The Portland daily press., 1870-11-22
ShiPwreck and PInnder by the Arabs,

Letters received from Capt Hiram Harding.
or chatham, at Alden, dated respectively the
Sth 18th and 22d of September, give the fol-
Loving account OF the disaster to the barque
TENDER, the vessel went on shore on the coast
OF Arabia, some 120 miles east of Cane Alden.
being at that time on the way from Alden to
M1scat Every effort was made that was pos
sible to save the ship. Anchors and cables car
ried out but to no purpose; the vessel will
prove total loss. Immediately after ground-
ing the captain sent fishing boat with Mr..
Arnold, agent on board, one man and native.
board 100 tons of ornamental wood. 30 tons of
coffee, hides, &C., and 80 tons ballast and $40
600 in specie The vessel lay within 100 wards
OF the beach, heeled off shore, the water ebb-
feet of water in the hold at high tide During
the day an armed party of thirty or forty ma
tlves came on board and plundered the shin.
destroying what they did not want AS the
hshlng boat could not be expected to make the
trip under three days, and it was uncertain
when assistance could reach them. the crew re-
fused to remain by the vessel, and on the NIGHT
OF the 18th OF September the officers and crew
got out their boats and started for Alden. The
natives remained on board during the day.
plundering and destroying, and withdrew to
the beach and encamped at night.
Capt. Harding had succeeded in conceaiipg
the specie while they were on board and on
leaving the ship placed $4,000 in bags of $1,000
eaCH ~ oHe Doat, ana the Dalance OF tie specie
and all the captains effects, including chrome.
meters, papers and clothing in the other This
Doat capslzed, and all it contained was lost in
about twelve feet of water. The captain ar
rived at Alden after being forty-eight hours in
.leaky boat, the same having been capsized
and damaged the day beforeAeaving the vessel
The steam tug which had been engaged had
gone to the wreck with Mr.. Arnold on board
she returned on the 9th, having ACCOMPLISHED
but little; they stayed by her thirty-two hours
and brought away sails. some spars provisions
and sundry articles. A portion of what they
had in readiness to bring away they were
obliged to leave, having been fred upon bv the
natives. Capt. Harding then dispatched a boat
with i've men and some native divers, who re.
turned after six days absence without accom-
plishing the object for which they were sent.
which was to recover the thirteen bags Of spe.
Gle lost by the capsiziDg of the boat, having
been obliged to work in the night unseen by
the Arabs; they found the sand had washed IN
80 that tpe water was some three feet shoaer
IN IN Ine place where the treasure was lost.
Al. I1ere was no American Consul at Alden, and
tne governor, who was called upon for an arm.
ed force, was unable to afford it. and the onIv
armed vessel in that place was engaged in 9th.
er service; the small tug which went to the as
sistance of the vessel at first was under repairs.
The ebony wood and other cargo was in the
ships bold with no means of getting it out.
The natives fire upon any party approaching
the wreck, and without an armed force it is i'm
possible to work. The Arabs had slipped off
all the metal down to the waters edge. What
was rescued was sold at public auction in
Alden. At the last date Capt. Harding had en-
gagged party of native divers and was to start
for the wreck the next day, to make final
effort to recover the lost treasure Yarmouth
Register.