TREASURES STILL REMAIN

Evening Star, Issue 21099, 11 May 1932, Page 9

TREASURES STILL REMAIN

Pirate gold exists mainly in legend and in fiction, but some genuine treasure turned up recently when a poor Bahama fisherman led the police to a' cache on the shore of New Providence Island. Here he had found five bars of gold bullion worth about £12,000, which had been buried beneath a wild plum tree among rocks bearing a sign of Freemasonry, says the ‘ New York Times.’

In many a tale of pirate gold or; other hidden treasure a pile of stones,a tree,’ a cross perhaps, and a map with mysterious symbols appear. Hence the most recent Bahama treasure story runs more or less true to form. And it is quite true that pirates and buccaneers found safe havens among the numerous islands of the Bahamas group. One recalls sinful old John Watling, who gave his name to Watling’s Island and who died_ by a bullej; while engaged on one of his raids. And there was another nest of pirates who harried the Bermuda salt rakers when they went yearly to th® Bahamas to harvest their “ crop ”■ from the ponds they had established as early as 1678 on Turk’s Island. The Bermudians, in their 20-ton sloops_ with slave crews, raked the salt in winter,selling it in the American colonies or exchanging it for foodstuffs, which they, took home and sold. It was a lucrative trade for sixty years or more, despite the interference of pirate bands. Possibly there are other treasure caches hidden in the Bahamas; at all events, genuine treasure trove hat been recovered in New Providence. Th® fisherman who found the recent cache must give _ two-thirds of it to the British Imperial Government in accordance with ancient law and practices.-