Captain Kidd was one of the most notorious pirates of the high seas. He was originally hired by the British crown as a privateer and pirate hunter, capturing ships of England’s enemies and splitting the loot with his royal patrons. However, a short temper, a rebellious crew and plenty of ill luck eventually led him to be branded a traitor. He was tried and executed in London in 1701, but no one was able to account for the vast treasure he must surely have collected over the years. At the time of his trial, a small cache of loot was discovered on Gardiners Island, in the Caribbean—possibly revealed by Kidd himself, in hope that it would buy him some clemency. In 2007, one of Kidd’s ships was discovered off the coast of the Dominican Republic. There are plenty of rumors of islands where his wealth might be buried, but the one sure place to find Kidd’s treasure? In fiction. From the year that he died, songs and stories memorializing the dread pirate filled pop culture, each exaggerating his deeds and his wealth more than the last. So, while maybe his treasure will one day be unearthed, there’s a much better chance that it’s simply unreal.
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