Unfound Pirate Treasure in the Seychelles
There’s gold in dem dere hills!
Still skimming across the net looking for more information on the Seychelles, we found gold! And not the proverbial kind. Legend has it that there was a pirate who buried his treasure somewhere in the Indian Ocean and it is believed to be located in the Seychelles. This makes the Seychelles a little more exciting, just knowing there there is unfound pirate treasure somwhere on the island…Dawgit!!
Here’s what we found on Wikipedia:
Olivier Levasseur (Calais, 1680 or 1690 – Réunion, 7 July 1730), was a pirate, nicknamed La Buse or La Bouche (The Buzzard) in his early days, called thus because of the speed with which he threw himself on his enemies.
His name first appears in 1716, when he joined the Benjamin Hornigold pirate company. Olivier was a good climber, and had a scar across one eye, limiting his view.
After a year of successful looting, the Hornigold party split, with Olivier deciding to try his luck at the West African coast. In 1719 he operated together with Howell Davis and Thomas Cocklyn for a period. In 1720, he was shipwrecked in the Red Sea and stranded at the island Mayotte, one of the Comores. His eye was completely mutilated by now, and he decided to wear an eyepatch.
From 1721 onwards he committed his raids from his base at the island Saint Mary’s, at the Madagascar coast. His biggest success was the conquering of the Portuguese vessel Nossa Senhora do Cabo (The Virgin of the Cape), which was full of gold. This was in cooperation with the English pirate John Taylor. He was eventually captured and hanged at the island Bourbon (today Réunion), on 7 July 1730) 17h00, for his crimes of piracy.
The Cryptogram of Olivier Levasseur
Alphabet of Olivier Levasseur
The legend tells that when he stood on the scaffold, he had a necklace around his neck,containing a cryptogram of 12 lines, and would have thrown this in the crowd while exclaiming: “Find my treasure, he who may understand it!”
What became of this necklace is unknown. To this day, a good number of impassioned treasure hunters have searched to find his fabulous treasure, estimated by some at a few million euros, others give it a value as much as 100 million UK pounds (2005).
In 1923 a certain Mrs. Savoy found some documents, describing Levasseur’s treasure at a southern island of the Seychelles group.
At one document there are some coordinates, and text in a mysterious alphabet.
At the Bel Ombre beach on the island Mahé, stones were found, with carvings like: dogs, snakes, tortoises, horses, a ballot box, a figure of a young woman, and the head of a man.
After some excavations they discovered two coffins containing the remainings of two people, identified as pirates by the gold ring in their left ear.
But no treasure was found at this location.
The cryptogram was much more difficult to solve than than what she had believed.
Deciphering it could be carried out only starting from the Clavicles of Solomon, two letters, a will and documents compiled in rebus or at least in initiatory writing which could be put in relation to maconnic symbolism.
These documents explicitly affirmed the existence of a treasure localised on an island in the Indian Ocean.
However the name of this island was not mentioned anywhere.
In 1947 English Reginald Cruise-Wilkins, a friend of Mrs. Savoy, studied the problem and discovered a connection with the twelve operations of Hercules. Various tasks, representing the Labours of Hercules, had to be undertaken in strict order. The treasure chamber is somewhere underground and must be approached carefully, to avoid being inundated. It is protected by the tides, which require damming to hold it back, and is to be approached from the north. Access is through a stairwell cut into the rocks, and tunnels leading under the beach. Until 1970 he sought and dug in the island of Mahé.
In a cave, in addition to old guns, some coins, and pirate sarcophagi, he did not find anything.
He died in 1977 before he broke the last piece of code.
Wow, this is some Goonies shit. This is something we will definitely be looking into. We’re not stupid…if a professional treasure hunter couldn’t find it in 23 years of searching, it probably won’t be found by the likes of us, but it’s nice to dream… I’m pretty sure we’ll have a “good time…wink, wink” late night on the beaches, drinking rum, having our pirate (role-playing) adventures.
sandra said,
March 10, 2008 at 12:18 pm
hi just wondering if you know whether there is any books on this pirate that is in english. i find him very fasinating
Karen Tseu said,
June 16, 2008 at 3:37 am
I was reading your article and find it very interesting. Please e-mail me if you have a continueation to this article.
Dracy. from Canada said,
September 7, 2009 at 7:04 pm
There is a book called the BOOK OF LOST TREASURES with this in it, it has a little more information to add.
