2017 has been full of adventures! Several months ago, I wrote a couple quick posts about how I stumbled across “The Secret: A Treasure Hunt”, a book that was written by Byron Preiss and published in 1982. This book is what’s known as an “armchair treasure hunt”, and it features a series of clues which lead to a dozen buried treasures across North America. Basically, all a person had to do was buy the book, match one of twelve cryptic verses up with another set of equally puzzling paintings, and then somehow the clues would lead you to an exact location. That done, you could dig down through three feet of dirt to pull out a buried “treasure casque”. These ceramic casques each contained a single key, which could then be mailed in to the publisher in exchange for one of twelve precious gemstones.
Sounds simple enough, right?
Well as it turns out, since the book’s publication (35 years ago!) only two of these twelve treasures have ever been found. The first happened in Chicago shortly after the book’s publication, but the second casque, buried in Cleveland, wasn’t found until 2004. Since then, aspiring treasure hunters have begun to collaborate online through forums like Reddit and Quest4Treasure, sharing their ideas in the hopes of uncovering the next casque. But as these two articles from 2014 and 2016 explain, even with all that teamwork the puzzle remains unsolved. And what about the book’s creator, Mr. Preiss? Unfortunately, he passed away in 2005 following a tragic car crash. To the dismay of “The Secret” fans everywhere, it appears that he never kept a written record of these casque locations. I’m a sucker for both unsolved mysteries and cool marketing gimmicks, so the hunt instantly grabbed my attention.
Once I discovered that one of these casques was presumed to be in my adopted hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, I bought a used copy of “The Secret” off Amazon and set to work. Although the puzzles were supposedly built around easily identifiable landmarks, most cities’ landscapes have changed significantly over the past three decades. For me, though, the biggest challenge was getting into a 1980s mindset. As I worked through the puzzle, I made sure to double-check my work by applying a few resources which were available during that era. Think library card catalogs, rather than Google searches! Also, it was very helpful for me to start off by reading through all the work that other treasure hunters have published about the Charleston casque. I sorted through about fifteen years’ worth of work which had been done on this puzzle, and reviewed several other theories (including their dead ends) which related to Charleston. Trust me on this, it’s much easier to find a buried treasure when 75% of the work has already been done for you!
After about a month’s work, I came to the conclusion that this casque is almost certainly buried on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, on the outskirts of Fort Moultrie. Specifically, it looks like Byron Preiss must have buried the Charleston casque next to the fort’s Northwest Bastion, near the gravestone of Chief Osceola’s. Its precise location would seem to be “twelve paces west” of the USS Patapsco monument obelisk, which stands next to the fort’s entrance sallyport.
Let me back up for a moment, and go through the work in more detail. Most casque hunters agree that each of the book’s twelve Images can somehow be used to identify one particular city where the casque was buried. From there, once you’ve read through the Verses and determined which of them could be matched to that particular Image, the combination will then guide you along towards an exact burial spot. For example, here’s the puzzle picture that I was working on (Image 2):
After reading through all the previous research, I agreed with my fellow hunters that Image 2 definitely led to Charleston. So, the next step was to determine which Verse it should be paired with. When I joined the hunt the leading candidates either were Verse 5, whose clues seemed to indicate some relationship to either Fort Sumter or Fort Moultrie, or Verse 6, which was thought to point towards the city’s White Point Gardens. I started my search by taking a critical look at each of these theories, and then tried to fill in some of the gaps based on my own personal knowledge of the Lowcountry.
After just a few days of digging I found myself leaning towards Fort Moultrie, mostly due to the “immigration” theme of this book. The opening pages of “The Secret” tell the story of Old World fairies who immigrated to North America, and this particular Image was thought to represent African spirits. It seemed to me as if the author may have been trying to draw attention to the area’s role in the slave trade, since it’s estimated that up 40% of African slaves arrived in the United States through the Port of Charleston. Sullivan’s Island served as kind of a quarantine station, and until very recently this important story just hasn’t received the attention it deserves.
Because Charleston has grown a lot over the past 35 years, I also went to Ebay and “invested” (read: blew) five bucks on a 1981 road map of Charleston County. (Anyone out there remember those things? Yeah, they’re still a pain in the butt to fold back up!) I also spent some time surfing through the National Park Service’s awesome Open Parks Network in order to find some historic photos of how the area looked in 1982, which is how I was able to uncover a couple of brand-new clues. Finally, once I was able to make it back home to Charleston, I paid a long-overdue visit to the Charleston County Public Library’s South Carolina Room. This awesome resource has a ton of reference material on historic sites in the Lowcountry, including some of Fort Moultrie’s guidebooks from the early ’80s.
So, after all that research, here’s how I interpreted some of the clues in Image 2:
And after that I was 100% certain that Image 2 led to Charleston, here’s how I ended up reading the specific “directions” included in Verse 5. The poem might seem a little confusing at first, but in my opinion it looks like each of these lines makes a reference to either the history of Fort Moultrie, or the geography of Sullivan’s Island.
Lane
Two twenty two
It looks like this is a clue for Station 22 ½, the road which leads onto Sullivan’s Island from Highway 703 in Mount Pleasant. This would have been the only road leading onto Sullivan’s Island back in 1981. Other hunters had already pointed out how Image 2’s bent cypress branch resembles the contours of Coleman Boulevard, but I was still amazed to by the way that a transparency of this branch formed a near-perfect overlay above the old road map.
It’s also interesting to note that Edgar Allen Poe wrote some of his early poems under the pseudonym of “Tamerlane II”, and that he served in the Army at Fort Moultrie as part of H Company Artillery… when he was 22 years old! His famous story “The Gold Bug” is also set on Sullivan’s Island, and the plot revolved around a mysterious mask similar to the one pictured in the Image.
You’ll see an arc of lights
If you’re driving onto Sullivan’s Island across the Ben Sawyer bridge and onto Station 22 1/2, then this would almost certainly be a reference to the Charleston Light. This tall, slender lighthouse uses dual carbon arc lamps that produce a unique “burst” pattern. Its light is visible 24/7, but the “arc” effect is definitely more noticeable at night.
Weight and roots extended
Together saved the site
I figured this couplet referred to the Battle of Sullivan’s Island, which took place here in 1776. The word “weight” seems to be a reference to cannon, which were often categorized by their size—twelve- or twenty-four-pound guns, for example. “Roots extended” is probably a metaphor for how palmetto trees were used to shore up the walls of the original fort. That tree’s wood was so soft that British cannonballs bounced off them with little damage, a decisive factor in that Revolutionary War battle. William Moultrie was the garrison commander at the time, and the permanent fort was later re-named in his honor. Even today, the South Carolina state flag still features a palmetto tree as a tribute to this site.
