Further Search Brought To Light Several More Round-Shot, But In The Same
State As The First, And We Noticed That In Several Places The Timbers Were
Burnt, Most Probably By The Natives, Or The Crew Themselves, For The Sake
Of The Copper Bolts.
What a number of melancholy recollections are awakened by the discovery of
a forgotten memorial of the past, such
As this nameless wreck; and if those
old timbers could have spoken, what a strange record of hopes unfulfilled,
and high adventure unachieved, would have been disinterred from the dark
storehouse of the past! That the vessel came in her present position by
accident, could hardly be supposed. More probably, having struck on the
Barrier Reef, or on some of the hidden coral shelves with which this sea
abounds, she had been taken into this secluded creek for repairs. Cook,
the great circumnavigator, careened his ship at a spot not far distant from
this; but we were unanimously of opinion that this vessel must have become
embedded long prior to his time. Not only was the framework some distance
from the present bed of the creek, but it was raised considerably above the
water level. That the eastern coast of Australia is slowly rising from the
waves is well known, for in the neighbourhood of Brisbane valuable
reclamations have been made within the memory of living men; but at least
two centuries must have elapsed to account for the altitude attained by
this old craft. Our regret was great at getting no more certain
information, but although we persevered in digging until sundown, no casket
of jewels, no bags of specie, and no mysterious parchments rewarded us; and
with the darkness we were compelled to abandon our search, rather angry at
having wasted several valuable hours to such little purpose.
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