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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 3RD DECEMBER, 1892. 1035
Captain BUCHANAN, her master, who has charge of the salvage operations, informed me that the weather is as a rule so bad at Sand Island and the back-wash from the reef's base, where the wreck lies, so great, that the diver only gets down, and then only for short periods, about every ten days.
A portion of the treasure has been recovered, in getting at which dynamite had to be used, and the cargo has apparently washed out of the ship. The decks have fallen in diagonally over the treasure room. The engines can be distinctly seen in calm weather, about 15 feet below the surface at low water.
Captain BUCHANAN spoke very highly of the assistance given, and the protection from looting rendered, by the various officials acting under the direct orders of the Chentai.
8. At noon on the same day accompanied by the Consul, I called officially upon WANG-CHIH-SHENG, the Chentai, or General, and afterwards upon PAN-WEN-FUNG, the Ting, or Magistrate, and obtained from them detailed accounts of the bodies recovered and buried, one hundred and one in all, (Enclosure No. 1), in numerous graves on five different islands, some of the latter unapproachable under ordinary circumstances of the prevailing bad weather.
10. On the 21st, the barometer being more hopeful, I left Makung at 9.15 A.M., and proceeded again to Ta-tsang Bay, Pehoe Island, where I anchored at 10.30 a.m.
11. The Consul, Senior Lieutenant C. H. MOORE, and Mr. HASTINGS landed and spent nearly five hours in inspecting the various graves, spread widely apart, and found them carefully and efficiently made and marked. In some cases cairns will be erected, by an arrangement made between the Consul and the Headman on Pehoe, under approval of the Chentai, the fullest attention to all the points considered necessary is ensured.
I may here remark that, all the graves are registered in the Offices of the petty local officials, who state that they can be easily pointed out even if the marks should be obliterated by storms, and I am convinced that although, naturally, relatives of the dead may regret that individual identification is impossible, they may feel quite satisfied that the friendly Chinese islanders buried the bodies decently and reverently, and that the future preservation of the graves will be properly attended to under the supervision of the Chentai's officers.
I have the honour to be,
Sir, Your obedient Servant,
(Signed)
ANGUS MACLEOD, Captain.
Commodore
HENRY ST. L. Bury Palliser,
Hongkong.
Enclosure No. 1.
Particulars of graves of Foreigners recently buried on Pescadores Islands, taken from the Chinese Officials' Records by Mr. PELHAM WARREN, H. B. M. Consul for Tai-nan. 20th November, 1892.
Making. Outside the City Walls.
European (male).
1 Lascar.
Hsi-on(Fisher Island).
12 European (males).
1 European (female).
Note. From the position of Fisher Island relatively to Tortoise Rock, the majority of these are supposed to have been washed ashore from the Normand.
Chih-son.--(Pehoe Island).
2 European (males). 2 European women.
1 European child.
24 Lascars.
Ku-pau-su-(Sand Island).
10 European (males).
4 European or Eurasian women. 24 Lascars.
How-liao.-(North end of Pong-hon Island).
12 European (males).
1 Eurasian woman. 6 Lascars.
The positions of all the graves are registered in the Offices of the petty local officials. Three females were Eurasians or Cantonese.
(Signed)
ANGUS MACLEOD,
Captain.
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