300 years ago, Scottish pirate, Captain Kidd, was hanged in London for piracy and murder. Since his death, there have been many searching for his long-lost treasure, but to no avail. Now, thanks to Barry Clifford, an American diver, the hunt for the Captain Kidd’s treasure may finally be over. Clifford is believed to have unearthed the first piece of it in Madagascar.
Captain Kidd’s Treasure Discovered?
Clifford had been exploring Bay of Pirates for close to 15 years. To this date, he and his team have come across 13 shipwrecks, one possibly being that of Captain Kidd. It has not yet been confirmed that the wreck is that of Kidd’s, but if the sunken ship did in fact belong to the infamous Kidd, Clifford would be responsible for finding one of the most sought after treasures in pirate history.
The silver bar found by Clifford features an engraving with the initials “TS” and the date 1695. A team member of Clifford’s, archaeologist John de Bry, claims the silver originated from what once was Peruvian territory. Since Kidd was known to have stolen silver bars from ships near Lima, there is the strong belief that the bars are part of Captain Kidd’s treasure. Clifford is also responsible for the discovery of the wreck of the Whydah in 1984. It too had been sought after for hundreds of years after sinking in 1717.
A Brief History of Captain William Kidd
In 1645, Captain William Kidd was born in Scotland. He worked as a sea captain for years before making his way to New York, where he became employed as a privateer by the state. He defended English ships in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.
In 1698, Kidd captured a Quedagh Merchant ship. With the ship having had an English captain and was full of guns, jewels, gold and other items, Kidd was suspected of turning to piracy. Upon learning of the piracy charges he had against him, he returned to New York to clear his name, but instead was arrested and taken back to London. In 1701, he was executed after being convicted of piracy and murder.
