May Be Key To The Fate Of A

Mystery Wreck On Roncador

La Perouse Ship

From P. L. James, of Rabaul • South of Ontong Java, one of the small Polynesian outliers of the main British Solomon Islands chain, is Roncador Reef, 18 miles in circum ference, with two openings into its lagoon. Roncador itself is about 500 miles in a general north-west direction from Vanikoro, where M. Anthoniez made his discoveries in March this year.

IN August to October, 1953, I made a voyage from Rabaul via

Nuguria Islands, Taku Islands,

Nukumanu Islands and Ontong Java to Roncador, and on the east side, I found plentiful evidence of a a wreck of an early sailing vessel, which I then believed might be that of the Findsbury.

Findsbury (or Frindsbury ), was

a whaler reported to have been wrecked North of Ontong Java on a reef now named after this ship.

According to Vol. I of the Pacific Islands Pilot, this wreck occurred in 1882, but this is incorrect. The vessel actually was lost in 1832.

Although I very completely

measured, photographed and de

scribed all wreckage found, the

Admiralty, in London, considered

that the evidence was inconclusive as applied to the Findsbury. The finding was also reported to the US Hydrographic Office in case the vessel might have been American, but they had no record of any such wreck.

The Wreckage

The wreckage found includes the

following, only briefly described

here;

Anchors: (a) Two on top of reef (one with rounded crown as in the photograph in PIM and of same size, one with angled crown of earlier type. (b) Two smaller anchors or similar wreckage mixed up among anchor cable. (c) One large anchor similar to (a) above to seaward in IV2 to 2 fathoms. This is resting on the reef just as when lowered, possibly to try to hold the vessel from driving further on. This anchor still has its stock fitted and I dived and stood on it when measuring it. (d) The major part of an anchor ring on top of the reef.

Anchor Cable: A pile of stud link cable which is on top of the reef with the anchors nearby. It appears to be resting just where the chain locker and hull rotted away. The position of this cable and nearby anchors which do not appear to have been lowered suggest the vessel struck suddenly at night (or in very thick weather?). The anchor to seaward would seem to have been car ried aft on the vessel and perhaps lowered in haste as a stream anchor to hold her off when she struck. Where the latter anchor lies is hard level reef floor—no holding—and just seaward the reef drops sheer. The stream anchor would have had a rope cable, there is no sign of any chain leading to it.

Cannon: There are, from memory, four of these—two or three on top of the reef and one or two near the stream anchor. They are 4 ft. to 5 ft. in length and though cemented to the reef by coral, are clearly and distinctly recognis able and photograph well.

“Trying” or Boiling Down Pots for Blubber: There are a number of these widely scattered over the reef and cemented to it but in a good state of preservation. It is not known whether these could be from the “Boussole” but they might also be from the wreck of an early timber whaler now entirely rotted away or smothered with coral growth. Perhaps the early pattern angled crown anchor belongs to the same previous wreck.

Other Wreckage: All the above wreckage could not be moved with facilities then available and remain as found. A bronze goose-neck for fitting a fore and aft boom was brought back and I have it here in Rabaul. Also a piece of copper sheathing, a sand-cast nail for same and a part of a bronze plate with three rivet holes—possibly for securing the shrouds to the hull. These were found on top of the reef.

Lead Ballast: This was not noticed but is almost certainly there, covered in coral, under water off the reef near the stream anchor. Its finding, and if similarly marked as that found by M. Antonloz at Vanikoro, would clearly associate the two wrecks.

Coral Growth

The coral growth encrusting the wreckage is not nearly as heavy as that described in the Vanikoro find ings and much of the wreckage de scribed above could be easily re moved with a suitable vessel and necessary rafts and gear.

While anchors, cannon, cable, etc.,

retain their shape very clearly, they

are to some extent fragile and would need preservation if removed and exposed to the air.

It is interesting to note the posi tions of the two wrecks:

Vanikoro—Lat., 11° 40'; Long.,

167°00' E approx.

Roncador Lat., 6° 13'; Long.,

159°22' E approx.

I have calculated the course and distances to be NW I N, and 560

miles approximately.

This is about two days sailing, more or less, running free before the South East Trades—depending on wind force and weather prevailing at the time. The main Solomon Islands, group lies well to the SW of this course and would not be

sighted.

