THE GENERAL GRANT

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 83

THE GENERAL GRANT

GOOD SEARCH FOR THE TREASURE

MARINERS’ PERILOUS EXPLOITS

AUCKLAND ISLES EXPLORED. AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE. Unheralded and unknown, an adventurous expedition temporarily returned to Bluff on Sept. 28 (says the Southland News) from an exhaustive search for the gold of the ill-fated ship (General Grant), wrecked on the rock-bound desolate Auckland Islands exactly half a century ago. Captain P. V. Catling purchased the cutter Enterprise in Bluff a few months ago, ostensibly to undertake a fishing cruise, and nothing further was heard ct the vessel or her crew of three until her return for stores and further outfit. For three months the party thoroughly explored the 'whole of the Auckland Island coastline —every nook and cranny—and in the course of this hazardous task they experienced adventures enough to fill a book. The actual examination of the coastline was carried out in a cockleshell centre-board canoe, specially constructed with air-tight compartments and nnsmkable —a method which none but very adventurous and thoroughly capable seamen would over have dared to risk. Not once, but on numerous occasions, the party had hair-breadth escapes which give some little indication of the great weather and tidal conditions which besot navigation in those storm-swept southerly waters. Fortunately the Enterprise proved herself a splendid sea boat, and she succeeded in returning to Now Zealand, so to speak, to report progress. Captain Catling was accompanied by John Olsen, A. 8., and Paul Suveran, an exFrench man-o’-warsman, all having had long and varied experiences with a sea career. They have succeeded in carrying out the most thorough and complete charting ever attempted at the Auckland Islands, and they return shortly to carry out diving in earnest in what they arc satisfied is the actual site of the wreck. Captain Catling is thoroughly in earnest in his effort to salvage the General Grant’s specie, and he knows the difficulties to be encountered, but he has such faith in his ability to raise it that he has already expended over £IOOO in equipanent. The Enterprise is fitted out avith the most up-to-date and complete equipment south of the line, including special compressed air cylinders, which will supply air to the diver for two hours at moderate depth without pumping, a two-valve diver’s helmet, specially made to Captain Catling’s specifications, floating air tubing, a 500 candle-power electric lamp for submarine work, and a special apparatus which effectively discloses the floor of the sea to a great depth. The Enterprise cleared Bluff on June 8, but was hold up by dirty weather off Stewart Island for fourteen days. On one occasion one of the party (Snvoran) was swept overboard by the main sheet, to which he clung, but was fortunately rescued a few minutes later. On the trip down to the Auoklands the cutter proved herself a splendid sea boat and took the tremendous seas like a cork. The Auoklands were sighted on June 23, and the Enterprise boat up eastward between Bristow Rock and Endorby Island to make Port Ross, but the seas were too heavy, and the craft put about, clearing North-West Capo and Disappointment Island, laying to off Cape Bristow. Owing to heavy weather and a six-knot tide running through Garnley Harbour (western entrance) she ran round under the lee of Adam’s Island. Tremendous seas were running, and the little craft had a rough handling while trying to boat into Fly Harbour, and finally had to give it up and run back to the western entrance, where she got through against a swirl of tide which swung her right round straight for the rocks. Only the instantaneous jamming over of the tiller to port and a sudden nor’-cast squall filling the mainsail saved the situation. The specially-construc-ted unsuitable canoe was stove in on clock, and was repaired and rendered serviceable again. While trying to make Port Roes on Juno 27 by sailing up the cast coast, well outside the dangerous roofs that stretch several miles out to sea, the Enterprise was caught in a fog and carried by a strong current past Endorby Island and along the northern coast. She was in a very perilous position. To make matters worse, the compass was evidently deviated a point or more by some local attraction, the Aucklands being noted for lodestono and other magnetic attractions which annoy mariners. The engine (an 8 h.p. Viking) had to bo kept going the whole time, and if it had failed it, would have been all up with everything. Steering by the breakers. Captain Catling got right round North-East Capo, but the deviation of the compass rendered further sailing dangerous, and the vessel was hereto. The fog suddenly rose at 9 a.in. on the 28th, and disclosed the craft midway between Ocean Island and Ewing Island, ami the log contained the significant entry : “Thank God wo arc safe in harbour. What terrible islands these are for fogs and currente, and only one current charted. They arc ■ most dangerous. Wo all turned in, dog tired and dead boat." The Government depot was found intact. Endcrby Island was found simply infested with rabbits, and after shooting a supply they made for Laurie Harbour for water and firewood. The sea lions, with which some interesting experiences wore obtained, were found in the long grass at the head of the harbour in largo numbers. Five of them followed the boat and tried to chow a lump out of one of the oars. The whole colony showed great curiosity, and evidently

no sealers had disturbed them for a long time.

