Frigate Manned by Skeletons

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1086, 6 September 1904, Page 2

Frigate Manned by Skeletons

Diver's Weird Discovery An interesting discovery of an ancient frignto, with a skeleton crow onboard was recently made at Sarve, during dredging operations for a new channel aboui 150 yards beyond tho jotty. The dredger brought up two human skeletons and a seaman's boot of old fashioned pattern, A diver wrb sent down, and discovered tho remains of a frigate of apparently about 500 tons burden, which had evidently gone down duriug a sea fight, sovoral of tho old guns being still loaded, Numerous flintlock muskets were also found on board, and aunou balls, coupled together by n chains in pairs, Some coils of rope were still in possession, but fell to pieces on being touched. On proceeding to tho lower deck the diver mado tho gruosorno discovery of several human skeletons, being evidently those of |y*% tho crew who uert down with tbo vessel. V"* Alroady Bix oannon, 10ft long, made of cast iron, have been brought to the aurfaoo, and it is hoped that many more ourious - relics will bo resoued beforo the old ship is blown up with dynamite, as she is obstructing the new channol. It is supposed that tho frigate is an English or Dutch vessel which belonged to tho fl iet wbioh bombarded Havre during tho early part of the eighteenth century. So far no mark of inscription has been found which gives any oluo to the veßtel'i nationality.