SHIPWRECK MYSTERIES
What?Why?How?
THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS!
Sinking sailing ship
It seems there are many mysteries surrounding every wreck that's found.
What happened to the people?
What happened to the treasure?
What happened to the people?
What happened to the treasure?
WORLD’S OLDEST COMPLETE SHIPWRECK
2,400 YEARS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DEAD SEA
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Archaeologists have found what they believe to be the world’s oldest intact shipwreck, a 400 BC Greek trading vessel. The ancient ship lay undisturbed for over 2,400 years in the Black Sea. To some people it might be a mystery how this shipwreck stayed in such good condition.
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The 23-metre (75ft) vessel was discovered with its mast, rudders and rowing benches in good condition over a mile below the surface, where an oxygen deficient environment preserved it well.
One expert said “This find will add greatly to our understanding of shipbuilding and seafaring in the ancient world.”
One expert said “This find will add greatly to our understanding of shipbuilding and seafaring in the ancient world.”
MORE ABOUT THIS HERE ON OZTREASURE: PHOENICIANS IN AUSTRALIA
2015 MYSTERY OF THE DEEP SOLVED
Shipwrecks 2300km off WA coast.
Two previously unknown shipwrecks one of which was at first thought to be a Spanish galleon or a VOC Treasure ship showed up on the screens. Disappointingly, further investigation of the wrecks, that were 36km apart at a depth of around 3700-3900m, showed one to be built of steel and the other built of timber. Both were 19th Century merchant sailing ships with cargoes of coal.
The wooden ship, which would have been between 225-800 tonnes when it set sail, had only the remains of its cargo, a metal water tank of about 6m long, metal fastenings and anchors still intact. Evidence points to an explosion of the ship’s cargo of coal (an all too common event in those days)
The steel built vessel was identified as an iron sailing ship with at least two decks, and would have weighed about 1000-1500t.
Dr Anderson of the WA Maritime Museum says: The wrecks provide strong archaeological evidence for a busy trade route between Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, powered by the “Roaring 40s” – strong westerly winds that propelled ships across the Indian Ocean.
It was likely both ships would have had between 15 and 30 men as crew, and it was also known for captains to travel with their wives and children on international voyages.
“For the wooden ship the brig W. Gordon and the barque Magdala are two possible candidates,” Dr Anderson said.
The wooden ship, which would have been between 225-800 tonnes when it set sail, had only the remains of its cargo, a metal water tank of about 6m long, metal fastenings and anchors still intact. Evidence points to an explosion of the ship’s cargo of coal (an all too common event in those days)
The steel built vessel was identified as an iron sailing ship with at least two decks, and would have weighed about 1000-1500t.
Dr Anderson of the WA Maritime Museum says: The wrecks provide strong archaeological evidence for a busy trade route between Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, powered by the “Roaring 40s” – strong westerly winds that propelled ships across the Indian Ocean.
It was likely both ships would have had between 15 and 30 men as crew, and it was also known for captains to travel with their wives and children on international voyages.
“For the wooden ship the brig W. Gordon and the barque Magdala are two possible candidates,” Dr Anderson said.
1840 MARIA SHIPWRECK AND MASSACRE
Aboriginal hospitality abused.
The Maria, an Irish-built brigantine, was a passenger ship that wrecked in 1840 on the coast of South Australia at Kingston.
26 passengers and crew under Captain William Smith left Port Adelaide on June 26, 1840, bound for Hobart, Tasmania.
In late July, after following up on rumours that the Marie and all aboard had been lost on the Coorong coastline, a group of men returned to Adelaide with wedding rings recovered from the site of a gruesome discovery.
26 passengers and crew under Captain William Smith left Port Adelaide on June 26, 1840, bound for Hobart, Tasmania.
In late July, after following up on rumours that the Marie and all aboard had been lost on the Coorong coastline, a group of men returned to Adelaide with wedding rings recovered from the site of a gruesome discovery.
The South Australian Governor, George Gawler, sent Major Thomas O'Halloran and a team of investigators on horseback with the order to find, shoot or hang the murderers.
On August 25, two tribal men were hanged from the she-oak trees near the graves of their alleged victims.
Eventually the voice of local Elders of the tribe was heard and their side of the story was told. The survivors of the shipwreck were cared for by the locals, who gave them food, water and fire. But their hospitality was abused by sailors who made inappropriate advances on the young tribal girls. The sailors were strongly warned it was not the way of the people and under tribal law the offence was punishable by death. When the sailors persisted a fight began and all the survivors of the shipwrecked Maria were killed.
On August 25, two tribal men were hanged from the she-oak trees near the graves of their alleged victims.
