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Captain Kidd, His Treasure: Capt
BOSTON IN NEW ENGLAND, 8th July, 1699. Mr. Gardiner: Having received the King's express Orders for Seizing and Securing the body of Capt. Kidd and all his associates together with all their effects till I should receive his Majesty's Royal pleasure how to dispose of the same, I have accordingly secured Capt. Kidd in the Gaol of this Town and some of his men. He has been examined by myself and the Council and has confessed among other things that he left with you a parcel of gold made up in a box and some other parcels besides, all of which I re-quire you in his Majesty's name immediately to fetch hither to me, that I may secure them for his Majesty's use, and I shall recompense your pains in coming hither. I am, Your friend and servant, BELLOMONT. The box and the chest were promptly delivered by honest John Gardiner, who had no mind to be mixed in the affairs of the now notorious Kidd, together with the bales of goods left in his care. This booty was inventoried by order of Bellomont and the Governor's Council and the original document is photographed herewith, as found in the Public Record Office, London. It possessed a singular interest because it records and vouches for the only Kidd treasure ever discovered. Nor are its de-tailed items a mere dusty catalogue of figures and merchandise. This is a document to gloat over. If one has a spark of imagination, he smacks his lips. Instead of legend and myth, here is a veritable pirate's hoard, exactly as it should be, with its bags of gold, bars of silver, "Rubies great and small," candlesticks and porringers, diamonds and so on. The inventory contains also other booty found in the course of the treasure hunt, and lest the document itself may prove too hard reading, its contents are transcribed as follows to convince the most skeptical mind that there was a real Kidd treasure and that it was found in the Year of our Lord, 1699. BosTON, NEW ENGLAND, July 25th, 1699. A true Accompt. of all such Gold, Silver, Jewels, and Merchandises in the Possession of Capt. William Kidd, Which have been seized and secured by us under-writing Pursuant to an Order from his Excellency, Richard, Earle of Bellomont, Capt. Generall and Governor-in-Chief in and over his Majestie's Province of ye Massachusetts Bay, etc., bearing date 12 . . . 1699, Vizt. In Capt. William Kid's Box One Bag Fifty-three Silver Barrs. One Bag Seventy-nine Barrs and pieces of silver. One Bag Seventy-four Bars Silver. One Enamel'd Silver Box in which are 4 diamonds set in gold Lockets, one diamond loose, one large diamond set in a gold ring. Found in Mr. Duncan Campbell's House, No. 1. One Bag Gold. 2. One Bag Gold. 3. One Handkerchief Gold. 4. One Bag Gold. 5. One Bag Gold. 6. One Bag Gold. 7. One Bag Gold. Also Twenty Dollars, one halfe and one quart. pcs. of eight, Nine English Crowns, one small Barr of Silver, one small Lump Silver, a small Chaine, a small bottle, a Corral Necklace, one pc. white and one pc. of Checkquer'd Silk. . . . In Capt. William Kidd's ChestTwo Silver Bosons, Two Silver Candlesticks, one Silver Porringer, and some small things of SilverRubies small and great Sixty-seven, Green Stones two. One large Load Stone. . . . Landed from on board the Sloop Antonio Capt. Wm. Kidd late Command. . . . 57 Baggs of Sugar, 17 pieces canvis, 38 Bales of Merchandize. Received from Mr. Duncan Campbell Three Bailes Merchandise, Whereof one he had opened being much damnified by water. . . . Eighty-five ps. Silk Rumals and Bengalls, Sixty ps. Callicoes and Muslin. 12 Ms. torn, Received the 17th. instant of Mr. John Gardiner. No. 1. One Bag dust Gold. 2. One Bag Coyned Gold and in it silver. 3. One p'cl dust Gold. 4. One Bag three Silver Rings and Sundry precious stones. One bag of unpolished Stones. One ps. of Cristol and Bazer Stone, Two Cornelion Rings, two small Agats. Two Amathests all in the same Bag. 5. One Bag Silver Buttons and a Lamp. 6. One Bag broken Silver. 7. One Bag Gold Bars. 8. One Bag Gold Barrs. 9. One Bag Dust Gold. 10. One Bag of Silver Bars. 11. One Bag Silver Bars. The whole of the Gold above mentioned is Eleven hundred, and Eleven ounces, Troy Weight. The silver is Two Thousand, three Hundred, Fifty-three ounces. The Jewels or Precious Stones Weight are seventeen Ounces .. an Ounce, and Sig 13 . . . Stone by Tale. The Sugar is Contained in Fifty-Seven Baggs. The Merchandize is Contained in Forty-one Bailes. The Canvis is Seventeen pieces. SAM. SEWALL. NATH'L BYFIELD. 'TER. DUMMER. LAUR. HAMMOND, Lt. Coll. ANDR. BELOHER. Endorsed: Inventory of the Gold, Silver, Jewels and Merchandize late in the possession of Capt. Wm. Kidd and Seiz'd and secured by ordr. of the E. of Bellomont, 28th of July 1699. This is an original paper. BELLOMONT. " 13 Ms. torn.