Forgive Draeck
The Vergulde Draeck (Gilded Dragon) was a 42 meter long hunt of the Dutch East India Company under the command of Pieter Albertzoon. She ran from Texel on October 4, 1655 on a trip to Batavia , today's Jakarta . The ship had a cargo of eight chests with silver coins valued at 78,600 guilders and other goods valued at 106,400 guilders. The crew consisted of 193 people.
Coordinates: 31 ° 14 ′ S , 115 ° 22 ′ E
Trip to Batavia
After passing the Cape of Good Hope , the captain took advantage of the trade winds and sailed towards the East Indies. Because of an incorrect course calculation, the Vergulde Draeck ran on April 28, 1656 at Ledge Point on a reef off the coast of Western Australia . The ship broke and the lifeboats were launched. A boat was sent to Batavia for rescue. The sailors arrived there on June 7, 1656 and reported that only 75 people had survived the disaster. Several ships were then dispatched to rescue the castaways, but no one was found.
Search expeditions
On June 7, 1656 the Goede Hoop and the Witte Valck set out on a search expedition from Batavia to Australia. Strong storms hindered the search for survivors of the Vergulde Draeck, no survivors were found. On April 23, 1657, the Vinck , who was staying at the Cape of Good Hope at the time, received the order to look for survivors on the Australian coast. This search was also unsuccessful. In the following year, the ships Waeckende Boey , Emmenhorn and Emeloordt were ordered for the next expedition. These trips, which lasted until 1659, were also unsuccessful.
Discovery and Exploration
When the site of the accident was discovered in 1963, the wreck had already been looted and damaged. The original finders of the wreck turned to the West Australian Government, whereupon the Department of Underwater Archeology of the responsible museum was commissioned to secure and investigate the sites. In 1972, the first artefacts were recovered . Beard cans, tobacco pipes , bronze and brass utensils, glass bottles and around 8,000 bricks, which probably served as ballast, were recovered. In addition, 8,500 Spanish silver coins were found. Further excavations were carried out in 1981 and 1982, with the 19-day excavation period in 1982 being very successful thanks to good weather conditions. Outstanding finds were an East Asian pipe, several beard jugs and an astrolabe .
swell
- WA Museum Site
- Shipwreck website
- Website of a research group on the ship accessed on November 12, 2017 (en)
literature
- Jeremy N. Green, The Loss of the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie Jacht 'Vergulde Draeck', Western Australia 1656: An Historical Background and Excavation Report, Oxford, British Archaeological Reports, 1977 ( ISBN 090453197X )