20 MARCH 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® The Oak Island Mystery: Part Two Compiled by Caleb Whitaker, Worldwide Drilling Resource® A tiny island in Nova Scotia, Canada, named Oak Island, quickly became associated with possible buried treasure after Daniel McGinnis started excavating a strange depression in 1795. Local lore had long associated the area with pirates, such as Captain Kidd and Blackbeard, who would hide out in Nova Scotia’s secluded bays to evade the law. Legend holds a sailor confessed on his deathbed to burying Captain Kidd’s lost treasure on an island in Mahone Bay, where Oak Island is located. So, in the late 1700s when the search began, the hope for possible buried pirate loot enthralled the treasure searchers. John Smith, one of the original three men who discovered the strange depression, purchased the lot containing the pit so he could continue excavations. As news spread of the possible wealth hidden on Oak Island, more people joined the search, forming the Onslow Company - a professional venture with the sole purpose of recovering the treasure. In 1804, the Onslow Company started removing the backfill from the initial excavation. Along the way, they found the same marks in the clay and wooden logs which had been removed in the first exploration of the pit. At a depth of 30 feet, the crew found an undiscovered platform of logs, as well as remnants of charcoal. As the crew excavated, they continued to find platforms of logs in increments of about ten feet. At a depth of 60 feet, they found scattered fibers of coconut shells. This was surprising to the team for two main reasons: coconuts were not native to Canada, and in a time of long voyages across the sea, coconut fibers were used to secure and protect valuable cargo. At a depth of 90 feet, the fortune seekers uncovered a large square-cut stone tablet, which had an inscription of strange symbols, lines, arrows, and dots. Over the years, several possible interpretations of the symbols were given. In the 1860s, a linguistics professor gave the most popular translation, “Forty feet below, two million pounds lie buried.” After removing the inscribed stone, the crew resumed excavation. At a depth of around 100 feet, another wooden obstacle was discovered. When the crew found no evidence of treasure under the platform, they halted their excavation for the day. When the members of the Onslow Company returned to the site, they found the pit had filled with muddy water. They tried scooping it out to no avail, quickly realizing a new strategy would be needed. A few months later, the group decided to employ technology to overcome their misfortune. They used a mechanical pump with the hopes of clearing the tunnel so the men could resume excavating. The plan worked as the water level slowly began to recede down the clay wall. However, at a depth of around 90 feet, the water pump failed causing water to steadily return to the pit. With a quick fix being swept away, the team decided to halt work and regroup. The next year, the Onslow Company returned to the pit with a new idea. If the money pit was flooded, why not just bypass all of the tunnel's snares by simply avoiding the pit altogether? Their new strategy was to excavate a shaft 14 feet southeast and parallel to the flooded pit. Once the new shaft was excavated to a depth of around 110 feet, they would tunnel over toward the pit to collect the treasure. It was a solid plan, but a few feet from their objective the tunnel began to flood, leaving the team with two shafts full of water and no treasure. With finances running short and no progress, the Onslow Company was forced to accept defeat and disband. Even with the many setbacks and struggles, many still believed there to be buried valuables on Oak Island. Ultimately, the treasure hunt would continue 40 years later with the forming of the Truro Company which hoped to find treasure with new search methods. MIN Diagram courtesy of Oak Island Tours. 302-684-319 Mfg., Inc. & Atlantic Scree et om ducts 7 n E-mail: atlantic@ce.n Atlantic-Screen.c Pipe Clear PVC j Inline Chemical Mixers j ell Rehabilitation Pro jW DE 142 Broadkill Rd Milton, ½” - 24 ranging fr Perforated of Slotted Manufactu Fax: 302-384-0643 more! MUCH And j Bailers Sampling j Locking Caps j Filter Sock j Bentonite j Manholes j ” om Pipe and rers 19968
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