TREASURE HUNT.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1916, Page 10

TREASURE HUNT.

GENERAL GRANT'S GOLD.

CATLING EXPEDITION'S ILL-LUCK.

ADVENTURES, HUT XO GOLD.

Bluff, July 11.

Tile return to civilisation of Captaiu !P. V. Catling and his dare-devil companions in the little 14-h.p. cutter Enterprise marks the closing chapter of one of the greatest romances of the southern seas. It will be remembered that last year Captain Catling made a most exhaustive search of the desolute cliffbound western coast, of the Auckland Islands, using a mere cockle-shell canoe for the purpose, and satisfied himself beyond the shadow of a doubt as to the spot where the wreck of the General Grant took place. On this occasion, fifty years after the wreck of the General Grant with her valuable cargo, at Auckland Islands, to a day, the little Enterprise stood right in at the spot where the General Grant disappeared in 1866. Captain Catling spent several days, under water thoroughly examining the last vestiges of the famous old wreck, but found that nothing inoro than a few timbers were left. The gold, through its exceptional weight, would have remained where the ribs remained, but the most careful search uy Captain Catling disclosed that the gold was not there. It was an immense disappointment, because, having thoroughly located the site of the wreck, Captain Catling anticipated no greater difficulty than merely stepping aboard and helping himself. The bottom was found to be purely boulders, and the under* well was so terrific that Captain Catling frequently found himself swept from one boulder to another, and the inside of the cavern, where water and wall met, was a giant whirlpool against which it was impossible to make any headway. It will be remembered that in 1870 the top-sail schooner Daphne made a big effort to recover the gold, and under very favorable conditions they got their diver down. Captain Catling is strongly of the opinion that the Daphne party recovered the gold of the General Grant, and that it was the weight of the gold that caused the Daphne's boat to capsize with all hands and whatever the boat contained.

Captain Catling, when interviewed by a reporter, gave an absorbing account of the hazardous time experienced by all hands, but the narrative was, of course, tinged with the disappointment inseparable from an unsuccessful quest—a quest that has drawn adventurers to the spot for half a century.

PICKING UP THE SPOT. After two days' the launch May Queen and putting in her 4-h.p. engine, the first attempt to reach the General Grant was made. It was decided to leave the Enterprise at her moorings, and the May Queen passed out oi the western entrance on the 18th on a strong flood tide. Despite thick fog, the launch steamed close inshore past Cape Lovitt, Bristow Point and the Great Rift, and commenced soundings in three of the bights, but the spike was too coarse and the iwater too thick for the observation telescope. Besides, the roll of the launch made things too jumpy for successful observation of the floor of the sea. They steamed as far as the Bed Rock inside Beehive Bight, and along almost to the Great Arch, when it was decided to return to make a lead-weight, with silversteel point, and also to improve the observation apparatus. It wan also' decided to work on the land in the meantime and pick up the marks of the s.s. Gazelle expedition from the cliffs, and so ascertain the exact spot more quickly than by soundings. The Enterprise was safely reached the same afternoon. , THE LAX© .MARIS.

On the 20th the Enterprise made Smith Harbor on the east coast in a dead calm and tdropped anchor at the head of a perfect landlocked bay in about'four fathoms. Heavy mist prevented the overland trip being attempted until the morning of the 22nd, when Captain Catling, with Ohlsen and Meenan, left in the dinghy for the head of ,the inlet to attempt to locate the site of the wreck from the cliffs. They found the old sealers' track, and numbers of young seals were disporting themselves in the stream which empties itself into the head of the inlet. They allowed the party to approach quite close to them without showing any signs of alarm. Following the track they succeeded in penetrating to the west coast shortly before noon. After lunch they scaled the mountain which rears its head above the cove, after a painful climb over tussock interlaced with scrub. It was slow progress, and they were all dead beat when they reached the top. They succeeded in making all the necessary observations, and also took several photographs which were considered essential. They had a terrific job getting back in their tired condition, and this was intensified by their missing the track. Many times they found themselves in bog well over the knees, and they only covered iy 2 miles in 2Vi hours. Meeuau sighted a pig, but missed him. Ohlsen tried to give chase, but suddenly landed in a bog up to his thighs! Finally they struck the track, and got back to the Enterprise at 8 p.m. dead beat.

