PIRATES' GOLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21456, 1 April 1933, Page 2 (Supplement)

PIRATES' GOLD

SEARCH IN EAST INDIES ISLAND OF ST. PAUL SEAMAN'S GRAPHIC STORY A romantic quest for treasure believed to be hidden on the bleak, volcanic island of St. Paul, in the Indian Ocean, is being planned by a man who was shipwrecked at that desolate spot more than 40 years ago. His wife and two daughters will join the expedition. f llie man is Commander Charles Lightollor, hero of half a dozen shipwrecks, and the only officer saved of those remaining in the Titanic when she went down with the loss of hundreds of lives. Many sailors have tried to find the treasure that pirates hid on St. Paul after they had raided the old East India merchant boats centuries ago. Commander Lightoller believes he knows where the treasure is likely to be. Some time ago ho was shipwreckod and nearly died of starvation on St. Paul. "It was in 1889, when I was an apprentice," lie said. " I was serving in a four-masted barque, the skipper of which was a Liverpool man who boasted that he never let a ship pass him. Wo were bound for the East Indies, and were running light when a big sailing ship hove in sight and was gradually overtaking us. Our skipper gave the order for every sail to be set, and soon we ran the other boat out of sight.

" But the fact that we had nearly been overtaken so upset the skipper that even when wo had left the other ship behind he would not give orders to take in any sail. We knew we were close to land, and at eight o'clock that night, when the second mate came on duty, he had some of the sail taken in. A gale was blowing, and we could not see where we were heading. " All of a sudden the rain lifted, and we saw that wo were tearing straight at somo cliffs at fourteen knots. It was too late to do anything; wo crashed, with the bow held firmly between two pinnacles of rock.

" Luckily only one man was killed, and the forty-two who were left on board, scrambled down a rope on to the island. There was no ch.\nce to rescue anything, and the ship was soon battered to pieces.

" We found that wo had only one match between us, so we started a fire, and never allowed it to go out. The eight days wo spent there were a nightmare. The volcano was still in action, and there was hardly anything to eat —just a few penguins and rabbits. To get water we had to climb 2000 feet and then carry it back in our boots or oilskin pants. " Wo found 42 uninhabited huts and a number of boats, so old that when we touched them our fingers went through the wood. They were the boats the pirates had used when they raided the merchant ships on tho East Indies route. " I saw a beautiful lagoon and a number of wrecks near it, but we could not get anywhere near. It is in a cave near the lagoon that I am certain there is rich treasure to be found. I was getting on the track of it when we were rescued.

" Otr tho eighth day we were ravenous, and so weak that we could hardly crawl about. We knew food was to be found on the island, but it was not until 12

years later that I discovered whero it was hidden. There was a cairn of stones on which was written ' Mrs. Smith and child, wife and daughter of Captain Smith.' We often looked at that stone, but would not remove it, as wo thought it was sacred. But food was hidden under it all tlie time.

" It was in the afternoon of the eighth day that wo sighted tho Coorong. Sho had a crew of only six, and thoy themselves wero running short of food. After somo hesitation they took tho 42 of us ori board, and wo set sail for Adeliide, 22 days away. Most of that time we lived on sugar and water, but we thought ourselves lucky to got that."