Did William Kidd find Henry Avery's treasure?

[Bocaj]

Was Kidd's letter to parliamentarians truly referring to the treasure he gained from his raids in the Indian ocean or did he encounter all or parts of Avery's missing treasure?

Some facts that point to the later:

• Kidd could have hardly amassed the amount of treasure (100 000£) that he stated in the letter
• Most of his crew left him in Madagascar - would they have left without taking their share?
• He was tasked to recover the treasures the pirates of Madagascar have gathered (Avery the wealthiest among them)
• His expedition visited most places Avery had sailed not long after
• There are consistences between the 'Avery the Pirate' letters and the information in the 'Palmer Maps'
• Both of them were declared 'Enemy of all Mankind' and accused of the same crime: robbing the richest man's treasure ship and endangering Britain's trade with India
• Their paths almost crossed in 1696 in New England with Avery leaving a few weeks before Kidd arrived
• Avery and Kidd both seem to damage the East Indian Company which was very much in the interest of Whig fraction in the parliament greatly helping to diminish the Tory power and helping to establish the Bank of England and the South Sea company as its new competitors to buy government debt
• The 'Return fro India' letter was sourced from some "W.K." which in all probability is short for William Kidd and written from interrogation while being incarcerated.
• The second 'coded letter' is dated Dec 1700 shortly before Kidd's trial
• the letters mention three stones or rocks covered with grass and the key map refers to three stumps

Here the relevant letters:

Also the relevant maps from Palmer - there are some info in them that is very similar to the last letter
(please note that their authenticity is doubtful but they can still contain details that could come from valid sources, please use those with caution)

Please do me the favor and discuss the authenticity of the maps somewhere else!

The idea is that Kidd did find Avery's treasure moved and reburied some part of it and tried to use it as bargaining chip to save his neck at the end.

Please checkout Crow's thread: https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/in-search-of-captain-averys-treasure.695054/

 

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[ISmellGold]

Yeah, it was called Port Royal, Jamaica

 

[Bocaj]

Here a reproduction of the now defunct site captainkidd.org of Paul Hawkins who came to the same conclusion as I namely that Kidd's treasure is Every's.

Hawkins did stop publishing in 2010 after he supposedly found the island. The Website did run for another 8 years without any new info until it disappeared from the net.

• first is an account of Kidd's voyage as given by himself
• part one of Avery's voyage
• part two of Avery's voyage
• Hawkin's conspiracy theory how they worked together to retrieve the treasure

Please note that I would not reproduced these texts here if they would be still accessible on Hawkin's website and the post below are his work not mine.

Also I only partly agree with his theory - especially I doubt the point that both meet because that would mean that the accounts of Avery leaving for England before Kidd arrived are not true. There is no indication of that and bending facts to fit a theory is always a bad idea in my opinion!

 

[Bocaj]

William Kidd wrote his account of his Indian Ocean debacle and gave it to John Gardner ~ to deliver to Bellomont’s officials. I have reproduced his account in its original form. (with original spelling).

A Copy of a Narrative of the Voyage of Captain William Kidd Commander of the "Adventure Galley” from London to the East Indies.


Boston, 17th July, 1699.

Mr. John Gardner of Gardner's Island presented this note to His Excellency in Council, which he made oath was delivered to him by Captain Kidd, as was wrote with the said Kidd's own hand on board his sloop, and all the particulars therein mentioned were committed to his custody.
Examined by Isaac Addington Secretary.

That the Journal of the said Captain Kidd, being violently taken from him in the Port of St. Marie's in Madagascar, and his life being many times threatened to be taken away from him by ninety seven of his men that deserted him there, he cannot give that exact account he otherwise could have done: but as far as his Memory will serve, is as followeth, viz..

That the said Adventure Galley was launched in Castle's Yard at Deptford, about the fourth of December 1695 and about the latter end of February the said Galley came to the buoy in the Nore and about the 1st Day of March following, his Men were pressed for him for the Fleet, which caused him to stay there for nineteen days and then sailed for the Downs, and arrived there about the Eighth or the Tenth Day of April 1696; and sailed thence for Plymouth; and on the Twenty-third Day of the said month of April he sailed on his intended voyage : and, some time in the month of May, met with a small French Vessel, with Salt and Fishing Tackle on board, bound for Newfoundland, which he took and made Prize of, and carried the same into New York, about the Fourth Day of July, when she was condemned as lawful Prize: The Produce whereof purchased provisions for the said Galley, and for her further intended Voyage.

That about the Sixth Day of September 1696, the said Captain Kidd sailed for the Madeiras, in company with one Joyner, Master of a Brigantine belonging to Bermudas, and arrived there about the 8th Day of October following: and thence to Bona vista, where they arrived about the nineteenth of the said month, and took in some salt, and stayed Three or Four Days; and sailed thence to St. Jago, and arrived there the Twenty-fourth of the said Month, where he took in some Water, and stayed about Eight or Nine Days; and thence sailed for the Cape of Good Hope; and in the Latitude of Thirty-two.

On the Twelfth Day of December 1696, met with Four English Men of War: Captain Warren was Commodore; and sailed a week in their Company ; and then parted, and sailed to Telere, a Port in the Island of Madagascar, and being there about the Twenty-ninth Day of January, came in a Sloop belonging to Barbadoes, loaded with Rum, Sugar, Powder and Shot, one French Master, and Mr. Hatton and Mr. John Batt, Merchants ; and the said Hatton came on board the said Galley, and was suddenly taken ill and died in the Cabin: And, about the latter end of February, sailed for the Island of Johanna, the said Sloop keeping Company, and arrived there about the Eighteenth Day of March; where he found Four East India Merchantsmen outward bound ; and watered there all together, and staid about Four Days: And from thence, about the Twenty second of March, sailed for Mehila, an Island Ten Leagues distant from Johanna, where he arrived the next Morning, and there careened the said Galley; and about Fifty men died there in a Week's Time.

