Infinite treasures of the captain Kidd

Expedition of the famous American archeologist Barry Clifford, investigating a seabed, found at the bottom of the gulf of Sant’-Mari, near Madagascar, perfectly remained porcelain products, glasswares, coins, the weapon and instruments of labor of the end XVII – the beginning of the 18th century. How they appeared there? That here the ancient ship crashed it was not succeeded to find any hint, and only the casual find of an anchor on which the name of the piracy ship – Adventure (” the Adventure”) was beaten out, – allowed to assume improbable: here treasures of the famous English pirate William Kidd lie. Whom was this person and what circumstances brought him on the gallows in 1701. Practically nothing is known of his childhood and youth. William Kidd allegedly was born in England in 1645. Started talking about it when he became a pirate. More precisely, it became a privateer – that is the pirate who was engaged in robberies from blessing of the English crown. And on very favorable conditions: it had to give to the English king Wilhelm III only 10% of stolen. However, the captain Kidd and himself did not offend: under the agreement concluded between it, the governor general of New England lord Bellamont, the state chancellor lord Sommers, the sea minister lord Orford, the Minister of Foreign Affairs lord Romney, the Minister of Justice the duke of Shrewsbury and some other the fifth part from stolen, 25% – to crew, the rest – to lords was due to it. And kapersky operations were assumed on the French trade ways. Alas, contrary to an image of the fearless hero which was exaggerated in the numerous adventure novels which appeared after William Kidd’s death and the Hollywood fighters created later, piracy robbery was not profitable, and the pirate Kidd was a person, to put it mildly, careful, not liking to risk. Already a year later the team which was not earning salaries, and working, as we know, for percent from stolen lifted revolt. The crew demanded to begin the most usual robbery of the first ships – English, French or Dutch – all the same. Hardly Kidd managed to suppress mutiny without bloodshed. However nothing changed. Kidd gave the On a Boarding! command only if the vessel which was coming across to them in the sea was small, and he practically risked nothing at its capture. Soon by the ship revolt broke out again. Having seen on the horizon the vessel under the Dutch flag, allied for England, pirates demanded to start fight. Trying to cope with rebels, Kidd killed the main instigator of revolt – the goal-scorer Moore – and by means of faithful people got up at the head of the ship again. Meanwhile England and France reconciled, and the royal diploma allowing to William Kidd to plunder with impunity the French vessels became dangerous in that game of politics which was conducted by these countries. Kidd was right there outlawed, and behind him the real hunting began. And then the skilled seaman does the following course. Understanding that it has nothing to lose, it, having forgotten about care, begins the real sea robbery, constantly changing vessels and team. The hearing about treasures of the captain Kidd quickly flew about neighboring countries, and efforts on its search were trebled. But the captain still hopes to avoid a hand of justice and hides till the best times in secluded places the treasures stolen by it, in passing killing witnesses. Alas, the captain could not believe in treachery of “accomplices” in any way – dear dukes and lords, not to mention the king, and risked to return to England. Where right there was put on trial and it was sentenced to death. And the royal diploma shown by the unlucky captain as the indulgence from case papers immediately disappeared. “Noble” lords gave up on the “colleague on business” and the court investigated not piracy acts of Kidd (at the same time history of secret “gentleman’s agreement” between the simple captain and an aristocratic top of England immediately would come up), and circumstances of murder of the ship officer Moore. On May 23, 1701 after multi-day and noisy process Kidd was executed. For the English pirates and seamen who committed a crime the law prepared, in full accordance with their craft, the water end of their course of life. The dock of death was located on the bank of the Thames at East-Wepping, and began tradition to heat criminals exactly here: the pirates and sea tramps suspended on chains were lowered down during outflow and left for the period of three inflow covering them with the head. However at the latest moment of Kidd decided to execute after all through hanging. It was very weak (let know about themselves cruel tortures to which it underwent during the investigation. The former owners of the unlucky pirate very much wanted to know where treasures are buried) and hardly ascended to a scaffold. When it was hung up, the rope broke. William Kidd was immediately hung up again. After his body it was exposed on a public inspection. The ban was imposed on property of the executed captain, and, having quickly sold out it, the treasury received six with small thousands of pounds sterling. But neither the card, nor any other papers indicating places where Kidd’s treasures could be hidden, bailiffs did not find. So, maybe, it is a legend? The national imagination “gilded” many places in which infinite treasures of “the king of pirates” waited for the owner. The most known is the island called by Kidd the island of Skeletons because, burying the chests, the captain together with the assistant killed all sailors who helped it, and corpses had on trees so that they specified the direction to a treasure. The unlucky assistant was killed and crucified on a tree at the coast too. It is interesting that in all such stories the foreground is allocated for a devil extremely. As if the captain Kidd, having entered with him the transaction, asked to protect stolen and how many those treasures looked for, every time happens something unexpected. Covers a hole with earth, the terrible roar or emergence of ghosts fill with horror of treasure-hunters and force them to run carelessly. And at times even the devil is and takes away production directly from under a nose: having come back in the morning to the place of excavation, happens, it is impossible to find the slightest traces of the work for the last day. Only once to the somewhat eccentric entomologist from the Atlantic coast, to a certain Legrand, in 1843 has the luck to find one of unimaginable number of chests of the most successful pirate William Kidd. Its “catch” made 10 million American dollars in the prices of the 18th century! But the place where the destiny so generously awarded him, he preferred to keep a secret. Other treasures of the legendary captain are not found still, and despite irreality of many certificates, his treasures continue to look for. Also find! But the truth and the fact that among numerous stories about piracy treasures it is often difficult to distinguish truth from fiction – too seldom exact historical documents reach up to now …