Norman
Island is often mentioned as the probable site of the "real Treasure Island." Norman Island lies some fifty miles east of Puerto Rico in
the British Virgin Islands, a group of thirty two small islands and islets only a few of which are inhabited. Most
of this British colony's 13,000 people live on Tortola. These islands were heavily infested with
pirates. The coves and bays provided a
lurking place for pirates and buccaneers.
Only a really knowledgeable sailor could make it through the maze of
reefs, which proved an ideal hiding place.
One of the most famous legends of these islands is the one of Dead Chest
(the name of an actual island), celebrated for centuries in the Yo Ho Ho and a
Bottle of Rum song. Blackbeard the
pirate marooned fifteen of his men on the small speck of land named Dead Chest
with only a bottle of rum and a cutlass.
Norman
Island takes its name
from an 18th century buccaneer who is said to have buried his treasure on the
island.
The legend of
Norman's treasure was first documented in a
small book entitled
LETTERS FROM THE
VIRGIN ISLANDS (
London,
1843). The surface of the island is rugged, covered with scrub timber and
Guinea grass,
and punctuated with bare rock outcroppings.
The island is also liberally sprinkled with caves.
At a spot called Treasure Point, there are
two caves into which a small boat can enter from the sea.
The larger cave appears to have steps carved
into the rock.
A few treasure holes can
be found in likely spots.
Except for an
occasional curious visitor from a yacht the bats have the caves and the
treasure to themselves.
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