11. The center of a longstanding treasure hunt, the Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific Ocean is allegedly the home of a secret pirate treasure looted from a Spanish ship
One of the Northern Line Islands – a chain of atolls in the central Pacific Ocean south of Hawaii – the Palmyra Atoll is situated over five thousand kilometers from the nearest continent. Measuring just 4.6 square miles, the small unoccupied island is the only unorganized incorporated territory of the United States of America. Hosting a varying temporary population of between four and twenty-five research staff, the atoll is one of the most isolated places on Earth. This separation has lent the island, first discovered in 1798, association with a number of regional legends and superstitions regarding the disappearances of ships.
In particular, the Palmyra Atoll has become especially connected with the Esperanza: a treasure ship carrying looted Inca gold and precious stones that went missing in 1816 whilst en route to the Spanish West Indies. Caught in a storm, according to the legend the Esperanza was attacked by pirates who pillaged the vessel and set a course for Macao. Striking a reef near the atoll, it is claimed the pirates offloaded their treasure and buried it, before attempting to escape the island via makeshift rafts. A lone survivor of these events, James Hines, was picked up by a whaler, recounting his tale before dying soon after in San Francisco.