SEARCH FOR TREASURE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 128, 28 June 1909, Page 4

SEARCH FOR TREASURE

EXPEDITION' TO CHRISTMAS ISLAM). THE WRECKED SEAMER AEON. ZIXCARA PARTY'S FAILURE. Auckland, Thursday. The romantic fascination that always attaches to the search for treasure trove gave an interest to the expedition of the auxiliary scow Zingara that set off in February Christmas Island in an endeavor to salve the wrecked steamer Aeon. The romance was not altogether effaced ivlicn the first news came through from Fanning Island that the Aeon was broken up and her cargo dispensed, sunk, or stolen. Even the-j there remained the element of chance. The expedition might yet recover something of sufficient value to more than recoup those who had organised it, but chance failed, and to-day the Zingara returned to Auckland with a story of disappointment and practical failure.

The Aeon, a Howard-Smith liner, was wrecked in August lust. She had only been built four veal's, and had cost between £50,000 and jioo,ooo. 011 board she had a valuable general cargo, estimated to be worth £BO,OOO. A local syndicate negotiated for and procured the rights to salvage the wreck, and 011 21<'t Febiuary the Zingara, under the charge of Captain Robinson, a member of the syndicate, sailed from Auckland in the hopes of recovering the lost, treasure.

STORY OF THE EXPEDITION. Captain Robinson furnishes the following account of the voyage and search:— On the trip down the Zingara called in at Niuc, and there shipped a full crew of natives, who, on account of their diving and swimming abilities, were required for working the surf. The vessel also touched at Pcnrhyn, where more natives were offered, there being a scarcity of work at the time. When the Zingara reached Christmas Island it was soon ascertained that all that .remained of the Aeon mas her bow, which lay capsized 011 its broadside on the coral reef, ami pome of Hie after framework, which was awash. All the timber that had been aboard the steamer was spread everywhere over the beach. It was found impossible to land at the wreck for eighteen days after the Zingara arrived. Jn (lie meantime. Captain Robinson, with the mate and engineer, got ashore inside one of the iagoons and proceeded to walk across the land, some thirty-two miles, to the wreck. It took two days to get there and two to conic back, whilst one day was put in surveying the iwreck. Fortunately the party bad ample provisions. There was nothing of the steamer's' cargo remaining. Captain Robinson then went to Fanning Island and reported progress to the local sydicate by cable. After that he returned to Christmas Island and managed to get ashore by launch.

DANGEROUS \YOIiK. Here, in rough shelter-sheds ei'eetad by the Acou's crew, were discovered several hundred cases' of general provisions, enough to have lasted his crew, for instance, for over twelve months. He decided to salve these. In order to do so it, was necessary to bring a line ashore and fasten it to some of the timber On the beach, the other end being affixed to the launch, and boats were then slung to this line, and, thus se* cured, were hauled backwards and forwards between the launch and the beach. The work was none the less ; dangerous owing to the surf and Lbe heavy seas, mid twice a, boat capsized. On neither occasion were any of the native boatmen injured, however. Meantime the Zingara was anchored outside in ten fathoms of water (where there was said to be no anchorage at all). In the end all the provisions were got aboard the Zingaru.\ Although sb'atisfiod that the wreck contained no cargo worth salvage, Captain liobinson stayed on in the hope of being able to load the timber.

"We might also," he said, "have been able to get the Aeon's boilers, brass mouutrags and fittings, copper piping, ami eo oil. Iter two propellers alone cost £I3OO each, anil there were tons ol brassyrork worth a Jot of money.

_ FINE WEATHER WAXTEi). Had we had Jiuu weather ive would beyond a donlit liaye als.q got a lot of s'tulf from the -bottom of the seif. I had a diver, but was *iot able tp make use of his services uwing to tile J,,,,], seas. We hung round the vicinity of the wreck for twenty days, but were unable in all that time to remain close to it. We kept waiting for a favorable opportunity to go in close, but invariably it happened thai no soouei- were "e there than the sea got up ami berime too heavy for us to work. The ;>"-.t.i would have been destroyed if we had attempted it. The sea jumps over these coral reel's suddenly anil ernes light lip on end. \on have simply got to wait for chances. The locality of the wreck is the worst the Aeon could have struck from the, point nf view of salvage. It is all coral reef, and the water is full of coral nobs.

'•Tile Aeon had got embedded in between the latter. At one place we would have ten fathoms of iwate.r. in another live in thorns, and close .by there would only be five feet of water. Finally we got Sick of it, and abandoned all 'hone nt salving anything. AVe therefore started 011 the homeward voyage with nothing for our troulilo l,,it' the provisions referred to. The-,, w „ ul ,i worth. I suppose. CDIM or cion. The °C''noi| tin: ' s - v '"'' < ' nto pios< ' "P 0 "

t thiiik thiit in ijn probability someone had visited |J |P Aeon before'we <mi there and removed the cargo; j n fact I am sure of it." SUPPOSED PIRATES.

On Ilia return to Fant-ham Island Capain Itol'in-oii lc;ihiiml to satisl'v in) Hint more tlmii one vessel | Ja d hce'n niployed in the removal of the ean'O rom tile wreck. One small vessel, for istnnce. staled to have had dhi;iilli l ' l nnips, andjither goal- aboard, was sail o have visited Christmas Island scv nil time-. A\hils( the Zingara was a he island a steamer hove in s'ipht i; he oiling one ni s ht. A bine flare wn e"t np. whereupon (he lifrhls on th banner wont out and the stearae lade o(l' in the opposite direction T lie opinion of Captain Knbinson th urates are Americans, and he heliera hey have hidden the Aeon's o 11 unfrequented island and arc await ng an opportunity- of removing it H irmly Relieves that American or othc l»rates have exploited the wreck an that they blew up the hull of the icor