Of granite walls
Wind swept halls
Citadel in the night
Fort Moultrie has a number of open-air tunnels, so I’m guessing these could be poetically viewed as “wind-swept halls”. The modern-era fort is indeed built on a foundation of granite, and another interesting (but probably unrelated) tidbit is that blue granite is actually South Carolina’s state stone. The city of Charleston itself is also home to a military college called “The Citadel”, which is located downtown at 171 Moultrie Street.
And I hadn’t known this at first, but it’s interesting to note that in December 1860 the fort was abandoned by Union troops on the eve of the Civil War. The garrison commander, Major Robert Anderson, led his troops across the harbor to Fort Sumter under cover of darkness, since that location was considered to be a much safer position. Could Mr. Preiss have been making a reference to this empty fort through the lines “Wind swept halls / Citadel in the night”?
A wingless bird ascended
Born of ancient dreams of flight
This couplet was the one that really broke the puzzle open for me. A quick look in a thesaurus showed that “wingless” is an acceptable synonym for “flightless”, so I began searching for any connections that flightless bird species might have to the fort. Sure enough, I found out that the Seminole chief Osceola was taken to Fort Moultrie after being captured by the US Army in Florida, and he took ill while in captivity there. On his deathbed, the chief asked to be dressed in his iconic headdress…which was made of ostrich feathers! With this information in mind, I took the word “ascended” to mean that the bird’s feathers had “ascended” into heaven at Osceola’s death, and that “ancient dreams of flight” would then be a reference to that species’ vestigial, non-functioning wings.
Beneath the only standing member
Of a forest
To the south
Now since Osceola was a member of the Seminole nation, it only made sense that these lines might refer to either the Seminole State Forest or the Osceola National Forest, both in central Florida. I’m no expert on plants, so I was very grateful that other hunters had already pointed out that the branch featured in Image 2 appears to come from a cypress tree. That made sense, since that species is pretty common in Florida, but at first this still seemed to be one more dead end. Nowadays there just aren’t that many trees around Fort Moultrie besides palmettos, and there were simply no trees near Osceola’s grave at all. Thanks to the help of both the Open Parks Network and the Library of Congress’ digital archives, however, I was able to literally go back in time. It was a great opportunity to see what the area would have looked like in 1981, back when Byron Preiss was flying around the country to bury his casques.
And what do you know?
And this reverse view comes from “Constant Defender“, the official guidebook to Fort Moultrie, which was available through the Charleston County Public Library. (You rock, CCPL!) This book was first published in 1978, and I got the impression that Byron Preiss *may* have purchased one from the gift shop. The copy that I read through seemed to touch on all of this clues used in both Image 2 and Verse 5, so it’s entirely *possible* that Priess actually used this guidebook as his main source of inspiration.
White stone closest
Following along with this line of thinking, the “white stone” in Verse 5 would then have to be this white granite obelisk next to Osceola’s grave. The memorial was erected in memory to the sailors of the ironclad USS Patapsco, which was sunk during the Civil War when it struck a Confederate harbor mine. Engraved on the stone are the names of each of the 62 sailors who were killed that day, including the ship’s “acting master”: a man named John White.
It was also fun to learn that these buoyant harbor mines were often described as “pear-shaped”, which made yet another more new connection back to the clues in Image 2. Fort Moultrie’s old torpedo storehouse was renovated into NPS administrative offices back in 1976, and one of these “pear-shaped” mines is on display out front. The mine is located directly across the street, clearly visible from the Patapsco monument.
At twelve paces
From the west side
If you look at a “pace” as a standard unit of measure (2.5 feet), this last clue would put the final location exactly 30 feet west of the Patapsco monument, right along the brick wall of the fort’s Northwest bastion. But it’s just as likely that Mr. Priess used heel-to-toe “paces” stepping off from the obelisk, which cuts the distance in half. When I paced off that distance myself, I ended up right next to where the “missing” tree once stood.
Just as importantly, this end of Sullivan’s Island is still a relatively quiet spot once the fort closes up each night. I imagine that it probably would have been even more deserted back in 1981, before a lot of the surrounding developments were built up. On a dark, moonlit night, this secluded corner would have been the perfect place for Byron Preiss to sneak up unnoticed and bury one of his treasure casques.
Get permission
To dig out.
It took me just over a month to work through the this puzzle, but obviously I had a huge head start thanks to all the other hunters who’d already shared their work on the Quest4Treasure forum. These last two lines, though, are where I first started to encounter obstacles. The “warning” at the end of Verse 5 makes complete sense… this section of the lawn is technically still a part of Fort Moultrie. As a part of Fort Sumter National Monument, all excavations, metal detecting, and the like are strictly prohibited. Not only is this one of South Carolina’s most important historic sites, the location I’d identified is pretty darn close to a pair of actual grave sites. Needless to say, conducting a midnight raid with a flashlight and a shovel was entirely out of the question!
With that in mind, I reached out to the great staff of Fort Sumter National Monument. The team there seemed very interested in the ongoing hunt, and I’m happy to report that they were extremely helpful and responsive throughout the process. Ultimately, though, the National Park Service had to deny my request to break ground. The NPS contact I spoke with (quite rightly) pointed out that “if” Mr. Preiss had indeed buried a casque anywhere on the grounds of Fort Moultrie, even outside the Fort itself, he would have been violating federal law at the time. What can I say, really? The world was probably an entirely different place in 1982. Back then, a lone guy caught hauling a shovel around a national monument at night would have probably been dismissed as nothing more than a harmless prankster, especially if he’d claimed that he was only trying to bury a fairy treasure chest. If he was to try the same thing today, though, there’s a good chance that Mr. Preiss would be detained as a suspected terrorist!
But even after it became apparent that digging up this casque on my own was out of the question, I’ve continued to pick away at the edges of this puzzle. For example, I’ve reached out to previous Directors of Fort Sumter National Monument, who confirmed that while they’ve occasionally fielded other inquiries related to “The Secret”, they’ve never received a complete interpretation for this spot. I also posted this same write-up on the Quest4Treasure forums earlier this year, with the goal of helping my fellow hunters pursue the remaining (and hopefully more accessible!) treasure casques. Since then, I’m very grateful to have had my work reviewed by Rob Wrobel, one of the three “kids” who found the first casque in Chicago in 1982, Brian Zinn, who found the Cleveland casque in 2004, and James Renner, another author who’s made a project of documenting the fascinating story of “The Secret”.
