Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-09-19
THE ToILERS OF TIE ISLE.
A Century's Search for Captain
Kidd's Buried Treasure.

Herald, writing from Chester, Malone
Bay, Nova Scotia, gives the. following
remarkable narrative of Oak Island,
around which there is wrapped some
thing of romance. The island is small
one, on the south coast of Nova Scotia,
where it is still believed by many per-
sons that Captain Kidd, the notorious
pirite, buried the bulk of his treasure
The writer states that century ago
an old man resided in the then British
colony of New England, whose life had
been wrapped in mystery. but he was
always believed to be of Captain Kidd's
original rovers. When he died, the old
man admitted that this suspicion was
well founded that he did belong to the
great pirates crew, and had assisted in
burying over $4, ,000, 900 of gold beneath
the soil of secluded island east of Bos-
ton, the proceeds Of Kidds piracies.
The settlers along the New England
coast heard the story, and for years
made an unsuccessful search for the
subterranean treasure vault,
About 25 years later, three men
named Smith, Wand, and McGnnis,
took up land on Oak island. During
their work in telling the forests they
were astonshed to find traces of former
civilization, and subsequent discoveries
recalled to their minds the old sailors
story The secluded situation of the
island the marks of former habitatlon
appeared in keeping with all they had
heard of Kidd hidden plunder.
Subsequently they discovered an old
pit that had been filed The mouth of
it was seven feet in diameter, and, the
earth with which it was filled up being
soft and loamy, was easily removed.
They descended foot by foot, and pushed
their explorations forward but found no
signs of the lost treasure, and finally
abandoned the search.
Fifteen years later, an old resident,
named Lynd, 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 origi-
nal discoverers. Fifty feet from the
surface they came to a tier of putty.
Further down was hagstone one foot
by two, with some rudely cut letters and
figures upon it. They hoped this in
scription would assist in solving the mys-
terry. But they were unable to decipher
it. At depth of ninety feet they found
indications of water; at ninety-three
feet the water increased. Night coming
on, they sunk crow-bar down five feet,
and struck hard, impenetrable sub
stance, found by the sides of the pit.
Some supposed it 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 sought treasure; and
they discussed the question of its di-
vision. Morning settled the matter,
however, for on repairing to work they
found 60 feet water in the shaft
To bail out the water was impossible,
But main shaft was sunk by the side
ofthe old one, to be tunneled at the bot
tom, in hopes Of striking the money
chest. When within 10 feet of the proper
depth, the pit gave way, and the water
flowed in so rapidly that the men barely
had time to escape with their lives.
Fifty years glided into eternity before
the work was we'll 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 subterrsnean passages. This brings
us down to period of fifteen years ago.
A number of young men in the summer
of lS4S proceeded to the island and re-
newed the work.
They followed down the shaft, and en-
countered the same dificulty-water
coming in upon them. But they pierced
the bottom of the pit and struck hard
wooden substance; cut through spruce
log six inches thick, and finally struck
a sharp metallic substance. But 20
inches deeper they bored into more
wood, and below it the same mineral
substance. Among other articles taken
out was Spanish grass and part of the
hoop Of barrel with the bark in state
of good preservation.
1t was afterward found that several
drains had been built, entering the base
Of the island at low water mark. The
stones forming the arch of the drains
were found coated with Spanish grass.
Further 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
we're IN the right track of Kidd's trea-
sure.
In 1861 new pits were sunk and tun-
neled, but without any satisfactory re-
-rI4, Cuch vvae the faith in the r1roiaot