Bernardin Nageon de L'Estang a pioneer treasure hunter or a pirate?
CptEvil:
Anyone searching for information regarding the legendary pirate Oliver Levasseur, will sooner or later bump in to Bernardin Nageon de L'Estang, also refferd to as le Butin, and the stories of his treasures.
The stories tend to diverge, but most describes L'Estang serving as a naval officer and a corsair in the Indian Ocean in the late 1700’s. The ship L’Estang served at successfully attacked several Spanish and English ships but at one time outside the Indian coast they came to battle with a large English frigate and their captain got shot. The captain was dying and after getting convinced that L’Estang was a freemason, he gave him documents pointing out locations of hidden treasures in the Indian Ocean. These were meant to use to fight the English, but as it seems, L’Estang kept them for himself to build up his family’s wealth.
L’Estang claimed that he collected several of these treasures but that “there are still four left”. When his father died in 1750 he inherited some land close to, what today is, Blue Bay on Mauritius where he may have hidden his treasure. In his will he gave his nephew this piece of land, and according to other letters he wrote to members of his family, this was also the location of the treasure or a clue to it:
“I am leaving to enroll and defend my country. In the event of me being killed, I am writing my will, and giving it to my nephew, Jean-Marie Nageon de L’Estang, Officer of the Reserve, the following -
Half a plot of land at Riviére La Chaux at Grand-Port, Île de France, and the following treasures rescued by the Hindus: I capsized in a creek near Point Vacoas, and I went up a river, and left in a cave all the treasures saved by the Hindus, and they are marked B.N. which is my name.”
More of these letters can be read in “Trésors du monde” by Robert Charroux.
Some states that several of these treasures from L’Estang are found, one in Belmont on Mauritius in a cave near the river La Chaux, another found 1916 at the island Pemba near Zanzibar. One possibly found on Rodrigues and finally one at a cemetery on Mauritius in 2004.
There are several similarities (as Charroux states) with the Oliver Levasseur treasure, especially as L’Estang also used cryptograms in his letters. Some people believe he is the actual author of Levassuer’s cryptogram. The genealogy of L’Estang shows that his daughter married a Francois-Blaise Savy on the Seychelles, which may have a connection to the Savy finding the trails on Oliver Levasseur on Mahe in the 1920’s, or it is just a coincidence.
This is a collection of what I have managed to find out about this mysterious man, and most of it comes from quite doubtful sources. I hope others can fill in more fact about him and it would especially be interesting to know more about the treasures found in 1916 and 2004, if these stories are true.
// Cpt Evil
Links of interest:
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ArfieBoy:
Very interesting story, Cpt.Evil. Thanks for sharing with us! Look forward to more posts from you. [detecting]
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wuzneme:
hi cptevil,
it would be interesting to see what you come up with about butin.
Also was it his son Andre who was at the signing of the terms for handing over the Seychelles to the British 17th may 1794 on board the "Orpheus"
Perhaps tracking down the English ship`s name may help as would be the captain`s name. Whilst they were battling off the coast of India.
wuzneme
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CptEvil:
Thanks for tips about the Orpheus, Wuzneme!
Considering the dates, the story match Bernardin’s son André much better than himself. I put together short time-lines for them both and also managed to find some military papers regarding Bernardin. I suppose these are military promotions, but the combination of not knowing French and that they are hard to read limits my understanding of these.
André Bernardin Nageon de L’Estang:
Officier de Marine
Born in Bretagne in France.
1737 Jul 15, Military promotion (?)
1740 Military promotion (?)
1741 Jan 15, Military promotion(?)
1742 Nov 24, Married Mathurine Metayer ( ?- 1765)in Lorient in France
1744 Jun 18, Got a son Jean Bernardin Nageon de L’Estang(1744 - 1745) in Port Louis, Mauritius
1745 Oct 1, Got a son André Ambroise Nageon de l'Estang(1745 – 1799) in Port Louis, Mauritius
1746 Aug 7, Got a son Louis Noël Nageon de l'Estang (1746 – 1756), in Port Louis, Mauritius
1750 Oct 20, Died at Port Louis, Mauritius
André Ambroise Nageon de l'Estang
1745 Oct 1, Born in Port Louis, Mauritius
1750, His father André Bernardin Nageon de L’Estang dies
1758 Apr 4, His mother marries Henry de Kerneister in Port Louis
1764 (?), Got a son Philippe Nageon de L’Estang (ca 1764 - 1770)
1766 Jan 14, Married Perrine Clergeac in Port Louis (1746 – 1766)
1768 Jun 13, Married Mathurine Louise Pitel (1756 – 1818) in Grand Port
1779 Feb 9, Got a daughter Marguerite Pélagie Appoline Nageon de L'Estang (1779 - 1807), Pamplemousses, Mauritius. She Later married François Blaise Savy in Mahe 1793
1779, He becomes Capitaine de malice.
1788 (ca), Got a son Françoise Clémentine Nageon de l'Estang (1788 - ?)
1790 Emigrated to the Seychelles
1791 Dec 26, Got a son Estienne Olivier (or Oliver Etienne) Nageon de l'Estang on Mahe (1791 - 1856)
1799, Died on Mahe, Seychelles
//Cpt
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wuzneme:
nice 8)
impressive find there cptevil.
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CptEvil:
Thanks!
Sorry for the poor quality of the images. I love this site, but the interface has room for improvements..
I would appreciate if anyone understanding what the documents say can explain.
Here is the link, where the images can be viewed in high quality:
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Idaho Jones:
Interesting parallel between his story and the Le Buse legend to be sure.
Luc might be able to help you with translation, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was familiar with the treasure tales and recoveries. You might send him a pm.
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GREY RIDER:
interesting good stuff thanks for sharing!
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CptEvil:
Thank you all for the encouragement!
I have made an attempt to interpret the handwriting of the documents (attached here) and as I understand it Estang (Sr.) was posted by the East Indian Company on Bourbon and/or Île de France in 1737. A passenger list from 1738 shows that he and his wife and daughter arrives at Île de France 15 Jul 1738, for further transport to Bourbon.
The document from January 1740 also speaks about Bourbon, while the one from January 1741 refers to Gorée (an island and fort outside Senegal).
André Estang (Jr) emigrates to the Seychelles in 1790 to become the new Garde Magasin du Roi (royal store keeper). In June there is a meeting held for the independency of the Seychelles where he is present and his is name occurs in an official document. His name occurs several times and he is one of the signers the capitulation aboard the H.B.M ship Orpheus to captain Henry Newcome in 1794.
// Cpt.
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Robroy59:
I knew there was a reason I keep coming back to this forum, dreaming of Treasure!!
Thanks for the story and details CptEvil, I truly appreciate all of your efforts.
HH Robroy59
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