I even went so far as to get in contact with iBooks, the publishing company which bought the rights to “The Secret” after Preiss’ death, since they’ve put the book back into print a few years ago. Unfortunately, even this step turned out to be a dead end—-the new publisher, Mr. John T. Colby, told me there was no way for him to acknowledge this location as even a “probable” solution, since all records of the casque locations were lost after Preiss passed away. In 2017, it seems as if the only way for a hunter to claim one of the remaining prizes would be to actually produce one of the casques. In the case of the Charleston puzzle, that would involve going against the author’s express instructions for this location, as well as committing a federal offense by digging up a national monument.
Let me think about that for a minute… yeah, no thanks!
To be fully honest, it did feel a little disappointing to come so close to solving a thirty-five-year-old riddle, only to hit a dead-end just three feet from my goal. In all fairness, though, I simply can’t see any other way to submit a modern-day solution to this puzzle unless you’ve got that ceramic casque in hand to show for your work. But as much as this project turned out to be a rabbit hole, one that sucked up at least a hundred hours of my time over the past year, it was also an incredible amount of fun! I had an absolute blast looking into the history of my adopted hometown, sort of like watching the movie “National Treasure” but in real life.
And when I was finally back home in Charleston for a few weeks, my trip to Fort Moultrie made me see the place from a whole new perspective. Even if Byron Preiss’ casque does have to remain buried here, it still gave me a huge thrill to stand on the grass where a tree once marked the spot. I guess when you take into consideration the fact that no one’s ever came this close to solving the Charleston puzzle, having to stop three feet short of finding “buried treasure” doesn’t seem so bad after all.
One last word: if you’re interested in learning more about “The Secret”, be sure to tune in to the Travel Channel on January 17, 2018. The show “Expedition Unknown”, starring Josh Gates, will feature an entire episode dedicated to this book. Just my opinion here, but it looks like Byron Preiss’ mystery is just as captivating today as it was 35 years ago. Maybe even more so!
And for all you other hunters out there, keep searching! After all, there’s still a few more casques out there somewhere. As for me, I’ve already got my sights set on another adventure for 2018…
2019 UPDATE: I just wanted to add a quick note to say thank you to the tens of thousands of people who’ve followed my hunt since 2017! The level of support has been unbelievable, particularly after this article appeared on the front page of the Post and Courier, and I had the opportunity to submit this write-up for Sullivan’s Island Magazine. I’m still not sure when this casque will ever see the light of day, but according to federal law, NPS would technically own any “treasure” which had been buried on its lands anyway. In this case, I’m assuming that would also include any potential prizes which might be awarded by either Ibooks or the estate of Byron Preiss. No big loss, though– with this particular treasure hunt, the fun of the search was its own reward!
Also, it’s been great to see the resurgence of interest in “The Secret” following three (!) separate “Expedition Unknown” episodes starring Josh Gates… which included the discovery of another long-lost casque in Boston! For all you newbies, welcome to the hunt! Be sure to do your research before you head out, and always get permission before you attempt a dig. Above all else, remember to have fun!
Last… Just one more comment on my “solution.” Although I haven’t been able to make it back “home” to Charleston in a while, in April 2018 a fellow hunter named George Ward (creator of the “12 Treasures website“) and another individual conducted a series of late-night ground probes around this grassy area. In doing so, the two of them apparently struck “something” small and solid right around my spot… although to be fair, given the long history of Fort Moultrie, this might just as easily be some random brick as it could be Byron Preiss’ lost casque.
So– is the Charleston casque really still down there in the grass outside of Fort Moultrie, laying undisturbed for over three decades now? It’s impossible to say for sure without actually digging it out, a job which is obviously best left to NPS’ archaeological specialists. Here’s hoping they’ll be able to explore further someday… but in the meantime, the hunt continues! And since there’s always room for one more searcher— why don’t you pick up a copy of the book and join us?
Thank you so much for your detailed analysis of this poem. As a native of SC, now living outside of Atlanta, it was a trip through memory lane. Most schools visit Charleston and the surrounding area with their history classes and I think you are spot on. It’s a shame you are unable to dig and retrieve the treasure box. I hope that you will ask permission again. Refer them to the show where other parks gave permission if it was restored as found. I look forward to any updates that you may write.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth, thanks very much for the support! NPS has been absolutely great to work with, but it doesn’t help that this particular location is a protected archaeological site. There’s literally 240 years of history resting on that spot, so I actually agree with them that any digs should be supported by trained professionals. Keep hope alive, though…you never know what 2018 might bring!
I saw the episode the other night and I must say I’m very intrigued by The treasure hunt!!, so doing some reading and such on the book and its clues, but curious as to why this particular casque would be buried in a forbidden area where your not able to dig it up. I thought I read that Preiss would not bury it where you where forbidden to dig… which sucks if he really did bury it there. however….. since you technically don’t have it in your possession then its not found…. ??
Brandy, welcome to the hunt! I’ve got a few thoughts on *why* Preiss chose to bury one of his twelve casques in an area which would require permission to dig it out, but I haven’t shared those publicly yet. You’re 100% right, though, the casque isn’t technically found if it’s still in the ground (although I have already made all the notifications!) Here’s hoping we’ll be able to find out for sure someday!
Thanks for the work and write up, unfortunately like u said we’ll have to agree to disagree, couple HUGE things..1. why not state publicly WHY hed bury a cask there, when youve already given TONS of other info, including “location” to treasure? 2. U said yourself your location was extremely close to some burials, and the author definitely states no treasure would b found near cemetery, im sure common sense would prevail and also include any known graves, and most importantly 3. U keep sayin well, he said u had to b sure to ask permission, but thing is, why would he tell us to do something, when there was no way in hell he himself could’ve even got permission to dig there in the first place?? im willin to bet same rules to digging back then r the same they r now..id jus find it hard to believe he step that far from his own values, when it came to selecting places to dig for himself..i just cant see him intentionally sending people to such a protected site as fort Moultrie, to start diggin an poking around, cause he had to know good an well theres jus as many hunters out there that could care less about the rules or protecting archeological sites, and just in it for the loot…part of me believes u may b right in that its on sullivans Island, i just dont think itd b on a protected site..a regular ol state park is one thing, but Moultrie is an extremely important archeological site, thats right up there with cemeteries as a big no-no when it comes to ANY digging without an archeological degree, there is NO permission to even get in the first place, he wouldn’t have been able to get it, an he would’ve known none of US would’ve either
William, thanks very much for reading my article! Even now, four years after my search concluded, I still have no idea *why* Byron Preiss would have chosen to end the Charleston puzzle this way, other than the fact that there’s no more relevant spot in the US with regards to ‘immigration’ from Africa.
