SUNKEN’ TREASURE.

Taihape Daily Times, 9 July 1919, Page 5

SUNKEN’ TREASURE.

j i GABO ISLAND WRECK. ‘ I SALVING TO BE ATTI‘*flyIPTED. I ...____ ’ l SYDNEY,’ June '26. ; Fifty-four years ago—ini the year lls6s—a sailing ship called the Monulmental City, left Melbourne for Loniden. It Was in the height of the ro—gmantic digging days, and aboard the !ship was a large company of diggers iwho had made «their “piles,” and whose faces were turned agerly homewards. But bad luck pursued The ship, IContrary winds seized her from the moment she left" Bass Strait send tossed her hiflier and thither. She was driven! nor:t.ll-east along the Australiancoast. Ofl’ Gabo Island she foundered. The diggers a.bo-erd had stored their hard—\von gold in the ship ’s safe, and the total aceumulétion -there was very large. When the vessel began to founder, it was every man for himself. The captain opened the safe, ‘and. many of the ‘men got out their gold and tied it in belts around their waists. Perhaps in doing this they sacrificed their lives, for of 1311 the «company only the captain and the vboatswain were saved. The bodies of some of tired drowned diggers went; ashore, and in nearly every case axbelt full of gold was found. <

I' No ,g',.ffCl'l'lpt was ever made to re- . cover the large qnailtity of gold that I went down with the ship, although her_ . position was known. approximately. It ' “was discussed sometimes, but tlie result of‘tlle hunt for 'f.he gold of the A I General G1"-ant, squth of New Zealaml¥- ‘ which 'sV2as‘V"VS‘l:'C_(3l‘ie(..i 'ab,ou't «the same Vtime, -in siinilaar c.il"cl.2l;l_istances-—wa"s always held Ilp_§3 gciiscouragenieiit. Fflowever, a syndicate has now been ‘ formed to seeii the Monumental Oity’s 3 gold. A son offlthe reéscued boatswai:-V, {who lives i:l_:NV.il,l.rial;nsf-pvsjn. has given ‘useful inforliiziti6n;‘ boat. is being. fntcea up iin‘\villiams_t‘_,ofih, and a ya~'ell--lknown diver nained Beckett has been : engaged. The whole expedition is ‘be: 3 ing_se'ri-onsiy .un:(_i_e.r-t’a.ken, eVé'r'x' _altho_ugh' 54 years hzive‘ ‘eJl:,ap§el(lA_A§.inceVV the old ‘ i wooden? ship‘ véeiit" down. M e V “ ‘ sl-