Position of Frindsbury Reef

According to replies I have had from the Admiralty, Frindsbury Reef is Latitude 5° South; Long. 159° 19', East. But they say that the posi tion has not been verified since the date of the loss of the vessel. (She was built in 1817 and named Frinds bury, after the place where she was built, in Kent. In subsequent re-registerings, the name appears to have been changed to Frinsbury).

The reef, named after the vessel, is still marked on the chart north of Ontong Java, but all local natives whom I asked were emphatic that no such reef existed to their know ledge, although they regularly travel by canoe in that area.

Pieces of the Puzzle

Before any connection with the Boussole could be established, a number of questions would have to be answered—such as the com parative composition of the alloys used in metal parts found in both sites. • And —in view of the gooseneck which I retrieved from the reef and which could have been used to secure

There was a revival of interest in the fate of the two ships of La Perouse (“Astro labe” and “Boussole”) after the French Resident Commissioner in the New Hebrides, Monsieur P. Anthonioz, led an expedition to Vanikoro earlier this year. (“PIM”, April and May).

It is not definitely established yet that the relics that M.

Anthonioz discovered were from “Astrolabe”, although it seems likely that they were ; but, in any event, the whereabouts of the second La Perouse ship, “Boussole”, still remains un certain.

Now, Mr. P. L. James, of Rabaul, NG, has given us some details of the remains of a wreck, or wrecks, which he found on Roncador Reef, in 1953. Could this, or part of it, be the “Boussole?”, he asks.

This article is based on material supplied by Mr. James.

a spanker boom to the aftermast— was either of La Perouse’s ships fore-and-aft rigged? ® Again, did either ship carry cast iron muzzle-loading cannon, and if so of what length and bore? • Was stud link anchor chain cable used in either ship or was such cable in use in the latter half of the 18th century? The Admiralty advises that anchors of the pattern described remained in use for a very long time, but makes no com ment on the cable. • If other iron wreckage which appears to be mixed up with the cables is part of iron frames or stempost, etc., was either ship of

composite iron frame and timber beam, stringer and plank construc tion?

Recent reading on the subject of early South Seas whaling has now convinced me beyond doubt that the “trying pots” I found are not large enough for a typical whaler.

The description in the chapter, “Try Works”, in “Moby Dick”, which is regarded as authoritative, makes this earlier error of mine seem obvious.

The pots I found are hardly big enough for a man to crawl into and go to sleep, or scarcely to get inside to clean comfortably, as was described.

it is, of course, possible that some whalers carried four smaller instead of two larger pots. Also there may be two wrecks mixed up at the one place.

Riddle of Roncador Roncador Reef is never visited by natives and seldom by other ships, except to shelter overnight or in heavy weather, at odd times of the year.

If the wreck—or wrecks—are not Findsbury and not Boussole, they still are a mystery; one of those riddles of the sea, designed to plague the curiosity of manners, as well as anyone with a sense of history.

On the 13th they saw a small island by the South-East, and anchoring off it, at noon they got a few coconuts and some bad water.

Soon after it came on to blow, and they were obliged to remain all night and the following day, which time they were employed in repairing the boats.

They had scarcely finished this work when the natives came and endeavoured to make prisoners of them, wounding one man.

Sailed for New Guinea Then they sailed for New Guinea where they arrived on the 16th, and landed on a small island in search of water, but without success.

At this island three men left the boats. On the following day they got in with the main land, and bought water from the natives.

At this place William Dunn, who was sent on shore with a bucket, was detained by the natives. The boats then made the best of their way to Carter’s Harbour (Carteret’s?) landed at several places and had several engagements with the natives.

On March 12 they arrived at Carter’s Harbour and remained there until the 15th, when they left on passage to Ternate.

Four days later. Mr. Davis, the Chief Mate, left to return to Carter’s Harbour, his boat’s mast being sprung. Captain Duncan pro ceeded to Ternate and being off the South coast of Mysore the natives came out and made him and his crew prisoners.

During the six months of their captivity they were conveyed from one place to another, sold and resold; at last they had the good fortune to be redeemed by Captain Russell, of the schooner Success, of and belonging to Ternate at which place they arrived on December 17, 1832.