Eventually the voice of local Elders of the tribe was heard and their side of the story was told. The survivors of the shipwreck were cared for by the locals, who gave them food, water and fire. But their hospitality was abused by sailors who made inappropriate advances on the young tribal girls. The sailors were strongly warned it was not the way of the people and under tribal law the offence was punishable by death. When the sailors persisted a fight began and all the survivors of the shipwrecked Maria were killed.
There are stories (unlikely perhaps) of 4,000 gold sovereigns carried onboard in the very heavy luggage boxes of one of the Maria’s wealthier passengers and how in 1836 a single gold sovereign was discovered in the gut of a fish caught in the Coorong.
Another story is that gold was buried by Maria passengers somewhere along the coastline before local traditional landowners offered the hand of friendship. (Very unlikely as they would have been swimming or coming ashore in life boats with more concern for survival than for gold)
Another story is that gold was buried by Maria passengers somewhere along the coastline before local traditional landowners offered the hand of friendship. (Very unlikely as they would have been swimming or coming ashore in life boats with more concern for survival than for gold)
The first Australian Gold Sovereign Coin was struck in 1853, at the Sydney Mint. So any sovereigns on the Maria were British.
The gold content of 4,000 English sovereigns would today be worth in the vicinity of $1.6 million, but the historic coin value could be worth four times or more.
There are no written records of passengers with more than the usual valuables on board, but there used to be rumours of the local people having coins to trade with.
South Australia has an estimated 800 shipwrecks and the 178 year old wreck of the Maria is one of those that has not yet (in 2018) been found. Some experts believe a likely site is near Cape Jaffa, on a reef, named after the 1852 shipwreck. Margaret Brock.
The gold content of 4,000 English sovereigns would today be worth in the vicinity of $1.6 million, but the historic coin value could be worth four times or more.
There are no written records of passengers with more than the usual valuables on board, but there used to be rumours of the local people having coins to trade with.
South Australia has an estimated 800 shipwrecks and the 178 year old wreck of the Maria is one of those that has not yet (in 2018) been found. Some experts believe a likely site is near Cape Jaffa, on a reef, named after the 1852 shipwreck. Margaret Brock.
1723 FORTUNE OF TREASURE
ON THE FORTUYN
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Some people say that the ‘Fortuyn’ is a ghost ship that continues to sail the storm-tossed seas and she can be seen on a three-quarter moon, through a veil of silvery salt spray & clouds of foam.
Her timbers creak and her bell can be heard ringing to midnight. |
Armed with 36 cannon and 8 swivel guns, the VOC (Dutch East India Company ) The treasure ship ‘Fortuyn’ departed the Cape of Africa on her maiden voyage on 27 September 1723. She was on a trip to in Batavia to trade for exotic spices.
Her treasure, sealed in ten oak money chests, consisted of 200,000 guilders in silver ingots and silver pieces of eight, four and two. Bound for Batavia (now Jakarta) via the Cape of Good Hope she left the harbour together with two other Dutch vessels the ‘Hogenes’ and the grimly named ‘Graveland’ On 2 January 1724, the ‘Fortuyn’ arrived and anchored in Table Bay and the skipper reported only three crew sick and one dead.
18 January with the ships food and water topped up, she left to continue the journey to Batavia, but never reached its destination.
The 800 ton, 145 foot long ship, together with her Skipper Pieter Westrik, his crew of 225 and the valuable treasure, simply vanished.
Her treasure, sealed in ten oak money chests, consisted of 200,000 guilders in silver ingots and silver pieces of eight, four and two. Bound for Batavia (now Jakarta) via the Cape of Good Hope she left the harbour together with two other Dutch vessels the ‘Hogenes’ and the grimly named ‘Graveland’ On 2 January 1724, the ‘Fortuyn’ arrived and anchored in Table Bay and the skipper reported only three crew sick and one dead.
18 January with the ships food and water topped up, she left to continue the journey to Batavia, but never reached its destination.
The 800 ton, 145 foot long ship, together with her Skipper Pieter Westrik, his crew of 225 and the valuable treasure, simply vanished.
In April 1724 the skipper of the Dutch ship ‘Graveland’ found floating wreckage from the missing ‘Fortuyn’ on the Cocos Keeling islands relatively close to Christmas Island.
1629 MUTINY on the BATAVIA
A book by Henry Van Zanden (Author) 2016
The tragic tale of the Batavia is one of the greatest stories ever told. Indeed, when Commander Pelsaert’s Journal was first published in 1647, it became a best seller. Mutiny on the Batavia has everything: drama, romance, adventure, mystery, murder, massacre and mayhem. In 1628, the Dutch East Indiaman Batavia was the largest ship built by the biggest company in the world, the Dutch East India Company [VOC]. Filled full of treasure, plots of mutiny fermented during the long voyage to Batavia, the main trading centre for the VOC in the East Indies.
