John Smith and W. C. Callihan of the old town of Liverpool, Brazoria
County, are each eighty-four years old; each is sound in mind and body;
and each has spent practically his entire life in the vicinity of
Liverpool. These men speak familiarly of Warren D. C. Hall, of Lamar,
and of Lafitte’s lieutenants. The legendary material here given is
based on their separate statements. However, the stories told by them
coincide to a remarkable degree. Liverpool is situated on Chocolate
Bayou, and is so near Galveston Island that the early history of the
two places is closely related. Consequently Smith and Callihan are
familiar with the lore bearing on Lafitte’s life. What they have to say
is not based so much on legends in general circulation as on the
stories told them by Lafitte’s associates. One of these followers of
Lafitte was Jim Campbell, who, after the departure of his chief from
Galveston Island in 1821, settled on what became known as Campbell’s
Bayou. The other was an odd character called Captain Snyder.
No story of Lafitte proceeds very far without referring in some way to
buried treasure. The lives led by the two strange characters just
mentioned caused many to believe that they had stored away some of
their chief’s wealth. According to Smith and Callihan, these
ex-associates of Lafitte never lacked money, although they were engaged
in no profitable business. Long after the death of Jim Campbell, it was
generally believed that his widow knew where money was buried but was
unwilling to reveal the place.
Captain Snyder was likewise known to have plenty of money. He was
engaged in carrying some kind of trade from the Brazos to Liverpool,
for which he used a one-eyed mule, but he got little income from this
occupation. His actions at times, too, were rather strange. Smith was
often on the boat with him, and when they would approach Galveston
Island, Snyder would frequently get off and go ashore. There he would
go to a clump of bushes, and apparently try to get his bearings for
some point.
Some of the buried treasure stories, however, are based on more direct
information. In the fifties, according to the authorities already
quoted, there appeared at the mouth of Chocolate Bayou a small vessel,
which remained in that vicinity for several days. During the daytime it
would go to the opposite side of the bay, and at night it would return
to the near shore. This odd procedure aroused a little curiosity, but
would doubtless have been soon forgotten had not an important discovery
followed. A few days after the vessel had gone, Smith and Callihan paid
a visit to the mouth of the Bayou and, to their surprise, found that
excavations had been made. Beginning at the shore, a long trench had
been opened, and at the end of this a large hole had been dug.
Apparently, a chest of some kind had been taken out, for the imprint of
the box—even to the handles—was plainly visible. As further evidence,
there was lying to one side a broken earthen jar that had been sealed
with sealing wax, and upon its fragments were imprints of coins.
A less realistic story is told of the region around what was called
Dick’s Camp, on Chocolate Bayou. A Mrs. Adams who lived in the vicinity
had had a persistent dream of buried treasure. For three successive
nights she had the same dream, and in these dreams she was told that
$100,000 in gold was buried near Dick’s Camp. The exact spot was to be
found by sighting with three stakes due east from a certain point. Mrs.
Adams was so impressed with the repetition of this dream that the third
morning she and her son set out in search of the hidden treasure. On
the way they were joined by Smith, who at first was not told the
purpose of the excursion. On reaching the spot they did not find any
stake set up, but they did find three china trees in a line running due
east. The son, whose name was Brunner, began sighting and measuring,
and finally he said, “Here it is.”
“What?” asked Smith.
“$100,000 in gold,” replied Brunner.
Excavation was begun at once, but had not proceeded far when the
treasure hunters dug into an oyster bed. Thinking there was little hope
of finding treasure in that medium, the search was abandoned and, so
far as is known, it has not been renewed.
Captain Snyder, who has already been mentioned, was a strange
character. Those who knew him declare that he slept with one eye open,
and that often he would cry out in his sleep, “Boys, the Spaniards are
coming.” He told many Lafitte stories. He had seen service with his
chief on voyages against the Spanish. According to his description,
these encounters with the Spaniards were bloody affairs. Blood ran off
the decks like water, and when the fight was over, the enemy dead were
thrown into the sea. One of the most remarkable incidents related by
Snyder, however, pertained to the storm of 1819. Lafitte, with his four
ships, was in the bay when the hurricane arose. The storm became so
intense that he decided to go with his vessels to the high seas and
take his chances there. He headed toward the channel, but, as the wind
was blowing from the east, he was unable to get out that way. He
therefore came back and drove his vessels straight across the island in
six or seven feet of water.