That on the 25th Day of April 1697, set sail for the Coast of India, and came upon the Coast of Mallabar, the Beginning of the Ninth of September; and went into Carwarr upon that Coast about the middle of the same Month, and watered there: And the Gentlemen of the English factory gave the Narrator an account, That the Portuguese were fitting out Two Men of War to take him; and advised him to put out to Sea, and to take Care of himself from them, and immediately to set sail thereupon; about the 12th of the said month of September; and the next morning, about Break of Day saw the said Two Men of War standing for the said Galley ; and spoke with him and asked him, Whence he was? Who replied from London; and they returned answer, From Goa; and so parted, wishing each other a good Voyage; And making still along the Coast, the Commodore of the said Man of War kept dogging the said Galley all the Night, waiting an Opportunity to board her; and in the Morning, without speaking a Word, Fired Six great Guns at the Galley, some whereof went through her, and wounded Four of his Men; and there upon he fired upon him again ; and the Fight continued all Day; and the narrator had Eleven Men wounded: the other Portuguese man of War lay some Distance off, and could not come up with the Galley, being calm; else would have likewise assaulted the same ; the said Fight was sharp, and the said Portuguese left the said Galley with such satisfaction, that the Narrator believes no Portuguese will ever attack the King's Colours again, in that Part of the World especially. And afterwards continued upon the same Coast, cruising upon the coast of Cameroone, for Pirates that frequent that Coast, till the Beginning of the month of November 1697, When he met with Captain How in the Loyal Captain, an English Ship belonging to Madeiras, bound to Surat, whom he examined; and finding his Pass good, designed to freely to let her pass about her Affairs; but, having Two Dutchmen on board, they told the Narrator's Men, That they had divers Greeks and Armenians on board, who had divers precious Stones and divers other rich Goods on board, which caused his Men to be very mutinous, and got up their Arms, and swore they would take the Ship : and two-thirds of his Men voted for the same: The narrator told them, the small Arms belonged to the Galley, and that he was not come to take any Englishmen, or lawful Traders; and that if they attempted any such thing, they should never come on board the Galley again, nor have the Boat, or small Arms; for he had no Commission to take any but the King's Enemies, and Pirates, and that he would attack them with the Galley, and drive them into Bombay; the other being a Merchantman, and having no Guns, might easily have done it with a few Hands; and, with all the Arguments and Menaces he could use, could scarce restrain them from their unlawful Design; but at last I prevailed, and with much ado I got him clear, and let him go about his Business. All which the said Captain How will attest, if living.

And that, about the 18th or 19th Day of the said month of November, met with a Moors Ship of about 200 Tons coming from Surat, bound to the Coast of Malabar, loaded with Two Horses, Sugar and Cotton, to trade there having about Forty Moors on board, with a Dutch Pilot, Boatswain, and Gunner; which said Ship the Narrator haled, and commanded on board; and with him came Eight or Nine Moors, and the said Three Dutchmen, who declared it was a Moors Ship ; and demanding their pass from Surat, which they shewed; and the same was a French Pass, which he believes was shewn by a Mistake; for the Pilot swore Sacrament she was a Prize, and staid on board the Galley; and would not return on board the Moor Ship ; but went in the Galley to the Port of St. Marie.

And that, about the First Day of February following, upon the same Coast, under French Colours with a Design to decoy, met with a Bengali Merchantman belonging to Surat, of the Burden of 4. or 500 Tons, 10 Guns; and he commanded the Master on board; and a Frenchman, Inhabitant of Surat, and belonging to the French Factory there, and Gunner of the said Ship, came on board as Master; and when he came on board, the Narrator caused the English Colours to be hoisted ; and the said Master was surprised, and said. You are all English; and asking, which was the Captain? Whom when he saw, said, Here is a good Prize, and delivered him the French Pass.

And that, with the said Two Prizes, sailed for the Port of St. Marie's in Madagascar; and, sailing thither, the said Galley was so leaky, that they feared she would have sunk every Hour, and it required Eight men every Two Glasses to keep her free ; and was forced to woold her round with Cables to keep her together; and with much ado carried her into the said Port of St. Mane's, where she arrived about the First of April, 1698: And about the 6th day of May, the lesser Prize was haled into the careening Island or Key, the other not being arrived; and ransacked and sunk by the mutinous men; who threatened the Narrator, and the men that would not join with them to burn and sink the other, that they might not go home and tell the news.

And that, when he arrived in the said Port, there was a Pirate Ship, called the Mocha Frigate, at an Anchor, Robert Culliford. Commander thereof; who with his Men, left the same at his coming in, and ran into the Woods : and the Narrator proposed to his men to take the same, having sufficient Power and Authority so to do; but the Mutinous Crew told him, If he offered the same, they would rather fire Two Guns into him, than one into the other ; and there upon Ninety-seven deserted, and went into the Mocha Frigate, and sent into the Woods for the said Pirates, and brought the said Culliford, and his Men, on board again ; and all the time she staid in the said Port, which was the Space of Four or Five Days, the said Deserters, sometimes in great Numbers, came on board the said Galley and Adventure Prize, and carried away great Guns, Powder, Shot, small Arms, Sails, Anchors, Cables, Surgeons, Chests, and what else they pleased; and threatened several times to murder the Narrator, as he was informed, and advised to take care of himself; which they designed in the Night to effect; but was prevented by him locking himself in his Cabin at Night, and securing himself with barricading the same with Bales of Goods; and, having about Forty small Arms, besides Pistols, ready charged, kept them out.

