The Treasures of Jean Laffite - Part 2 - Poll

Is it just "legend" or do you think there are stashes still out there?

  • Just another legend with absolutely no evidence what-so-ever.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Don't know. Not a clue either way?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    11

bigscoop

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The Treasures of Jean Laffite, Part Two - Poll
Cast your vote and then let's discuss it in more detail.

1) Did he, or did he not, leave anything behind to be found? Perhaps.
2) And if he did leave something of significant value behind, is it still there today? Again, perhaps he did.
3) And if he did leave anything of significant value behind could it actually be accessed today without a HUGE investment and a ton of costly court battles? Not a chance!
4) And last, in the end would you come away with anything other then huge debt after your efforts? Aside from maybe a lot of material for a good book, probably not.

But let’s explore these issues a bit further one at a time, beginning with the first question, did he leave anything of significant value behind? What do you think? And why?
 

Hello Bigscoop

In answer to your question? I do not think Jean Lafitte or his brother buried any treasure. I think Hollywood made him more famous and treasure legends sprang up about him connected with treasure. Lafitte was the most well known of several persudo privateers, pirates and smugglers along the coast of the gulf of Mexico.

Crow
 

One thing is for sure, Hollywood sure loves to build on a good character. I'm assuming you're also of the mind that the Laffite memoirs were also just an elaborate hoax? :dontknow:
 

I would think that if the memoirs are indeed true that the son would not have stashed his father's treasure anywhere close to the coast where a hurricane could change the landscape forever.
 

I would think that if the memoirs are indeed true that the son would not have stashed his father's treasure anywhere close to the coast where a hurricane could change the landscape forever.

Was ALREADY done once on Island off of Texas; think he went MORE "inland" to EASTERN Texas, near "Old Muddy".
 

Why Texas when the memoirs clearly stated that the alleged father expressed his wishes to retire to Louisiana?
 

Check out Yarborough Pass on Padre Island. Silted up now, but Laffite was said to sit back in the Laguna Madre waiting for ships, then sail out and capture them. Buried everything under/near a big millstone. Saw the millstone when I was about ten, but cousin and friends blew it off and we headed for the old army camp and the wreck area of the 1553-4 fleet where we knew we would find treasure. Never went back to look at that millstone. May still be there...
 

Tale of Jean Laffite's treasure - Yucatan

My tale of Jean Laffite happened 35 years ago while I was living in the port town of Progresso in the Yucatan Peninsula.
I had family connections in the Mexican Government there and was studying Archaeology of the ancient Mayans.
More precisely ancient Mayan Cenotes (wells) and the ritual of tossing in of gold for the appeasement to their Gods.
The American mid 19th century John Stephens had dredged the Cenote at Chichen Itza and recovered $2 million in gold and this find was foremost in my mind.
I had located other isolated Cenotes and wished to treasure hunt the same. (another story).
The Mexican government loaned me their helicopter to research the Gulf of Mexico from Merida up to the Rio la Gatos.
We set down in between at Dzilam de Bravo where I heard the most interesting tale of Jean Laffite.
It was here at a grave that the locals told me the story that in the early 1800's Jean had arrived by his ship the "Pride" deathly ill with Yellow Fever seeking help.
He was stated to have eventually died and was buried there and the locals were proud to show me where his grave was located.
it was always curious to me why this location and what he may have been doing in this remote part of the world.
The best I could surmise is that he was driven out of America once his usefulness was achieved and was searching for a location to conceal his treasure still close to his American routes.
At Progresso, I inquired from the locals and the secret was of an island just 17 kilometers from Progresso (on the map) where when fisherman did risk going there Spanish coins were found on the beach.
At that time I heard the Mexican Government declared this island to be off limits to all.
To this date I always thought of boating out to this island for a pick nick.
 

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