Find BadBird's Treasure

At the 10/3/08 meeting of BadBirds Treasure Hunting Society we studied the 9th clue. Of note are key phases, in particular "Motion Picture Show", "arpy's Nest" The first letter or letters has rotted away), and "Turn to Port".

Map studies show two 1911 Movie houses. One was what is now "What'nots General Store", South of the 1911 Bank on Delannoy. The other is now the North S.F. Travis building. The last stanza, of the main message sounds like someone saying "If you don't like the movie, leave".

Leaving either theatre and turning to port (left) leaves a single block of Delannoy Ave. as our target area. We searched looking for any indication of a gargoyle, harpy, bird, etc. carving on an old building to no avail.

After studying many references to Harpy's, we turned to a downloaded list of words ending in ARPY. Most referred to fruit but did not seem to fit for size or poetic meter.

One "hit" was for a misspelling of "Sharpie" - a flat-bottomed sailboat. The boat type was studied and a member suggested that one had docked in the area (the waterline was about 50 feet East of Delannoy Ave. in1911). More cartography indicated a ship's chandler with wharf. Research on the business showed that they specialized in "Sharpie's".

A metal detector team searched the area with many "coin" hits but they where copper slag from a long ago fire that had burned away the "ship chandler's" shop. After painstakingly clearing the area, we finally found the 10th clue.

When opened, more old coins and flakes of gold where included in an old apothecary flask that as usual was wrapped in rotting sailcloth.

TRANSCRIPTION of the 10th CLUE

Bad things a-brewing I hate to say.
The Maid has a bruise on her face today.
She said 'twas a door and Bell just stared, Her eyes were moist and she was scared.

Those eyes, how I love their enchanting hue.
Like glistening dew-drops on a field of blue.
Those lips, her ears, her golden hair,
Her scent is like magic on the evening air.

I finished my coffee and led Bell away,
I told her I had something private to say.
Went for a walk, had our talk, I made it perfectly clear,
Although they had a relationship, I find the Maid very dear.

"If you harm a single hair on her head, I'll use you as chum", that's what I said.
Of course he denied it, but there in his eyes, The truth was showing, versus his lies.

I told him, "This time I'll let it pass, But always remember, I'll protect the lass". Two things are certain of Mister Bell, He has seen my fury, and he's afraid of hell.

I'll return now to the subject of your pleasure, Your search to find and recover the treasure.
Our clues leave a twisting and turning trail, But the gold will wait without fail.

So before you go and scurry about,
I'll take some time to help you out.
You found this at the Sharpy's Nest,
But it's time that you passed an arithmetic test.

From the Cathouse address subtract two-thirds, Replacing them with naught.
The place from which to navigate,
Is where Mate's ticket was bought.

                                    BadBird

P.S.

At midnight listen closely,
And multiply the bells,
That mark the end of the landlubber day, And those out on the swells.

If you hear correctly,
And decimate the Sigma'z
There's another clue I left for you,
To help solve this enigma.

* Sigma, (looks like a backwards 3), the 16th letter of the
Greek alphabet and the mathematical symbol for Sum was used.

We admit that we are stumped by this message. If you have
any idea or suggestion as to what the message means, please
contact me via email at kak@dol.net

BadBirds Treasure Hunting Society meets every Friday at 6:00PM,
to discuss progress in the search for BadBirds Treasure.

As always, the public is invited to attend.