said anything about it, and it was his opinion that if Captain
Kidd ever put any gold or silver or precious stones under the ground on
that part of the coast these treasures were all there yet.

Further questioning would probably develop the fact that there was a
certain superstition which prevented a great many people from
interfering with the possible deposits which Captain Kidd had made in
their neighborhood, and although few persons would be able to define
exactly the foundation of the superstition, it was generally supposed
that most of the pirates' treasures were guarded by pirate ghosts. In
that case, of course, timid individuals would be deterred from going
out by themselves at night,--for that was the proper time to dig for
buried treasure,--and as it would not have been easy to get together a
number of men each brave enough to give the others courage, many of the
spots reputed to be the repositories of buried treasure have never been
disturbed.

In spite of the fear of ghosts, in spite of the want of accurate
knowledge in regard to favored localities, in spite of hardships,
previous disappointments, or expected ridicule, a great many extensive
excavations have been made in the sands or the soil along the coasts of
our northern states, and even in quiet woods lying miles from the sea,
to which it would have been necessary for the pirates to carry their
goods in wagons, people have dug and hoped and have gone away sadly to
attend to more sensible business, and far up some of our rivers--where a
pirate vessel never floated--people have dug with the same hopeful
anxiety, and have stopped digging in the same condition of dejected
disappointment.

Sometimes these enterprises were conducted on a scale which reminds us
of the operations on the gold coast of California. Companies were
organized, stock was issued and subscribed for, and the excavations were
conducted under the direction of skilful treasure-seeking engineers.

It is said that not long ago a company was organized in Nova Scotia for
the purpose of seeking for Captain Kidd's treasures in a place which it
is highly probable Captain Kidd never saw. A great excavation having
been made, the water from the sea came in and filled it up, but the work
was stopped only long enough to procure steam pumps with which the big
hole could be drained. At last accounts the treasures had not been
reached, and this incident is mentioned only to show how this belief in
bur