A real Long John Silver? Could this most famous of fictional pirates be actually based on the life of a real man? And could that man be one Jonathan Swift of Alexandria, Virginia, an enigmatic merchant whose legendary silver mines have enticed and eluded treasure hunters for over two centuries? From ancient maps, documents and charts, to personal diaries and secret Masonic archives, author Robert Prather boldly delves into both the mystery and legend of Swift, as well as the probable connections with Robert Louis Stevenson s classic adventure, Treasure Island. Filled with intrigue, deception, murder, cryptic codes and buried treasure, this provocative look into a fascinating segment of literary and American history will ready even the casual reader to set sail for plunder and riches.