Dirigo

  Strangers often approach me while I am hunting and one common question seems to outnumber all the others: "What are you looking for?"  I have a few pat answers, such as, "Old coins," or "Coins and relics from the 1700's and 1800's." I go on to explain a bit more in detail what I do, sometimes sharing pics on my phone or handing out my metal detecting business card.  The truth is, I don't know what I'm looking for. I'm looking for whatever is there, whatever is hiding just beneath surface, whatever it is that gives me that connection with the past, that makes my breath quicken and my heart start to pound in my chest.  I'm looking for treasure! And yesterday, just as the sun dropped below the trees, and the Spring dusk turned to night darkness, an object appeared in the filthy palm of my hand. I peered through the shadows and rolled it around on my grubby sausage tips. Definitely a button, but what kind I could not tell, until I got into my friend Donny and Kathleen's house (who are awesome enough to allow me to detect the field behind them) and washed it off. Look at the detail, the stars, the pine tree in the center with the recumbent beast beneath it.  Circa 1860 John F. Boylan Maine State Militia Civil War Button!  Now, that's what I'm looking for.  That's treasure.  That is the Metal Underground.