As far as legality, NPS *was* able to confirm that it would also have been against the law for Preiss to have dug on the park grounds in 1982. I’m not sure how much of a concern that would have been for Preiss, though. Especially now, after the recent Boston find, when it’s apparent that he really expected his readers to go out and dig up a little league baseball diamond!
So who knows? There’s always a chance that Preiss might not even have buried this casque at all, but rather, entrusted it to NPS’ Park Superintendent, with instructions to award it to the first searcher who came asking for permission?
At this point, your guess is as good as mine, but this article is meant to be an account of where my search led me. Here’s hoping your adventure is just as fun!
see my comments to you on Tweeter
Hi, I’m currently working on the San Francisco treasure. I am disheartened to hear that you can’t dig there. The other day I was at home depot and saw that they sell aerator canes. It’s a cane with a sharp point. Maybe you could bring one of those in and put a rubber tip on it, then get to the site and poke around? Just food for thought. Good luck and thanks for the good read!
Bryan, welcome to the hunt! Locating the casque would be easy enough in that area, a simple ground probe would probably do the trick. The real issue seems to be how to best protect the surrounding area, which is undoubtedly littered with old bullets & other historic artifacts. I think I’d be able to recover the casque without any problems, but in this archaeologically important spot the work is probably best left to the pros.
First I’d like to say you have an excellent write-up . I just recently learned of this Treasure hunt and watched the Expedition Unknown show. It brings me back to my childhood and watching the movie Goonies. At a minimum I would think the park would try to get permission the right way and find out if it is there for themselves and if it is put it on display witj the Gem. It would bring even more visitors to the site. If it is there it is part of their history now. Which ironically is what the site is for. If found there you should get credit. Thanks
Jason, thanks for the interest! (Goonies never say die!)
I agree, and I think NPS does too, this is a really interesting story that does a great job of highlighting the fort’s unique history. Actual “ownership” of the buried casque seems like a secondary concern at this point— if Byron Preiss really was trying to highlight African immigration into America (read: slavery), telling that story seems a little more important than who gets to claim a non-monetary prize.
What does the Fort or the Seminole have to do with Africa or Lions? That is the part I’m drawing a blank on. Also the Bottom left mask with the stripes, and star. No one has been able to explain that precisely, and the clock face on it.
I would also want to know what the imagery for the woman and her wings meant? I’ve been studying Image2 for a while now and looked at this solve and the PBWorks solve that leads to White point garden and neither of them seem to explain the slavery/African connections at all. Which is why I have a hard time believing them.
I had read an alternate theory that Savannah Georgia and Fort Pulaski made more sense, and that the slave connection could be made there more easily without having to rifle through history books.
George Ward said it best. “The solved verses have no rabbit holes to jump down, and don’t require you to make grand connections to historical figures”
I see a problem with your solve is that you had to go and look up all of this historical information and nothing in the riddle or the image leads you to Sullivan Island. I also do not think it’s near a grave site because the book specifically says it wont be in graveyards.
Thank you for the write up but I do not buy it and I look forward to your reply.
Jeff, thanks for reading! Welcome to The Secret community. I hope you enjoy exploring wherever the hunt takes you!
If your local college has an Archaeology Dept you may be able to strike up interest there and have someone come out with a Ground Penetrating Radar. If they don’t have access to one at the school I’m sure the instructors know who/where to get one. Might be the best way to confirm a buried object and no digging required!
EB, thanks for the suggestion. I’ve actually had a couple offers of GPR assistance but much like metal detectors, that equipment is also prohibited on the grounds of a national monument. The NPS team works very closely with area archaeologists, though, so who knows? Maybe they’ll be able to look into this a little more closely during any future work around the NW bastion.
There is one man that may be able to confirm the location, and that is John Jude Palencar – the artist. Preiss took photos which he gave to Palencar to create the images. He doesn’t respond to most emails, but you could try.
Julian, great minds think alike. I actually did reach out to Mr. Palencar twice last year, but with no results. In a way, I actually admire the man for sticking to his word & his contract…
Hi! I really love your article but I was wondering something. So I like how you explained the Verse 5 to Charleston, but most of the clues in the verse are more directly related to Montreal, Canada. Have you ever considered using Verse 6 and seeing if there is more evidence to White Point Garden because there are a lot of things that match up there, and I don’t think it is just coincidence. Also I was wondering, how and who do you contact if you unearth a treasure? Just wondering what would happen if you did. Great work on the article! Great info!!!
James, Im not sure if you have seen this picture yet or not. But the tree in the background, in the link below, better resembles the one depicted in Image 2. Googling ‘cypress trees’ did not give me any indication that Image 2 featured one.
“Beneath the only standing member
Of a forest
To the south”
Could be referencing this tree. It is on the south side of the monument. It could just be interpreting a starting point to your paces which would lead you to the same area anyway.
https://openparksnetwork.org/single-item-view/?oid=OPN_NS:4C1BA6E9336FD4B2EAB69D83F2C51EEF&b=https%3A%2F%2Fopenparksnetwork.org%2Fsearch-results%2F%3Fk%3DUSS%2520Patapsco%26opn_refine_control%3Djump%26xi%3D1%26xm%3D20%26sf%3D&b=https%3A%2F%2Fopenparksnetwork.org%2Fsearch-results%2F%3Fk%3DUSS%2520Patapsco%26opn_refine_control%3Djump%26xi%3D1%26xm%3D20%26sf%3D
Andy, thanks very much for reading. Sharp eye as well! I actually did see this shot– it’s tough to tell since it’s an undated 35mm photo, but judging by that old ironwork along Osceola’s grave I’d say it’s pre-1969. (The chief was re-interred that year, and his new grave was slightly offset from the Patapsco monument.)
When I uploaded a couple more photos like this one to the Q4T site last year it looked like this taller tree was one of a matching pair, with the second one standing a little closer to the sallyport. Best I could tell was that both of these trees were gone before Preiss visited in 1981, though, so that would have left the one smaller tree alongside Osceola’s grave as “the only standing” member. Check out this 1976 shot for a better view: http://bit.ly/2BxEVYf
Great to see another “hunter” taking full advantage of the Open Parks Network!
This is great stuff and i believe that casque is there. Do not give up on gaining permission James, the casque is final proof and it will remain unfinished until the casque is unearthed! GPR under Archaeological supervision, seems logical and something you can potentially get the go ahead on. The official discover would generate a ton of press and awareness for the Fort and its history, and prevent trespasswrs from trying to illegally unearth, all benefits to the NPS.
