Warrnambool
Standard
January 30 1890
The
Mahogany Ship
To the Editor of the Warrnambool Standard
SIR, -- There appears no doubt that the wreck, known as the
mahogany-built Spanish or Dutch ship, alluded to in today’s Standard,
and in the well known note in “Geoffry Hamlyn.” is extant on our
coast, and probably lies between Werronggurt and Armstrong’s Bay, though now further
inland than formerly and covered to a greater depth in the sand hummocks.
It might not be worth while to go on a prospecting tour in search of her,
yet the matter is worth keeping in mind, in case of one’s getting into the
supposed neighbourhood of the remains. It seems not likely that most
interesting historic relics would be got, if she were discovered, for whether
she came ashore here in the first instance, or were abandoned at sea and
afterwards floated here, it is unlikely that all her stores, armament, etc.,
would have been removed. These
would, at any rate, be a most interesting result for the finder, who, it is to
be hoped, would not forget the Warrnambool Museum. Suppose, for the
sake of argument, that the ship’s treasure chest is still there, still full of
doubloons, pieces of eight and other pretty tiny kickshaw, things would become
much more interesting.
Some one at Belfast is well up on the subject of De Quiros ship, which
was abandoned in a terrible storm in, I think, the neighbourhood of the New
Hebrides. Perhaps he could give us an idea on the subject.
It seems, however, certain that the existence of the unrecorded wreck in
our neighbourhood is no myth, but that it has been well above the sand, and that
horses have been jumped over exposed portions of it within the last thirty
years.
Yours,
etc.,
J. ARCHIBALD
30th January, 1890.
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