Captain Henry Steel - Dominica Safe Harbor
The legend of Captain Henry Steel has been around since the 1700s. As legend goes, Captain Steel sailed for a short time aboard his ship the Ruby Dagger. After travelling the globe, Captain Steel ended up on the island of Dominica. The ship was full of treasure as 117 ships had just been attacked and pillaged.
It wasn't long before Captain Steel noticed that they were being followed by a Royal Navy ship. He knew that they were sent to capture him. Captain Steel had a difficult decision: he could try to outrun his enemies who were faster and outnumbered his ship or he could go to battle. Being almost at the island of Dominica, he knew that he had only a few days.
Steel gathered his crew which, was small with only thirteen pirates. He told them of his plan. Because Dominica was a safe haven for pirates, they would be safe there. Once the island was reached, each pirate was to take their huge share of treasure and bury it on the island along with a key. They were to make sure the treasure would never be found without a map they would also create.
Afterwards, each pirate was to return to the Captain two maps to each treasure. The Captain would then lock them in his own prized possession, the Chest of Zanzibar. The chest had fifteen compartments, one dedicated to every crew member's treasure. He would then destroy the keys leaving the only keys buried with the treasure.
Once the last compartment of the chest was locked and the key's destroyed, the treasure could only be found in a particular order. They would all lead to the biggest treasure of all - that of Captain Steel's. In the fifteenth and final compartment, Steel would place a map with an 'x' marked wherever there was treasure on the island.
Over the next two days, the ship was hidden in an alcove off the island. The crew members split up and buried their treasure. They returned with two maps and a key for the Captain. Captain Steel locked all the maps into the Chest and destroyed the keys. He then hid the Chest in his own cabin, under some boards. The next day, they prepared for battle. They raised the black flag and headed for the enemy ship.
Details of the battle are vague but it is widely accepted, according to the Navy's log, that Captain Steel and his crew were all killed. The crew members of His Majesty's ship were sworn to secrecy. The Ruby Dagger sunk, taking it with the prized Chest. No one has ever found the treasure.
It is debated today whether this is simply a story handed down by generations or whether it's a true piece of history. But there have been pieces of evidence that have been found periodically to suggest that the legend is true.
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