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owever, before a mutiny could be effected, the Batavia sank 60 km off the Western Australian coast. More than 200 survivors, including women and children, scrambled ashore a group of small desert islands. After the Commander and Captain took the only boat large enough to sail the 3,000 km voyage to Batavia (Jakarta), the leadership fell to Jeronimus Cornelisz, a master manipulator intent on murdering most of the survivors.
Two parallel plots, the story of the ship, Batavia, and story of Batavia, the city fortress under siege by 20,000 men, provide a unifying link. Through the characters and events, both plots intersect with the final action delivering a fascinating conclusion with a remarkable and unexpected twist.
In order to give the reader the best experience and understanding to the most amazing events, it has been written as a historical fiction. While every attempt has been made to create a story as historically accurate as possible, the author, Henry Van Zanden, has filled in the gaps as historical fiction.
1629 Mutiny on the Batavia was written with the aim of bringing the story to the cinemas. If it is expertly produced and directed, it will become one of the greatest movies ever made.
“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.”
― Rudyard Kipling, The Collected Works
Although the story by itself is enough to capture the reader’s imagination, it is also a story of absolute evil corrupting the good. If Satan did exist, he would have personified himself as Jeronimus Cornelisz,
It is a story of a struggle to retain our human dignity, our decency when the temptations of greed, lust, power and ultimately, a choice between a life as a murderer or death, are put to the test. Readers will ask themselves whether it is better to die an honourable death or live a dishonourable life as a murderer.
For the author it was a horrific journey: “I had to ‘live’ the evil that festered in the minds of maniacal men as well as ‘feel’ the terror of the helpless victims. I had to enter into a dark place, a place that I had never been before to engage in the most unspeakable evil and commit, in my mind, the most despicable and depraved acts of barbarism.” This is not a book for the very young or the faint hearted.
The book asks some uncomfortable questions, such as: How much evil would you be prepared to commit in order to stay alive? How many people would you kill before you stop?
“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago 1918-1956
Henry Van Zanden http://www.australiadiscovered.com.au/
Two parallel plots, the story of the ship, Batavia, and story of Batavia, the city fortress under siege by 20,000 men, provide a unifying link. Through the characters and events, both plots intersect with the final action delivering a fascinating conclusion with a remarkable and unexpected twist.
In order to give the reader the best experience and understanding to the most amazing events, it has been written as a historical fiction. While every attempt has been made to create a story as historically accurate as possible, the author, Henry Van Zanden, has filled in the gaps as historical fiction.
1629 Mutiny on the Batavia was written with the aim of bringing the story to the cinemas. If it is expertly produced and directed, it will become one of the greatest movies ever made.
“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.”
― Rudyard Kipling, The Collected Works
Although the story by itself is enough to capture the reader’s imagination, it is also a story of absolute evil corrupting the good. If Satan did exist, he would have personified himself as Jeronimus Cornelisz,
It is a story of a struggle to retain our human dignity, our decency when the temptations of greed, lust, power and ultimately, a choice between a life as a murderer or death, are put to the test. Readers will ask themselves whether it is better to die an honourable death or live a dishonourable life as a murderer.
For the author it was a horrific journey: “I had to ‘live’ the evil that festered in the minds of maniacal men as well as ‘feel’ the terror of the helpless victims. I had to enter into a dark place, a place that I had never been before to engage in the most unspeakable evil and commit, in my mind, the most despicable and depraved acts of barbarism.” This is not a book for the very young or the faint hearted.
The book asks some uncomfortable questions, such as: How much evil would you be prepared to commit in order to stay alive? How many people would you kill before you stop?
“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago 1918-1956
Henry Van Zanden http://www.australiadiscovered.com.au/
SHIPWRECK DETECTIVES
Batavia's Bones The terrible tale of the Batavia in 1629 is one of the most incredible stories of shipwreck ever recorded and one of the bloodiest chapters in Australia's history. When bones of victims are unexpectedly uncovered, a mass grave is revealed. Police forensic scientists team up with maritime archaeologists to investigate a murder mystery that is over 400 year old. As more bodies are discovered the story of this horrific event unfolds.Using modern forensic science and cutting edge technology this modern day detective story attempts to solve a mystery of the past and give the victims back their identity.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BRITOMART?
