Wednesday, October 11, 1939
Relics of Ancient Wreck Brought Up By
Dragger
A bushel basket full of human bones, a flintlock musket, an
ancient wooden clamp kedge anchor, and some 1500 pieces of leather, relics of a wreck of
at least a century and a half ago, it is believed were brought up in the drag of the local
sch. Joffre, Capt. Nick Cole, 70 miles east by
north of Eastern Point near Cashed, in 80 fathoms of water, Monday afternoon.
Capt. Cole exhibited his finds at the new
fish pier this forenoon when the dragger arrived at the wharf with 115,000 pounds of
redfish. They ruined a good net, costing some $125, but salvaged some of the curios. It is
believed the wreck was a large leather-laden freighting schooner. The net also brought up
a large section of the deck house which was dropped back in the water. They cast most of
the bones overboard but saved several just to prove their find. There were leg bones, knee
joints, backbones and others.
The old flintlock was in two pieces with a tarnished ramrod
for loading purposes. The letters "D H" were on the musket
stock. Several sections of an old brick fireplace, common in freighters of long ago were
also salvaged, besides some 1500 pounds of leather which ripped easily like parched paper.
Kelsey Martin, one of the crew, showed
some of the small pint earthenware jugs, of which there were a dozen, as well as a number
of large earthenware jugs, holding a quart. There were soles of shoes with wooden pegs.
The planking of the deck had hand hewn trunnels. The kedge anchor was one of a type that
hasn’t been used for at least 150 years according to waterfront habitues.
The Joffre also had an owl which
flew aboard at sea. Three o them had come aboard, but only one remained. The owls had
haunted the site of the wreck, according to the crew. |
