Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-08-08
CAPT. kIDo's TREASURE.

There are but few persons, says TIE Bo,ton
GToos, Who have not Heard Of Capt. Kidd, the
bold pirate, and his hidden treasures Ever
since he eIpiatsd his crimes on the gallows,
periodical searches have been made for his
the whole coast from New jersey to the st.
Lawrence river that have not been dug over
h the hopes Of discovering some Of his untold
wealth. A number Of places In Massachusetts,
have been searched. and II was but . few
weeks ago that there was considerable excite
mont oeeasisssd on the Long island shore BY
. number Of men digging for Kids famous
treasure.
There 10 . popular belief, born OF some
tradition, that three oak trees act - senti nels
over the hidden gold. and that at certain
stages Of the moon, at . certain hour of the
night the shadows cast BY these three oak
trees will guide the way to the spot where the
money and bullion 10 buried. There arc some
who DISCARD this idea and believe that II 10 in
some cave, or beneath some large rock, that
the treasure now lies awaiting some lucky
finder. But among the larger class Of the be-
Nsvsrs In the story, the oak-tree theory Of
guidcaes stin holds its sway, and II would
seem that there are still many who are will
inG 70 invest money In the search for this
mythical treasure.
A short time ago the good pc eple Of Ches.
ter N. g., were surprised at the advent among
them Of four Americans, and . man whose
nativity II would be hard to discern, but who
had evidently long followed the sea for his
daily bread. Chester 10 . small place on the
sesshors, just below Mahoue bay, but with the
exception Of being the abode OF few visitors
during the summer months, 10 . very common
place Nova Scotia town, celebrated for moth
Ing except cool July and August breezes,
good hshinE inside the three-miie lImIt) and
ono o. two good trout streams back Of II
among the hills
What surprised the natives Of Chester, when
the four Yankess and their seafaring COM
panion arrived, was that they did not seem to
care 70 Be observed. They even took pains TO
avoid oil the townspsopls In general, and we're
great deal about the shore talking to the
old nshermen asd sskiag all mac uer Of queer
questions Of these old salts. 1t was imme-
diatels concluded that the party was not
there simply TO enjoy the facilities offered to
summer se1ourners and someone suggested
that they were American customs Officers or
special Detectives seat to eIsmine the fishery
question. This fallscy was borne out BY the
fact shss they hired boat on . number Of
ocessioas, and would Be gone for two or
three days st . time On these excursions
ehsy would allow Aoue Of the local pilots to
70 vita them, put would put the hired craft
aaaer he charge Of the sesfarng man with
them.
About this time oae Of the villagers sue-
rested that the Yankees were spies, acting
fR the American fishing feet which would
soon arrive on the Nova Scotia coast In search
Of the schools Of mackerei, and that they were
watching the cruisers and Informing the
Americans how the land lay and where the
bFitishers were. There was even some thought
Of iaf3niag the authorities
4 strict watch was put on tho postotfice TO
ses II they sent any letters to the United
etstss, sad, II they did. where and to whom
tAsss letters were directed. This was Of no
avail; aud the Nova ecotians we're At q loss
What 70 20 to ind out the Suspicious business
Of the vtsitors A. last It vas explained,
One moraing when the i've left Chester on
one Of their mysterious cruises, they were
followed ct . safe distance BY . fisherman.
The head craft sailed out across the bay and
rounded the point OF Oak island, as It had
always done But here It disappeared. When
the pursuer rounded the point no boat was TO
be seen. Where had II comet was the Ques.
non. Remembering . snug little cove short
distance up the island, the fisherman sailed
up there. and here was the party sought.
They we're at work eIc,vstiug trench which
appeared 70 be about three or four feet wide,
and run from the shore toward the center OF
the island
The truth WAS out ct last The mysterious
Americans were searching for Capt Kidd's
ions-hidden and extensively sesrched-for
treasures.
Whom cpsnersd they acknowledged that
they were looking for this gold and bullion,
ss possible, The islsnd on which they were
digging, and where they expected to ind uu.
told wealth, 10 known as Oak island, aud has
the proyerbial oak trees that are supposed to
guide the prospcctor 10 the hidden money,
The i.iand !: about three miles long and one
Malone bay, and 10 an exec ptionsIly pretty
spot. seArchers for Capt Kidd's treasure
have visited the island before, but Of course,
pothing has ever been found there that could
give the least indication that any booty had
Sver been buried there. There 10 an ancient
tradition among the Inhabitants OF that part
ri tho coast that there 10 treasure hidden on
the island, and In the past few years the
skippers Il the pleasure craft which carry the
summer visitors up and down the shore have
pointed out the island as the ,pot where tho
freebooter captain buried his III gotten gains
As near a. could be ned,-for the pre-.
sent party OF .earchers are verJ Feticent In re-
gard to the whole matter,-the old sailor with
them received information from some source
or other that the treasure was on Oak island,
presented td the Americans, left no doubt In
their minds that on that spot Il would be
found. The searchers have goae about the
JOB In Q very systematic ma ner, and IL 10 said
hat their operations will be extensive II the
treasure 10 not found early II the search.
Iupnels have already been run In various
directions, aud sub-tunneis are run from these
TO Oh poants Of the compass The dirt which
10 dug out will Be removed ~ fast - possible,
y 10 viii not DO handled two or three times In
he search II 10 also said 10 b. the intention
Of Ne Americans 70 blow sections Of the
leland up viii dynamite II the booty ID not
sesnd b aisyinE, fos they anAly believe that
- Nh tlsad Capt Kidd buried the treasure,
sd sAJ viii ar4 \ u possible,
The Yankees hsvs plsAty Of money ct their
shPos.s and. sines tSe objects Of their visit
hired quite . nunseS q Nsvs scotians to
ssstst ID ths eIeavattena SoRs believe that
~ party have fosnd sons silver plate which
80 buried on the islsad because q silver,
smith 70 . neishsoriae town tells how two
Se.ss - I'm out NV hkO,
and, sleviag lin rome old solid silverwsfe,
ssksd lin u u wss The real article. He ex-
sniesd u closely, and states that there was
epasiAsFsble ssal stu adAering 10 the crevices
b the lSures engraved ~ Il although there
bed svidsptly been IN attempt made to wssh
recently. The plate wss very hesyy, and
plso vsfy ancient; for none Of similar make
hss been seen for long time. Whether the
lvo vhS had silver ID their possession Belong
p he prospectus party 10 not known, but Il Is
tAapght they DO.
fHs idss that this plate 10 any portion Of
nat liAdsa b. Capt kidd 10 secuted BY the
majority Of thinking people, TOR they argis
SAst they dA dh4 " there II would 30 much
mere likely that u 10 3 portion Of the silver
owned BY the French, which they evidently
~ when the English came down upon them
aad drove them out st Acadia
By others Il 10 argued that 10 must be q por-
aoI Of Capt Kidd's hidden store, snd va,
found By the four Yanksss, hence their pros.
pectfng on the present extensive scale, for
Where one part Is found they are reasonably
,ufe that the remainder viii DO found IN tho
T1cisity
Whether any treasure hsa been found or
not the fact remains thst the eTplora atoms Of
the party on Oak Island are causing consider
able excitement oil along the Nova Scotia
eoast, and minor parties are slso hard at work
digging IN various places where some land
mark or headlabd 10 said to mark the locality
where treasure 10 hidden, and Ihe whole coun-
tyy 10 In . furore OF excitement over the mat
lar. Al slmost any small hamlet the traveller