Their Wickedness was so great, after they had plundered and ransacked sufficiently, went Four Miles off to one Edward Welche's House, where his the Narrator's Chest was lodged, and broke it open; and took out Ten Ounces of Gold, 40 Pound of Plate, 370 Pieces of Eight, the Narrator's Journal, and a great many Papers that belonged to him, and the People of New York that fitted them out.
That about the 15th July, the Mocha Frigate went away, being manned with about 130 Men, and Forty Guns, bound out to take all Nations : Then it was that the Narrator was left with only Thirteen men; so that the Moors he had to pump and keep the Adventure Galley above Water, being carried away, she sunk in the Harbour ; and the Narrator, with the said Thirteen men, went on board the Adventure Prize; where he was forced to stay Five Months for a Fair Wind; In the meantime, some Passengers presented, that were bound for these Parts; which he took on board, to help to bring the said Adventure Prize home.

That, about the beginning of April, 1699, the Narrator arrived at Anguila in the West Indies, and sent his Boat on Shore; where his Men had the News That he and his People were proclaimed Pirates, which put them into such Consternation, That they sought all Opportunity to run the Ship on Shore upon some Reef or Shoal, fearing the Narrator should carry them into some English Port.

From Anguilla they came to St. Thomas'; where his Brother-in-law Samuel Bradley was put on shore, being sick; and Five more went away, and deserted him: Where he heard the same News, That the Narrator, and his Company, were proclaimed Pirates, which incensed the People more and more.

From St. Thomas set sail for Mona, an Island between Hispaniola and Porto Rico; where they met with a Sloop called the St, Anthony, bound for Antigua from Curacao, Mr. Wm. Boulton Merchant, and Samuel Wood, Master: The men on board then swore, they would bring the Ship no further. The Narrator then sent the said Sloop St. Anthony for Curacao for Canvas to make Sails for the Prize, she not being able to proceed; and she returned in Ten Days; and after the Canvas came, he could not persuade the Men to carry her for New England; but Six of them went and carried their Chests and Things on board of Two Dutch Sloops; bound for Curacao; and would not so much as heel the Vessel, or do anything, the Remainder of the men not being able to bring the Adventure Prize to Boston, the Narrator secured her in a good Harbour in some Part of Hispaniola and left in the Possession of Mr. Henry Boulton of Antigua. Merchant, the Maker, Three of the old Men, and Fifteen or Sixteen of the men that belonged to the said Sloop St. Anthony, and a Brigantine belonging to one Mr. Burt of Curacao.

That the Narrator bought the said Sloop St. Anthony off Mr. Boulton, for the Owner's Account; and after, he had given Directions to the said Boulton to be careful of the said Ship and Lading, and persuaded him to stay Three Months till he returned; and then made the best of his Way to New York; where he heard the Earl of Bellamont was, who was principally concerned in the Adventure Galley; and hearing his Lordship, was at Boston, came thither; and has now been 45 Days from the said Ship.

Signed : Wm. Kidd.
Boston. 7th July, 1699.

Further the Narrator saith. That the said Ship was left at St. Katharina, on the South East Part of Hispaniola, about Three Leagues to Leeward of the Westerly End of Savona: Whilst he lay at Hispaniola, he traded with Mr. Henry Boulton of Antigua, and Mr. Wm. Burt of Curacao, Merchants, to the Value of 11,200 Pieces of Eight; whereof he received the Sloop Antonio at 3000 Pieces of Eight, and 4200 Pieces of Eight by Bills of Exchange, drawn by Boulton and Burt upon Messieurs Gabriel and Lemont, Merchants in Curacao, made payable to Mr. Burt, who went himself to Curacao; and the Value of 4,000 Pieces of Eight more in Dust and Bar Gold; which Gold, with some more traded for at Madagascar, being Fifty Pounds Weight, or upwards, in Quantity, the Narrator left in Custody of Mr. Gardner of Gardner's Island, near the Eastern End of Long Island, fearing to bring it about by Sea: It is made up in a Bag put into a little Box, locked, nailed, corded about, and sealed: Saith he took no Receipt for it off Mr. Gardner.

The Gold that was seized at Mr. Campbell's, the Narrator, traded for at Madagascar, with what came out of Galley. Saith, That he carried in the Adventure Galley, from New York, 154 men : Seventy whereof came out of England with him. Some of his Sloop's Company put Two Bales of Goods on shore at Gardner's Island, being their own proper Goods. The Narrator delivered a Chest of Goods, viz.. Muslins, Latches, Romalls, and flowered Silk, unto Mr. Gardner of Gardner's Island aforesaid, to be kept there for the narrator : Put no Goods on shore anywhere else : Several of his Company landed their Chests, and other Goods, at several Places.

Further saith, He delivered a small Bale of coarse Calicoes unto a Sloop Man of Rhode Island, that he had employed there. The Gold seized at Mr. Campbells the Narrator intended for Presents to some, that he expected to do him Kindnesses. Some of his Company put their Chests and Bales on board a New York Sloop lying at Gardner's Island. Cc

Signed : Wm. Kidd.

Presented and taken, die praedict before his Excellency and Council.
Copy Examined by Isaac Addington, Secretary.

 

[Bocaj]

This is not a biography on the life and times of John Avery. It is however, a résumé of his life and times from the year 1694, the year he turned to piracy and decided to head off to the Indian Ocean to make his fortune. This is also the start of the Kidd saga with which we are all familiar.

The story starts in 1694 when Avery was second mate of the Charles, a privateer which had been employed by Bristol merchants to raid the Spanish colonies. The ship spent several months in the port of Corunna being fitted out ~ where the crew grew increasingly restless because their pay was delayed. On May 7, while the ship's captain (Gibson) was laid low with drink, Avery and a number of his companions seized the ship.

"I am captain of this ship now," Avery announced, "I am bound to Madagascar, with the design of making my own fortune, and that of all the brave fellows joined with me."

They renamed the ship the Fancy and sailed south. They plundered three English ships in the Cape Verde Islands, and captured two Danish ships on the west coast of Africa near the island of Principe. After rounding the Cape of Good Hope, they headed for the Comoros Islands, where they dropped anchor and went ashore for much needed provisions. Avery issued his famous declaration on his intent from here. Avery's plan was to intercept the ships of the pilgrim fleet which sailed every year from the Indian port of Surat across to Mocha at the mouth of the Red Sea and then up to Mecca. The fleet was almost as attractive a target for pirates as the Spanish treasure ships were for the buccaneers in the Caribbean, because merchants travelled with the pilgrims so that they could trade spices and cloth for gold and coffee. The emperor of the Mogul Empire in India, who was known as the Great Mogul, also sent his own ships with the fleet.