Shawn, thanks for very much for the support! Keep your fingers crossed— you never know what the future might hold!
James looks like your right. I actually lead my self to that island with verse 6 and the same picture. I think it is the only logical explanation of the picture. I actually went to fort sullivan today myself as i am in vacstion here. It sucks they aren’t allowing you to dig but i think the location is a little off because I am sure in 1981 they wouldn’t allow you to dig their as well but maybe I am wrong.
Daniel, thanks very much for reading! I agree, it’s a shame the casque wasn’t buried just a little further away from the fort, but I’m fairly certain that location is why Byron Preiss so explicitly said “Get permission / To dig out.” Hopefully we’ll be able to find out for sure someday? In any case, I’m glad you got the chance to visit Charleston!
Does anyone think it could be in Savannah Ga?
No, I don’t think so. I’ve never seen Savannah mentioned as a possible treasure site, but there’s almost certainly another unfound casque buried somewhere in Florida. Welcome to the hunt!
Hi James,
Would you mind updating us once a month on your efforts to receive permission to dig? I am anxiously awaiting you unearthing this casque!
Shawn, thanks very much for reading! I’ll definitely keep everyone in the loop if there’s any movement on the project…be sure to follow my author pages on Facebook/Twitter so you don’t miss any updates. The hunt continues!
I just found out about “the secret” from a coworker today. Needless to say I can’t stop thinking about it. The western US kind of got the short end of the stick on the riddles. I hope to one day see you able to dig around. This is all very exciting!
Derek, welcome to the hunt! (Be careful, “The Secret” will suck you in!) Respectfully disagree with your geography, though– to date, both of the solved puzzles have been located in the Midwest. And there’s also “presumed” treasures still up for grabs in Louisiana, Texas and California…depending on who you ask, you might also look into exploring Utah and Colorado as well. Best of luck, and keep us posted on your progress!
James, great write up of the interesting ride Byron Preiss planned for you so long ago. I also recently outed another casque hunt virtually. And I think we have laid fair claim to solving the hunt, if and when spade is set to earth. The history is the true treasure.
Biuvula, thanks very much for reading! There’s only one sure way we’ll be able to prove our theories, and that’s to pull a casque out of the ground… here’s hoping we’ll actually see that happen someday!
James,
Will you take on solving another one of the cities while awaiting your permission to dig up the Charleston casque?
S, thanks for reading! I’ve got a few ideas about some other presumed casques, but those ones are a little more challenging since I don’t know the cities as well. Be sure to follow the blog for updates, though: I plan to highlight at least two more unsolved hunts later this year.
Awesome work man.
Thanks very much for the support! Hopefully we’ll be able to see this casque above ground someday.
[…] “Secret” hunters: I’ve just put the full “solution” up on the Quest 4 Treasure forums (as well as a December 31, 2017 post here on my own blog), so hopefully the methodology I used will be helpful if there’s a casque in your neck of the […]
Let me know if there’s anything I can help with- I live in North Mt P and would love to be a part of it
Hana, thanks very much for reading. Will keep you posted if there’s any movement on this project!
Just wondering, but what’s the date of your last exploration. I finally got to Charleston and started my search today. Honestly the places it has taken me have been worth it already.
Most of my work was done in 2017, but it seems like I’m still coming back to this puzzle nearly every day. Welcome to the hunt, and enjoy your visit to Charleston!
Hi there, James. Wanted to say first that this seems to be the most thorough explanation of the images/verses I’ve read to date. One issue is with the 5 soldiers buried just a few paces away, wouldn’t that be considered a cemetery and breaking rule #2?
John, thanks very much for reading! Here are the actual guidelines, as listed on page 219 of the original book:
“The following places do not hold any treasure:
(a) any life-threatening location, such as a dangerous highway embankment, a contaminated area or active railway track
(b) any cemetery
(c) any public or private flower bed
(d) any property owned by the contributors to the book, their families or friends.”
So yes, even though the casque’s location is very close to two gravesites, the remains of both the USS Patapsco sailors and Chief Osceola are clearly marked off by protective iron fencing. Yes, the entire grassy area outside the Northwest Bastion is also a part of Fort Sumter National Monument– (a fact I suspect Byron Preiss didn’t realize when he buried the casque here)– but it’d be a real stretch to call this entire plot of land a cemetery.
James, This is impressive work and sounds very plausible. Permission is definitely the way to go and when these places deny it they are instead inviting people to go out at night and start digging all over like has happened in Boston and Milwaukee and other places.Unfortunately those same types dont fill in the holes or care about the parks much or maybe they’re in a big hurry but in any case it is bad for the rest of us. Arrests have been made. In many cases people have not done the work like you have and asked to dig in random places. This also makes getting permission more difficult. Maybe you could convince them to grant permission to drill a hole and insert a camera down. You can get cheap ones that attach to a smart phone. This was done in New Orleans by James Brad Berry and I personally consider that puzzle solved. At least if you see a cask or plexiglass you can call this solved. And who knows? if they see that maybe they would let you remove it. Byron lived in a different world in 1981, 20 years before 9/11. Less security. Even so Byron had to know that, if you are correct and its right by a for,t that you’d need permission and it sounds like he got it.
Page, thanks very much for reading! Unfortunately I haven’t been able to make it back “home” to Charleston this year, although another hunter, George Ward, was able to link up with an NPS employee at Fort Moultrie and probe the soft ground along the NW sallyport. The two of them hit something solid in this spot, but short of an actual dig it’s impossible to tell whether this is the casque, or maybe just an old brick. In any case it’s an academic discussion for now, since both the casque and any prizes which came from it would both become the property of NPS. Personally, I suspect that Byron Preiss may not have realized that area outside the fort was technically still part of the National Monument, or else he actually buried the casque several years before the updated Archaeological Resources Protection Act went into effect in 1979. (Fun fact: there actually were a couple of cypress trees standing in this same area, much like the branch pictured in Image 2, but judging from historical photos it looks like they came down sometime during the mid-1970s.)
Sorry, Jason Brad Berry
The verse you are using does not go with this picture. As a S.C. History teacher and archaeology major, the mistake people are making is thinking “African Slaves” were “immigrants.” In no way, shape or form could they be considered as such. The casque is off Broad Street.
Hello, and thanks for reading my “solution”! I’ve never heard Broad Street mentioned as a possible casque location… would love to hear your ideas which led you to that area. We may have to agree to disagree for now, at least until the casque is recovered… here’s hoping one of us will be able to prove the other wrong someday?
