occasion, also, when he landed at the
island, he buried a small casket of gold, silver, and precious stones in
presence of Mr. Gardner, but under the most solemn injunctions of
secrecy.

Repairing soon afterward to Boston, where Lord Bellamont happened to be
at the time, he was summoned before his lordship, and directed to give a
report of his proceedings in the service of his company. Refusing to
comply with this demand, he was arrested on the third of July, 1699, on
the charge of piracy. He appears to have disclosed the fact of having
buried the treasure at Gardner's island, for the same was demanded by
his lordship, and surrendered by Mr. Gardner. I have conversed with a
gentleman who has seen the original receipt for the amount, with the
different items of the deposit. The amount was by no means large, and
affords evidence of no such mighty sweepings of the seas as have been
told of in story and in song. Of gold, in coins, gold dust, and bars,
there were seven hundred and fifty ounces. Of silver, five hundred and
six ounces, and of precious stones about sixteen ounces.

Lord Bellamont wrote home for a ship of war, to carry Kidd to England
for trial. The 'Rochester' was despatched upon that service, but being
obliged to put back, a general suspicion prevailed in England that there
was collusion between the pirates and the ministers, and, in fact, that
they dared not bring the sea robber home for trial, lest it should be
discovered that the Lord Chancellor and his noble associates in the
enterprise were confederates in the piracies also. Party spirit ran
high, and the opponents of the ministers brought a resolution into the
House of Commons for excluding from place all the partners of Kidd in
the original enterprise. And although this resolution was voted down,
yet the Tories contrived afterward to impeach the Whig lords upon the
charge of having been concerned with Kidd. But the articles were not
sustained. Meanwhile Kidd had been taken to England, tried on an
indictment for piracy and murder, and hung in chains, with six of his
crew. In addition to the indictment for piracy, he was indicted for the
murder of one of his own subordinate officers, named Moore, whom he
killed in a quarrel, by striking him over the head with a bucket. He was
convicted upon both charges, but protested to the last that he was the
victim of conspiracy and perjury.

But, after all, suspicions were entertained by the public that the
execut