A BAD SPELL. Days passed and a terrific westerly kept the expediticto penned up in Carnley Harbor. A peep through the western entrance of the harbor showed tremendous seas breaking actually 60ft up the sides of the cliffs. It was hopeless to try and work round the west coast, and, indeed, no steamer could have faced it. They ran out of fresh -meat, but bagged a couple of pigs and a few widgeon, which tided them over their difficulty, which was_ made somewhat unpleasant on account of the salt junk proving to be poor stuff. A few ducks were also added to the menu. All the mails were made up and put in the Camp i Cove depot ready to be taken by the Amokura, which was due, also a sum of money for any fresh vegetables the Amokura could spare. On April 14 Ohlsen and Meenan shot a boar that weighed 2001b. It was not until the 20th that an attempt to resume salvage could be made, and even then the sea was so heavy that the launch >was almost swamped and the engine was flooded. Fortunately the engine was re-started on the battery, and the party got back to harbor safely. A north-west hurricane swept over the Aneklands, and it was an act of 'Providence that the launch and all hands were not lost outside Carnley Harbor. One of the dinghys was badly smashed up. NARROW ESCAPES. Not until May 18 did the expedition get a chance of fossicking out the wreck, and even then there was a heavy swell that meant risk. However, the weeks of inactioni had steeled them to seizing the first available chance of prosecuting

their search. Captain Catling took Olilsen and Mccnan with him in the launch, and they carried all their sounding gear and observation apparatus. Parsing out of the western entrance of Carnley Harbor, they coasted past Cape Lovitt and Bristow Point, reaching General Grant Cove at 12.30, and they immediately started sounding. They tried all along the ledge (or buttress), and then cross- ' Wise over 1 the cove. They next sounded along the opposite buttress, in front of the isolated ledge, and all round the sunken rock mentioned by the General Grant survivors. In going over this rockall hands had a narrow escape, of losing their lives. Although it had Bft of water over it, two heavy rollers came in, and the first of them showed the rock quite close to, the .surface, and only about 2ft astern of the launch. The second roller was a tremendous one, which broke, and in the hollow they found the rock quite bare and only about Bft astern of them. Captain Catling estimates that had the wave come, say,, half a minute earlier, the bottom of the launch would have been smashed like an egg-shell, and that would have been the last of the expedition.

A TRIAL DIVE. During the soundings, Captain Catling and Ohlsen twice thought that they struck into wood, because the spikes "plucked," but next try they only got rock. Captain Catling said that the soundings made him quite satisfied that the General Grant had broken up, and that the remains could only be found by the use of the diving gear'. It was impossible to adopt any other means. Even the observation apparatus was found to be practically useless, as the bottom was very dark in the cove and the water thick, through dashing back on itself, and so the bottom could not be so clearly seen as it would have been on the open coastline. Summed up, Captain Catling realised that he had to take his life in his hands and find the wreck in a manner attended by great danger. Another effort was made on Hay 12, when the Enterprise, with all the aircompressor diving gear aboard, steamed out of the western entrance, bound for the General Grant Cove. However, when half-way to Cape Lovitt, the ocean swell was found to be too heavy to permit any good work being done, and it was necessary to return, anchoring in 80 feet of water in front of Fairchild's Garden. Captain Catling made a trial dive, and found that he could see at least 100 feet (50 feet radius) at that depth! One of the studs of his corslet had been left loose, and 'he got very wet for .his pains. THE OLD GRAFTON.