In September 1695 Avery was cruising off the mouth of the Red Sea in the Fancy, which was now armed with forty-six guns and had a crew of 150 men. He was joined by a number of other pirate ships, including the Pearl and the Portsmouth Adventure from Rhode Island and the Amity from New York. The first ship in the pilgrim fleet to fall into the pirates' hands was the Fatah Mohammad which was looted of gold and silver worth more than £50,000. A few days later Avery sighted the ship which was to make his fortune and whose capture was to create his legend. The Ganj-i-Sawai (or Guns-Way), as she was later called was the largest of the ships belonging to the Great Mogul. She had forty guns, and her captain, Mohammed Ibrahim, had four hundred rifles to defend her against attack, which made the ship a formidable opponent.

Avery had luck on his side. As his flotilla of pirate ships approached the Ganj-i-Sawai, one of his first shots brought down the Muslim ship's mainmast. Then one of the Ganj-i-Sawai’s cannon exploded, causing carnage and confusion on deck. The fight lasted two hours, but when the pirates came alongside and boarded her, they met with little resistance. The Indian historian Khafi Kahn wrote that the captain of the Ganj-i-Sawai dressed up some Turkish girls as men and urged them to fight while he fled below decks and hid himself in the hold.



According to the stories which circulated afterward, one of the Great Mogul's daughters was on the ship, together with her attendants, a number of slave girls, and many wealthy merchants. Avery claimed that no harm was done to the women, but one of the pirate crew later confessed at his trial that "the most horrid barbarities" were committed.

All the evidence suggests that the pirates embarked on an orgy of rape, torture, and plunder which lasted several days as the ships lay becalmed in the Arabian Sea. Huge quantities of gold and silver were looted, including 500,000 rials, which, when divided among the pirates, produced at least £1,000 for every man with a full share. (£100,000 a man today)

With the taking of this prize Avery wisely decided to retire from his brief career as a pirate. He abandoned the other pirate ships which had sailed with him and headed for the West Indies. He bribed the Governor of New Providence to allow his men to come ashore and presented him with his ship and £1,000 worth of ivory tusks. The pirates went their separate ways, some heading for Carolina and others for England. Six of Avery's crew were eventually caught. In October 1696 they were tried at the Old Bailey in London, amid considerable public excitement, and sentenced to death.


Back in India the Great Mogul was outraged by the attack on his ship and threatened to drive the East India Company and all Englishmen out of his empire. Only by much diplomacy, and by promising to bring Avery and his crew to justice, were the British authorities able to repair the damage caused by this single act of piracy. But Avery himself was never caught. The popular belief was that he lived out his days in luxury on a tropical island, but it seems that he was swindled of most of his riches by merchants in the West Country and that he ended his days in poverty at the village of Bideford in Devon, "not being worth as much as would buy him a coffin."

So much for the potted version of Avery’s Indian Ocean adventures shown above. To identify more of what really may have happened, we need to look a little deeper.

 

[Bocaj]

John Avery’s documented voyage when he took the Fatah Mohammad and Ganj-i-Sawai ~ the richest pirate attack ever reported​

In Charles Elmms account (The Pirates Own Book ) he goes into greater detail, which I reproduce below:-

“Near the river Indus, the man at the mast-head espied a sail, upon which they gave chase; as they came nearer to her, they discovered that she was a tall vessel, and might turn out to be an East Indiaman. She, however, proved a better prize; for when they fired at her she hoisted Mogul colours, and seemed to stand upon her defence. Avery only cannonaded at a distance, and some of his men began to suspect that he was not the hero they had supposed.

The sloops, however attacked, the one on the bow, and another upon the quarter of the ship, and so boarded her. She then struck her colours. She was one of the Great Mogul's own ships, and there were in her several of the greatest persons in his court, among whom, it was said, was one of his daughters going upon a pilgrimage to Mecca; and they were carrying with them rich offerings to present at the shrine of Mahomet. It is a well known fact, that the people of the east travel with great magnificence, so that these had along with them all their slaves and attendants, with a large quantity of vessels of gold and silver, and immense sums of money to defray their expenses by land; the spoil therefore which they received from that ship was almost incalculable.

Taking the treasure on board their own ships, and plundering their prize of everything valuable, they then allowed her to depart. As soon as the Mogul received this intelligence, he threatened to send a mighty army to extirpate the English from all their settlements upon the Indian coast. The East India Company were greatly alarmed, but found means to calm his resentment, by promising to search for the robbers, and deliver them into his hands. The noise which this made over all Europe, gave birth to the rumours that were circulated concerning Avery's greatness.

In the mean time, our adventurers made the best of their way back to Madagascar, intending to make that place the deposit of all their treasure, to build a small fort, and to keep always a few men there for its protection. Avery, however, disconcerted this plan, and rendered it altogether unnecessary.

While steering their course, Avery sent a boat to each of the sloops, requesting that the chiefs would come on board his ship to hold a conference. They obeyed, and being assembled, he suggested to them the necessity of securing the property which they had acquired in some safe place on shore, and observed, that the chief difficulty was to get it safe on shore; adding that, if either of the sloops should be attacked alone, they would not be able to make any great resistance, and thus she must either be sunk or taken with all the property on board. That, for his part, his ship was so strong, so well manned, and such a swift-sailing vessel, that he did not think it was possible for any other ship to take or overcome her. Accordingly, he proposed that all their treasure should be sealed up in three chests; that each of the captains should have keys, and that they should not be opened until all were present; that the chests should be then put on board his ship, and afterwards lodged in some safe place upon land.

