The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-05-19
Singular Discovery.


A letter has been received at Lloyd's
from the Forign Office, enclosing copy
of despatch from the British consul
general in Central America, dated:--
GUATEMALA, Dec. 3. lS45.
My LoRD-rhe master of the "Black
Cat of London, who has just arrived at
lstapa, has given me the following note
respecting the remains he found of the
furniture of a vessel on Chatham Island,
near the equator, in longitude abou, 81.
Captain James Davies account is as
follows:-
NOVEMBER 10, 1S45.
"Made the Galapagos Islands; being
calm, | went on shore on Chatham Is
land in search Of water, but found none.
At s A. Nj. returned on board. A sud-
den calm abreast of deep bay lowered
my boat and went on shore myself, with
four hands under arms. On arriving at
the battom of the bay, in pulling along
the shore my attention was called to a
number of water casks, 25 in all, 20 yards
above high water mark.
Handed at the spot, took out the bungs,
and finding the greater number of them
full, rolled four OF them down to the beach
left them, as it still continued calm, and
proceeded short way into the woods with
the boats crew, when | discovered three
poles sticking in the ground; namely, two
topgallan. and lower studdmg sails booms
belonging TO some unknown vessel OF a
bout ISU or 200 tons, on which the A.
merican flag was flying all in tatters.-
Beneath them heap of cinders, where
there had been apparently great fire,
and the most valuable instruments TO
mariners had been destroyed and melted,
namely, brass sextants, compasses, and
log glasses; knives and forks, without
number, totally burnt and destroyed, with
the exception of one knife and fork with
lsbuckhorn handles, having the name OF
{" Rodgers sailors knives, scissors,
sewing needles, packing ditto, fishhooks,
ramrods, gun and musket locks, heap OF
buttons melted together; brought away
five supposed to be Spanish gold. da.e
1887, of the weight of two ounces.
"Leaving the spot, on running my
sword into the sand, it held fast. pick
ed up hoe near the same spot, in dig
ging, where ran my sword, I discovered
cask of beef, without pickle, ina putri-
fed state tripe, Indian corn meal, large
white roun peas, and case of castor
oil; chest containing carpenters and
coopers' tools; some of them were brand
new having the name of s. Myers, cast
l.steel;" :" blocks and tins, cooking utensils,
kettles, saucepans, two boilers, one OF
metal, the other of copper; muskets, with
out locks; barrel Of common gunpow-
der, 80 TO-; nine clamps of guns, tompions
also five pumkins, which were i'll perfect
order, with the exception of one. Pro-
ceeded to the boat, and rolled four casks
into the water, one OF which being very
large, and the tide having fallen struck on
rock and bilged; three | succeeded in
getting on board. Made sail and pro-
ceeded on my voyage. At 10 80. A. M.
the following day, Downs Island, which
is marked doubtful iii the chart, bore
distant five miles. Latitude observed at
noon, SO. Is North, longitude 80. 80
West.
Your lordship may, perhaps, think il
desirable to make this singular case
known at Lloyd's for general information.
At first | was inclined to think thas this
might be the Joven Cocillia, Peruvian
schooner, which disappeared from the
coast Of Peru in November, 1874 with {
cargo of goods Of the value Of 10000 dol
lars, belonging to Mr.. William Turner
British subject, and which was traced tc
Realego and Punta da Arcuasia in this re.
public, where the captain, Santo Bastos
sold some of the cargo.
On the :l2th ofFebruary last, she cal
led in at Acaiintha, and was supposed tc
have proceeded thence to the coast o
Mexico, but the valuable nature of the
object Captain Daviea describes as hav
ing been so deliberately destroyed, ant
the fact that quantity of gold was fount
melted with the rest of the things, tcrbit
that supposition, ond leave the cause 0
this strange occurrence beyond reasona
BILE conjecture. / have, &c.
F. CHATFIED.
A WHITE NEGRO.