On the theme of “Immigration”, I’m more impressed at how a 30+-year old book is still so relevant today. Have you had a chance to read it yet? The “Passage to the New World” section in particular seems like it might hold a lot of clues to the other casque locations. Here’s what it has to say about the African spirits (p. 16-17):
“Then, in their airy wake, out of Nubia and Ethiopia and the jungles beyond the Mountains of the Moon, flew high and swift (by deeper magic still) the Fairy spirits of Africa.
The shy in-dwellers of every ashorin, baobab, and mahogany, winged-friend of each river, of every bird, beast and insect, were wafted away on the Southern Trades, and fluttered down, like a windfall of butterflies, far from the tribal warfare and slave traders, upon the islands of the Carribees and the New World’s eastern shore.”
William Jasper was from Colonel Moultrie’s second S.C. regiment. When the flag was shot down at Fort Moultrie, he retrieved it and redisplayed it.
Now supposing that he took the flag pole (the bar that binds) and placed it in the sand (embedded in the sand) in the Long palms shadow ( fort was reinforced with palms) would it not make sense that it would be buried in the sand in the harbor? Do you have to have permission to dig on the beach?
I’m still trying to figure out the “fair remuneration” part. Unless it was in reference to the fact that William Jasper was an indentured servant and he was “paying back” what he thought he owed?
And there was an bombardment in APRIL of 1861.
The daisy is almost in the shape of a crescent moon, the only figure on the flag that Wm Jasper risked his life for was a crescent moon (and word Liberty). He redisplayed the flag (if I’m not mistaken) during the battle.
I might not be on the right track here… But thought I would throw this in anyway.
Hi Susie, welcome to the hunt! You’re using Verse 6, I see— when I started working the Charleston puzzle last year I also went down that route for a few weeks, at least until I realized that PBWorks Wiki site was… less than helpful. Personally, I’m becoming more and more certain that Verse 6 is actually meant for the San Francisco treasure. Looking forward to a trip out West to explore further!
Sorry to tell you this but your way off the mark. I know where the treasure is buried. Image 2 verse 6
2012souza37@gmail.com
Well, we may have to agree to disagree on this one, but I’ll be the first to congratulate you if I’m wrong! Thanks for taking the time to read about my hunt for the Charleston casque, and best of luck in your own search!
Hey James!
I’m intrigued as well with this hunt as I am also looking in Charleston for the Casque. I have come across details in the photo that I am not seeing anyone else mentioning or noting at all within the picture and would very much like to pair with you on this one. It does contradict your original theory, but one I think that might be worth looking at all the same. I would very much like to talk to you not on public forum and see what you think.
Hi Ariane,
Thanks for reading, and welcome to the hunt! I’m pretty confident in my work on the Charleston casque, but I’ll be the first to congratulate anybody who can prove me wrong. I do make it a point to post all of my research publicly, though, in the hopes that it might help some of the other hunters.
Has anyone ever noticed the black outline of what looks like a burning torch in the top left wing? Also in the right wing the is a black outline of a building but I cant figure out what they are
This is how obsessions begin… welcome to the hunt!
Loved reading this! I am doing a video about the Charleston casque and would love to link to your page…I would of course give you credit for your theory!
Ashley, it’s great to see another South Carolinian in the hunt… welcome!
Fantastic work! I live in Mt. Pleasant SC and would welcome a chance to partner with you (or anyone else) who would like to see the Charleston casque found! I live not far from Fort Moultrie and also downtown Charleston (White Point Garden, etc.) Let me know if I can help!
Brian, thanks very much for the kind words. Welcome to the hunt!
The burning torch and the outline of a building could be referring to The Fireproof Building in downtown Charleston, near the Circular Congregational Church on Meeting Street. Near there is also The Old Powder Magazine on a street that is to the left (if you’re taking Meeting Street towards Broad Street), off of Meeting Street, just north of The Circular Congregational Church. I was born and raised in Charleston, and used to date a man that lived in a house directly next to the old powder magazine. I cannot remember the name of that street!
I know the area well– worked down near the Market for many years. Welcome to the hunt, Duane!
Looking at the Charleston Picture, something struck me – is there any possible clue hidden or hinted to in the white outlines of the four wings on the fairy? They are not IDENTICAL, and might be the outlines of four of the barrier islands (Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island, Mt. Pleasant and Folly Island) that are one either side of the opening to Charleston Harbor, or some other land mass or body of water? Just a thought. I saw the Charleston/San Francisco episode of Expedition Unknown tonight on tv. I live in Palm Springs, CA now and haven’t been in Charleston for any length of time since 1978.
yep my fire has been re-lit after watching expedition unknown last night. I too live in charelston area and have been obsessed with the secret for years. I’m torn between the two places mentioned (white point and fort sumter). Both do make sense and both are places he would have wanted us to visit and truly enjoy instead of overlook. One thing I was focusing on before the episode mentioned it was the 4 o’clock shadow that the pole is casting on the pendant. that marks the spot to dig in my mind. also like stated above I feel the wings outline a particular clue also the face on the pendant clues us into something. walking around charelston I have so many theories and questions that could crack the case. hopefully in the near future we will find the casque. I’m down to team up with anyone to discuss and ponder about this at anytime. so please if anyone wants to talk shop contact me and we can hunt together.
Hello James: I watched the episode recently of Explorations Unknown and decided to take a look to see if I could come up with a possible location for one of the boxes. I went with Image 9, Verse 5. As I live near the St. Lawrence River it didn’t take me long to decide that Image 9 is an aerial map starting with a spot on the St. Lawrence River and going south into the US. I suspect Montreal was the starting point due to the Leg Eater Lamp but not where the box is buried. So far I have found many connections such as where to go south from the river, what road to take, the image like a 7 but it isn’t a 7 at all, the image like a flag, but isn’t a flag at all, actually everything inside the box where these are found on the image perfectly matches. I have found the lane two twenty two, the steps that go up and down at the collar, the Netherlands connection, the granite, the forest, the citadel, the arch, the lone tree location and the white stone which is about 12 paces (using the 2.5 rule) just on the other side of a fence. This area also happens to have an ‘X’ on the spot of white stone which is right next to the man disturbed ground. As the location is just inside the fence, you would need to have permission to dig and yet there are no barriers like you experienced in your dig location. If you would like to discuss my findings and kind of super sleuth together, I think we could actually resolve this puzzle. Cheers… Deborah
Hi Deborah, I love your enthusiasm– welcome to the hunt! I’d suggest linking up with the community on Quest4Treasure or the new 12Treasures website, they’re always very appreciative of new ideas. Best of luck… and let me know when you find out which Verse *really* goes with that Image… 🙂
Hey James, man I gotta tell you, I as many have said just recently learned about the Treasure Hunt, and think its a great activity to do with family. My family and I are all from SC and have frequented Charleston quite a bit. I have seen the episodes on Expedition Unknown that involve “The Secret” and like you after actually diving into the Charleston Cask and reading through what others had said and the widely regarded theory that Verse 6 was Charleston, etc, I kind of left it at that, but then I read Verse 5 and several family members and I agreed it does sound like Charleston. Also if you took the idea from the guy who is believed to have found the Boston Cask on EU, these were meant to be solved, don’t overthink it, I eventually came to the same conclusion as you did about Fort Moultrie. I eventually decided to see who else may have had similar ideas, and sure enough I found your blog from almost two years ago. You do a great job of really detailing your thoughts, and honestly, I am kind of proud of myself for coming to a similar spot before finding your theory. If your theory is in fact true, which I definitely buy into it, as you have said, the idea was fun to get swept into for a little bit, but ultimately sad that we will never know, unless they allow someone to dig there which as you said, with so much history involved, I don’t foresee any regular joes getting their hands dirty.