This proposal seemed so reasonable, and so much for the common good, that it was without hesitation agreed to, and all the treasure deposited in three chests, and carried to Avery's ship. The weather being favourable, they remained all three in company during that and the next day; meanwhile Avery, tampering with his men, suggested, that they had now on board what was sufficient to make them all happy; "and what," continued he, "should hinder us from going to some country where we are not known, and living on shore all the rest of our days in plenty?" They soon understood his hint, and all readily consented to deceive the men of the sloops, and fly with all the booty; this they effected during the darkness of the following night. The reader may easily conjecture what were the feelings and indignation of the other two crews in the morning, when they discovered that Avery had made off with all their property.”

Another account gives more details about the participants:-

“The Fancy sailed north to the Babs, enticed to this particular honey pot by the anticipated annual sailing of the Muslim fleet from Surat to Mocha. Vast pickings were on offer from the hordes of pilgrims, intent upon making the pilgrimage to Mecca, and the traders that would be accompanying them bent on taking cloth and spices to Arabia in return for gold and coffee. However, the Fancy was not the only pirate vessel eager to capitalize upon the opportunity. The Portsmouth Adventurer (Capt. Joseph Faro) and the Dolphin (Capt. Want) quickly appeared. Subsequently the Pearl (Capt. William Mace), the Amity (Capt. Thomas Tew), and the Susanna (Capt. Wake) arrived within three days of each other. Since all these vessels originated in North America, John Avery might be forgiven for believing all American ships were pirate vessels. It may be noted that some of these names are recorded on the commission given to Kidd by King William when he was ordered to sail against pirates two years later.

The pirate fleet now possessed great strength in numbers; the Fancy alone boasted a crew of over 150 men and 46 cannon. It was during the night that the Muslim fleet sailed from Mocha and passed through the Babs, and if it had not been for a straggler, the fleet might have evaded the pirates lying in ambush on the southern side of the strait. The pirates, once alerted, put up sail with alacrity and pursued the Muslims across the Arabian Sea, catching them off the coast of India. Here, Avery managed to close with the Fatah Mohammad, which was carrying a cargo containing between £50,000 and £60,000 in gold and silver alone. A few days later the pirates surrounded the Ganj-i-Sawai, later referred to as the Gunsway by the English, which was a formidable vessel. Armed with 40 cannon and defended by 400 rifles, the Gunsway put up a resolute fight, but was severely crippled by a lucky first cannon shot that took away part of the mainmast.

Hand-to-hand fighting ensued as the pirates swarmed aboard. It is said that even the slave girls on board joined in the defence of the stricken ship and proved their selves effective in battle. No doubt this shock tactic by the defenders had some immediate effect upon the pirates, but might only have fuelled their desperation to take the ship. After several hours of combat, the Gunsway fell to the pirates, and the booty, when shared out among the pirates, amounted to £1,000 per man. Shorn of anything of value, the Gunsway was then set free.

After this epic event, which has gone down in the annals of pirate history, Avery seems to have disappeared. Some of his men returned carrying ivory tusks, jewellery, exotic cloth, and souvenirs from their exploits; one was even arrested when over £1,000 in foreign gold which was found hidden in the lining of a cloak he wore. Legend tells us that Avery, carrying with him vast wealth, soon dissipated that which could be easily spent, leaving him with a cache of diamonds that were not as readily converted into cash, and that from then on he was in the grip of unscrupulous merchants who "fenced" the jewels for him. He is reported to have lived quietly and modestly at Bideford in Devon for many years and eventually to have died a pauper.”

A report from the East India Company's factory at Bombay dated October 15, 1696, indicates the serious concern the Company displayed to the disruption of trade being caused by pirates:

“Besides the Gunsway, the Mogul's own ships were robbed last year near Surat, and barbarously used. Abdul Gophoor has had a ship robbed of a great sum of money in the Gulf of Persia, and today we have news from Mocha, of two of the Company's ships being taken. The loss of one of them in which was 60,000 rupees, has almost broke some of the merchants in Bombay, as the loss amounts to £75,000. The East India Company lost 80 tons of good new coffee in her. They were taken by two small pirates, of 13 and 14 guns, each with 150 Englishmen as crew.”

 

[Bocaj]

After his reported double dealing episode, Avery is next placed back on the island of Johanna in the Comoros Islands in December 1695, where he proceeded to prepare the Fancy for her long return voyage to America. Where did Avery go between September and December 1695? He appears to have taken 10 weeks to sail from the place where he took his comrades in arms treasure chests on board, back to the Comoros ~ a voyage that should have taken him only 25 days (sailing at 5/6 knots). Did he deposit the lodged treasure chests on a remote island (“some safe place on land”) as he promised, or perhaps deposited one or two of the chests as an insurance, should he be caught by his swindled fellow pirates ~ with designs to retrieve the chests at a later date? Whatever the truth, there is a real mystery over this missing period of time.

In December/January Avery departed Johanna for the long return voyage to America. The Fancy was next sighted in April 1696 at the island of New Providence in the Caribbean, where Avery was treated by Governor Trott in return for goods and presents from Avery. Here, Avery loaded his goods and treasures into a small sloop for the last leg of the journey to America. He allowed various members of his crew to disembark with their personal share of the treasure along the coast of the Carolinas before entering Long Island Sound and the waters of Boston Harbour in June 1696, where he anchored. One by one, Avery and his crew slipped away from the ship and melted away in and around Boston and Providence, Rhode Island with their chests.

Avery’s crew, who must have feared the imminent return of the their swindled cohorts from the Indian Ocean, decided to immediately make out for Ireland, which they and Avery decided was the safest place to land before making for England. They planned to start a new life in England with their new found wealth. Avery told them that he would not go with them on the “Isaac”, a sloop that had been earmarked for their voyage, but would follow on in another ship. Why Avery opted to separate from his crew at this stage can only be speculative.

