Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-31
A Treasure Seeker.

From the Christian Intelli gencer.
Some two miles back from the centre O
the great shoe making city of Lynn, Mass.
rises a line of low hills, whose summit'
afford most charming views of the oper
country and woods upon the one hand
while on the other lies the bustling towr
below, bounded by its long marginal sea
beach, which reaches from Swampscott tC
Nahant, with the surf beating in upon it
and the ocean stretching away into the dis
| ia ce.
about thirty years ago man came from
one of the Western States and settled with
his family on one of these hills. He built a
small dwelling, and in course of time re-
deemed few of the rocky, wind-swept acres
from the forest ; and by patient cultivation
caused them to produce little towards the
support of his household.
| The motive which induced man to leave
the easily titled prairies of the West and to
undertake to extract living from New
England hilltop, would hardly be credited
were it not vouched for by the work be ac-
complished. According to the story as re-
lated by himself, he was urged BY what they
term esprit revelation" to set out in
search of the much looked for kidd trea-
sure" and was promised the protection and
guidance of the ''spirits" if he would under
take the work Whether his other engage
ments prevented, or whether he doubted the
responsibility of his informants, the tale does
rsot say but-for time at least he neglected
to follow the advice of his ghostly friends
until his zeal was quickened by repeated
revelations, or his credulity got the bet
ter of him, and at last he yielded to the
pressure of the influences that were brought
to bear upon him.
The 'spirit," which IN this case as in
most others, was that OF an Indian girl led
him as wild chase as ever VIII o. the wisI
led mortal man and although he was not
left in the bog and mire he was landed on
the top OF rock, about as unlikely place
one would think, in which to seek for trea-
sure, as could well be found and doubtless
the man himself would have gone farther to
some more promising spot had not his
revelations" become more particular in
their character and explained away the
dubious features of the case to his satisfac-
ton. He was told that under the immense
trap rock which cropped out on the hilltop
and against which his cabin was built, form
erly there had been large cavern, which in
It's day was depository of large part of the
ill-gotten gains OF Captain Kidd and his crew
and moreover, that it was a fayorite resort
of the bold buccaneers of the Spanish main
when resting after their cruises.
Why they should have chosen place SC
far inland for their sunken treasures, wher
there were so many points more accessible
was not explained though for the matter o
that. if traditions be true, there must have
been large force of men employed in moth
ing else but burying riches by every inle
and creek that sets in from the ocean be
tween Canada and the Florida Keys.
Be that as it may, as the story goes, thl
particular place was deemed 50 suitable fol
the purposes of the treebooters, that some o
the officers were accustomed to leave theil
wives there during their voyages and II th'
tale be true, many a scene OF widest reyelrl
had been enacted in the old cavern when
after successful cruise, they returned t,
their hiding place. In an evil hour fo
them, however, the forces of nature were a
work to effect their overthrow, and ii th,
spirit communication" may be relied upon
an earthquake put a summary end to thei
plans by hurling an immense mass OF super
incumbent rock before the entrance OF tn
cave, and burying its occupants and content
from the light Of day.
To the task Of finding this long-hidder
cavern our friend diligently applied himsel
with a perseverance and faith in his labo
worthy ola better cause. until after year
Of toll he left at his death his task as his sol
legacy TO has son.
Inls son, who Is now man OF about fifty
has continued the labor with the same ardo
and hopefulness that animated his father
working every hour that be could spare
and occasionally obtaining little help from
some one who was willing to work througl
the winter IN return tor his board And h
has persevered in his task until he can shoy
about as remarkable an exhibition of misap
piled energy as can anywhere be found.
The visitor to this singular scene of labo
sees frst of all barred iron door in the per
pendicuar face OF the rock. which a smal
admission fee serves to have opened for him
and, preceded by "a guide who walks back
wards and hold light, he finds himself in
gallery cut in the solid rock, at least fou
feet wide and six in height. with every nov
and then a turn at sharp angle and ire
the turns and lights lamp set in the wall
and tells how in a certain creyice were foun,
an old scabbard and pistol, which mus
have belonged to the pirates. although how
they came TO be in the solid rock he doesn
say. After a number of turns YOU find your
self at the end, one hundred and forty fee
from the entrance, and about forty feet be
low the top OF the rock, with the rock bar
ring farther progress until the industry 0
the drill and hammer shall open it. Re
tracing your steps until the barred doc
shuts You out in the blessed sunlight one
more, you step into a room in the house EN-
are shown some remarkable designs execute,
under spirit influence" purporting to b
portraits OF the attending Indian girl (whel
she was in lite), of the pirate captain, AM
OF the buried Ia les. all Of them showing
such a noticeable absence of skill that yoI
suspect "art is ignorned in spirit educa
ton
With singular unselfshness of inten
ton. the persistent treasure-seeker propose
to use these riches when they are found
to endow an institution for the benefit O
splritualists who NAV need a home or
hospital and be reioices more in tn
thought that il his life work is successtu
and the treasure found, it will be defcnc
of his spirit allies and his faith in them
than in any advantage he may gain. Thi
fact endows Dungeon Rock as his plac
is fifty called, with a new interest for dc
spite the great and pitiable error of belief
there is something pathetic in the manifes
tation Of such sincerity of purpose and sue
willing sacrifice of self, that his faith ma
be indicated