The Treasure of Captain William Kidd.

[Randawg72]

South China Sea 4th NE at ... would make sense doesn't it? Yes it does look its one Word but maybe he wrote N at and squeezed the 'e' in later. Near or even nearly makes no sense as it adds no information (of course no one measures exactly how deep they dig!)
Could'nt "1-1/2 feet deep" be considered "Nearly 2 feet deep"? In what context does that Not make sense?

As I wrote before the island is probably part of a very ancient volcano that is about t sink back into the sea. I assume it has a tilt as the maps show higher structures in the south of it plus 'hill' 'small hill' - so it highest in the southern part - this is where additional islands could still be above sea-level (4th island in the NE means the rest of them must be SW of it).
That's possible. Just like Oahu is the '4th' island NW in the Hawaiian Islands.

But I am really warming up to:
"At oR Near 2 Ft Deep at Back of Cave"

Look carefully:

"A toR Near"

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[Bocaj]

South China Sea 4th NE at ... would make sense doesn't it? Yes it does look its one Word but maybe he wrote N at and squeezed the 'e' in later. Near or even nearly makes no sense as it adds no information (of course no one measures exactly how deep they dig!)
Could'nt "1-1/2 feet deep" be considered "Nearly 2 feet deep"? In what context does that Not make sense?

As I wrote before the island is probably part of a very ancient volcano that is about t sink back into the sea. I assume it has a tilt as the maps show higher structures in the south of it plus 'hill' 'small hill' - so it highest in the southern part - this is where additional islands could still be above sea-level (4th island in the NE means the rest of them must be SW of it).
That's possible. Just like Oahu is the '4th' island NW in the Hawaiian Islands.

But I am really warming up to:
"At oR Near 2 Ft Deep at Back of Cave"

Look carefully:View attachment 2187716 "A toR Near"

Probably you like it better otherwise it wouldn't fit your island. Its called "conformation bias".

4th is without question (th is always written like that as a short, you will find it in many letters of that time). Apart from that there is no real information in the above. Maybe the technology mad people of modern times would write "At or near 2ft", no one who dig in the sand would have done that in the 17th century - forget it.
btw the 't' of 'th' is the same as in 'Ne at'

I really think you on the same road as many have been before you and failed:
you try to hard to fit the facts to your theory instead the other way around!

 

[Randawg72]

Maybe the technology mad people of modern times would write "At or near 2ft", no one who dig in the sand would have done that in the 17th century - forget it.

So..
"At or near 2 Ft deep at back of cave" makes no sense to you, but
"4th N.E. at 2 Ft deep at back of cave" does?

I'm familiar with 'confirmation bias' and it does not apply here. If the Yunnan parchment is truly instructions for what to do at the cave, then you would already be standing on the correct island. It's OK for us to agree to disagree.

(Now if there happens to be four adjacent caves, That's a different story!)

 

[Randawg72]

My final thoughts on the Yunnan island parchment..

Sh China Sea; Open to interpretation.
At or near 2 ft deep at back of cave; Buried about 2 ft deep of course. Although after 325+ years of guano deposits, it's probably a lot deeper by now (and messier). "Back of cave" suggests a small or shallow cave. I don't think he would have said "at back of cave" if it were 1,000 feet deep.
in Cliff under ledge on left side; Means that the cave is on a cliff side, and that the treasure is buried under a 'ledge' on the left side of the cave.

In the 1945 movie, Captain Kidd draws a young goat or "kidd" on the cave wall to mark his treasure's location.
(Note that this is a dramatized scene, and that this film is not meant to be historically accurate.)

 

[Bocaj]

4th N.E. at 2 Ft deep at back of cave" does?

Clearly, but I guess you are not used to nautical terms. This and the rest of the maps are "coded" in nautical language as written in the 17th century but in general still used by sailors to this day.

As I wrote in another post: 'you have to live like them to understand their thinking'. Otherwise you will run round in circles like the rest who ever tried to find it. Going by airplane etc will not help you to get into Kidd's mindset.

I'm familiar with 'confirmation bias' and it does not apply here.

Aren't we all? But does that stop anyone from falling into that trap when they see cashes full of gold in their minds?

If the Yunnan parchment is truly instructions for what to do at the cave, then you would already be standing on the correct island.

As you said 'If' and there is no prof I can see for it not being a complete direction. The idea that he created a kind of puzzle by hiding different part of the instruction in different places seems to be impractical and prone to error.

'China' is probably close or at a (probably more known and populated) place called 'Yunnan'.

It's OK for us to agree to disagree.

This is a public forum not a dictatorship so why would you need to mention the fact? I do not force my opinion on anyone but my language is tinted from from swashbuckling life so some more civilized folk feel uncomfortable with it sometimes.

(Now if there happens to be four adjacent caves, That's a different story!)

it could be also 'bays' but I think it less probable from an impartial view. Of course if you are already standing on an island don't let yourself being discouraged by not finding '4th' whatever. Its just one single fact from many. But if too many facts contradict your idea then better don't waste more time on it.

 

[Randawg72]

Hi Bocaj,
I just feel that the old adage "keep it simple" is usually a much better approach than assuming that secret codes and overly complicated solutions are required.

I've put a lot of time into deciphering the charts. If the Yunnan parchment isn't a set of instructions, then what is it? I never liked the alleged use of "4th" on the Y.P. It always seemed out of place and it didn't make sense grammatically (Nautical or otherwise). You and this thread helped me to solve that issue and I'm grateful for that.

Confirmation bias can be a tricky issue. I try to avoid emotional influences and I establish enough documented facts to make any personal bias irrelevant. Of course despite my best efforts, these theories can only be proven by visiting Yunnan Island.

'China' is probably close or at a (probably more known and populated) place called 'Yunnan'.

Could you elaborate on that? And what do you mean by "bays"?

My "Agree to disagree" comment was aimed at your attitude that to be right, everyone else has to be wrong. I may not always agree, but I like to hear all sides of an issue.
I try to avoid contradictions. Everything we post here is just theory until proven otherwise. Thanks for your input.