nvincing evidence of the existence of a pirates' rendezvous
and hoard has been found on Oak Island, Nova Scotia. In fact, this is
the true treasure story, _par excellence_, of the whole Atlantic coast,
with sufficient mystery to give it precisely the proper flavor. Local
tradition has long credited Captain Kidd with having been responsible
for the indubitable remains of piratical activity, but it has been
proved that Kidd went nowhere near Nova Scotia after he came sailing
home from the East Indies, and the industrious visitors to Oak Island
are therefore unknown to history.

The island has a sheltered haven called Mahone Bay, snugly secluded
from the Atlantic, with deep water, and a century ago the region was
wild and unsettled. Near the head of the bay is a small cove which was
visited in the year of 1795 by three young men named Smith, MacGinnis,
and Vaughan who drew their canoes ashore and explored at random the
noble groves of oaks. Soon they came to a spot whose peculiar
appearance aroused their curiosity. The ground had been cleared many
years before; this was indicated by the second growth of trees and the
kind of vegetation which is foreign to the primeval condition of the
soil. In the center of the little clearing was a huge oak whose bark
was gashed with markings made by an axe. One of the stout lower
branches had been sawn off at some distance from the trunk and to this
natural derrick-arm had been attached a heavy block and tackle as shown
by the furrowed scar in the bark. Directly beneath this was a
perceptible circular depression of the turf, perhaps a dozen feet in
diameter.

The three young men were curious, and made further investigation. The
tide chanced to be uncommonly low, and while ranging along the beach of
the cove they discovered a huge iron ring-bolt fastened to a rock which
was invisible at ordinary low water. They reasonably surmised that
this had been a mooring place in days gone by. Not far distant a
boatswain's whistle of an ancient pattern and a copper coin bearing the
date of 1713 were picked up.

The trio scented pirates' treasure and shortly returned to the cove to
dig in the clearing hard by the great oak. It was soon found that they
were excavating in a clearly defined shaft, the walls of which were of
the solid, undisturbed earth in which the cleavage of other picks and
shovels could be distinguished. The soil within the shaft was much
looser and easily removed. Te