Cape Breton's Magazine

mined to find the treasure reputedly lost with the Chameau. Back on the deck of the Marion Kent. I told the skipper and his crew that I had found the remains of the ill-fated Chameau. Intrigued by the de? scription, Manuel agreed to invest some time on the wreck. It appeared to be a wise decision for on the next dive, four days later, I found a silver coin. A four-livre piece, slightly larger than a silver dollar, it was embed? ded in a cluster of fused cannon balls that fell apart when tapped with a knife. Cov? ered with a black substance, the coin, when cleaned, revealed a likeness of Louis XV and the date 1724. Searching for more coins among the mass of iron, there appeared a Imagine this being 'ur office... Imagine a career at sea... becoming an officer in the Canadian Coast Guard. If you are finishing Grade 12 plus 6 OACs (Ontario), CEGEP 1 (Quebec) or Grade 12 (other provinces) in your university preparatory program this year, if you excel at math and physics, and if you think big... Head for the freedom, the excitement and the challenge of a sea-going career with the Canadian Coast Guard. The four-year Canadian Coast Guard officer training plan offers: • Tuition-free training • A monthly allowance • Practical sea training • A modem, attractive campus in Sydney, with private rooms • A guaranteed position as a ship's officer after graduation small brass ring, two cannon breech-blocks, and a badly worn silver fork. It was a most encouraging day's work and my thoughts were now on finding the treasure. The crew on the Marion Kent, though initially enthu? siastic, were more interested in scrap met? al salvage than dreaming of treasure. They wanted to bring up a cannon. It seemed to be a good idea, since the Ca? nadian government was investing millions of dollars in the reconstruction of the town and fortifications of 18th-century Louisbourg. The next few weeks were spent wrestling seven heavy cannon to the sur? face. During this period, more time was devoted to surveying the general area around Chameau Rock. Swimming over and I through deep gul? lies, more can? nons and cannon- balls were found along the jagged bottom. Two can? nons and a clus? ter of cannon- balls firmly wedged in a cre? vice, almost on top of Chameau Rock, confirmed that the ship had struck here first before capsizing in deeper water. It was a violent shipwreck for two of the large bow anchors were broken into piec? es by the impact, a fate shared by at least one cannon. The salvaged iron cannons proved to be a disappoint? ment. Fortress officials ex? plained that the artillery pieces were of little value to the pro? ject and that the old cannons would be better off back in the ocean where the corro? sive action of salts would slow down. Although disappointing, this news did not deter further ex? ploration on the Chameau. Before Canadian Coast Gnarl Ortt'e P.O.Box 3000. Sydn' Nova Scotia 81P6K7 Tel.: (902) 564-3660 Fax: <902) 5ft4-3672 Please soKi me more information on ttie Canadian Coast Guaati College: :; Coast Qumrd College 1'1 Canadian Coast Guard Garde cdtidre canadlenne Canada going back in the water, though, more research was required on the 70