Sixteen of Avery’s crew clubbed together to purchase the “Isaac” and made the voyage across the Atlantic, dropping off at Achill, Westport and Galway on the south west coast of Ireland.

Six of the men from the “Isaac” ~ Joseph Dawson, Edward Forseith, William May, William Bishop, James Lewis and John Sparkes were quickly arrested and arraigned for trial at the Old Bailey charged with the piracy of the Great Moguls ship “Ganj-I-Sawai”. Despite robust instructions from the Judge Advocate of the Admiralty (Dr. Thomas Newton) to find the prisoners guilty, the petty jury acquitted the defendants. Shocked by what they described as the juror’s bias, the authorities rushed through another indictment. Twelve days later, the prisoners were arraigned and tried with conspiring to steal the “Charles” from the port of Corunna with piratical intent. The new hand-picked jury found the prisoners guilty and all six were duly executed by hanging two days later.

Another of Avery’s crew was arrested in his home town of Rochester on 30th July 1696. John Dann had stuffed his waistcoat lining full of precious stones and gold coins, which was worth at that time ~ £1000 (£100,000 today). His maid apparently discovered his “heavy” waistcoat and reported it to the town’s mayor who promptly had Dann arrested.

The “official records” report that Dann decided to turn “King’s Evidence” , ostensibly to avoid the gallows, so even on this basis alone, his account should be treated with a degree of suspicion. Of even greater significance is the way his account appears to have been invented and concocted by the establishment for the purpose of concealing the truth behind their involvement with Avery’s acts of piracy in the Indian Ocean, and the fall-out with the East India Company and the Great Mogul the revelation of their involvement would bring to the merchant establishment of England.

I believe John Dann was initially employed by James Houblon (brother of Sir John Houblon, first Governor of the Bank of England) and Sir William Paterson (creator of the model for the founding of the Bank of England), the sleeping partners and organisers of the venture, as their man to keep a watch over their interests. So was John Dann qualified for such a mission? Research has revealed that far from being a rogue and pirate, John Dann was a part of the financial establishment - albeit with a penchant for daring and adventure. His father and grandfather were both goldsmiths and bankers (both also named John Dann) who came from Marden in Kent, which is just a few miles down the road from Rochester, which John Dann declared as his domiciliary and home port. He also declared his profession as “mariner”, which we know now to be another example of the way his account was “cleansed” to keep the establishment and merchants in the shadows. He could not tell the truth (that his family were bankers) as this would have focused the spotlight firmly on England’s merchant establishment.

Dann was examined by Sir John Houblon (notice the connection?) He was exonerated and pardoned for his collusion in barbarous acts of piracy in return for turning (the establishments version) of “King’s Evidence”. He was also given back the confiscated proceeds from his piracy (£1000) - presumably as a reward for his collusion, compliance and future silence.

When the Indian Ocean debacle faded from the memory, Dann resumed his goldsmith/banking activities and together with his partner, John Coggs, became embroiled in the Pitkin bankruptcy/fraud affair in 1705.

Dann’s deposition is the only official record of Avery making the return voyage to Ireland/England. All recent researchers on this subject have based their thesis on the veracity of Dann’s account, which I believe is a grave error. De Foe and Charles Johnson both agree that Avery sailed for Boston after leaving New Providence, before making his way back to Ireland, so who is right? They can’t both be right.

Dann testified that he boarded the “Seaflower” in Boston along with nineteen others (he didn’t refer to them as “Avery’s old crew members”) for the voyage to Ireland. Dann claimed that “Henry Bridgeman” also made the voyage. John Avery used many aliases including Henry Every, Benjamin Bridgeman, Long Ben Avery but to my knowledge, he never used the name “Henry Bridgeman”. Did Dann make a simple mistake when he recounted the names of the people on the voyage, or is there a more sinister explanation? Could Henry Bridgeman have been an imposter employed by Avery to lay a false trail, thereby hiding Avery’s true movements? Avery was certainly capable of hatching and carrying out such a devious plan. To my knowledge, every researcher who has studied Avery seems to have believed Dann’s account without question, and accepted that Avery returned to Ireland on the “Seaflower”!

Dann continued to allege that Henry Bridgeman, in the company of a Mrs. Adams, who had also made the voyage, broke away from the main party just six miles from the place where they had landed at Dunfanaghy in County Donegal, which is on the remote north west coast of Ireland. This was the last time Henry Bridgeman (or whoever he was) was last seen. Did Avery really stay in Boston leaving Dann, Mrs. Adams and his imposter to make the voyage in his name to cover his tracks? Allowing him the opportunity to meet Kidd!

No one really knows what happened to Avery after he allegedly arrived back in England. The popular accounts place him in Bideford, a small coastal town in North Devon, where he reputedly died a pauper after supposedly being swindled out of his diamonds by ironically, the same Bristol merchants who he stole the Charles (Fancy) from originally. Even this rumoured event poses the question why the “respectable” Bristol merchants didn’t report his whereabouts to the authorities. There is also a report of a tombstone in India bearing his name dated 1699?? The only part of the Avery story we know to be true is the fact that he successfully evaded the authorities and was never arrested for his crimes. Avery was truly a devious, double dealing and scheming scoundrel ~ so anything is possible and nothing should be discounted.

Dann also attested that he chanced to meet Mrs. Adams a few weeks later in St. Albans, where she was waiting for a stage to the Capital. He claims that he enquired about the whereabouts of her escort, Mr. Bridgeman, but she refused to tell him where he had gone. The odds against Dann’s claim for this alleged “chance meeting” in a town 50 miles to the north of London are so great, it must be treated with incredulity.

The question must be asked ~ was Dann, Mrs. Adams and the imposter paid to set up the laying of a false trail by Avery - or more probably the establishment? Why didn’t “Henry Bridgeman” return to Ireland with his crew in the “Isaac”? Was it because his crew would have known that “Henry Bridgeman” was NOT John Avery?

 

[Bocaj]

WHAT WAS THE MOTIVE FOR THE CONSPIRACY?

