Myths and Legends of Our Own Land, vol 9

Myths And Legends of Our Own
Land, vol 9: Treasure

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Title: Myths And Legends Of Our Own Land (As To Buried Treasure)
Author: Charles M. Skinner
Release Date: October, 2004 [EBook #6614] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on December 31,
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MYTHS-LEGENDS, BY SKINNER, V9 ***

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MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF OUR OWN LAND
By Charles M. Skinner
Vol. 9.
AS TO BURIED TREASURE
AND
STORIED WATERS, CLIFFS, AND MOUNTAINS

CONTENTS:
AS TO BURIED TREASURE
Kidd's Treasure Other Buried Wealth

STORIED WATERS, CLIFFS, AND MOUNTAINS
Monsters and Sea-Serpents Stone-Throwing Devils Storied Springs
Lovers' Leaps God on the Mountains

AS TO BURIED RICHES
KIDD'S TREASURE
Captain Kidd is the most ubiquitous gentleman in history. If his
earnings in the gentle craft of piracy were frugally husbanded, he has
possibly left some pots of money in holes in the ground between Key
West and Halifax. The belief that large deposits of gold were made at
Gardiner's Island, Dunderberg, Cro' Nest, New York City, Coney
Island, Ipswich, the marshes back of Boston, Cape Cod, Nantucket,
Isles of Shoals, Money Island, Ocean Beach, the Bahamas, the Florida

Keys, and elsewhere has caused reckless expenditure of actual wealth
in recovering doubloons and guineas that disappointed backers of these
enterprises are beginning to look upon--no, not to look upon, but to
think about--as visionary. A hope of getting something for nothing has
been the impetus to these industries, and interest in the subject is now
and then revived by reports of the discovery--usually by a farmer
ploughing near the shore--of an iron kettle with a handful of gold and
silver coins in it, the same having doubtless been buried for purposes of
concealment during the wars of 1776 and 1812.
Gardiner's Island, a famous rendezvous for pirates, is the only place
known to have been used as a bank of deposit, for in 1699 the Earl of
Bellomont recovered from it seven hundred and eighty-three ounces of
gold, six hundred and thirty-three ounces of silver, cloth of gold, silks,
satins, and jewels. In the old Gardiner mansion, on this island, was
formerly preserved a costly shawl given to Mrs. Gardiner by Captain
Kidd himself. This illustrious Kidd--or Kydd--was born in New York,
began his naval career as a chaser of pirates, became a robber himself,
was captured in Boston, where he was ruffling boldly about the streets,
and was hanged in London in 1701. In sea superstitions the apparition
of his ship is sometimes confused with that of the Flying Dutchman.
At Lion's Rock, near Lyme, Connecticut, a part of his treasure is under
guard of a demon that springs upon intruders unless they recite
Scripture while digging for the money.
Charles Island, near Milford, Connecticut, was dug into, one night, by a
company from that town that had learned of Kidd's visit to it--and what
could Kidd be doing ashore unless he was burying money? The lid of
an iron chest had been uncovered when the figure of a headless man
came bounding out of the air, and the work was discontinued right then.
The figure leaped into the pit that had been dug, and blue flames
poured out of it. When the diggers returned, their spades and picks
were gone and the ground was smooth.
Monhegan Island, off the Maine coast, contains a cave, opening to the
sea, where it was whispered that treasure had been stored in care of
spirits. Searchers found within it a heavy chest, which they were about
to lift when one of the party--contrary to orders--spoke. The spell was
broken, for the watchful spirits heard and snatched away the