While storm-tied in Carnley Harbor Captain Catling resolved to go into North Arm and try to salve the anchors of the wreck of the Grafton, Captain Musgrave's schooner, wrecked there in 1864, and replace the kedge lost in General Grant Cove. He hoped to recover both of the Grafton's anchors and keep the second one as a spare for emergencies. He grappled and dived for the anchor, but the bottom was covered With mussels in such numbers—growing in great bunches 2ft high on the bottomthat any bunch might cover an anchor, and it would have taken days to smash every bunch in order to make sure of finding Captain Musgrave's anchors. After an hour and a-half under water, he relinquished the task. He examined the sunken vessel carefully, and found that very little copper had been used in the construction, as little as possible, in fact, and be concluded that it was useless to try to do anything* with her. The more he saw of Wreck Bay and the site of the wreck, the more he marvelled at anyone being wrecked in such a place.

STILL XO >LUCK. Terrific storms again held up the expedition. It was not until June 12 that the Enterprise was removed to her buoys in the General Grant Cove. She was brought up in about fourteen fathoms and a-half of water. Captain Catling dived to try to recover the lost kedge and rope, but was very unlucky, as he landed in amougst huge boulders 12ft high on every side but the one leading into the cove. _ r .e telephoned that he was in difficulties, and came up to the surface. Then he walked the full length of the life-line right into the cavern, but found no sign of the General Grant there. He came up. again and shifted the Enterprise to the place where he expected to find the wreck, and dived there.

TOUCH AND GO. When lie had regained the deck and had only got his helmet oil', a sudden squall smashed into the cove from the north-west. At one time it looked as if the Enterprise would share the fate of the General Grant, but, with the engine going and staysail and mainsail set, she slowly forged out of the cove. While battling down the coast half-way between the cove and Cape Bristow, the vessel was griping so badly that the iron tiller bent like a bow and the vessel became unmanageable. She was hove-to, and the mainsail was taken in, but the mainsheet twice snapped like packthread through the boom swinging to and fro. Gaskets were run round the sail and the boom secured. She was then run before the gale with her staysail and also the engine, it was impossible to heave 'in the dinghy, which, in the tremendous seas, now and again, came aboard and rammed the stern of the cutter, smashing her nose into the stern bulwarks. When off Cape Lovitt the wind rose to a furious hurricane, with the water flying like smoke. Tiie last remaining rag had to be hauled in to prevent it being blown out of the bolt-ropes. The Enterprise had to make the western entrance with bare poles. The tide helped her to steam through the Entrance Rocks and safely reach Hilda Cove, alter a somewhat terrifying experience. A RESOURCEFUL DIVER. The men returned to General Grant Cove on June 22. Captain Catling resumed his diving just off the ledge of rock on the north side of the cove. He found no trace of wreckage. Coming to the surface, he arranged to be carried over the ground by the cutter while suspended on the shot rope, about twelve feet off the bottom. He could then see everything that was below 'him and for a good distance on either side. Once the engine stopped and he had to come to the surface while the cufter was manoeuvred out of a difficult position. He vent below again and was towed round the cove. He saw the rope of the lost kedge lying on the bottom, but he was unable to get down quick enough to recover it. Several times, when the vessel was turning or when the speed was accelerated, Captain Catling had to hang on with all his strength owing to the wash, alternately floating upwards or plunging deeper down. This caused great fatigue and distress and required rapid adjustment of the valves of his apparatus to cope with the changes of pressure.

ENCOUNTER WITH A SEAL. As tiie Enterprise moved in towards the cavern, Captain Catling suddenly saw a large seal dart out from the dim edge of the sight-limit and then roll to and fro under him, watching him carefully all the time. It drew off and Captain Catling did not bother more about it for a moment, but suddenly it shot straight at him. Ho drew his knife. The seal drew itself up short about six feet off Captain Catling's face and shot up and sideways to breathe. The vessel towed Captain Catling straight towards a rock from 25ft to 30ft high, with sides as perpendicular as a wall. While Captain Catling was taking in this new situation the seal suddenly came flying down over the top of the rock towards him. This time it shot under the diver and came for his feet. Shifting his knife from the right hand to the left, and swinging on the right, Captain Catling lashed out with both feet, but missed. As the animal was returning to the attack Captain Catling sheathed his knife, shut both valves, and flew up to the surface like an air balloon. The crew were surprised to see him, although he had telephoned that a seal had attacked him. He was glad to be free of the seal, because a bite would have caused a bad wound. When he dived again Captain Catling took a bayonet instead of the short, heavy diver's knife, but the seal did not trouble him further.

