Page 30. MAINE COASTAL NEWS December 2008
Maritime History:
Various Articles from the 1800s
Continued from Page 29.
flying fib and mainsail and began to fall a valuable document. He determined that no When well inside the harbor and the
astern. Suspecting there was something going one should know of his plans, and without pilot boat coming off, we sighted a steamer
in suffering, to be saved. wrong with the leeward schooner they imparting a hint of what he was about, he off Devil’s Point, 7 miles away to the north-
Captain S. committed him to the special watched for any signal they might make but began operations at the place indicated. west. The pilot informed me that it was a
charge of the surgeon, who spared no mean could seen none, and at 12:30 being then “He readily found the rock, but his la- Haytian gunboat trying to blockade the port.
which humanity or skill could suggest, to about a mile and a half from the “FOSTER,” bors during the summer of 1887 were not I went at once to the American consul,
achieve the noble object of creating anew, as the unknown vessel went down almost in- rewarded. During the past summer he contin- who informed me he knew nothing of a block-
it were, a fellow creature, whom the most stantly and Capt. Tufts has no doubt but that ued there. He proceeded cautiously and pa- ade at the port of St. Marc, and that he had
unparalleled famine had stripped of almost all on board went down with her. The captain tiently and worked his way in the course lately received letters from the American
every living energy. For three weeks he states that had he known the vessel was in so directed, and last Monday made the discov- consul at Port au Prince, in which there was
scarcely ever left his patient, giving him perilous a condition or had he see any signal ery. He declares that it will be an easy matter no mention of a blockade of Haytian ports.
nourishment with his own hand, every five or of distress he would have most willingly to find the rest of the wealth. One of the two We left St. Marc at daylight October 21,
ten minutes; and at the end of three weeks given all the assistance possible. The un- undiscovered treasures is stated in the chart with the American flag flying. When well
more, the “skeleton of the wreck” was seen known schooner was laden under deck, car- to be gold coin and the other diamonds or outside the bar the DESSALINES fired a shot
waling on the deck of the Amethyst—and to ried maintopmast and had a new foresail. She jewelry. The unearthed treasure, Mr. Eddy across our bow and we were boarded by an
the surprise of all who recollected that he had appeared to be about 1200 tons burthen and says, will stay where it is until he gets ready officer with the message that his commander
been lifted into the ship by a cabin boy, American built. – [Bar Harbor Record, 1 to secure it. wished to see me on board. I refused to leave
presented the stately figure of a man nearly November 1888] The dates on the silver ranged from 1781 my ship, sending my first officer, Mr. Smith,
six feet high. [Salem Gazette, 6 July 1821] * * * * * to 1851, showing that it is not a part of Capt. whom they made a prisoner.
BURIED SPANISH DOLLARS. Kidd’s long-sought treasure. Mr. Eddy will They next sent for a hawser to tow my
FROM THE BAR HARBOR RECORD, The Story Told by the Man Who Found not tell his theory, but says it is a pirate ship to Port au Prince, which was refused
1888: Them in Rhode Island. treasure. - [Bar Harbor Record, 15 Novem- them. They then sent an armed guard to take
The following despatch from South- James M. Eddy, who has been digging ber 1888] charge of my ship, with orders that I proceed
west Harbor is printed in the Bangor Com- for Capt. Kidd’s treasure, and who turned up * * * * * to Port au Prince, which I did under protest.
mercial under date of October 26
th
; Capt. an iron kettle full of Spanish silver coins on WORK OF THE STORM. We reached Port au Prince October 21 at
David Tufts, of the schooner E. H. FOSTER, the beach adjoining his farm opposite the This has been another week of awful 2 p.m., and anchored in the outside harbor.
of and for St. John, N. B.; from New York, summer resort, Westport, arrived at his him weather. Sunday afternoon snow commenced The commander requested me to go ashore
October 16, put into Southwest Harbor today in Johnston yesterday with his money. He falling and by night a storm was raging which with him, which I refused to do until I had
and reports that on Wednesday, 24
th
inst., he denies that his grandfather ever had any- would do justice to the month of March. The seen our minister. He then went ashore,
fell in with an unknown schooner on Jeffrey’s thing to do with pirates, or that his father ever wind was blowing a gale from the east and taking my first officer with him. At 4 p.m., a
Bank about 8 o’clock a. m. The wind at the told him of the buried treasure. during the night about 6 inches of snow fell. pilot came on board with a verbal message
time was blowing fresh from the east and He said that two years ago he became In the early morning rain commenced falling from the commander of the port to take my
raining heavily. Both vessels were running n. the possessor of a piece of parchment that and the scene was a gloomy one indeed. As ship to the inner harbor, which I refused to
n. e. the unknown schooner being on his lee apparently had served as a drumhead, and usual, after heavy storms, people began to do.
and carrying all sail. At 12 o’clock Capt. Tufts which had been converted into a chart pur- flock to West street to see what had hap- At 7 p.m., the first officer was brought
sighted Cape Elizabeth, bearing n. w. by w. porting to describe the location of three lots pened in the harbor during the night. The sea back, and at the same time came an armed
five miles distant. The wind then had in- of buried gold, silver, and other valuables was running very high and if there had been guard of 50 noisy, filthy natives.