Hi Billy, welcome to the hunt! Thanks very much for the kind words– I guess great minds must think alike. Here’s hoping NPS will be able to explore the area in more detail, so we’ll all be able to know for sure!
James you may have mentioned this before but have you shared your theory with Josh Gates from Expedition Unknown. I’m wondering if he wouldn’t possibly be able to help you with getting a permit to dig. 🤷🏻♂️
You know, Expedition Unknown has aired three episodes about “The Secret” since I wrote this blog post in 2017. For some reason, Josh Gates still hasn’t called… 🙂
Just an observation… But….. In the bottom set of “Butterfly” wings it sure looks like a Charleston Sweetgrass weaver on one side (left), and old Osceola in the other one, wearing his turban and Ostrich feather. I may be seeing what I want to ?
I agree with the others who suggested that you contact Josh with your “solution”. Maybe they (the show) could get things done that you can’t.
Paul– welcome to the hunt, and thanks for the feedback!
I’ve been “hooked” for a while now… 🙂
White Point Garden is a BUST…. I truly think you are on it.
Thanks for the kind words! Who knows, maybe we might even see the National Park Service team featured on an upcoming season of Expedition Unknown?
Have you contacted NPS or Expedition Unknown recently? I may have a contact at NPS that I will be able to speak with soon, but after the bust at white point garden, and the find in boston not too long after, I would think Josh would be itching to check another promising site. In my opinion this is way better than the battery site they filmed the earlier episode on too, great work!
Me again… I wanted to bring something else to your attention which I believe supports your theory…
I went to google earth yet again to survey the Sullivan’s Isle layout.
You posted a picture of the Sally Port and suggested that it could be interpreted as the inspiration for the lion. I wanted to direct your attention that if you look at the walls of the fort from above, it carries a big similarity to the lion as well… The sally port being top center of the lions head. The “wings” being the lion’s ears… and here is the kicker, IF you zoom into Image 2 close enough, focusing on the left (lion’s right) ear, there is a very small black X right where you suggest the cask is. All of the other X’s are tan in the lion’s hair. It is within a tan background. We all know… X marks the spot. Right?
Hope I’m not bugging you with all this… I live in Columbia and have spent a lot of time in Chas. I love the area and feel very connected to the city. Yes… I am obsessed. Not a day goes by recently by that I don’t think about this puzzle.
OK… just had to share that. 🙂
This is fascinating, I didn’t know about the book until seeing the Expedition Unknown shows and when searched info on the Charleston hunt, I found this site. After looking at your picture, I wonder about other clues that you may have sorted through but not mentioned here, although seems you have very good reasons for it being Fort Moultrie.
After knowing you can’t dig at the National Monument, my question would be to wonder if it isn’t in a more accessible spot in the Monument area on one of the islands.
Does the shape in the top of the Lion head and through the butterfly wings reference anything? There are key lock shaped eyes in the mask. The lion’s head has several different sets of numbers, 33, 36, and the 6L or 79 image depending on how one looks at it, and a cross or plus sign.
The small h seems too complicated as a reference for Poe considering the people on the show said not to overthink the clues. Poe would be more associated with Boston or UVA, unless the literature at Fort Moultrie easily mentions Poe. The bend in the tree branch looks more like a southern causeway bridge with an abrupt start and stop to the curve, maybe for the “arc of lights” reference in the poem. There used to be a bridge with a pear-something name years ago – I grew up on Navy bases through the south but haven’t been back to Charleston since the 80’s. Live in the Pacific NW now.
I don’t understand the way the African woman is dressed (unless it refers to a brothal) or the way her hands are held. The butterfly colors and the stone are an aquamarine color which may just reference all the water in the Charleston area. Are the stones supposed to be a clue?
I hope to find a copy of the book and will just follow vicariously through you and others!
Hey Carolina Welcome to the hunt. I’m pretty new to this quest as well.
In answer to a couple of the things you question / ponder….
When the Casques were being placed, there were 2 bridges that connected downtown Chas. to Mt. Pleasant. The oldest of the two was the “Grace” bridge… The newer one was the “Pearman” bridge. I have ridden and driven them both many times over the past 50 years. They were replaced 10 +/- years ago by the new Ravenel Bridge.
Also….
If you look at the Google Maps of the Ft. Moultrie area, Poe St. dead ends into the east side of the complex.
I’m no pro at this but this addresses 2 of your questions – concerns.
Good Luck in your pondering.
Hope the link works…. The Grace & Pearman bridges from the Chas. peninsula to Mt. Pleasant – Coleman Blvd.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Silas_N._Pearman_%26_Grace_Memorial_Bridges_%28Charleston%2C_South_Carolina%29.jpg
I feel like this proposed solution is too close to a cemetery if I’m being honest.
Thanks for reading… although the closest actual cemetery is about a mile and a half away! Yes, it does look to me like Preiss buried his casque within sight of two grave sites, but both of these are clearly marked-off areas.
Have you followed the recovery of the Boston casque in October 2019? Tearing up a kids’ ball field seems like it would be almost more egregious than finding a quiet spot of grass near a national landmark.
I have, yes. I don’t think so because there is at least one grave in the nearby area. I just don’t think that Byron Preiss would have us run the rush of digging up a long-dead person.
Agreed– Chief Osceola’s already been exhumed once! Wherever your own search takes you, be sure to get permission before you dig!
