from what we called the Treasure Tree, which was located across the river from the hill where the stranger came looking for buried treasure. One man has said the stranger had the nickname of Thumbie, or some similar name. He had men from Aspen helping him to dig for it. They did dig a hole 30 ft. deep on what we called Geordie Mitchell's hill. He must have been sure of his coordinates, but did he have the wrong hill? There is a similar hill a mile upstream where a hill rises up from the stream. One theory was that he wanted free room and board and used the treasure as a ploy. I think not!
capture of the Saladin mutineers, who were captured a few short miles upstream.
"Also typical of Daniel Hattie's attitude towards mere material considerations was an incident in relation to the barque Saladin, bound from Valparaiso for England. When the mutinous crew of that ill-fated vessel murdered their captain and took charge of the ship, laden with ingot silver and other precious cargo, they brought it to shipwreck May 22, 1844, at what has since been known as Saladin Point on an island at the mouth of Country Harbour. Finding themselves in danger of arrest, they fled from the scene and were plodding their way towards Halifax. Not knowing who the strangers were, he extended his hospitality to four of the number who came to his log cabin seeking shelter for the night. In his house, they rested on a "shake-down" before the kitchen fire until they were disturbed in the early morning by the arrival of constables who were on their trail, among them a MacQuarrie and Angus Kirk, of Cross Roads St. Mary's (former name for Aspen) Mr. MacQuarrie opened the front door, calling out "It's a great day for the drive." (then in the river), and was followed by others, while the remaining constables entered the kitchen door. They soon had the criminals hard and fast and immediately started for Guysborough town, many miles away. The disturbance awakened the household, occasioning an earlier start than usual on the day's routine: for after such an exciting incident, there was no settling down to further rest. The morning duties were attended to and Mrs. Hattie in due time came to preparing the baby's cradle, when to her horror she discovered several silver ingots under the cradle clothing. Calling her husband, the two decided at once that the spoil could never be theirs and the immediate duty for Mr. Hattie was to hand it over to the constables. Setting out forthwith he had to follow them all the way to Guysborough town before he could make a contact with them and there he delivered the silver into their hands"
A footnote: An interesting relic of the Saladin is Capt. MacKenzie's Bible, now in the possession of Robie S. Bezanson, a descendent of Daniel Hattie's brother James Hattie. The authenticity of this relic is well proven.
He built a house in Caledonia where he moved in 1844.
I guess I must make a correction in my poem: The gold coin was silver ingots and it was the House of Hattie rather than Gunn.