GAZELLE THEORY EXPLODED. ~

The next move was to a ledge and buttress of rocks on the' south side. Captain Catling made four descents there. He saw no sign of wreckage or gold, but his search served to disprove a theory accepted since the s.s. Gazelle expedition in 1877. The Gazelle party made soundings in the cove which disclosed an even depth over the length of a vessel and a straight drop at the side, which led them to believe that they had succeeded in locating the General Grant. At .this place Captaiu Catling found that the object was merely a ledge of rock .carrying three fathoms and a-half of water at high tide and a depth round it of eight fathoms. It was a long rock with absolutely perpendicular sides and almost flat on top, but rather narrow, being only fourteen feet to. sixteen feet wide. Captain Catling searched all round it and along the buttress. He made another descent and walked in towards the cave at .the head of tiie cove. All the 'bottom was strewn with huge boulder 3 six feet to ten i'eet high. It was very heavy going, particularly as there 'were great cracks and crevices in between with a little shallow sand in the crevices. He had to climb or go round the larger ones

and play leap-frog over the smaller ones, crawling, pulling and hanging on to small pieces of kelp, but there were not many of them about. It was terribly exhausting work and Captain Catling had to give it up at 1.30 p.m., completely fagged out. TIMBERS FOUND IN CAVE. Xext day, June 23, the Enterprise steamed right into the cave entrance and anchored there. Captain Catling examined both the north and the south sides of the entrance and along the inside of the buttress of rocks, and also towards the ledge on the north side, but found no trace of the wreck. He resolved to take greater risks, and pulled the Enterprise right into the cavern until the water falling into .the sea from the roof above was actually coming down on to the deck of the vessel just abaft of the mast. The conditions were so excellent thait the vessel got so close in that the wall of rocks could actually be touched by leaning over the quarter. Here he made his last descent. He pulled himself right into the cave by the grapnel rope, examining the bottom thoroughly all ithc way. He saw no gold, but found two pieces of timber wedged in between the boulders. The larger piece looked very old, but it was impossible to say what it had been. It might possibly have been merely driftwood jambed in amongst the boulders. At the end of the cave was a .beach and a steep mass of boulders, but no spars were seen there. It was too steep for any spars to lay in any sea. There were several small pieces of timber lying ashore, but they were probably driftwood. AN EXTRAORDINARY CAVE. The cave proved to be of enormous length. It was decided to row right "into it in the dinghy. At the far end it opened out into a large chamber, with a roof about seven feet higher Itlian in the other portion. Captain Catling went down and into this chamber to the full length of the life-line. He bad a very trying experience battling against the heavy surge running to and fro in the cave. He thoroughly examined the bottom, but could find no trace of the gold. Had it been in bars and the ship smashed up there he could not have failed to find it.

LOSING HOPE, lie is convinced that the General Grant smashed up in this cave, and from the formation of the bottom outside, the wreck could not possibly have slipped out over the large boulders lying at the entrance. The only conclusion he can come to is that the gold was cither in dust, and has scattered, or that it has been recovered. If it was in bars, being sn much heavier than water, it would have been the last of the wreckage to be carried away, and he must have found it. He is satisfied that, from the action of the sea in this cave in a heavy nor'westerly to westerly wind, the ship would be pounded to pieces as the seas there must be terrible at times. Having satisfied himself that to recover any gold was an absolutely impossibility, he lost no time in getting out of the dangerous position. He felt terribly disappointed at his ill-luck, and it was a sad trip back to the base on Carnley Harbor that niglit. ■ For two days he dived continuously to the utmost limit of human endurance, 'but all his efforts failed to produce either the wreck or the gold.

