The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-12-15
Prom the New York Evening P Jst.l
CAPTAIN KIDD.
A Search for Hidden Treasures,

somewhere in New England and the
other at Oak Island, Nova Scotia. No
one has forgotten the large sums of
money sunk In q oOfier-dam on the
North River q few years since In the
search after one Of Kidd's vessels load
ed with gold and silver and diamonds;
and it is probable that the two ex-
peditions abOve-nsmed are not the
only seel ers. Here and there along
our shores it is not uncommon to see
one, two or three individuals pursu-
ing the same search. On the whole,
it is probable that great many peo-
pie really believe that the treasure
may be found. A few facts, therefore,
where there is SO much fancy, may be
v Orth recalling.
Doubtless one OF the most terrible
names in the juvenile literature in
England and English America, dur
ing the last century and a half, has
been that of William Kidd, the pirate
In the nursery legend, in story and
in song, his name has stood forth as
the boldest and blOOdiest of bucca-
neers.
The terror Of the ocean, when
abroad, he returned from his successive
voyages to line our coasts with silver
and gold, and to renew with the devil
a league, cemented with the blood of
victims shot down, whenever fresh
returns of the precious metals were to
be hidden. According to the super
stitiOns of Connecticut and Long Is
land, it was owing to these bloody
charms that honest money-diggers
have ever experienced so much diff
Guilty in recovering the buried treas
ures. Often, indeed, have the lids OF
1L Z, L,
tOck of the stealthy midnight search
er for gold; but the flashes of sulphur
Gus fires, blue and red, and the saucer
eyes and chattering teeth Of legions
of demons have uniformly interpOsed
to frighten the delivers from their
posts and preserve the treasures from
their greedy clutches. But notWith
standing the narrowing sensations
connected with the name of Kidd.
and his renOWn as 8 pirate; he was
but one Of the last and most incOn~
siderable of that race of sea-robbers,
who, during long series of years in
the seventeenth century, were the
admiration of the world for their
proves, and its terror for their
crimes
In the latter part of the seventeenth
century Kidd was in command Of &
merchant vessel trading between New
York and London, and was celebrated
for his nautical skill md enterprise.
The first mention of him in authen-
tic colonial history occurs in 1891, in
which year the "Journalt of the New
York Assembly" tells Us that on the
18th day of April much credit was
allowed to be due him "fOr the many
good services done for the province,
in attending with his vessels But
in what capacity or for what object he
thus attended with his vessels does
not appear. 1t WAS also declared that
/ he ought to be suitably rewarded. Ac-
| cordingly, on the I4th Of May follow
! ing, it was ordered by the same As
/ sembly "that the sum Of ESQ be paid
to Captain Kidd as q suitable acknoWl
edzsmenC for the important benefit g
which the colonies had received from
his hands. The presumption is that
those services were in some way con-
nected with the protection of the
colonial merchant marine from the
attacks of the pirates vino were at the
time lowering along the coasts of the
northern colonies. Indeed, the har-
Dor of New York was no stranger to
the pirate vessels, and the commerce
between them and the "peopIe of
figure" in this city was not incon-
siderable. 1t was no great secret that
the pirates were frequently in the
Sound, and were freely supplied with
provisions by the inhabitants of Long
/ Island; and still further, il was we'll
known in the year 1896 that the Eng
| Iish freebootere had fitted out their
vessels in the very harbor of New
/ York itself. On the arrival of the
pirate vessels from their cruises, their
goods were openly sold in the city
and the conduct of the colonial gov
ernment was such that collusion, if
not direct partnerships between them
aud the public authorities was not
doubted.
Such was the condition OF aftirs,
w',ru r ,bert Livingston, of Nv
York, Tetnmmend.d d Eo G IvernOr b a.
am"nt Cap'ai Kidd, ~ q man of in
egri Y aud cnurage, we'll acquainted
Win the pirates aud thei- PAGES OF
-rndeZvOus, aud ~ one in all re-peetS
/ q To bt4 entrusted with the comm tud-
/ 4 II vessel Engaged in such difficult
80 vice. a ship WAS accordingly prO-
-urtd and equipped and placed under
1 rhr uanax-. .uent of Kidd, who sailed
/ fr 'm New 7 rk under 3 regular COM
/ mi--iun, in April, 1888. For time ne
~eTved faithfully; and on his return
| from his first voyage he Was received
/ with pub ic hOnnT- and awarded
another grant Of E250 But Oh hi
! ext vOya-s he sfrrtcned q way to the
| Indian Ocean and became = piTste
himself S-leci'R the Island 9f NADIA
ga>car As hIs principal place 81 ren'
| d+Zv' u, and burning his own ship
after capturing one that suited him
/ better, his depredationS upon com
/ merce are represented TO have been
g'ett.
1t is beyond doubt true that Ions
I lslaud 3 'und Contained several Of hi,
/ hiding places. 'Kidd's r pck" Is wei
/ ku'swn at Mantlasret, uUOn Long L..
taud, to this day. Here he Is supposed
| To- have buried some OF his treasures
and many have been the attempts o.
the credulOus in this section to find the
hidden gold. There Is also no doubl
That he WAS wont to- hide himself and
his vessel among those curious r0ck-
in SacheD's Head HaTbOr called the
Thimble I-lauds. In addition To the
"Pira'e's CHvern.n in this vicinity
there il upon one Of there rocks shell
tered from the view Of the Sound. g
besu'iful artificial excavation Of an
oval form, holding. perhaps,t t he mea-
sure of q barrel, called "Kidds Punch
/ Bowl" It was here, according To- the
traditions of the neighborhOOd, that he
used 10 cRrouse with his crew. lt b 8
fa"t beyond controversy that he was
accustomed to anchor his vessel in
/ Gardner's Bay. On one occasion, III
the night, he landed upon Gsrdner'F
Island and requested Mrs. Gardner To
provide q suDper for himself and at
iendant-. Knowing his desperate
character she dared not refuse; and
fearing his displeasure she took great
pains, especially Ia Tossting 8 pig
The pirate chief was 50 pleased win
her culinary success that on going
away he presented her with a cradle.
blanket Of gold cloth. L. was of vsI.
vet, tn~rOught with gold, and veFy
rich. a small piece OF II yet renlalnl
0 sa.r : =