Marcus said,
August 8, 2008 at 9:42 am
I have investigated this for years, and I am sure I know where this treasure is.
Dracy said,
September 7, 2009 at 5:48 pm
So why have’nt you found it ????
Emma said,
December 4, 2008 at 4:01 am
Any updates on this? I really do hope Robert Graf finds the treasure. This is absolutely fascinating. It’s a shame this isn’t more information and photos about it online (i.e. the rocks, coffins, etc).
Russell said,
January 18, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Marcus,
If you can prove to me you know where the treasure is, I will fund the expedition.
allan said,
September 19, 2009 at 6:50 pm
hi,iam allan, a seychollois,i khow the exact loction of the treasure ,,its in the belombre,but near of the march,
Anonymous said,
February 4, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Well then Marcus, would you like to tell us where this wonderful treasure is then?
Justin Aniere said,
May 4, 2009 at 8:46 am
Have u found the treasure??? I’m curious…..
Kirsty said,
June 29, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Yes you and twenty million other people Marcus.. if you so sure- go get it !
carl said,
July 28, 2009 at 6:25 am
well i just read and have always been interested in things like this i am a graduate from texas a&m and i know a prof that does old languages maybe ill run it by him
jason said,
August 6, 2009 at 11:27 pm
treasure taken from the Virgin of the cape supposedly included a solid gold cross bout 7 ft tall encrusted w/ jewels of all sorts. Labuse sailed w/ many of the eras other leading pirates and if he were pennywise his treasure would be immense, the length of his pirate carreer is amazing compared to the average of the time.
Dracy. from Canada said,
September 7, 2009 at 6:52 pm
I have been investigating this myself for 9 years off and on, I have studied the 12 labours of Herules, The first was because he’d killed his wife. This is why he had to do the labours. Latin, Arabic, and some Portuguese, etc. to find out what the key was and here it appears, if the key is right? Some Latin letters can also be numbers, which can lead to your teasure. I know there is a rock on the isle of Mahe with 4 compass points. I found this in the [Book of lost treasures] it has the lost Duchmans mine In the USA [WHICH HAS BEEN FOUND]. Al be it not by me @#$%^%$, Oak Island MONEY PIT. [Captain Kidd] Because of all the money used to try to get it. Limas lost treasure [English Captain who’s name I cant remeber, he lived in Newfoundland St. Johns and worked as carpenter until he died. 36 MILLION est, and a Spanish Benito Bonito pirate, 11 MILLION est. These last two are said to be on the Cocos Island belonging to Costa Rica.
Zach said,
September 9, 2009 at 2:27 am
I’m looking for a team of a sort to whom would like to be part of an investigation if interested please notify me
Dracy. from Canada said,
September 9, 2009 at 8:26 pm
What are you looking for Zach, and may I ask where you are? Do i have to travel? And what kind of a team are you sort of looking for?
Dracy. from Canada said,
September 9, 2009 at 9:16 pm
The Lima treasure at a cool (36 million est. ) Had a life size statue of the virgin Mary solid glod with 1698 precious gems fix into it. there was gold cions, gold boullion & silver cions, silver boullion, and 250 dress swords with precious gems in them. This all came about because of a Spanish rebellion. the rebs chased the lords and ladies all the way to Lima’s port. There were no Spanish galleons at port, Only one English galleon. They loaded thier treasure on it and left 12 Spanish guards to watch over it. The English crue killed them, cut the cable and took off straight north to Cocos island where they hid the treasure, and then maid for Costa Rica but were run down by 3 Spanish galleons. the Spanish hanged all but 2 the captian and the master-mate his name was Foarbs.
Dracy. from Canada said,
September 9, 2009 at 9:20 pm
In the book of lost and unfound treasure they est. the Buzzards treasure at 400million. Nice chunk of change!!!
ZACH said,
September 11, 2009 at 2:07 am
WELL I WOULD LIKE TO GO HUNTING SO TO SAY IN THE SEYCHELLES IS.
ZACH said,
September 11, 2009 at 2:08 am
if interested please email me
john said,
October 12, 2009 at 8:57 pm
hi, i am also interested in the expedition. I have always sort for things like this and i believe that my luck will shine on us(Team)
john said,
October 12, 2009 at 8:58 pm
update me peeps
donald st ange said,
October 15, 2009 at 5:00 am
wants to be on the team
Rob said,
October 23, 2009 at 8:36 am
Yeah guys im up for it also…drop me an email if anyone is sorting out a team.