On July 10 tho work of exploring the coast in search of the General Grant and her treasure commenced in earnest. A thorough search was mapped out to set at rest the various theories from survivors and others —theories which included the whole of tho western cliff-like shores from Black Hoad in tho north to South Cape in the extreme south of Adam’s Island. They cleared Laurie Harbour in a dead calm, and reached the Column Rocks at the extreme nor’-west corner of tho main island. By dark they had fossicked their way down as far as Beehive Rocks, roughly halfway down the west coast, hoping to got as far as Bristow Point next morning. Unfortunately, a baffling wind sprang up from the sou’-west, with "a heavy swell rolling in, setting the craft stern-first towards the rocky shore. Those were, as it happened, exactly the same conditions which resulted in the loss of the General Grant, but the Enterprise was able, with her engine going, to push out to sea. That settled the exploration for the time being. It was decided to boat for Carnley Harbour, but they got badly set down off Capo Lovitt, and the Enterprise got a terrible- thrashing against tho heavy squalls and tremendous seas. So close did they got set that they had to shake out the first reef and smash her into it under all sail. This cleared them. On getting a view of the western entrance Captain Catling decided to risk the passage into Carnley Harbour. Once in tho entrance it was a case of flying right through or smash, as there was no possible return against wind and tide. Hie stern got swung round, and, coming down on a big swell. her heel just touched a sunken rock, but only grazed tho obstruction, which did no damage. They made Western Harbour, and found good shelter. The seas were tremendous in tho passage on account of the increasing sea meeting the outgoing tide. Again the log contained a significant entry: “Every time we go out of harbour here we seem to have narrow escapes that one might well describe as handshakes with death.’ From July 11 until the 19th the Enterprise was held up in Western Harbour. On making for the open sea the craft got a severe tossing up in a very heavy sea and eddy off Monumental Island. They coasted close along shore, past tho immense cliffs all along tho western coast, right up to the Column Rooks, where the sea has made a grant arch through the two groat columns, which arc from 220 ft to 250 ft high. Captain Catling made a very careful search inshore for likely spots answering the description of tho survivors of the General Grant. He used his canoe for this hazardous work, penetrating tho cliffs in a bight for about 250 yards. This inlet is almost rectangular in shape, with high perpendicular walls on every side. At tho far end were two small caves on the right and a largo one on the loft. From external appearances it answered tho description very well, but there was a reef right across the mouth of it, so that it could not bo the. place they were searching for. They had found only one other spot answering the description, and they decided to visit it right away. Unfortunately, another “roarer” sot in, with heavy fog, and they were glad to make Camp Cove and anchor. Fly Harbour proved to be the next day’s sanctuary from a storm. Although tho entrance is kelpy, this is one of the finest harbours of the Auckland Islands, with a first-rate anchorage. At the head of the harbour was a waterfall that came down a height of 250 ft from a flat rock, and another from a height of 650 ft to 700 ft, and emptied into tho head of the harbour. Captain Catling and Olson climbed to the top of tho ridge on Adam’s Isle, a height of 2000 ft, after a severe struggle, as the slopes were exceedingly precipitous and the easier gradients heavily wooded with rata. The object was to examine the cliff's from the land ; but they were held up by dense bush, which proved quite impassable. On returning they examined the 700 ft waterfall from the top. It was a mountaineering feat to got down to tho shore again by means of precipitous shelves, it was a case of scrambling and clinging to branches and trunks of trees, like monkeys. For 12 days a hurricane kept tho Enterprise in Fly Harbour,- with 20 fathoms of chain out.

