 10 feet Of the proper depth, the pit
gave way, and the water flowed in 80 rapidly
that the men barely had time to escape with
their lives
Fifty years glided into eternity before the
work was well renewed, yet the shafts and
tunnels still remained full Of water, which
rose and fell with the ebbing and flowing Of
the tide in the bay, showing clearly that the
island had been pierced by subterranean
passages. This brings us down 10 period
Of Is years ago. A number Of young men
in the summer Of lS48 proceeded to the is
land and renewed the work They followed
down the shaft, and encountered the SAME
difiiculiy-water coming in upon them. But
they pierced the bottom of the pit and struck
a hard wooden substance, cut through n
spruce log six inches thick and finally struck
a sharp metallic substance. But 20 inches
deeper they bored into more wood, aud be-
low il the same mineral substance. Among
other articles taken out was Spanish grass
and part Of the hoop of a barrel with the
bark in a state Of good preservation.
IL was afterwards found that several drains
had been built, entering the base Of the is
land az low water mark The stones form
ing the arch Of the drains were found coated
with Spanish grass Fur rther discoveries
revealed the fact that the drains ran in the
direction Of the old pit. But the last dollar
Of the young toilers was spent, and they
abandoned the work, yet, still believing that
they were on the right track Of KDD's
treasure.
la 1861 new pits were sunk and tunneled,
bat withOut any satisfactory results. Such
was the faith in the project, however, that n
new company was formed, and includes some |
o. the most influential men OF Halifax They /
are now having built a dam round the base |
OF the island, for the purpose Of cutting off |
the bay wafer from the subterranean chan |
nels, when they propose 70 pump the water |
out of the excavation already made, and fol- |
low the channels 10 their termiRi 1t is ex-
pected that the dam will be completed the |
present week, and the company now feel
sanguine that KrDDs four million of gold
are almost within their grasp. -..
Such is the history Of the "Toilers Of the
Isle" That stupendous work Of art has
been constructed at Oak island, by unknown
hands, is a certainty. That most Of the ma
terial used is indigenous 10 that region is
also certain. What these works were con-
structed for and by whom, and what they
contain, alone remain mysteries, which let
ms hope will soon be cleared up.