The hardihood to return to Boston,
laden with wealth, with a crew of his comrades at his heels.
His fame had preceded him. The alarm was given of the reappearance of
this cut-purse of the ocean. Measures were taken for his arrest; but he
had time, it is said, to bury the greater part of his treasures. He
even attempted to draw his sword and defend himself when arrested; but
was secured and thrown into prison, with several of his followers. They
were carried to England in a frigate, where they were tried, condemned,
and hanged at Execution Dock. Kidd died hard, for the rope with which
he was first tied up broke with his weight, and he tumbled to the
ground; he was tied up a second time, and effectually; from whence
arose the story of his having been twice hanged.
Such is the main outline of Kidd's history; but it has given birth to
an innumerable progeny of traditions. The circumstance of his having
buried great treasures of gold and jewels after returning from his
cruising set the brains of all the good people along the coast in a
ferment. There were rumors on rumors of great sums found here and
there; sometimes in one part of the country, sometimes in another; of
trees and rocks bearing mysterious marks; doubtless indicating the
spots where treasure lay hidden; of coins found with Moorish
characters, the plunder of Kidd's eastern prize, but which the common
people took for diabolical or magic inscriptions.
Some reported the spoils to have been buried in solitary unsettled
places about Plymouth and Cape Cod; many other parts of the Eastern
coast, also, and various places in Long Island Sound, have been gilded
by these rumors, and have been ransacked by adventurous money-diggers.
In all the stories of these enterprises the devil played a conspicuous
part. Either he was conciliated by ceremonies and invocations, or some
bargain or compact was made with him. Still he was sure to play the
money-diggers some slippery trick. Some had succeeded so far as to
touch the iron chest which contained the treasure, when some baffling
circumstance was sure to take place. Either the earth would fall in and
fill up the pit or some direful noise or apparition would throw the
party into a panic and frighten them from the place; and sometimes the
devil himself would appear and bear off the prize from their very
grasp; and if they visited the place on the next day, not a trace would
be seen of their labors of the preceding night.
Such were the vague rumors which for a long time tantalized without
gratifying my curiosity on the interesting subject of these pirate
traditions. There is nothing in this world so hard to get at as truth.
I sought among my favorite sources of authentic information, the oldest
inhabitants, and particularly the old Dutch wives of the province; but
though I flatter myself I am better versed than most men in the curious
history of my native province, yet for a long time my inquiries were
unattended with any substantial result.
