Stones Mark The Graves Of

Still Probing A 170-Year-Old Mystery

Stones Mark The Graves Of La Per ease’s Butchered Men?

The story of the recovery of relics from the wreck of La Perouse’s i “Astrolabe”, at Vanikoro, in the British Solomons, is a continuing “PIM” has published many reports over the last two years—the st in last month’s issue, when it gave details of anchors and other * recovered by a French expedition in June. The information had i received from Noumea. Mr. L. W. Filewood, a correspondent on ikoro who has supplied details in the past, here describes what the st expedition did on the scene, and says something of future plans.

From L. W. Filewood, on Vanikoro The party, following up the work commenced by M. Pierre nthonioz in 1957, arrived here by the New Hebrides Con iminium vessel Rocinante. It was led by the world-famous jlcanologist, M. Tazieff and consists of a well-known Belgium jologist M. Jacques Theodor, and our old friends and well iiown Vila identities, Reece Discombe and Jack Barley.

E uncovering by further blast ng away of the coral growth, of [ number of cannons, five prs, quantities of lead, cast iron st, sections of forged steel bars various other items now leave [doubt, if any ever existed, that ship is definitely L’astroldbe. le party explored the vicinity thoroughly, blasting as required filming, by underwater camera, j phases of the search includ the actual searchers swimming he reef, the location of the ius finds and many other very lesting shots. ley have closely questioned the people of Vanikoro and have led a lot of further information h could lead to the locating of [ other La Perouse vessel, isoZe, which, local legend has it, k the reef some eight miles ler east from the spot where tilabe was wrecked. ie crew was attacked and wiped >y the natives and the ship then ed around the island to a small which exists just off the south ern tip of Tevai, the small island h adjoins Vanikoro, says the id.

Are They Bones? ie later French navigator, lont d’Urville erected a cairn ones on a small tidewater island een Vanikoro and Tevai, in evai Bay, believing that the crew \oussole had died there, but it ars to be very conclusive that was not the case, ie present party has reasonably rate information that it rred near what is now the ge of Emoa, and have been m what are reputed to be the

stones covering the bones of the butchered sailors.

Later efforts will prove whether this is correct, but it appears to be reasonable at the moment, very bad weather has hampered the efforts of the party at times, this being usual at this time of the year at Vanikoro, but they have stuck to the task when possible and their confirmation of the earlier work by M. Anthonioz will un doubtedly be greatly appreciated in the circles where old history is very important.

It is possible that a further and much larger expedition may come to complete the removal of what ever can be moved, in order to honour a man w ho is regarded in his own country as being as great as James Cook and Matthew *Fiindprs arp in our own. It is possible that a memorial will be erected in Paris containing the es discovered by thiS and f ° rmer pa 1 s *

Obelisk Erected

... , v At present there is an obelisk being erected at the village of Peou, which is headquarters of the Vanikoro Timber Company, near the spot where the wrecked party camped and built a small boat, which after leaving Vanikoro was never heard of again, This monument will replace the cross which stands on the reef and which is very difficult to maintain because of the currents and tides which continually sweep the reef, Some of the pieces of the ship will be incorporated in the obelisk and a section of lead from the wreck will be attached to it with a suit

able inscription engraved on the surface.

Lifting of anchors and cannon after uncovering it was a stiff task, as a current of about 10 knots races over the reef on the flood and ebb tides and time is restricted to the short period of slack water and when the tides have almost finished their run.

By means of empty 44 gallon drums, the job has been accom plished, not forgetting, of course, the efforts put into the work by the whole party.

It seems that the task will be continued and we will hear more of it before it is finally accomplished.

Later in June the French patrol vessel Tiare arrived under the command of L/Commander Cerebelot. His party consisted of Commodore De Brossard, M.

Favreaux, French Resident Com missioner in the New Hebrides Condominium: M. Blot, a seismolo gist, and M. Priam, of the Mines Department of New Hebrides. At the time of my writing they plan to officially unveil the obelisk to La Perouse on June 27 with a full ceremony. This will remain as a permanent monument to this great man.