BURIED TREASURE.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 281, 30 April 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

BURIED TREASURE.

AN ECHO OF THE DAYS OF CAPTAIN KIDD.

Two barrels of gold and our of silver aro supposed to be lying buried somewhere by the sad sea waves, and to have lain there for the last 50 years. William R. Chapman, of Duluth, in Minnesota, professes to kuow where the treasure is buried, so ho is going to guide a party which is going frjm Koy "West to look for it. Chapman's story is that it wus in the spring of 1817 he—at that time a boy of 13—shipped on the brig Dolphin as cabin boy. Ho ratt the master of the Vessel, Captain Simms, in JacUson, Miss., and there made arrangements to ship -with him. Chapman thought the Dolphin was a coa-t trader, but the vessel had noc been out of port long before he found out that instead of being that, she was in the slave trade, and that her commander was no less a person than tbe famous ' Black Jack,' one of the most noted 6lave traders on the Atlantic. The crew were a rough lot, who were willing to do almost anything for money. They were bound to each other by oath, which Chapman was compelled to take. Captain Simms was a grandson of Pirate Simms, who made life a burden for small vessels about the time of Kidd. According to Chapman, the grandson was not averse to piracy himself if the opportunity offerod. The Dolphin sailed for the coast of Africi for a cargo of slaves, but finding too many warships on the lookout for slave traders they returned to the United States without the usual cargo of 300 or more blacks. Soon after they had arrived in American water sail was made for Vera Cruz. The vessel lay at anchor in that harbour for three days. On the evening of the third day three men in a small boat hailed tho Dolphin, and came alongaide. They wont into the c tbin and bad a conference with Captain Simms and the first officer of the Dolphin. BARRELS OF GOLD. When the conference was over tho three men went ashore, but soon returned with three barrels, 'which were hoisted on board, and put with tho ballest in the hold. The three strangers again returned to the shore, returning in a short time with two young women, who were gagged. The women where helped on board, but Captain Simms ordered that the men be prevented from following them. The Dolphin sailed for tbe West Indies. After the vessel was well under way, the captain and first mite went into the hold to examine ehe barrels and their contents. Chapman was taken along to hold a lamp. When the heads of the barrels were knocked out, tbey were found to contain gold and diver ooin—two of them gold and one silver. The Djlphin arrived off tho coast of Barbadoes a few days later, and at night a landing was made. Tho barrels, with their precious contents, were put into tho ship's long boat, taken ashore, and buried. From that day to this, according to Chapman, the treasure has never been disturbed. Chapman left the vessel at Barbadoes, running away in the night and keeping under cover until he was able to ship in a vessel bound for New York. He then left tho sea for a number of years. In 1875 he shipped on a vessel bound from Liverpool to the West Indies. After the veeßel had been out a few days he discovered that one of the crow was no less a person than the first mate of the Dolphin. The mate recognised him, and told' Champman tho Dolphin bad been lost in a storm. All on board had gone down with tho vessel, including the ladies, except himself and one member of the crew, who died from exposure afterwards. The mate had just finished a2O yearo' term of penal servitude. Chapman and the mate went to Barbadoes, where they made an examination of the place where the treasure is buried, and found it to be intact. The mate could not stand prosperity, and went on a drunken spree and was killed in a brawl, thus leaving Chapman the sole survivor of the Dolphin's crew and the only living person who knew about ths buried coin.