RECOVERED BY THE DAPHNE.

"What is your candid opinion as to the whereabouts of the gold?" he was asked.

"The wreck," he said, "must have been completely gone thirty or foilty years ago. I don't think the vessel could have held together ten years in such a 'wild surge. Hail the gold been in bars it would still have been there between the boulders, and 1 should have got it. My firm opinion is that the gold was cither in dust or it has been recovered, probably the latter. I have little doubt* that the gold was recovered by the ill-fated members of the Daphne expedition of 1870, and lost with them when trying to eater Pont Rosa through the Rabbit Island 'Passage, where the road is quite beyond reach. We did not leave the Aueklands with-

out having a sliot at tlie Rabbit Island Passage. On June 30 wo steamed to itlie passage and anchored there, Olilsi-n and I rowing Home distance in the dinghy into the passage. Our observation apparatus diselosed tlie bottom perfectly, but tlie place was too dangerous for any successful operations. A heavy break right across it even on a, fine day, besides a fearful tide rip, made things -so dangerous that we had to pull for our lives, to prevent being swept out to sea. We did the best we could in the circumstances, but abandoned the attcmplt, as it was far better to let the gold lie •where it is than lose our lives like the poor fellows of the Daphne. Coming into that passage with half a rt.ou of gold aboard was an impossibility; they did not have a ghost of a chance of living through it. It was a mercy we had only a small dinghy, or we could never have come through alive, either.

FAREWELL TO THE AUCKLANDS. "On July 8 we hoisted sail and said farewell to the Aucklands for the last time. 7jt may be a lanU of fabulous «old treasure, but I have had enough trials and face to face talks with death in those latitudes to do me for the remainder of my life. I cannot look back upon the whole of the General Grant business without feeling very down-hearted that all my risks and adventures have not borne any fruit at all. I have sunk over £IOOO of my own gold in two attempts to recover the gold of the General Grant, and it has gone just as irretrievably as I am satisfied that the historic gold of the General Grant has "one I will leave it at that."

PREVIOUS FAILURES. Several other attempts have been made to recover the gold from the General Grant, but. all have failed. The firsit mas in th,e paddle tug Southland in 1809, but those at the head of this expedition did not succeed in locating the wreck. They found the cave under the direction of Mr. J. Tier, one of the survivors, but they never entered it. A rowing boat was sent to take soundings, But a disagreement on board caused her return to the tug. The tug steamed right to the mouth of the cave, and the soundings there disclosed a sandy bottom a)t a depth of thirteen fathoms. Bad weather caused the attempt to be temporarily and then finally abandoned. In 1870 the topsail schooner Daphne made an attempt, but it was also unsuccessful, unless Captain Catling's theory is correct. The boat sent out with the diver capsized, and every one of the six men in Jier was drowned. The Daphne had a difficult task to reach i\ T e\v Zealand with the three remaining men left aboard. In 1877 the Gazelle expedition made an exhaustive search, and, as this expedition had several good nautical men at 'the head of affairs, it did better than either of the previous expeditions, but it, too, failed to recover anything. It located what they believed to be the site of the week, and made soundings under the cliffs, appeared to indicate the wreck in about 70ft of water. It was unable to get the diver down, however, and after several rough experiences the expedition returned to New Zealand. An hivercargill company was formed in 1893 to make another aittempt, but it failed to get a craft away. In 1012 the Sorenstn Salvage Syndicate (Arizona, U.S.A.) arrived in New Zealand and had the Wairoa ready to leave Port Chalmers, but it did not actually start. Captain Catling's expeditions in, the Enterprise have added the two latest chapters in the history of the search for the very elusive gold of the General Grant.