Ken's blog

“Hey Jack, look over there, a small chapel hidden behind those palm trees in the jungle,” said Jill, pointing excitedly, “let’s have a look.”

Jack and Jill were enjoying their vacation wandering about on the island of La Gaviota in the Caribbean after having won a two-week all expenses paid trip in a TV contest.

“Maybe it’s Blackbeard’s chapel, the notorious pirate who became religious at the end of his days,” said Jack. “Before dying of yellow fever, he hid his treasure and his crew was never able to find it.”

They entered the small solitary chapel, floor and walls partly overgrown with jungle vegetation, and saw a rectangular altar on which stood a large golden cross. A PX Christogram was embroidered on the altar cloth.

“Look, Jack!! There are seven cannons stuck vertically into the ground muzzle first with their round ends cut off, leaving gaping holes. They are all placed in a semicircle in front of the altar,” said Jill with a slight gasp of surprise. “That’s crazy.”

“Sure Jill, I also see three piles of cannon balls, four to each pile, spread in a fan pattern in front of the cannons. I wonder why?”

“I read that Blackbeard fell in love with a nun named Maria and decided to leave all his gold and jewels to the Church for good works, but the yellow fever got them both before they could do it.

“Really, how interesting. Blackbeard must have been a special guy.” Jill was fascinated.

Behind the altar there was a painting of the Ascension, the frame supported by two sturdy wooden pillars well fixed in masonry.

“Look at the hymn board over there, Jack. Psalms 101:3. What could that mean?”

“I know that psalm, seems Blackbeard was penitent. I wonder what the number MMMMVII inscribed in gold letters on the altar cloth stands for,” said Jack, scratching his head, “and the text at the bottom of the painting:”

GLOBULI IN FORAMINIS AURUM REVELARE

“Twelve cannon balls and seven cannons. I’ve read that Blackbeard was quite inventive, maybe there’s a mechanism for opening something,” Jack mused, eyeing the inverted cannons.

“Then the cannon balls must be involved somehow, maybe to exert pressure, and don’t forget the numbers, Jack.” suggested Jill.

“That gives me an idea,” said Jack, pulling out a pen, notepad and a calculator from his bag. Let me figure out how long it will take.”

“I’ll Google the Latin,” said Jill, cheerfully, “I have a feeling we’ll work this out pretty soon, Jack. Say, I wonder where they’re buried.”

What do you figure Jack and Jill could do to uncover Blackbeard’s treasure?

It was a bright blue sunny Caribbean day with occasional fluffy clouds sailing by like galleons over an island with abundant jungle growth and a lively variety of bird chatter.

“Look there, Arby. Isn’t that a tombstone,” shouted Pascal, assistant to explorer Dr. Arbuthnot Smythe, as he ran to inspect a black rock hidden among foliage under some palm trees on the remote uninhabited Caribbean island Esmeralda.

“Well spotted,” Dr. Smythe followed Pascal to inspect the black rock. “Clean up the surface so we can see what’s written on it,” said Dr. Smythe, following close behind.

Pascal was already busy brushing the black rock free of debris and growth, revealing the large letters R I P with the name Jack Black Silver below.

“Could be treasure decoy work by Capt. Kidd, indicating that we are on the right track based on the parchment incrusted with an emerald and black seal we found in an old ship’s log at Boggs’ Antiquary in London,” said Dr. Smythe after examining the black tombstone.

“There is more text chiseled in under the name,” said Pascal enthusiastically. “Very strange, there are three large numbers with letters.” Pascal scratched his head with a puzzled look on his face.

“What are the numbers,” asked Dr. Smythe, standing ready with notebook and pen.

“Arby, they read as follows: 180XYZ34, 158XYZ and 982XYZ8, one number above the other,” replied a befuddled Pascal.

“I say, definitely not coordinates,” observed Dr. Arbuthnot Smythe, tapping his pen on the pad.

“Wait, I see some small writing below which reads:

‘By dyviding the dyvisor, ye pace 19 rest N, then pace 12 rest W.’

What in the world could all that gibberish mean?” exclaimed Pascal.

“Hmm,” said Dr. Smythe, scratching his van Dyke beard, concentrating on the numbers. “I would say we need to work out what the letters stand for. I believe Capt. Kidd’s treasure chest could be buried nearby,” said Dr. Smythe deep in thought.

“Maybe the word ‘rest’ means ‘remainder’,” commented Pascal.

“Inspired thought, Pascal, I think you are on the right track. Get your calculator out and let’s solve this riddle,” said Dr. Arbuthnot Smythe with enthusiasm.

About how many paces from the black tombstone would you say the treasure is located?