Some people in the village recognized him, and the
report soon spread to New York that the pirate Kidd was lurking about
the coast. A sloop of war was sent out to capture his vessel, and
finding that it was impossible to remain in the vicinity where he had
been discovered, Kidd sailed northward and entered Long Island Sound.
Here the shrewd and anxious pirate began to act the part of the watch
dog who has been killing sheep. In every way he endeavored to assume the
appearance of innocence and to conceal every sign of misbehavior. He
wrote to Sir George Bellomont that he should have called upon him in
order to report his proceedings and hand over his profits, were it not
for the wicked and malicious reports which had been circulated about
him.
It was during this period of suspense, when the returned pirate did not
know what was likely to happen, that it is supposed, by the believers in
the hidden treasures of Kidd, that he buried his coin and bullion and
his jewels, some in one place and some in another, so that if he were
captured his riches would not be taken with him. Among the wild stories
which were believed at that time, and for long years after, was one to
the effect that Captain Kidd's ship was chased up the Hudson River by a
man-of-war, and that the pirates, finding they could not get away, sank
their ship and fled to the shore with all the gold and silver they could
carry, which they afterwards buried at the foot of Dunderbergh Mountain.
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