Old sailing ship
In December 1839 whilst on a voyage from Melbourne to Hobart, the 243 ton barque, Britomart (not to be confused with the brig of the same name) with a cargo of livestock and 7 passengers and a crew of 23, was lost off Preservation Island, Furneaux Group.
Soon after the ships disappearance, wreckage, personal items, the ships log book and compass, were reported to have been seen in the possession of the Bass Strait Islands residents. Sealers had more money than usual, and it was said that they had been heard bragging about their knowledge of the wreck.
On 10th January 1840 Malcolm Smith on Flinders Island, wrote to the Colonial Secretary at Hobart, to say that on Preservation Isle, together with wreckage and sheep carcasses, a trunk containing valuable documents had been found.
In January 1840, A Bass Strait resident James Munro, wrote to Captain William Moriarty, Port Officer at Hobart, to say that together with pieces of wreckage, letters and newspapers from the Britomart had been washed ashore on Preservation Island on the 22 or 26 December.
Captain Gill on the government cutter Vansittart, was sent to search for the Britomart, and on 7 February 1840 it was reported that Captain Gill had returned to Launceston and had been unsuccessful in his search.
Soon after the ships disappearance, wreckage, personal items, the ships log book and compass, were reported to have been seen in the possession of the Bass Strait Islands residents. Sealers had more money than usual, and it was said that they had been heard bragging about their knowledge of the wreck.
On 10th January 1840 Malcolm Smith on Flinders Island, wrote to the Colonial Secretary at Hobart, to say that on Preservation Isle, together with wreckage and sheep carcasses, a trunk containing valuable documents had been found.
In January 1840, A Bass Strait resident James Munro, wrote to Captain William Moriarty, Port Officer at Hobart, to say that together with pieces of wreckage, letters and newspapers from the Britomart had been washed ashore on Preservation Island on the 22 or 26 December.
Captain Gill on the government cutter Vansittart, was sent to search for the Britomart, and on 7 February 1840 it was reported that Captain Gill had returned to Launceston and had been unsuccessful in his search.
BRITOMART
SECRETS IN THE SAND
SECRETS IN THE SAND
There were many and varied rumors of foul play including the intentional wrecking and murder of the Britomart’s crew and passengers, by escaped convicts, pirates or aborigines.
There were many and varied rumors of foul play including the intentional wrecking and murder of the Britomart’s crew and passengers, by escaped convicts, pirates or aborigines.
All 30 aboard were believed to have drowned, and yet there was a rumor that persisted, for several years, of a white woman survivor who was taken in by the aboriginals and had been seen in their campsites in several parts of Gippsland. As the writer in the newspaper says in a letter to the editor "....perhaps some satisfactory conclusion might then be arrived at"
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1840 NEWS ABOUT THE BRITOMART
IN THE HOBART TOWN COURIER (Tasmania)
Friday 6 March 1840, To The Editor.
Sir, The first intimation of the Britomart's loss about Banks' Straits, was derived from Captain Gill, of the schooner Sir John Franklin, who was the bearer of a letter to Captain Moriarty, our Port Officer, from a person called Munro, living on Preservation Island; he also brought the register of that vessel, together with some letters and books; among the latter was the log-book of the Ellen, and a private journal belonging to the master of the ill-fated Britomart. The letter from Munro states that the above few things "were probably washed ashore between the 22nd and 26th December." From Captain Gill we learn, that when he observed to Munro, from seeing part of a ship's cabin affording cover to a pig-sty, " that there appeared to have been indications of a wreck," Munro replied," Yes, he thought some vessel had been wrecked going from Sydney to Port Phillip." Ah! Says Gill, why the Britomart is missing; and Munro was silent. Captain Gill then returned to his vessel, and reflecting on what had passed, he resolved again the next day to have some further conversation, " when he elicited from Munro the fact of his having in his custody on shore the register of the Britomart, some books and letters," which he gave up to Captain Gill. Captain Gill had shown to him by some of the black women or Munro-there being only four persons on Preservation-part of two wrecked boats and some sheep's carcasses.
The report from Captain McCole, of the Vansittart, is partially based on his own opinion, "that the vessel struck on a rock near Preservation and washed over into deep water;" but Munro informed him that "a man named Drew had left the island with some cheques amounting to £460 besides gold and notes." At the time of the above report reaching the Port Office, more letters were received, via Launceston that had evidently been forwarded by the Britomart from Port Phillip-perhaps Captain McCole out these into the Post Office or the man Drew, a mysterious character, did so.
Shortly after this there appear at Launceston some per-sons, apparently sealers, very flush of money; and it was noticed in one of the public prints of that place that a man had boasted of his knowing where to find the Britomart.
