The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-25
LAFITTE's HIDDEN TREASURES.
A Popular Relnsion Mate riaIized fer the
BENEFIT of the CreauIous.

A Popular nelusion MatsriaIized for the
BENEFIT of the CreauIous.
About this time Of the year, on the threshold
of the summer solstice, there are always two
chsrsct eristics and tendencies manifested by GER
tain classes of our very peculiar population. One
Is the homicidal and combstive tendency, which
produces dues, ARRAYS and hot controversies,
and lead sometimes to trsgic results. This sea-
son has not been exempt from these emotional
displays and effects Of suddf n heat. During
this week there have been several deadly en-
counters. and q very ardent controversial spirit
touching the merits of the railroad tex. There
has been q consequent great demand for and
consumption OF ice.
Aud again, we have the periodical excite
ment about the hidden tressnre which, il has al
ways been profound and mystic belief OF many
people. was buried on some Of the sand sips or
islands in the adjacent bays and lakes, by that re-
nowned pirate. Jean LATTE. Il is customary
every summer for some poor deluded fellow to
fit out small smack and embark on an expedi-
ton TO search for this long concealed wealth. He
ia one of q large number who have been innocul.-
ted at some period OF his life with the Late fever
Some old csstaway, broken. down sailor has bull
dozsd him for d ink, with yarn about an old
sailor, who had led very mysterious early life
and became q legatee of q valuable se, ret iudi
eating The exact spot ON isle des pois, the Chan
deleurs, or in Baratsrla Bay, where he had helped
Lafitte to dig deep grave In which was depos-
tied many thousand donbloons Warmed up by
repeated drains and other testimonies OF affec-
ton, the mysterious stranger finally seals bis
profession Of friendship to bis new friend by
transferring the legacy to him, and placing
in his possession an ancient and larry paper
wherein ia drawn rough draft OF the place
in which this valuable deposit hos been made.
This transferee Of this invaluable secret takes
il home with him, thinks and dreams OF 1t, talks
about it to his friends, eoits their sympathy and
excites their avarioe. and then they all set TO
work to lay by small stipends to defray the ex.
penses OF expedite to search for this treasure.
Thus these periodical vistations 10 the desolste
islands and the furtive movements of the indivl-
duals engaged in them, their careful svoidan
Of all obaerva ions Of prypg and suspicious per-
sops. their nightly digging in tho soft sand, and
their large imbibation OF whisky and deep sum
bers in the day.
After a few weeks OF this sort OF work and en-
ont the expedition conclude to return home,
little discouraged, but not hopeless, and agree to
renew their se r. b the next summer; any how
thew had r. freshed their minds and bodies, and
could aft rd to wait year more to realize tn If
N ade to the Temple, shell mound in Baratsris.
where it had been most oonclnsiyely proved that
the seer tive pirate had buried his doubloons
Four or five ambitious Dung mon proceed d IN q
boat TO certain spot, and set TO work with picks
md
weeks in pursuit of the Aforesaid donbloons
They did an amount OF woI X. which would have
produced crop OF potatoes enough to feed them
all the year; but nary doubloon ever gladdened
their sight. They went away in diseust, leaving
deep hole in tho mound, which will no doubt
set the ina gipaion OF fu IRE generations 10
work 10 invent some wild romance ss to ITS origin
and purpose. Poor John Newell, the infatuated
victim Of this Lsftte delusion, brought his
annual expeditions, prosecuted slone r many
succes sive summer, in pnreut OF Laftte's trea
ure. {, sad and melancholy close three or four
Years ago, John was bard-yorkng priuter, q
silent nv ster ous man, who seemed always bur-
densd with come wei4hty and grave secret.
He worked all the winter through at his case
with wonderful diligence, saviog ana laying oy
OF his wee xiv earning small sum, with whicn,
| Mt the beg ming OF the summef-nay or JUNE
he would or O ed to equip his smack, and LAYING
| up provisions and tools W uld silently and IN o.
known to all Of his friends, clip out OF tho NV
canal and giving his sail to the wind would ghde
| over the smooth surface OF Lake Pontcharfraln
| heading toward the Rlgolets, and threading that
strait would launch BOLDLY on the rough Or bosom
| OF Lake Borgne, which, by-thn-bv, IL no lake 1T
all, but simply an inlet OF the Gut, and pointing
toward . little sand Island won d sail therefor
and arr living to an anchor wouid wade a4hore
| and rerums the digging which be had abandoned
| The year before, and had silently pursued for
many years, in strict conformity TO very exact
chart which had bsen given TO INN by grete
| ful old fellow D rate and trusted friend OF Laftte
| to whom Johns father had given shal and food
| for many years preceding bis death.
| Alas in the last Of John Newelis expedlt1ons,
his little smack was struck by tornado. and
some days afterwards it vas discover,d ahoat,
bottom upwards, and the body Of the Unfortunate
but creduou, man was found near. He mao
| been washed or blown from the deck OF bis smack
before he reached the place Of his annual search
for Lsfitte's doubloons. His te was exso.iy
| similar tn that OF the romance which hled hls
| mind and color ed all his thoughts Tor many years
/ We tried once, BY reference to the facts OF
Jean Lafittt's disappearance from this city, and
the incidents of the few years BEFORE to dlspei the
delusion of John Newell and convince him that
Jean LATTE left this city poor, as snpercargo
sloop was lost at sea and sll on board had per
ished, ard that it was utterly incredible that be
would have abandoned the hidden treasure to en-.
gage in 80 doub' full q venture, and that ths wss
charged rrom all charges brought gainst him FOL
smuggling and flibastering Che never was
pirate), and bad full liberty for severa
wears before bis departure to recover bis
hidden tres ASSURE, with which he nigh
have resuscitated his dilapidated fortunes
This was the authentic history OF Jean Lsfit I,
the head of the organization at Barasaria, Wn,cl
redeemed all its crimes and offenses aga,nsI 'n'
s ate and nation, by rendering G n. Jackson
much valuable al 4 in the defense OF New orl. ans
Bnt What chance has dry prosaic though au.hen
tic history against sailors yarns and ola women
nnrsery stories. And go we conclude our article
with little hope that it will have any greater ell
npon the imaginations of this new o.gapizs
ton to search for Lafitte's sand ento.nbed treas
ure. than our relation OF the foregoing facts pro
duced upon the mind OF poor John Newell
The Singer ia the only sewing machire I'M
s,rrn,1ors men have ever at EN- pted to initiate
What better proof is wanted Of its superiority
uffice, 81 Canal street.