The Lantern Rocks, to the sou’-wost of Adam’s Isle, contain a bight which might possibly answer the description, and it has been suggested that this might have been the site of the wreck. On August 4 the weather moderated, and the canoe (with mast and sail) was requisitioned to examine the locality. No trace of the wreck could bo found. The canoe was again commissioned on August 6, when the coast was explored thoroughly as far as Cape Bristow, actually rowing 17 miles altogether. It was hard going, particularly as a squall came up and almost cost the pair of adventurers their lives before they succeeded in reaching the western entrance and regaining the I'interprise. Next day the thorough work of examination was continued and the Entcrpriso sailed round to Gape Bristow, where the canoe resumed the search. They coasted close in and examined the great bight near Beehive Rocks, and then further north to the place where the castaways of the Dundonaid landed. They found a number of great caverns in the cliffs. Disappointment Island was also circumnavigated. On the Bth they explored -the bight to the cast of Monumental Point without mishap. After several days lost on the east coast an examination was made of the bight between Black Head and North Harbour, and soundings taken,- but on the 19th a hurricane commenced and nothing could be done until the 2&th, when Endorby Island was carefully examined; also Black Hoad and throe other places near the North-west Cape. They also sounded and examined the great bight on the south-wcct end of Disappointment Island. On the 27th they examined and Bounded Beehive Bight and sounded the coast down to the Western Entrance. When off Cape Lovitt the Enterprise got out of touch witli the canoe and darkness sot in without a rescue being effected. Finally, by means of lantern signals, they located cacti other, but owing to the heavy swell the canoe got badly smashed and had to be abandoned after all the gear had been removed. The loss was serious, as all exploration had then to be carried out in an open dinghy. There was only about five miles of coastline left to be sounded. Calcs, followed by thick fog, held everything up from August 28 to September 7, when the dinghy was loaded up with compass, grapnels, ropes, provisions, mast and sail, etc., to finish the job, but after rowing to Adams Rocks, outside the Western Entrance, they had to return as another hurricane was springing up. On the 11th the weather was good enough to venture outin, and they sailed into the bight by the Lantern Rooks, and sounded in each great cavern. With the aid of their apparatus th ey observed the bottom clearly down to 18 fathoms. The last of the unexplored

places—between Cape Lovitt and tho I Western Entrance —was then carefully j sounded and examined. That completed the most thorough examination ever made of the west coast of the Auckland Islands. They have narrowed down the whole of the possible sites of tho wreck to the spot which has all the characteristics which answer to the survivors’ narratives and tho exports who have already made an attempt to recover the treasure. To complete tho job, Captain Catling considers that a launch instead of canoe or dinghy is desirable, as either of the latter is really too dangerous for work in those latitudes. 'With provisions for six months Captain Catling anticipates leaving in a few weeks to make a final big bid to recover the gold of the General Grant. Ho considers it hotter than a gold mine, because if tho wreck is found the "old is there, whereas a man may have a gold mine but no gold. PREVIOUS EXPEDITIONS. Several attempts have been made to recover the gold from tho General Grant, but so far every one has failed. Tho first to essay tho task was tho paddio-tug Southland in 1869, but those at the head of it did not succeed in locating tho wreck. They found the so-called cave, under tho direction of Mr J. Teer, 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. Bad weather coming up caused tho attempt to bo finally abandoned. In 1370 the topsail schooner Daphne made an attempt, but it was also unsuccessful. The rowing boat sent out to put down the diver at the cave capsized, and every one of tho six men in her was drowned. The Daphne had a big job to reach Now Zealand with the throe remaining men left aboard. In 1877 the s.s. Gazelle expedition made an exhaustive search, and as she had several good nautical men at the head of affairs they did better than either of the previous expeditions, but they, too, failed to recover anything. They had one of tho survivors of the General Grant with them, and they located what they were positive was the s.te of the wreck in about 70ft of water. They were unable to get the diver down, however, and gave up the attempt and returned to New Zealand. In 1912 the Sorensen Salvage Syndicate (Arizona, U.S.A.) arrived in New Zealand and had tho s.s. Wairoa ready to j leave Port Chalmers for the Aucklands, when tho bailiff stepped on board and seized the vessel under tho Admiralty warrant for debt. None of the three American expeditions in 1914, have visited the Auckland Isles. Captain Catling’s daring expedition in the Enterprise is the first practical attempt since 1877 to locate flic General Grant, and ho is so satisfied with the prospects that he intends to return shortly in an endeavour to solve the mysterv.