Sir, The first intimation of the Britomart's loss about Banks' Straits, was derived from Captain Gill, of the schooner Sir John Franklin, who was the bearer of a letter to Captain Moriarty, our Port Officer, from a person called Munro, living on Preservation Island; he also brought the register of that vessel, together with some letters and books; among the latter was the log-book of the Ellen, and a private journal belonging to the master of the ill-fated Britomart. The letter from Munro states that the above few things "were probably washed ashore between the 22nd and 26th December." From Captain Gill we learn, that when he observed to Munro, from seeing part of a ship's cabin affording cover to a pig-sty, " that there appeared to have been indications of a wreck," Munro replied," Yes, he thought some vessel had been wrecked going from Sydney to Port Phillip." Ah! Says Gill, why the Britomart is missing; and Munro was silent. Captain Gill then returned to his vessel, and reflecting on what had passed, he resolved again the next day to have some further conversation, " when he elicited from Munro the fact of his having in his custody on shore the register of the Britomart, some books and letters," which he gave up to Captain Gill. Captain Gill had shown to him by some of the black women or Munro-there being only four persons on Preservation-part of two wrecked boats and some sheep's carcasses.
The report from Captain McCole, of the Vansittart, is partially based on his own opinion, "that the vessel struck on a rock near Preservation and washed over into deep water;" but Munro informed him that "a man named Drew had left the island with some cheques amounting to £460 besides gold and notes." At the time of the above report reaching the Port Office, more letters were received, via Launceston that had evidently been forwarded by the Britomart from Port Phillip-perhaps Captain McCole out these into the Post Office or the man Drew, a mysterious character, did so.
Shortly after this there appear at Launceston some per-sons, apparently sealers, very flush of money; and it was noticed in one of the public prints of that place that a man had boasted of his knowing where to find the Britomart.
About a fortnight since Captain Tregurtha, the owner of the brig Henry, expressed his surprise that the owner of the Britomart did not send to save something from the wreck, as the sealers of the Straits were flushing away "Plenty of sovereigns" and that they “all knew where the Britomart was."
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The Truganini then reported to have seen two studding-sail booms, in possession of some sealers, with the sails furled to them, and which they supposed to belong to the Britomart. Then again, Captain Gill returns from his second trip to Port Phillip, after visiting Preservation, Badger, and Barren Islands. He has brought up the mizzen topmast, the rudder of the ship's long-boat, and part of her compass; also a snuff box, identified as be-longing to one of the Britomart’s passengers. He saw also thirty carcasses of sheep, and a ham and leg of mutton cooked ; but he can't account for Munro's mysterious behavior; and will cooked meat float ashore?!!
bIf the people in the Straits are pirates, Munro's disinclination to reveal anything is natural enough. There is a dereliction of duty on the part of the Government, if immediate steps are not taken to unravel the mystery which enshrouds the fate of above thirty individuals on hoard of the Britomart.
Is it matter of no importance to know whether they were drowned or murdered? Whether they landed alive, or were plundered after being washed ashore? Let Captain Gill be examined upon his first statement and his last; perhaps some satisfactory conclusion might then be arrived at. I remain, Sir, yours, etc.
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APRIL 2018 A MYSTERY SHIPWRECK!
Dr Parsons said: "This is the first time I've been involved with finding a shipwreck, and it's incredibly exciting."
The ship in 60 metres of water is sitting upright and is estimated to be 37 metres long and 7 metres wide.
WA maritime Museum archaeologists are naturally interested in solving the mystery of an unknown wreck but they don’t think it is a VOC (Dutch East Indies) treasure ship, like several others known of our shores. Understandably the location of the wreck is secret because it may prove to be older than 1910 and end up being listed as a heritage site.
One scientist said “...at first the ship appeared to be a modern design... but it's hard to tell what it could be...a work boat, a trawler..(or) ...a range of possibilities. That's part of the excitement … we don't know what it is...”
APRIL 1942 ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
Tragic shipwreck disaster.
Over a hundred years ago, the Titanic sank beneath the Atlantic Ocean in less than three hours. Hailed as the most beautiful ship of her time, Titanic's short-lived life was full of luxury. The Titanic was a massive cruise ship that was commonly viewed as indestructible.
When it began its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City in 1912, voyagers indulged in some of the most elegant luxuries of the time. But the state-of-the-art safety equipment wasn’t enough to keep the ship afloat after striking a massive iceberg; more than 1,500 people died. Now the infamous ship rests 12,000 feet deep in the Atlantic Ocean, about 400 miles southeast of Newfoundland.
Email Rex Woodmore: [email protected]
#Mystery, #Bones, #Treasure, #LostWhitetribe, #Britomart, #Detectives, #Mutiny,