One of the most glaring pieces of evidence indicating a possible conspiracy was the omittance of Averys name from the King’s Commission given to Kidd. It is inconceivable to believe the establishment who drafted the Commission, knew and included the names of the supporting players in the taking of the Great Mogul’s ships (Wake, Mace, Tew, Ireland and Want), but did not know and/or omitted the name of the ringleader (Avery).

Did the English establishment have designs on a deal with Avery who, according to various accounts, offered to pay off England’s national debt from the proceeds of his enormous prize in return for the King’s pardon? Kidd may well have been briefed about this matter before he left London and was set up to be the clandestine intermediary between the English establishment and Avery.

I have always wondered why Kidd sailed for New York from London/Plymouth instead of sailing down the west coast of Africa, around the Cape and into the Indian Ocean direct. Some historians have explained this by assuming that Kidd wanted to say his farewells to his wife before embarking on his dangerous mission? or he sailed all the way to New York to recruit additional crew? ~ Definitely Not ! ~ there has to be another, more profound reason why Kidd sailed first to New York (adding an extra 7000 miles to his voyage) before setting out for the Indian Ocean on his much publicized mission.

The establishment in England must have received intelligence information from one of the many ships and merchants operating between London and the Indies about Avery’s intention to return to America at the end of his Indian Ocean adventure, where he organized the taking of the Great Mogul’s treasure ships seven months before Kidd set out from London. This is why I believe Kidd was sent to America by his overlords and ordered to enter New York in grand style with all guns blazing ~ to announce his arrival to all (especially to Avery!). I believe he was sent there to make himself available to Avery ~ to receive information about the location of Avery’s treasures ~ which would be diverted to the King’s exchequer in return for the King’s pardon. This is a classic example of “set a thief to catch a thief” !

Kidd, supported by Fletcher and Livingston may very well have arranged to put the word out to the criminal/pirate underworld of his desire to meet Avery ~ for their common good.

The English establishment could not be seen to be negotiating with Avery direct, as this would have angered the Great Mogul even more, and would have certainly spelled the end of the profitable English/Indian eastern trade routes, which the powerful London merchants demanded the state protect.

DID KIDD AND AVERY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET?

Avery anchored in Boston harbour at the end of his Indian Ocean adventure in June 1696 and Kidd shipped into New York from England at the beginning of his Indian Ocean adventure in July 1696. Kidd’s much heralded arrival into New York, with guns blazing, would certainly have reached Avery’s ears, who was believed to be hiding out less than 200 miles (only two days sailing) away in and around the Boston area under an assumed name (Benjamin Bridgeman). If you have read the previous section about John Avery, you will know that I seriously question whether Avery returned to Ireland/England in June as he was reported to have done ~ so if you accept this caveat ~ Kidd and Avery certainly had the opportunity to meet, probably sometime in August 1696. After their believed meeting and exchange, Kidd departed for the Indian Ocean and Avery may have embarked to Ireland/England, presumably to await news of his expected forthcoming pardon. The truth is ~ Avery was such a devious and duplicitous schemer, no one really knows where Avery spent the remainder of his life. All we know for sure is that he was never arrested for his crimes.

Avery knew he was wanted by the authorities. He also knew his fellow pirate fraternity was searching for him after committing the biggest sin any pirate could ever commit ~ double crossing his brethren in arms. His old Indian Ocean crew now wanted to settle down to a respectable life with their new found wealth and had made their getaway back to England via Ireland.

With Avery’s reputation running before him, he would have found it impossible to recruit another crew to return to the Indian Ocean to retrieve the treasure/s I believe he left concealed there. Avery was just too dangerous a person to be associated with.

I believe Avery solved his dilemma by arranging a clandestine meeting with Kidd during August 1696 in or around the New York/Boston area. At the meeting, I believe Avery offered to show Kidd the location of his concealed treasure/s in return for the King’s pardon. This begs the question, was Fletcher, Livingston and Bellomont aware of Avery’s offer and implicated in arranging the Avery/Kidd meeting before Kidd set out for the Indian Ocean? There has always been suspicion as to their real knowledge and involvement in the affair.

The “Morgan” or as I prefer to call it ~ the “Avery” map ~ that I believe Kidd received from Avery at their clandestine meeting and which he took to the Indian Ocean with him​

If we look at the map outline, it is clear the map has been used as a visual aid, to assist the narrator (Avery) explain to the receiver of the information (Kidd) where to get through the fringing reef to gain landfall on to the island (1), the path to take around the island, denoted by dotted lines (2) and the location of the buried treasure chests, denoted by the heavy dots (3).

The three lines of text underneath the island’s outline refer to the latitude and longitude of the island site, together with the dead reckoning course to be taken from a set known location. This is why Avery began and ended his Indian Ocean adventure in the Comoros Islands, and the reason why Kidd made straight for the Comoros Islands after he rounded the Cape at the start of his Indian Ocean mission.

HOW DID THE CONSPIRACY AFFECT KIDD’S ACTIONS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN?

So now we can start to address the questions that has always held a mystery for past researchers, which I raised at the start of this section.

I believe Kidd WAS on a dual mission. His official and overt presence in the Indian Ocean to rid the region of piracy was designed to appease the anger of the Great Mogul, preserve the profitable east west trade routes and satisfy the demands of the powerful London merchants. However, his real mission, known only to a select few, was to secretly meet and be briefed by John Avery in New York, and then to locate and retrieve Avery’s concealed treasure in the Indies in return for Avery’s pardon, which may or may not have been honoured.

This is why Kidd felt able to offer his New York recruits 60% of the prizes instead of 25% as specified in the terms of his commission, and which influenced his actions (or non-action) throughout his Indian Ocean cruise.

