REMARKABLEDISCOVERY of a WRECK.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 863, 3 August 1867, Page 2

REMARKABLEDISCOVERY of a WRECK.

(From the " Panama Star and Herald,") The sohooner Caroline Mills recently returned to San Francisco from an expedition, undertaken last January, in the hope of recovering a portion of the lading of the br.rque Libelle, which was wrecked on Wake's Island in the North Paoifio, in Maroh 1866, and in whioh Madame Anna Bishop was at the time a passenger. Not meeting with much suocess in recovering the oargo of the Libello, Captain Nickols of the Mills determined to abandon the wreck.- Not having made a fortune by the Libelle and being loth to return to port empty handed, the skipper now _<m6i-ahcmt for something to do, tvnd Botaowhere to go; — Etfa-dwrfTrfon-ond its results are given as follows by the San Francisco Times :— He remembered that an Island called Cornwallis Island was laid down on the chart, and thought he would hunt it up. He did so, finding it with some difficulty, and making the discovery, at tbe samo time, that it was some forty miles from the spot laid down for it on the chart. Finding nothing on Cornwallis Island, he made sail for another of these coral rocks, known as Sybilla, or Gaspar Bioa Island, situated in longitude 169 degree 8 minutes east, and latitude 14 degrees 40 minutes north. On landing upon this island, which is formed entirely of coral, and is only about 8 feet above the level of the sea, Captain Nickols was surprised to find the beach strewn over with the wreck of a vessel of considerable size, and a oloser investigation in no degree diminished his astonishment, for it became evident that the wreok had been cast away at least a generation ago, The fragments scattered here and there were of teak, and the copper rudder bands, and Borne sheets from the hull were pioked up. Judging from the size of the timbers, the pieces of which lying around were all in excellent preservation, Captain Nikolls supposes that the vessel was one of between four and five hundred tons. On proceeding further up the beach a place- was found where the shipwrecked crew had evidently camped, and some faded and rotten sailoloth showed that they had made a tent for themselves out of the sails. Here the first clue to the identity of the lost vessel was found, in the shape of a quarter board, bearing the name Canton deeply carved on it. Near to this was the armorial shield whioh had surmounted the stern, and this has been recognised by an old sailor at Honolulu as being identical with those used by the ships of the old East India Company. It is surmounted by a oro.wn, is oval in form, and the quarterings contain an inner shield, also quartered. The heraldic emblems emblazoned upon it unite the leopards of England, the elephant of the Company, with various other ciphers and devices, which the learned in heraldry may recognize and deoipher. It is carved out of Norway pine, and was evidently gilded and gaily painted, but the suns and rains of half a century have despoiled it of its garish finery, and left it a cracked, bleached, rotting memento of a generation no life of which exists to-day. In the vicinity of the camping place where this relic was discovered, were found also several spoons and platters of wood. It has been said that these are exaotly similar to such as were commonly used by theLasoar sailors in the Company's employ, and it is possible that the Canton was so manned, but when the frigidity of the climate in which Bho traded is considered, it may be regarded as unfavorable to this view, it being well known that Lascars, though making excellent seamen in the tropics, beoome almost useless in cold weather, The experience of every sea oaptain who has doubled Cape Horn with a Lasoar crew will verify this assertion. Several old soa chests were strewn around, but they were empty, as were also the compass boxes of the lost vessel. No trace of writing or inscription of any kind could be found by the people of the Mills, though the Captain searched narrowly over every part of the beach where the wreck was lying, In the course of their investigations the party came upon a very singular scene. The frame of the main hatchway of the Canton had been cast up whole, and through the opening a tree had sprung up and attained its full growth ; and as it was as largo aB any of the trees in tho island, this must bo taken as irrefutable proof (even if none other existed) of the many years which bave elapsed since the ship was cast away. As to what had become of the crew, no clue could be obtained. The island and its surrounding reefs inolose a large lagoon, and Capt. Nickols is of opinion that they escaped across this, and endeavored to reach some of the neighboring islands, Whether they succeeded and were imprisoned or killed by the inhabitants, who are cruel savages, or whether they were drowned at sea, will mali probability remain undisclosed forever. Tho record of the Canton, however, goes so far as this. According to Lloyd's register, the Bengal British ship

Canton is. reported to bave left Sitka ori the northwest coast of our lately acquired Rusaian American possessions, in the year 1816, and was never more heard of. Who was her captain, who were her officers, and what her lading was, if any, there is no means of ascertaining. Far away in England many an aching heart waited patiently for tidings of the missing ship, until tho eyes that once beamed bright with hope grew sunken and faded, and the rosy cheeks grew wan, and the raven tresses silvery grey. Far away across tho ocean many a wistful gaze must have been directed long, long ago, for tbe vessel that was never to re-enter a home port, Anxiety and fear, conjecture, doubt and uncertainty, must have merged at length into tbat dull hopelessness which weighs down the loving spirit through a life of painful endurance ; but hope and doubt and anxiety and fear were alike fruitless, for the expected ones were sleeping the sleep which knows no waking, among tbe fathomless deeps where the heavy waters swell and roll among the coral caves, or lying unburied and unblessed ori the arid soil of the savage haunted isles of tho Pacific. One more touch of the old romance of the ooean, one little lifting of the dark curtain of the past, and the veil of mystery falls again, never to be lifted again in the world. The barque Avery, 340 tons, Captain Hill, from London, arrived in Wellington on Wednesday, morning, the 23rd instant. She left St. Katherine's Docks on Maroh 30, and experienced 6trong westerly wind to Tasmania, and fine weather the remainder of the passage, whioh oooupied 116 days. Capsizing of a Schooner at Hokitika. —•The Hokitika bar has been the scene of another disaster, a small schooner, the Alice, having been capsized by, a htfavy sea whilst attempting to enter under canvas. Our Hokitika contemporary states that three men were in the vessel, but managed to cling to it, and were rescued from the surf by the bystanders. The poor fellows were terribly exhausted, and | the oaptain was almost insensible when conveyed ashore. Several persons distinguished themselves in rescuing the crew, and in Ibe evening tho vessel was recovered and hauled ashore by voluntary workers. A public subscription, whioh has already reached £100, has been started for the rolief of the 'sufferers.