Page 79 - Alex Storm: Treasure Ship Chameau

ISSUE : Issue 57

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/6/1

around the anchors but could find nothing else to indicate that the treasure might possibly be there. Yet the configuration of anchors and cannons on our site plan made it obvious that the Chameau had trav? elled broadside towards the shore, still 2,000 feet away. We knew that we were on the right track and pressed on with the search. With 33 cannons and six anchors located, we were closing in on our goal. It was obvious the ship had broken up to such an extent that we could not expect a classic wreck scene to greet us on arri? val. We had to be careful and pay close attention to every detail on the bottom. On 19 September, shortly after we had be? gun a sweep over the next section of our search pattern, I spotted three new can? nons and what appeared to be some iron? work. I signalled the surface to drop a marker buoy and, after ascending from the tow, told the others that I had spotted something interesting and was going to in? vestigate some more. Returning to the same spot, I swam slowly over the rugged bed? rock until a lone cannon, perched on a steep rock formation, was reached. Two more iron guns rested below it, at the base of an underwater cliff. As I moved in for a closer examination, I saw two well- preserved deep-sea sounding leads, their whiteish colour contrasting with the brown texture of the gravel. Moving in even closer, at the bottom of the rock I saw something that made my heart jump. I couldn't believe my eyes, for there, lay? ing on the sea bed was a perfectly pre? served miniature cannon about 19 inches long, and later analyzed as having been made of pewter. Nearby were a small quan? tity of badly-corroded iron rods and sev? eral slate grey discs that looked to me like coins! I found about 10 of these, and moving on a little further, I came across a grey silver spoon and a pocket watch. I placed the articles in my specimen bag and surfaced as quickly as I could, filled with' excitement at what had been found. As I made those 60 feet or more to the sur? face, I could visualize the excitement it would cause aboard as well. I hit the sur? face pretty fast and could not get my mouthpiece out quick enough to shout the good news to my partners. Dave MacEachern and Harvey MacLeod rushed to help me on deck as I told them: "I think we have hit something at last." Emptying the contents of my bag out on eyes light up as silver discs and of the discs by rubbing and washing it in seawater, it slowly began to display the pro? file of King Louis XV of France, and the date 1725. The bulky pocket watch, later treated and carefully opened, proved to be in as good condition as could be expect? ed after 240 years on the sea floor. The sil? ver faceplate sported a deco? ration of this? tles and a scroll which read "HANET" LONDON. By now we were all laughing. Was this it? Had we found the last vital clue to the treasure? Dave and I just had to go down again together and look for more. The two of us swam down to the spot. At the rock formation, we scouted around and lo? cated the guns. Cannonballs of a larger caliber than found be? fore lay scat? tered over the craggy bottom amidst a profu? sion of lead musket balls and deck I could see their they fingered the grey the watch. Cleaning one Plan for... Sunday, Aug. 18 1 P.M. at Ben Eoin Ski Slope 20 km. west of Sydney An afternoon of some of the best Celtic and Traditional family enter? tainment Cape Breton has to offer. Featuring: The Barra MacNeils Caper Kye Bridgetrot Bluegrass Betty MacDonald with Mary Morrison Natalie MacMaster Blanche Sophocleous Donnie Campbell & Buddy MacDonald Lee Cremo Allan MacDougall Breton Batherson Dancers Tracey Dares Winnie Chafe and MANY, MANY MORE!!!! • Special Guest M.C.'s include: Eric MacEwan & Hector MacKenzie Canteen FacUities • Beer Tent ' Craft Sales • Farmers Market ' Children's Entertainment Area with Singers, Face Painters, and More! For more information, please contact: Dan MacDonald, Ben Eoin Concert Society, P.O. Box 1833, Sydney, N. S. BIP 6W4 (AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORDING EQUIPMENT IS NOT PERMfFTED ON THE CONCERT SfTE) Stores To Serve You CAPE BRETON SHOPPING PLAZA SYDNEY RIVER llilifill' llllilll ?? --miuauumiiiiif' , VKicXXUlXlK'jr'jMmif' The crossroads of Cape Breton Sobeys & Shopper's Drug Mart "'''''''" ?"<' ' Open Daily 'TillOp.m. Plenty Of FfM '. Parkino ,'L' 79

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