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Pirate House Legend Revisited « Russell Guerin
http://www.russguerin.com/history/pirates/pirate-house-legend-revisit.
Another revelation new to me is the mention of an “arched” ceiling, this from Mr. Kaiser. This is the first I have heard of the arch, but it is not insignificant. I believe this possibility helps to explain how the structure might have been built. It might have been an excavation that was covered over, rather than a tunnel. The latter, most people agree, would have been near impossible to dig under early circumstances. But with slave labor, what was possible was the digging of a deep trench which was then walled and roofed over by an arch, and then covered, giving the appearance of a tunnel from underground.
An opening at the water’s end being impossible, it could not have been a way to bring contraband slaves in from open water. The many ballast stones nearby attest to the conclusion that they were brought in by small boats through the natural inlet and into the harbor nearby. The enclosure then became a dungeon for those unfortunate beings.
My file contains an 1849 map showing both the inlet and the pond, with a lone house - the Pirate House -
alongside.
Another very curious mention by Mr. Cuevas is the suggestion of “secret closets and hiding places.” I am reminded of Mr. Nicaise’s story in a previous posting of the safe that was found after Camille of which Mr. Lister had had no previous knowledge. It had to be assumed to have been hidden somewhere in the house, undiscovered by the residents.
The mysteries continue. The legend is continually enlarged. But what we know is that there was some fascinating underlying truth. Hopefully, additional input will one day give a clearer meaning to the name, “Pirate House.”
rbg
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2/27/2015 10:16AM