There is a third element in The Secret that goes along with image and verse, namely the fair folk category match(es). Granted most people don’t want to buy in, but I’ve been able to find matches for most of the casques. Obviously with 3 found casques you don’t need this element to find them, but it does help. For Charleston the fair folk category match is Kinderguardians.
Kinderguardians is extremely important in showing that Verse 5 is the Charleston verse.
Here are some clues in Kinderguardians:
1. Kinderguardians right ear has an object at the end of it similar to the object under the lions right eye in Image 2. In my opinion it is an ostrich feather for Osceola.
2. Kinderguardian is wearing a scarf around its neck. When Osceola died he was beheaded and buried with his neck scarf.
3. Kinderguardian’s head is shaped a lot like Fort Moultrie.
4. The kid in the image is playing with dynamite. Dynamite Hole is a popular feature/fishing spot in Charleston Harbor.
5. There is the number “70” behind the car in Kinderguardians and the tree branch type object has the number “3” in the middle of it. Put that together and you have “703”, which is the highway leading to Sullivan’s Island.
6. It is mentioned that Kinderguardians “stand sentry”…much like a soldier would at a fort.
I believe there are likely a few more clues in Kinderguardians, but those are some that I’ve been able to solve.
A few other clues I’m not sure have been mentioned:
1. Above the lion’s right ear in Image 2 is the word “holy” and Charleston is nicknamed the “Holy City”.
2. At Fort Moultrie on Battery Bingham No.1 there is a marking that looks nearly identical to the eyes on the Fort Sumter pendant in Image 2.
3. The upper wings on the butterfly may have “18” and “38” on them and 1838 is the year Osceola died at Fort Moultrie.
Hopefully you can use all this James to further convince NPS of your solve and get some trained people to dig for the casque at Fort Moultrie. It was kind of frustrating watching them fruitlessly dig at White Point Gardens on Expedition Unknown. The Secret is about immigration, Charleston is about African immigration in particular. That would point to Sullivan’s Island NOT White Point Gardens! Osceola himself had African-American roots, to further solidify this solve.
If this casque can be retrieved it will also force people to abandon Verse 6 and bring about the needed shift in the image/verse pairings among the majority.
Hi! I was visiting Charleston over the holidays, and of course had to go visit the two proposed locations from Verse 5 and 6. As recently as December 28th, someone took a stab at digging there. I’ve got photos if you’d like. There was one relatively large hole right on your proposed spot, and a couple small holes nearby. Looks like they covered up the attempt messily. There was a huge rain that week, so it’s possible someone thought the wet ground might help make the dig easier. I took a look around to see if there were any fragments of anything, didn’t see it.
Hi there, thanks very much for visiting my blog. Yes, please email me any pictures of this “dig site”– I’d be very curious to see what someone thought was a good idea. NPS takes their responsibility to protect these areas quite seriously, and there could be serious legal consequences for unauthorized digs.
Food for thought…..
I have been looking at Image 2 for months now, never saw this before. I Started focusing on the Lion’s nose. At first I was convinced that the nose showed a ships “Capstan” . From what I have read from others, this was the general consensus.
I took a brain break for a while… but today I opened the picture again and sat back and just took a broad look. It jumped out at me…
If you focus on grids E,F,G. / 4,5,6 (Bridge of nose to the mouth) – You will clearly see a red wine glass or a Brandy snifter.
Not sure how this plays into it all or what the connection is, but once you see it – you can’t un-see it.
The only thing I can come up with is it represents “Port” …. as in fortified wine / shipping port.
Just something more to ponder.
And after a hour long discussion with a fellow “The Secret” hunter….
This could easily be a reference to the “sally port” of Ft. Moultrie.
If it’s by the oceola grave, there’s no sand there. I think verse 6 matches perfectly with the poster …
Ok, I have a completely different theory that is so simple that makes so much sense. I just watched where the 3rd box was found and how the clues all matched up. I am going to investigate the area in the next few weeks hopefully. I think it has been over thought completely.
If you look in the picture, Fort Sumter appears to be set in relation to Coleman Blvd(the tree limb) accurately. If you follow the limb it takes you to Sullivans island. The jewel is also then in realtion to Coleman, on Fort Moultrie
Yeah, that’s definitely a neat visual effect— almost as if the painting itself is meant to act as a treasure map.
You need to start looking for Mosbys treasure, im going to virgina this summer to metal detect bc i think i know where it is. I would love your input bc you are great at this i have the historical data to support my theory but would love to bounce it off someone else
Catarina, thanks for the kind words! I’m nowhere near Virginia at the moment, but I absolutely love that state. Best of luck with your search!
Before reading your notes, I was pointed to Sullivan’s Island and not the White Pointe Gardens like others are saying. I want to know know, have you tried reaching out to Josh Gates? He is an archaeologist, he may be able to do the dig. Also, what lead you to verse 5?I found Verse 6 to still be able to point to Sullivan’s Island.
I want to start trying to crack the one in Roanoke Island, NC. My mother and I found “Croatoan” in image 3. Everyone uses Verse 11 for it, but I’m not so sure. I guess we’ll see how it goes!
Amanda, welcome to the hunt, and thanks for reading! I’m not sure if Josh Gates and the Expedition Unknown crew have already reached out to NPS… but I’m sure they’ll get to it, right after they track down the Chupacabra and Blackbeard’s treasure!
Nice research, love how you put everything together. But from what I understand, the poem you assessed is for Montreal as the Charleston one begins with “of all the romance retold…”. Is that your understanding too?
Hi Kenji, welcome to the hunt! No, I’m part of a vocal minority which believe the “accepted” Image/Verse Pairings are mismatched. Hopefully someone will pull another of these casques out of the ground soon, so we’ll be able to know for sure!
I have solved all 9 remaining verses ,,,,
So I can tell you that you have the correct portrait and verse !!! Congratulations!!!
I will tell you the casque is not on an island !!!
Tragically, it is about to be destroyed by renovations !!! I will give you the solution to the first 3 lines !!! Byron was a big baseball fan …
The Boston casque was buried under home plate ….
Lane 222 , an arc of lights …. Refers to
Line St. , Address 222, is a park, with a baseball field, with the arc of lights that light the
field for night play…
I see “The Secret” has claimed another victim. Welcome to the hunt, Walter!
hi. what line weds the verse to the image? also where is the immigration at site. The book states to wed one verse to one image thur sight…. we know the other solves were clear as day once in the right spot….
Hi Shawn, welcome to the hunt! According to Wikipedia– which is never wrong– approximately 40% of enslaved Africans passed through Sullivan’s Island. It’s an absolutely fascinating place, and I strongly recommend a visit. Keep searching!