In search of Pirate Treasure in the British Virgin Islands. Warning kind of a long po

[Locke]

I had the opportunity to do some work in BVI and was able to bring my Equinox 800 along for the ride. Had a boat drop me off on an island near Virgin Gorda on 3 separate occasions and went full Robinson Caruso on the island. It was probably the roughest detecting I’ve ever done, no marked trails, steep inclines, cliffs, head tall vegetation full of cacti and throned bushes, spiders, bees, hoards of wild goats and 85 degree heat with almost no shade.


Day 1: I spotted a tree about half way up the hill that stood out as being bigger then the rest of the vegetation and made my way to it. It was obviously an old camp site. Along the hills edge were countless old broken bottles (unfortunately I couldn’t find any that were intact) and burned cong shells. None of the items were more then 2-3 inches under ground dude to rocky terrain.


I found several what I believe are musket balls .65 - .67 caliber according to my caliper.


Several smaller musket balls with punched out holes (apx .59 in). I’m open to suggestions on what you guys think these are. I’ve seen musket balls being re-purposed as fishing net weights. However the holes seem very narrow? Could these have been used as jewelry?



I pulled out (and completely scratched a flat button). It has the word “Plated” on the back.


Favorite found of the day was a lead playing die!


Day 2: I decided to push to the top of the biggest hill. Again there was evidence of a camp site. Old broken glass bottles, pottery fragments, and more of the same;

Day 3: this was yet another overgrown camp site between two hill tops. I snagged a nice button. The back reads “Rich Gold Surface”.


A couple of what’s its



And a few more musket balls.

A rather large .97 in (apx 25mm) lead shell fragment. This one stumps me. I found fragments of these shells all over the base and middle of the island.



Although I was really hoping for a coin to help date the site, I still had a blast, not to mention a hell of a workout.

I’m hoping the TNet community can chime in on ANY pictures you see to help with dating these finds!!!

Few more group pictures:

 

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[BC1969]

An island in the middle of nowhere.. sounds like some nice solitude!

 

[Kmatch7]

That dice piece is pretty cool. Sounds like a fun experience.

 

[Scrappy]

That “what’s it” is a pipe stem. Find the hole diameter and you have yourself a date range[emoji256]

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Cool hunt! Hope you had a bottle of rum to keep hydrated for the full pirate experience. Congrats

 

[Robot]

A Musket Ball...That Has Been Wormed?

Several smaller musket balls with punched out holes (apx .59 in). I’m open to suggestions on what you guys think these are. I’ve seen musket balls being re-purposed as fishing net weights. However the holes seem very narrow? Could these have been used as jewelry?
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Jim Davis[FONT=q_serif], Provider of Options at Alternative Resolutions LLC (1976-present)​

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[/FONT]Updated Jan 10
[FONT=q_serif]I believe what you have found are balls that have been “wormed.”
Since a musket was loaded from the muzzle and was essentially a tube open only on one end it was a problem to remove the ball and charge if for some reason the propellant charge failed to ignite.
The answer is a device called a worm, which is an old term for a screw.

The worm was screwed on the end of a ramrod, pushed down the barrel, and then screwed into the soft lead ball. The ball was then pulled out of the barrel.
This is what they looked like after.

I wouldn’t say they were common, on the other hand I wouldn’t say they were not!














[/FONT]

 

[Locke]

That “what’s it” is a pipe stem. Find the hole diameter and you have yourself a date range[emoji256]

Thanks! I didn’t realize that’s what it was, assumed it was a bead of some sorts!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very cool Die recovery!

 

[BillA]

the lead with a hole - fishnet weights?

Bill

 

[Locke]

Jim Davis[FONT=q_serif], Provider of Options at Alternative Resolutions LLC (1976-present)​

​

[/FONT]Updated Jan 10
[FONT=q_serif]I believe what you have found are balls that have been “wormed.”
Since a musket was loaded from the muzzle and was essentially a tube open only on one end it was a problem to remove the ball and charge if for some reason the propellant charge failed to ignite.
The answer is a device called a worm, which is an old term for a screw.

The worm was screwed on the end of a ramrod, pushed down the barrel, and then screwed into the soft lead ball. The ball was then pulled out of the barrel.
This is what they looked like after.

I wouldn’t say they were common, on the other hand I wouldn’t say they were not!














[/FONT]

Thanks for the input! The holes are very similar to the middle one in your picture!

 

[Locke]

the lead with a hole - fishnet weights?

Bill

Perhaps. Although the holes seem a little too small? They definitely fished there though, as I did find hand made fishing weights. Might be drilled out musket balls as well?

 

[Robot]

A Dark Story?..From History?

I would like to “Speculate” on what may have taken place on this island.

What concerns me is with the numerous finds of “Wormed Musket Balls”.

I do not believe these Musket Balls were used for fish nets.

Usually the Musket Balls used for fish nets are found with holes drilled right through the ball.

I would surmise with the frequent problems occurring, of Musket Balls becoming stuck in the barrels, that this would indicate whoever was loading these Muskets were either unknowable as to the right quantity of powder to use, had inferior powder, or allowed the powder to get wet.

It would have been highly unlikely of a British Military Regiment to suffer these consequences, along with the presence of what appears to be gambling and drinking.

It would have been illogical for Pirates to have used this distant location for a camp, so far from the safety of their ships.

I believe what you quite possibly located was once an encampment of “Rebel Slaves”.

The British Virgin Islands suffered a Dark Time in History starting in 1823 with what was called The Slave Revolt.

Britain in 1807 enacted the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act and in 1833 the Slavery Abolition Act.

The Slave Revolt started when the Slaves heard that Britain had freed Slaves other than the ones working in the British Virgin Isles, along with rumors that they would only be freed on a gradual basis, if at all.

The resentment grew when numerous Freed Slaves from other territories were noticed living amongst them.

These rebellions started with raids against the wealthy Plantation Owners.

I believe the Button you located came from one of these raids.

This Button may have been made by the William Wallis Button Mfg. Company of England 1800-1829.

It appears to me to be of a higher grade (Rich Gold Surface) than those made for the Military, but rather ones purchased by the Rich Plantation Owners.

The Rebel Encampments were eventually put down by the British Grenadiers with the execution of these Rebels on the spot.

There may be found burial locations near where you found this encampment.

As is said…Metal Detecting…Can locate more than metal…It can also locate…History!

 

[Steve in PA]

Well I'm gonna have to chime in on your drilled lead balls. I found a pile of them on Antigua years ago. The holes went all the way through which is not indicative of a wormed musket ball, and most were too "out of round" to be musket balls. We considered them fishing net weights.

 

[Scrappy]

Well I'm gonna have to chime in on your drilled lead balls. I found a pile of them on Antigua years ago. The holes went all the way through which is not indicative of a wormed musket ball, and most were too "out of round" to be musket balls. We considered them fishing net weights.

I’ve found plenty of those way up on the Southern New England coast. Simple and easy fishing weights made from a readily available source.

 

[Hawks88]

Nice finds and good luck on the islands.

 

[CoinHunterAZ]

The one button with 4 holes appears to be off of Gilligan's shirt. I'd spend a bit more time there looking for Mary Ann.

 

[Patriot Relics]

Dug hundreds of those colonial era casting net weights, the hammered flat ones were also used as game pieces.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Congrats on a nice variety of finds.

 

[A2coins]

That's a dream hunt wow I love detecting so much just wow Thanks for sharing your hunt and finds hope you find a treasure half the fun is hunting for it

 

[Valley Ranger]

Very cool finds!