creased to a gale accompanied with snow cached by a pirate many years ago. The lines much shipping in port it would have stood a After lying there about 24 hours our
and rain. The FOSTER carried away her head were drawn as though with a sharpened hard chance. W. A. Milliken’s decked scow, minister came on board. He declared the
stays, and the sea making a clean breach over stick. On the chart were three points desig- which was fastened to the eastern side of his seizure illegal and an outrage on the Ameri-
her they were obliged to cut away her waist nating the burial places of the wealth. The wharf, broke away and like a battering ram can flag, and that he would at once demand
boards to free the decks. The “FOSTER” starting place was a rock on Horse Neck knocked the shores out from under the north- the removal of the mob, which he did, but no
noticed that the unknown schooner was Point, a wild piece of land. When this parch- ern end of Rodick’s steam laundry which attention was paid to his demand. On the
steering badly when she hauled down her ment was found, Eddy was confident it was projects over the water. About a third of the contrary, the guard was doubled.
building settled several feet and the boiler At this stage I wish to explain that,
which was in that end of the house went having 10 Haytian passengers aboard, some
TOOL OF THE MONTH
through and dropped into the water. The of whom were leaders of the opposition party
building presents a sorry appearance. Al- against the party which has its headquarters
though it has been prevented from falling at Port au Prince, and from remarks of the
any farther, it is so badly twisted that it will guards, I concluded that they wanted to take
hardly pay to repair it. The scow was but them ashore, dead or alive; and in the event
slightly injured. Another scow, however, of an attempt being made, there being no
WHILE
belonging to Mr. Milliken, went ashore on American man-of-war in port, it was my inten-
SUPPLIES
the rocks to the westward of his wharf and tion to demand protection of any foreign
LAST!
was broken completely in two. It was the man-of-war which might be in the harbor.
famous TRANSIT, formerly employed on the October 22 we sighted a man-of-war. It
ferry between Hancock and West Sullivan. proved to be English, the Pylades. She an-
Milwaukee 0824-24P
She was a total wreck. Mr. Milliken’s misfor- chored near us, and after being here some
Includes
0824-20 - 18V 1/2" Hammer Drill
tunes did not stop here; the schooner LIAI- hours ran up the signal “I am going to
0881-20 - 18V 1/4" Hex Mid Size
SON, of about 30 tons, owned by him, was America.” I went alongside but was not
Milwaukee 6176-20
Impact Driver lying on the western side of his wharf and allowed on board, they having orders there
Metal Abrasive Cut-off Machine
2 - 18V Lithium-Ion Batteries
about 3 o’clock Monday afternoon she broke was to be no communication, but would take
1 - 1 Hour Charger
$139.95 REG. 169.95
away and came on shore with terrible force. a verbal message, which they did, writing it
1 - Carrying Case
$299.95
Her foremast soon feel and she was so badly down the while. The message was to my
shaken up that she will be condemned.[Bar agents, Messrs. Lord & Austin, 18 Broad-
Bath Industrial Sales, 56 New Meadows Rd. West Bath ME
Harbor Record, 29 November] way, New York, stating that my ship had been
(207) 443-9754 WWW.BISTOOLS.COM
* * * * * seized by a Haytian gunboat.
THE CAPTAIN’S STORY. On the 25
th
, the commander of the
Of the Seizure of the Bath Built Schooner DESSALINES came to take my ship to the
Buying a Boat? HAYTIAN REPUBLIC. inner harbor, but found no steam on and
Following is the statement of Captain could not weigh the anchor. He left, taking
Be SURE Before You Buy!
Compton of the schooner HAYTIAN RE- with them the doors of the boiler, so as to
PUBLIC, owned in Boston and Bath, which prevent our getting away, which I had no
Over 20 years of marine experience
was captured as a prize by the Haytian gun- intention of doing. My reason for wishing to
boat DESSALINES some weeks ago, while remain in the out harbor was that there was
means you’ll know if it’s sound...
running the blockade at St. Marc. yellow fever in town, and had been in the
We left at Turk’s Island, October 10; vessels lying in the inner harbor.
or NOT. discharged cargo at that port and took on October 26, at 7 a.m., the commander of
board laborers as usual; proceeded to Cape the gunboat came with his crew to weigh
Haytian arriving October 11; discharged anchor. Not being able to do so, he slipped
Reasonable Rates Power or Sail cargo and took passengers and mail for the cable, and running a hawser to the

Wood & Fiberglass to 60 feet
Genaives, thence to Port de Paix, arriving DESSALINES towed us to the inner harbor.
October 13. Finished discharging cargo Oc- Whilst being towed in I hailed the steam
tober 14 and left for Genaives with passen- launch of the French man-of-war EISON, and
Kent Thurston ~ Marine Surveyor
gers and mail, landing them October 16. Pro- gave the coxswain a letter for his commander.
Phone/Fax - (207) 948-2654
ceeded to Mirogoane, arriving October 17, The Haytian guard aboard my ship force him
E-mail: marinesurveyor@thurstoncreative.com
discharged cargo and mail and left for St. to return it by threatening to shoot. [Bar
Marc, arriving October 20 at 5 p.m. Harbor Record, 6 December 1888]
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