The main bone of contention of Kidd’s crew in the Indian Ocean was their Captain’s apparent reluctance to attack shipping they considered fair game. Kidd had no need to risk his life in pursuit of lining his pockets ~ he knew they were already lined. Apart from a skirmish with a flotilla of Dutch ships (from which Kidd fled in haste), he hardly fired a shot in anger during his Indian Ocean cruise. The Quedagh Merchant (his one and only real prize) was taken as a result of bluffing the Master (Wright) into thinking the Adventure Galley was a French ship, by running up the French flag and using a French speaking crew member to hail the Master of the Quedagh Merchant in French and order him to board the Adventure Galley. When Wright boarded and showed Kidd his French papers, Kidd uttered his immortal words “Ah ~ I have Catched You” and promptly captured the vessel without a shot being fired. The Quedagh Merchant was a richly laden ship, but not rich enough to justify Kidd’s claim of his “concealed goods and treasure in the Indies to the Value of £100,000” that he wrote about and boasted about. Don’t forget, 60% of the value of the Quedagh Merchant was committed to the crew, so Kidd only retained 40% or forty shares as described at his trial.

The supposed confrontation with Culliford in Ste. Marie simply did not happen. According to testimony heard at Kidd’s trial, the two Captains enjoyed each others company, exchanged presents, drank together and helped each other re-equip their ships.

His crew did not mutiny as Kidd claimed, they simply transferred to Culliford’s crew aboard the Mocha Frigate to continue their piratical ways under a new Captain, after receiving their share out (60%) from Kidd.

The transfer of the majority of his unruly crew may very well have been engineered and promoted by Kidd, who had more important issues to attend to ~ his pending voyage to Avery’s island using the map that Avery gave him in New York/Boston, and the search for the concealed chests.

After Culliford left St. Marie in July to resume his piratical ways with his newly formed crew, I believe Kidd quickly recruited enough crew to manage the Quedagh Merchant and made the short hop around the northern tip of Madagascar to the Comoros Islands ~ his new base ~ away from the pirate’s haven and prying eyes.

DID KIDD DISCOVER AVERY’S ISLAND AND CONCEALED CHESTS?

I believe Kidd left the Quedagh Merchant in the Comoros Islands to be prepared for her return voyage to America and acquired a small sloop for the next part of his mission. With a small and trusted crew, he embarked on the dead reckoning course (as encoded on Avery’s map in his possession) from a fixed known location in the Comoros Islands to Avery’s island.

We know that Kidd must have located the island, otherwise we wouldn’t have his map! Kidd’s map is geometrically very detailed and accurate, which indicates that Kidd must have spent several weeks walking the island with his back staff and compass whilst searching for Avery’s concealed caches of treasure chests, and plotting the line of sight bearings and triangulations (which I have identified) which he applied to his map when he relocated a number of Avery’s chests on the same island. I have visited the island and am able to verify the geometric and confirm the physical accuracy of his maps. I believe Kidd may have broken open one of the chests, took out enough to satisfy his backers, and buried the remainder (the 4th neat) at the back of the cave on an island which he named Yunnan Island, which I have also identified (see 5th Discovery in the Maps section).

Kidd’s “geometric” map ~ which he carefully drew to conceal the places where he relocated the chests Avery had concealed on the island two years before in 1695​

Kidd then returned to the Comoros Islands, recruited his crew and departed the Indian Ocean for the long return voyage to America at the end of November 1698.

When Kidd arrived in the Caribbean in April 1699, he discovered that he had been branded a pirate, and a King’s warrant had been issued for his arrest.

The English establishment’s solution to end the piracy problem, which endangered the eastern trade routes, was to offer all pirates a King’s Proclamation of Amnesty, which was duly accepted by the vast majority of pirates.

Only two persons were excluded from the benefits of the proclamation ~ Avery and Kidd.

 

[achanceforgold]

Great Job on all the research!

I am reading through you post now.
Just as a general question, where do you think the treasure is buried?
A general area. I don't know much about this project.

 

[Bocaj]

Great Job on all the research!

I am reading through you post now.
Just as a general question, where do you think the treasure is buried?
A general area. I don't know much about this project.

Well first of all I agree that Kidd never moved the treasure from the island that Avery buried it on.

Also I agree with Hawkins that there was four parts and that Kidd checked them out while he was visiting the island (thick dots on the coral island charts)

Kidd then decided to only move the most valuable 4th 'Neat' part to some nearby location less then 100m away. He probably had only a few man if at all to help him and moving (150kg each chest) was an almost impossible job. The new spot he marked with an 'X' on the map

It could very well be that the three other parts were never recovered either as Avery disappeared he may never had the chance to. He tried as the 'coded letter' described but needed the details from 'ab:' (WK) to recover the 'Tank' from the whole treasure (all four parts). In any case I guess he never made it back to the island maybe he died on the way who knows.

For the location: an island on the way from the Indies to the West-Caribbean is the best places to search for it. I do not think that 'the Lizard' or 'Yunnan' in the 'China Sea' are what we assume them to be today. I think they are just similar in nature or name to the above.

In any case I would try to use the information in the letters more then the maps as the maps authenticity is questionable.

 

[achanceforgold]

the map kind of reminds me of an island off the coast of Freeport, Bahama's
I don't think anything is there. maybe a few houses.
but both the big island and little one have a similar shape as the map

 

[Bocaj]

the map kind of reminds me of an island off the coast of Freeport, Bahama's
I don't think anything is there. maybe a few houses.
but both the big island and little one have a similar shape as the map

View attachment 2203256

There are many islands with some shape similar to those maps. In any case try to draw a map of an island from standing on its shores or maybe even from memory and see how much the your map's shape will differ from a modern chart or satellite image.

The shape is just one and not even the most reliable feature. Orientation is more reliable and also the small details that especially the 'key' chart contains. Also some general features: cliff, hills, at least one valley, coves and of course the lagoon with its small rock or island in the middle. Maybe one or two of those features are amiss but most should be easy to identify even just looking on satellite image.

Also I like to concentrate of those features that are repeated in the maps and the Avery letters, there are other places on this forum to generally discuss those maps.